Are You Living Your Faith with Jesus and Finding Peace in Him? If you have made Christ part of your life and found him, that’s a beautiful thing – He’s there as your advocate, provider, and best friend ever!
Be prepared to be judged and tested by an unfriendly world. Be open-minded when dealing with difficult people; their advice could come back and haunt you later.
1. Repent
Many people fear the word “repent.” They assume it will be taxing and complex, yet this process of repentance is an integral part of following Christ. Repentance means “to turn around.” Changing direction means making a 180-degree turn with our hearts and minds alike – that could include sorrow for past transgressions and vows to never go back down that road again, confess to those we’ve wronged (if possible), and reconcile relationships if needed.
At its heart, our eternal destiny rests upon how we spend this lifetime. Jesus made this clear early in His ministry when He called on people to “Repent and believe the Good News,” both elements are necessary for our salvation; change cannot occur without believing something to be confirmed first. Likewise, God’s kingdom has come near, so to find Him and follow His ways more closely, we need to turn away from the destructive habits of this world and embrace his new form.
If we do not repent, we will miss the chance of eternal life and live forever apart from Him in hell. Repentance is always open as part of God’s plan for salvation – if we continue resisting, eternity in hell awaits for our sins.
But feeling sorry for our wrongdoings is not enough: God sees beyond tears or how long we spent whimpering and sobbing while curled into a ball in sorrow; He looks into our hearts to determine whether we’re genuinely repentant, regardless of how many tears or mournful tears may fall upon us. Genuine repentance entails changing both thinking and behaviors to conform with His kingdom and will for our lives – not simply feeling regretful over past decisions or sorrow over mistakes made in the past.
2. Ask
People around the world have used art for centuries to portray Jesus. We may be used to seeing images depicting a man with long, wavy, light brown or blonde hair and blue eyes – yet this does not accurately portray who Jesus was. According to his biographers, Jesus was a Jewish carpenter who gained a tremendous following before preaching about repentance and salvation.
He was also known as a healer, with claims he could heal all types of illnesses with just a touch or word. His followers believed his miraculous feats could be explained by both divine power and human abilities, considering him capable of walking on water, creating fish and bread instantly, resurrecting dead people from graveyards, calm storms, and exorcising demons as his miracle-working nature allowed Him to perform these miraculous deeds – and all from within himself! Many believed in Jesus’ divine nature, while followers believed his humanity gave Him this ability as they thought He was both fully God and fully human at once!
Jesus was among the most iconic figures in human history, revered and worshiped as The Word of God and The Savior of the World by Christians worldwide. Born of a virgin conception by the Holy Spirit, he taught and preached the kingdom gospel until being arrested and crucified at age 33.
Learning who Jesus is and what his teachings can offer us can profoundly revolutionize our lives. His wisdom can guide us toward living more fulfilling, joyful, and purposeful lives, fill any void within us with happiness and peace, and even offer eternal life as part of his plan for us all.
At the heart of it all lies Jesus and his message for us. This decision should not be taken lightly and should be carefully considered by each of us. Those who follow Him will do as He did, love who He loved, and go where He went – not always meeting our expectations but exceeding our hopes by fulfilling needs and exceeding hopes. He may challenge us out of our comfort zones, pursue pain with enthusiasm, and love beyond limitations.
3. Believe
As Christians, we’re frequently instructed in Scripture to “believe in Jesus Christ.” But what exactly does that entail? To know Jesus is essential in terms of believing. His identity should also be established: Jesus is both Messiah (Genesis 3:15; Matthew 16:16) and Word of God come alive (John 1:14) as well as part of the Trinity that shares divine nature between Father, Son, and Spirit (John 1:1-18).
Faith means trusting in Jesus’ death and resurrection to pay for our sins and save us from eternal punishment. This process is known as sanctification – our transformation from rebels into believers (Romans 6:23). Furthermore, scripture teaches that He rose again after three days to conquer sin and death and returns one day later to judge both living people and dead alike.
To follow Jesus, we must go where He goes, love those He loves, and do what He did. Jesus didn’t stay put in one comfortable home but instead moved around frequently–often to places not convenient to religious leaders–sought out those on the fringes, those suffering physically and spiritually, and those left out by society–never fearful or embarrassed by opposition He faced–taking on sin without compromise or retreat.
As we read the Gospels and witness His life unfold, it becomes impossible not to trust Jesus Christ. Aside from His divinity and humanity, what makes Him credible is that He knows and understands what we’re experiencing because He experienced it Himself – He understands the feelings of longing that accompany life on this Earth, along with spiritual hunger that only can be fulfilled through unchanging faith, hope, and love from Christ Himself.
Once you find Him, once you meet Him, you won’t want to let go. He is there to fill that void in your life and provide hope for the future.
4. Follow
Jesus doesn’t promise that following Him will be easy, but He promises He’s with you every step, offering safety and security, much like a shepherd protects his flock. He wants you to trust Him just like His disciples did during their darkest times (Luke 22:37).
As Jesus demonstrated, to follow means to sacrifice yourself, your flesh, and short-term pleasures in exchange for eternal happiness. Jesus himself provided a perfect example of this concept: He called 12 Jewish men to follow Him during his ministry and worked closely with them, all the while teaching them God’s ways and dying on the cross for our sins, later rising from death itself so His followers could preach salvation by faith alone.
Whoever followed Jesus would forever be altered; He made them Fishers of Men and gave them an exalted position in His Kingdom that will last throughout eternity (1 Peter 2:9). If you want more insight into this eternal life, study Jesus as He lived and acted – it provides the best example of a relationship with God!
Those searching for a relationship with God need look no further than Jesus. He alone can satisfy your most profound spiritual needs; He’s your advocate, provider, and best friend rolled into one! He never leaves you and wants eternal companionship as He desires to be your Lord and Savior! So invite Jesus into your life today by following Him; ask for forgiveness of sins committed against Him, and trust Him with your life – He awaits your submission with open arms. “If you seek Him out, He will receive you; knock it will open!” (Matthew 7:7).
