I'm so happy. I didn't come here to be happy, in fact I thought I'd be everything but. I thought I'd be miserable. Furthermore, I was in no way looking for happiness, searching for it, trying for it, not even really thinking about it. Happiness- it's an emotion- it's fleeting. But, I'm happy.
Why am I happy? I'm happy because of Jesus. I have Jesus. I found Jesus. I devote my attention on Him and he blesses me with such goodness. I'm going through the absolute toughest times in my life with everything that many of you don't even know the start of because I can't talk about it on here. But in the toughest time I feel the most comfort, the most peace, the most relief, the most happiness. And it has absolutely nothing to do with or without anybody or anything else. It is completely irrelevant to any external matters.
Happiness isn't about how many "things" you have, how much money you have, what job you have or if you even have a job, not even about your family and friends. Any single one of these things can be gone in an instant. If your happiness was based on that person or that thing, and it leaves, then what? You are left without happiness.
Happiness, as in true joy, it is from within. When you repent your sins and turn to Jesus and make Him your Lord and Savior, following Him always in the mist of all you go through, the Holy Spirit lives within you. It's in the inside! This means no matter what you encounter in life, you always have that peace, comfort and joy from within. You can turn off all that is external and turn inward.
You can blame unhappiness on another, void things and people from your life thinking it'll take care of the problem, entirely up and change everything about yourself, but it all doesn't matter if you don't truly have Jesus. Without Him, happiness- it's fleeting. It'll come, it'll go, it won't last and it won't be the true and lifetime joy you can experience with Jesus in your heart.
I do not fear my circumstances when I focus my heart and mind on Jesus. I know what lies ahead for me after my short time on this planet. I know where I'm going because I know I am saved. I said Yes to Jesus and He said Yes to me! It's a love like never before. I just want everyone to experience and feel that love. Love and be loved. Really, that's all it comes down to. Everything else will fall into place if you give it up to Him and trust in Him. Be a good person. The Bible talks about living righteously not about trying to find your own happiness.
And by living righteously, I was given the gift of Happiness. Thank You Jesus.
Here's a challenge for all of you that leads kind of into a new topic I will talk about at a later time... Do you listen to Christian music? K-love radio station for example? If not, try to. Try to for 30 days. K-love gives this exact challenge for their station. Listen for 30 days and see if/how it blesses you. Being a Christian means putting Jesus first. Are you doing that? Are you doing that in every aspect of your life? Start right here by one simple change. I hope it blesses you immensely and brings you into a transformation you couldn't even imagine, that you ultimately then find your happiness also. http://www.klove.com/
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 1 Peter 3:14
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
Salvation Debate
So for some time now, God's been telling me to write on a certain topic. As you can see, I haven't written on this blog in quite some time. The main reason was I was unsure what to write. I don't know why I'm doubting. If God says "write" I'm sure once I start typing He will give me the words to send out. This is also a topic of controversy, but that shouldn't matter, since ultimately if I'm doing what God wants that's what matters.
Today a friend asked me something that had to do with Catholicism. This got me rattling off to her all about something which I later realized was the exact topic God told me to write about. God was definitely using my friend as a means to get through to me. It worked. So, here it goes...
Within Christianity, there are many denominations. Some Protestant Christians believe Catholicism isn't a Christian denomination. What I feel God wants me to do here is briefly describe some of the differences so that those reading can take that and go find out for themselves.
One major topic which I feel is the one God wants me to touch on is that of salvation- I mean that is pretty much the most important topic right? Our life here on Earth is extremely short compared to that which we cannot even fathom, that of eternity- are we going to spend it in Heaven?
Catholicism believes that you have to get baptized- preferably as a baby (and receive the other sacraments), have faith/trust in Jesus, and you must do good works all in order to be saved. Christianity outside of Catholicism believes in salvation by grace through faith alone.
So does salvation come through good works or through faith alone? The major conflict here is that one says you HAVE to do something in order to be saved. The other says that salvation is through faith alone. Are you going to get into Heaven without doing good works? I don't think you are. BUT I don't think that's the question to answer here. Why? Because of this... If you are saved by faith alone, ultimately you will be transformed into wanting to do good. So the result here is that both groups are striving to do good.
Still that doesn't answer it. But I'm not going to answer it. I'm not God. My advice is to search for your own answer. However, I must say, keep this in mind. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. For OUR sins. We were forgiven right there... for all the wrong that we would do in the future. We are human, we are sinners. We needed a Savior, Jesus Christ. A Savior. Dissect that thought right there.
I think that's all He wants me to write for now. I hope this makes someone out there, preferably many someones, want to go search for the answers themselves. Research your religion. Read the Bible. Find your answers in the Bible. Is what you've been taught found in the Bible? Does it need to be found in the Bible? If it's not, who taught it and what does that mean in regards to what you believe in? Do you have a religion or do you have a relationship with Jesus? Is Jesus in your heart?
God bless you.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. -James 2:14-17
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. -Ephesians 2:8-9
Today a friend asked me something that had to do with Catholicism. This got me rattling off to her all about something which I later realized was the exact topic God told me to write about. God was definitely using my friend as a means to get through to me. It worked. So, here it goes...
Within Christianity, there are many denominations. Some Protestant Christians believe Catholicism isn't a Christian denomination. What I feel God wants me to do here is briefly describe some of the differences so that those reading can take that and go find out for themselves.
One major topic which I feel is the one God wants me to touch on is that of salvation- I mean that is pretty much the most important topic right? Our life here on Earth is extremely short compared to that which we cannot even fathom, that of eternity- are we going to spend it in Heaven?
Catholicism believes that you have to get baptized- preferably as a baby (and receive the other sacraments), have faith/trust in Jesus, and you must do good works all in order to be saved. Christianity outside of Catholicism believes in salvation by grace through faith alone.
So does salvation come through good works or through faith alone? The major conflict here is that one says you HAVE to do something in order to be saved. The other says that salvation is through faith alone. Are you going to get into Heaven without doing good works? I don't think you are. BUT I don't think that's the question to answer here. Why? Because of this... If you are saved by faith alone, ultimately you will be transformed into wanting to do good. So the result here is that both groups are striving to do good.
Still that doesn't answer it. But I'm not going to answer it. I'm not God. My advice is to search for your own answer. However, I must say, keep this in mind. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. For OUR sins. We were forgiven right there... for all the wrong that we would do in the future. We are human, we are sinners. We needed a Savior, Jesus Christ. A Savior. Dissect that thought right there.
I think that's all He wants me to write for now. I hope this makes someone out there, preferably many someones, want to go search for the answers themselves. Research your religion. Read the Bible. Find your answers in the Bible. Is what you've been taught found in the Bible? Does it need to be found in the Bible? If it's not, who taught it and what does that mean in regards to what you believe in? Do you have a religion or do you have a relationship with Jesus? Is Jesus in your heart?
God bless you.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. -James 2:14-17
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. -Ephesians 2:8-9
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