I was almost going to skip writing this post, because, to be honest, I’m a tad bit nervous. I’ve only been a Christian for just over 3 years and I still find it difficult to share my faith with those who are opposed. For so long I didn’t know if I even believed in a God, let alone believe in the actual Christian doctrine of a human man who was born of the Spirit and then crucified for all of human kind and then raised from the dead. I mean, honestly, that’s a little far fetched for someone who was raised in a normal public school hearing all about science and evolution. And yet, something in the very core of my being NEEDED God. Desperately. I just knew something was missing from my life and I didn’t have a clue what it was until I overheard a beautiful woman telling some other people “that everyone has a Jesus shaped hole in their hearts. And they are constantly looking for something to fill it, most of the time in the wrong places.” That was IT.
When I was younger I never attended church. Nor did we even really talk about the bible, God or Jesus at home. Both my parents attended church, sort of, when they were young, but obviously didn’t enjoy the experience at all, so once they were in their adult stage, never wanted to go back. But, God had been working on my heart and calling me so loudly from a young age. For example, when I was 14 years old I used my own money to buy a ring that had Jesus on the cross. I didn’t know why I wanted it, but I did. And so, after hearing my friend telling some others about that hole I knew it was Jesus I needed and wanted to fill it. I had tried so many other things from smoking and alcohol to yoga and new age spiritualism to sex with so many people I’ve lost count and too many drugs to even imagine paying for now. Jesus has absolutely changed my entire life for the better. Not that I didn’t have to give up a few things that I felt I could never live without at the time, I am so grateful for His guidance and gentle convictions today.
One of the most amazing things that has happened through this entire cancer ordeal is that both my parents have confessed their faith to me. I had already been aware that my mother chose to accept Jesus into her heart and confessed her belief in Him a few years ago. But I hadn’t known how my father felt about Jesus until one night my mother, father and I were sitting at the dinner table, just after I’d been told about the cancer. My mother said she thought they should come to church with me one day to back up my faith in healing. She asked my dad if he would come. He said he’d think about it. She asked if he believed. He said, to an extent. At this point, I wasn’t going to shy away from this topic with him anymore. I blurted out “Okay, let’s just get this straight….. do you believe in Jesus?” He said Yes. I said “Do you believe He is the son of God?” He said Yes. I said “Do you believe He was raised from the dead? He said Yes. I said, okay, let’s pray!!!! And I walked him through a quick prayer to Jesus. I knew that day the Angels were all rejoicing along with me. My father may have believed in Him all along, but I never knew it. And I was worried about his spirit because as Romans 10:9 says:
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
I want to know that when it all goes down, ALL of my loved ones are in Heaven praising and worshipping the Holy King right along side of me. And, all it takes is to truly believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord of all and ask Him to be the Lord of your life as well. Confess to Him that you are a sinner and choose Him as Saviour. He isn’t asking you to do anything you don’t want to – yet (wink wink). There’s no obligation to do anything but LOVE HIM.
If you’ve never said a prayer to Jesus confessing this before, and you just know after reading this that you too have a missing piece of your heart that only HE can fill, then read this out loud, or say something similar in your own words and you will be saved to live a life of eternity partying with Him and all those who love Him. Even if you’ve said something like this before, it never hurts to recommit to Him and feel a renewed sense of total forgiveness. Every sin you ever have or ever will commit has been forgiven already by the mere act of Jesus dying on the cross for us as a sinless, blameless man. All you have to do is believe that fact in order to be saved. And then say it out loud.
Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless.
I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.
I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Amen.
So, there, that wasn’t so hard! After all He has done for me, especially these past few months, I will never ever be ashamed of my faith in Him again. Jesus, I love You and I wholeheartedly give my entire life to Your service.