I am a Christian man. I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and I want the whole world to know it. Why? Not because of some sort of pride, or because I think I'm better than anyone, but because Jesus has given me a wonderful inner life and He can give the same to you. He, God the Son, at the behest of God the Father, will send God the Holy Spirit to live with you and within you, pouring His Life into your life - His Being into your being - His Fullness into your emptiness -- becomong your Teacher, Comforter, and ever-present Help in time of trouble.
This is real. I live this every day. No religious B.S. here! No sales pitch. I watch this work each and every day of my life. I personally have been restored from deep darkness, to walking in the Light - happily, peacefully, and joyfully, but that's not the most significant part.
I can say "I am holy".
Now that would be an outrageous blaspheny under any other circumstances, but I can truly say "I am holy" -- not because of any merit of mine (I have none), but because of the incomprehensible grace shown to me by my wonderful Lord. He has become my Holiness.
I can say "I am prosperous", not because of any special skill or talent, but solely and completely by His unmerited favor.
I can say "I am healed", not by any work of mine or any other human being, but by the hand of God, who shows no partiality, but bestows His kindnesses on all His creation.
The days we live in are evil days. The world offers offers religious, ritualistic, legalistic thinking and then calls it God. It offers degradation and calls it liberty, offers irresponsibility and calls it freedom, and offers slavery and bondage to coveting the things of this world and calls that a better life! By the mercy of God, I have found the true "better life" (perhaps it's more accurate to say that that Better Life found me) - one the world cannot offer. This life is found only in Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour of the World, Emmanuel (which means God With Us). Apart from Him, there is no life at all.
God is Holy beyond Holy, and dwells in unapproachable light, and before Him no sin can exist. We see something of His Holiness in the Great and Terrible, Perfect and Wonderful Torah. The Torah is meant to be lived from the deepest heart and describes perfection.
No one (except One) has ever kept the Torah as intended by God
Because of the Wonderful, perfect Law of God, this indescribable Torah,
given by God in His mercy, we are all equally under sin before God, all alike in need of
redemption, and all held captive to the sin which Torah reveals to be indwelling us. None can lift
up his head over anyone else, being held captive alike. The Torah, great and
wonderful, is the perfect equalizer, and is the utter end (or should be) of pride and
self-righteousness of all sorts. As our beloved Apostle Paul says :
...But the Scripture has shut up all things under
sin, so that the Promise, by faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those
who believe. But before faith came we were kept in custody under the Law,
being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.
(Letter to the Galatians 3 : 22)
The struggle against this indwelling sin (we are in this struggle whether we think we are or not) is an eternally losing battle, because sin is written into our very natures. In Torah's unapproachable Light, we are all accused and condemned. Unless we find a way out, we are crushed under this weight, and either we live under condemnation, feeling horrible about ourselves and our lives, or live in denial in licentious unconsciousness, denying that the the Law exists and lying to ourselves about it. Either way, because of the shame that we so desparately want to deny, we are forced into lives of deep inner depravity and darkness.
I know.
I was there.
Some may read this and say, "He has a problem with himself. I don't have his problems. I'm fine. I'm a good person, and I do the best I can." But there is always a gnawing within. It comes in different ways, but always it comes.
Others may say, "This is religious fiction." To them I respectfully assert, "Please examine the available evidence."
Check this out :
For as many as are of the works of the Law are
under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by
all things written in the Book of the Law, to perform them."
(Letter to the Galatians 3:10)
See? There's no "good enough" when it comes to fulfilling the Law. But here's the Good News!
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law,
having become a curse for us, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who
hangs on a tree", in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might
come to the Gentiles, so that we all might receive the Promise of the Spirit
through faith.
(Letter to the Galatians 3:14)
See, the Torah, great and wonderful as it is, was never meant to give life! We were never meant to live by it - rather, we were meant to die by it! To die to our own self effort and to any idea that we, of our own selves, can ever live up to blessed Torah's impossible demands. Once we realize that, we can receive God's way out, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Christ Jesus.
Through the Law, I died to the Law, that I might
live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and the life that I now live
in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God Who loved me and delivered
Himself up for me.
(Letter to the Galatians 2:19)
Once we agree that we cannot live by the Law, we can realize that God made a way that fulfills the Law for us. We can then quit trying to do the impossible, and simply enter His rest. One could never earn this wonderful salvation. It is only available through faith in Jesus Christ. This leaves absolutely no room for bragging, boasting, or any holier-that-thou self-perceptions. Here it is, simply put.
For by grace, you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works,
that no one should boast.
(Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2 : 8)
So, my life now, wonderful as it is, is wholly and completely a result of His grace and mercy. I know He has a plan for my life, and that it's an excellent plan. It will have me happy and fulfilled, not frustrated and miserable. God is not partial. God does not play favorites. What He has done for me, He will do for all Who ask Him to. If we can just stop trying to make ourselves OK, and trying to pretend that we have anything at all, we can receive every good thing from His hand, without cost and without price. It's all already paid for.
Please don't exclude yourself from this marvellous salvation. Listen to my Lord when He cries to you from His heart :
For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
eternal Life.
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the
world should be saved through Him.
(from the Gospel of John 3 : 16)
Get in touch with me here if you would like to know more. Sure, there's persecutions, and tribulations, and other unhappiness that happens to you. What of it!?!?! Jesus can send you joy from Heaven that more than conquers! So be of good cheer-Christ has overcome the world!
He is coming soon! Come, sweet Lord Jesus!
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him,
and he with Me."
(from the Revelation to John 3:20)