New Life with Jesus

How do you become a Christian? By believing the Word of God about Jesus, the eternal Son of God who lived and died as a man on earth because He loved you and gave Himself for you.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26

For by grace you have been saved  through faith. And this is  not your own doing;  it is the gift of God, not a result of works,  so that no one may boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
God created us and loved us but we did not love Him. God IS love but we did not love him. God sent His only son to die for us but we did not love him. 
God created a perfect world but we mess it up but He still loves you and me.
If you owe money and your creditor gives you three days grace, you have three more days to pay. But God saves you by grace because His grace is eternal, so you never pay God the debt you cannot pay.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23      
All this is PURE MERCY but the Grace of God is also more than mercy. GRACE is beautiful. Grace is an essential aspect of the lovely character of God who is eternally beautiful.
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
When Jesus died on a cross, He paid the full penalty for all our sin, all our indifference, all our selfishness, all our human faults for all people for all time. This is amazing, wonderful and beautiful. This inspired Handel’s Messiah and the greatest artists of Europe.
The GRACE of God is the power of His creative love to make a true believer a beautiful man or woman in the true image of our Creator and Father.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor 5:17
The GRACE of Jesus Christ sets us free from punishment and condemnation, saves us from death and hell but more than that, the Grace of Jesus Christ TRANSFORMS you into a new person on the inside and God wants His goodness and love to show on the outside, in your smile, in your kind words and in your new life.
When you believe and invite Jesus to be your Master and Teacher, your Lord and your God, He changes you but He does not take away from you the freedom to make decisions, whether right or wrong. You are called to be a free and willing partner with God in becoming the wonderful person He created you to be. More than that, you are called to be a free and willing partner with Jesus in restoring His Kingdom of love and goodness.
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10 (NKJV)
If this message is already the theme of your life, you may know someone else who needs to read it. Please don't hesitate to pass it on to as many people as you like. TELL THE WORLD THAT JESUS LIVES!!
If you are not already a follower of Jesus, you can make a new start now WITH HIM.
Why not talk to Jesus now?
Please write and tell me what you think.

God so loved the world ...

Is it possible to evangelise without love? Sadly yes. There are self righteous Christians who try to convert people in an aggressive and religious way. They misrepresent the JESUS they preach. He always loved. His miracles of healing were not to prove HE was right but motivated by compassion. We should be like that too. He has given us the power of the Spirit of God for this purpose. GOD IS LOVE.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (ESV).
You go to a charismatic meeting and you enjoy the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit. You experience wonderful healing in your body and God blesses you. The deep wounds and hurts in your heart are relieved and you stand up a better and a happier person.
But why stop there? What about other people, the people you live with or work with who don’t know Jesus? If you enjoy the love of God, it is good. But if you don’t share that love with other people, your sweet experiences will fade away and in time you will lose your blessing.
There are pastors who work hard for their church members and build up their church but they are not effective in reaching outsiders. They don’t release and empower people to go out and reach unbelieving people for Jesus. Some might say: “I am a pastor, not an evangelist.” But a pastor is a shepherd. What does Jesus say?
Luke 15:4-7 (ESV)
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Another will say: “My gift is prophecy, not evangelism. God gives me revelations to build up the church.” But how did Jesus use His gifts? Did Jesus only share divine revelations with His disciples?
Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well and began a friendly conversation with her. He set out to win her trust and lead her to faith and eternal life. He did not preach a memorised formula but used His gift of prophetic revelation.
John 4:17-19 (ESV)
17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’;
18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.”
Another will say: “I am not an evangelist but a Bible teacher.” Why not teach Bible studies on evangelism? Why not invite unchurched people to study the Bible in your home? It works. I have done it. Why not teach the Bible by writing emails and sending them to Christians but also people who might not be committed or fully converted?
I know people who have been led from religion to personal faith in this way.
If your gift is pastoring (shepherding), that does not necessarily mean you are called to lead and manage a church. You might be a mother or father to workmates or neighbours, using your gift to build a caring community and to meet needs. This too can lead people into a personal knowledge of Jesus.                          
What if your gift is healing the sick? Do you only pray for fellow Christians? Why not pray for people outside the church? Healing the sick was one of the most effective ways of winning people to Jesus in the New Testament.
What if your gift is music or worshipping God in songs? Many people are attracted to music, not only in the church. Why not sing for people in hospitals or in the streets? What if you are shy but you really love and pray? Pray for people and tell them you are praying. Watch out for the answers!!

Finding Your Purpose

God put you on earth for a purpose, to be a unique agent of His creative love.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Eph 5:1-2 
If you have put your life in the hands of Jesus and made the Son of God the centre of your life, you are also recreated in HIS image. You are a son or daughter of God. You are in the image of Jesus but that does not mean you are a photocopy of the man Jesus of Nazareth. You are not called to die on a cross to save the world. You are not called to obey all the laws of Moses and live as a perfect Jew.
Just as Jesus had a unique identity, you too have a unique identity.
Jesus had special abilities that you do not have. I am sure Jesus was a very talented carpenter and he had a very strong resonant voice that he could use to preach to enormous crowds without a microphone. He had unique abilities to equip Him for His unique mission. He could speak fluent Aramaic, Hebrew and probably also fluent Greek. He memorised the Hebrew Scriptures, probably the entire Old Testament.
All followers of Jesus have unique gifts and talents to do special things for God. Many have abilities that Jesus did not have in His brief mortal life. For example women have some abilities which are not given to men. Jesus was limited by his male gender.
Jesus was not called to be a musician. It is probable that the great musicians of history had greater musical talents than Jesus had, although Jesus is no longer restricted by the limitations of mortal human life. Jesus in His Eternal Glory is the source and creator of all mankind and the Giver of all gifts and talents.
You cannot declare like Jesus did, that you are the perfect Son of God but you can share a message that Jesus could not and cannot preach. You can tell people how God forgave your sins and restored your lost and broken life. Jesus could not do that and He cannot do that now. He is and always was perfectly holy, totally good and He was never in need of forgiveness.
What is your identity and what is your story? There never was and never will be anyone quite like you. God made you for a purpose. God will not send angels to tell people about Jesus. He is sending you to tell your story. People can argue with your beliefs but they cannot argue with a story.
What unique qualities did God give you to reveal to the world?
But what if you have already ruined your life, or other people through cruel abuse have left your life in a mess?
That is no problem for God.
In Mark Chapter 5, Jesus recruited a most unlikely person to be an evangelist. This man told many thousands of people what Jesus had done for him and ten towns were won over to Jesus.
He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. Mk 5:3-5
Jesus drove hundreds of demons out of this man and immediately sent him out to be a missionary, with amazing results.
No human church leader would ever immediately appoint such a man to evangelise a region but Jesus did.
What is your story? What are your talents and gifts? Maybe other Christians think you are not gifted enough, not good enough, not mature enough, not experienced enough or not trained enough to bless others with your love and faith but God does not think like men.
Ask God why He put you on this earth. Then DO something and keep acting in faith. He wants to change the world through you, one step at a time.