For as long as I can remember, I have gone to church. My entire life I have known this concept of Jesus and who he was. And for some reason, that was supposed to be important to me. As a kid, I could tell you the majority of the Bible stories, after all, I heard them all the time. Even at a young age, though, I could tell there was more to the whole Jesus thing. It seemed that some people understood on a deeper level what all this church stuff was actually about. As I began to learn more about this Jesus, I began to question why he was important to me and what he had to do with the life change in the people around me. The Bible says that Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died for the sins of the world. This entire concept sounds …show more content…
bizarre to anyone who has never heard it. At the time, I found the whole story of Jesus to be only that; a story, not something genuine that was relatable to me. I continued to hear this story, though. Every Sunday, every Wednesday, I heard the same thing. Eventually, I could recite these notions of Jesus that I heard so often. As Jesus became such a prominent part of my life, I started to wonder what the point of it all was. Why was I being taught about such crazy ideas of some man who lived over 2,000 years ago? What did he have to do with me? May 22, 2005 is the day that things changed for me. There was nothing particularly special about that day, but it was the day that I began to see Jesus for who he really was. The realization came while I was listening to someone describe what it meant to truly know Jesus and to have a personal relationship with him. As I was sitting there listening, I suddenly realized what all the Jesus talk was about. The dots finally connected. This man I had heard stories about all my life suddenly became more than just a character. That night, I began to see Jesus not merely as a concept, but as someone who could save my life, and change me from the inside out. I realized that my knowledge of Jesus meant nothing if my heart did not belong to him. Right then and there I understood my need for a Saviour. I became painfully aware of how lost I was, living a life without Christ. In that moment, at seven years old, I broke down and confessed how much I was in need of Jesus. My heart was changed, and my life began to take on a new route. I never could have imagined how great the impact of a decision I made at seven years old would be.
Throughout the years, Jesus has been my rock. No matter what is happening in life, I have always been able to rely on Christ. Jesus gives peace in the midst of any situation. I have confidence that in any situation, Christ will provide for all my needs. My relationship with Jesus has given me hope for the future. I don’t have to live in fear, because I believe with all my heart that he has everything under control. The peace and comfort Jesus provides has been the biggest change since the moment that I began to follow Christ. These are aspects that were not evident in my life before becoming a Christ follower. These attributes that Jesus provides have influenced my actions and attitude in a countless amount of …show more content…
ways. The decision to give my life to Jesus gave me a new identity. As of that moment, I belonged to Christ and nothing could take that away. I have never had to worry about finding my identity in what I do, who I’m friends with, or what I look like, because Jesus defines who I am. At the heart of who I am is Jesus, because he has become my number one priority. Along with a new identity, came a new attitude. I want my attitude towards people, towards the world in general, to reflect that of Jesus. Jesus loves people. The love of Christ is something that has overflowed into my life since I have decided to follow him. I have developed a passion and loving attitude towards people that I believe stems from Jesus changing my life. Because Jesus has shown such love to me in my life, I am compelled to show that same love to the people around me. The moment I accepted Jesus as my Saviour, I was also given a purpose for my life.
That purpose is to go and tell others about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. This purpose has challenged me over the years to get outside my comfort zone and do this very thing. I’ve been to multiple places across the United States, and even to the other side of the world. It is evident that, no matter the location, the power of the Jesus is the same. It has been such a humbling and life changing experience to witness people come to the same realization I had; the fact that Jesus is alive and can transform any life. My relationship with Christ has given me a new purpose, and it has overflowed into every aspect of my life. I strive everyday, no matter the situation, to seek out opportunities to show the love of Christ I have experienced. Jesus has transformed my life, and I want others to experience the same life change that I
have. At seven years old, I realized who Jesus truly was. This realization has impacted my life in ways that I never could have imagined. Since making the decision to follow Jesus, I have not been the same. Jesus came into my life and transformed my life. He has given me a hope, an identity, and a purpose that cannot be taken away. That night, Jesus became my everything. Since then, I have striven to live my life in a way that makes this evident.
After seeing though the eyes of my pastor I’ve come to realize the importance of faith and committing to one’s beliefs. Returning to church after two massive losses has helped my mother in many ways and it has also taught me as a young man how small things that I could do would turn to have a big impact on someone’s life the same way my pastor impacted my life and the life of my siblings.
My beliefs are important to me. I wake up every morning with a cup of coffee in my hand and turn on the daily news. I see many problems occurring around the world, but most of us are too blind to actually do something to help. We are too blinded by our society's cultural that we can’t separate ourselves from the good and bad.
As I was driving into the church parking lot I had to take a deep breath. After leaving another frustrating day at school and then going to work right afterwards, I needed to calm myself down. I looked in the rear view mirror one more time to make sure I looked halfway presentable. I fixed my wind-blown hair by pulling it back in a high ponytail and put on some Burt’s Bees lip balm before exiting the car. I grabbed my Bible and notebook and locked the doors. As I walked towards the youth building a wave of comfort washed over me.
In other words, Jesus, although perfect and blameless in all His ways, took on the title criminal and died as such. He was crucified on a cross at Calvary. No other God has died for his people. Jesus drank the cup of wrath that was reserved for mankind (Matthew 26:39). Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The death and resurrection of Jesus purchased victory over death for humanity, if they choose to accept Him as their Lord and Savior (1 Cor. 15:55). Those who cling to the Gospel, either in sharing it or receiving of it, must believe that Jesus’ death is the only route to attain salvation. He is the only way, truth, and life (John 14:6,
reputation of having bats in her belfry. If we all believe that she has bats
The year was 1945, the blazing blizzard was harsh and cold, so cold that people froze to death if they went outside, children crying and parents trying to stay warm, all I can hear is the death and sorrow of the people as they struggle to find warmth. This winter in particular was the worst winter that we had ever faced, frostbite was a definite for those who wished to travel the winter baron. I am a poor simple man yet still alive, some would call it luck some would call it a gift from god. No person has a gift from god, I only think this because I am atheist and see no way in there being a higher power. I have been on the streets for 10 years now, I am 27 years old and ever since my parents had died I have had to defend myself and find ways for me to
In February of my eighth grade year, a dear friend of mine passed away in a tragic car accident. He was the first friend I made in youth group and his death definitely took a toll on the church. Shortly after, my father stepped down from his position as pastor, claiming to be mentally unstable to lead a church. A few weeks later my mother served him with divorce papers. Within a matter of months, life changed drastically. I had experienced the loss of a friend and the loss of a complete family and was left with brokenness. When I should have been angry at God the most, he showed me how faithful he was. Jesus was my only hope and stability during this time. Instead of running away from him, he drew me unto himself and gave me joy. Jesus ...
My interview with Minister Loggins began with the hierarchical structure of marriage and family, and he said, “The idea of a woman submitting to her husband can only be done by a believer.” His opinion is that submission is of the Lord and can only be properly done by someone who has submitted their life to Christ.
Growing up, the word “father” was a correlation to the man I knew in my life. I knew I came from somewhere, yet I could not put my finger on why things were not like how they were on TV. A white picket fence, a mother and father in this average sized house, but that was far from my reality. I lived a life that was filled with joy, yet, there was always an empty part that I was constantly searching for. My parents were high school sweethearts and soon after they met I was born. My parents had a debate on what my name should be. My mother wanted my name to be Elizabeth, and my father wanted my name to be Grace. When my mother gave birth, they both agreed on Elizabeth Grace.
My faith in Jesus Christ has had its fair share of ups and downs. Growing up in the church, I have never truly had a “life before Christ” like so many others have testified about; however, I have endured some life changing and faith altering situations. My faith has been heavily influenced by my family, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and most of all, by me. If there is one thing I have learned in my walk with Christ, just as C.S. Lewis said, it is that Christianity is like the rising sun; “not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
Over the past year and a half I have felt a tremendous calling placed upon my life to spend my time on Earth pouring everything I am into a Christ centered ministry. When I first arrived in Southern California, from Indiana, I thought I had my whole life figured out. It was my belief that God had already made it completely obvious how I would spend the rest of my life serving his kingdom. I could not have been further away from the truth. God has revealed so much truth and knowledge to me that I am still having trouble wrapping my head around. Through my classes here at Vanguard and the community that surrounds me I have seen and felt God move in amazing ways. However, through the book Jesus is____. written by my favorite pastor, Judah Smith, I have been opened up to new concepts and ideas that have been nothing short of mind blowing and full of Jesus’s truths. While writing this book, Pastor Judah asked himself the question time and time again, “Who is Jesus to me?” He also asks the reader at the beginning of the book, “Who is Jesus to you?” This book challenged me, made me smile, and convicted me. Judah’s love for Jesus is evident. His passion to make Him known is confirmed. The book traces different aspects of what the Bible says about Jesus and who
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned
"Who Is God To Me" God means many different things to many different people. There are a lot of people who believe that there is no such thing as a God. There are people who believe that there is no God because no one has ever seen him. I personally believe that there is a God because of my faith. I have faith in God and I feel that God is real. I have many reasons why I believe in God and who God is to me. But I have three reasons that stand out for me about who God is to me. They are the following: God is always there for me, God is my friend, and God is my creator. These are my three most important reasons of who God is and what God means to me. God has never let me down in my life. Sometimes I feel that God has let me down or that He did not answer my prayers in times that I most needed Him. But I have to realize that everything that God does is for a reason. God has taken a few friends of mine from this Earth at a very young age. I have prayed to God and asked Him why? But I have never seemed to fully understand why. I have come to the conclusion that God works in mysterious ways. I do not think that anyone can fully understand why God does what He does. So for this, I do not feel that God has ever let me down. He just does these things for a reason and if you believe in Him, He will never let you down either. God is the longest lasting friend I have ever had in my life. He was there for me before I was born and He will be there for me after I leave this Earth. God is the best listener also. I can talk to God anywhere at anytime. Every time I want to talk to Him or ask Him a question, He is there for me. Most of my other friends are at least a phone call away, but not God. He has always been there in time of need, even though sometimes I feel like He is not. Even when I do something wrong, He is there to forgive me and set me straight.
From the earliest I could ever remember, my parents have put me in church and kept me involved. In particular, my family chose to attend Baptist churches. I never fully understood why I was there, although I had thought I knew exactly what I was supposed to do. I assumed that I was a good person and that God was the center of my life. I believe, however, that I was not fully aware of what the concept of God really was. By the time I was teenager, while I was not completely rebellious, I was not living a life representing Jesus win a good manner. As I grew older and matured I began to realize what Christianity was all about.
Many people have a stage in their life when they stop for a moment and think “what am I here to do?”. For me that stage in life had arrived a long time ago. I was about fourteen years old, I felt alone, I felt scared, but most of all I felt useless I didn't know in what direction my life was going. I kept asking the Lord to show me, to lead me to what he wants me do to and to shape me into who he wants me to be. When I say purpose most people think about the career I want to have, while having a career is important to me. I feel like that still doesn't complete my purpose. I want to do more for us, for humanity, for our future. I believe my ultimate purpose in life is to help people in need of attention and affection. I think that the Lord has put me through difficult obstacles in life so that I could help the people that went through or are going through the same things that I have left in my past. My motivation for doing this is first of all is knowing that this is what God wants me to do, and knowing that he is blessing me. And then of course is helping the people, seeing their smiles and telling them that they are not alone and that I understand them. And will help them with whatever I can. What I do to achieve my purpose is that I go to many centers, and meet people, mostly children that have been through any kind of abuse.