Receiving Jesus

There is a part in the Gospel of Mark chapter six where the disciples had just finished teaching and preaching throughout the towns and were reporting back to Jesus all they had done. Jesus could see that they were very tired and needed rest, but as they were speaking the people kept coming, and so they continued to teach the people until finally Jesus stopped the disciples and told them to follow Him so that they could go somewhere alone and eat and get some rest. But before they could even reach where they were going more people saw them and ran as fast as they could to meet them—Jesus looked at them, and the Bible says, He was “filled with compassion”, He saw the people as  sheep without a shepherd, and so He began to teach them—who knows when He or His disciples ate or slept that day. Jesus is the same today, He is full of compassion for you, and knows that you are in desperate need of a good shepherd, in John 10:14, Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

You see, there are many “shepherds” out there today telling you to put your faith in them, promising you a better life, but the Bible says that you are by nature a sinner incapable of saving yourself or any one else. You need God, you need to be reconciled to the One who made you and loves you and tells you the truth, for that you need Jesus. John 3:16 reads, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”. Jesus is the Son of God, the “good shepherd” who laid down His life in order that His “sheep” (those who follow Him in faith) may have it. In Jesus there is not only the promise of reconciliation with God, but there is also the promise for newness of life. Jesus said He would not leave us as orphans down here on earth, He sends His Holy Spirit to dwell in those that have put their faith in Him. And, by His Spirit He will help you conquer the sin in your life and press on in courage towards eternity with Him. God says in His word, it is ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” (Zech. 4:6, John 14:15-18)

If God has moved your heart to follow “the Good Shepherd”, Jesus Christ, who not only teaches you His way so that you may find rest for your souls, but also gave Himself up for you, then the Bible says, “that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” There are no magic words, only a heart that believes and a mouth that confesses “Jesus is Lord”.  Ask Jesus into your heart today and He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Ephesians 1:13 says, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

If you have received Christ the following is God’s promise to you:

Revelation 21,

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

To begin growing in your relationship with the Lord, please get a Bible and read, read, read! We suggest the NASB version as it is the closest to the original Greek the New Testament was written in, or the “Quest” Study Bible. It’s more money but well worth it.

*If you have any questions or just want to talk please e-mail us at: r2believe@gmail.com, we would love to here your story and pray for you!

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Notes

- Sin: Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”

- Judgment: John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” Ephesians 5:6, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.”

- Salvation: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” 1 Thessalonians 5:9, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Hebrews 9:28, “so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”