It is Time to Pray and March For Senator Obama

I am a political junkie with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Criminal Justice. It is my belief that we should pray and march in North Carolina before the May 6, 2008, primary election. We can't wait to react after the Democratic Party awards the Clintons the nomination. We must stop this insanity before it is too late.

According to Hillary Clinton the superdelegates should vote for her because it is for the good of the party. If we use her same “logic” those same superdelegates should vote for Obama now (today) for the good of the country and the Democratic Party.

As a people we know spin and bull ---- when we see and hear it. The only way that Hillary can win the nomination is if the Superdelegates over rule all the voters in the states that Obama won. How can any black person support the candidate and party that will do that to us after our years of loyal support of that party?

We all have special talents and divine purposes. God has created someone for just this time in history. That person or group of people needs to start the movement for “ALL’ Obama supporters Blacks, poor, Whites, young, old, Asians, Hispanics to match in NC before the next primary election. We must voice our demand that the Superdelegates honor the primary election results and rules passed before the start of the primary.

After Obama won in Iowa, I posted “A Prayer for The Protection of Obama” on yourblackgospel.com. Part of my post:

“As I completed my assignment from God (writing my book) “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined." He placed 2 Chronicles 7:14 in my heart: I am to declare His words to the world: “If my people, which are called by my Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (KJV)

Lord we come before You this day seeking your face Lord, seeking your protection God as we venture into our new political reality. We believe that we will soon witness the manifestations of the promises that you made to Dr. Martin Luther King and our forefathers God. Thank You Lord for the fact that we are living during this time.

Lord God please protect Senator Barack Obama as he matches towards his divine destiny. Lord Father God we praise your Holy Name Jesus. God we know that the enemy comes to seek, to devour, and to destroy. Father God please protect Obama from the people of this world who do the enemy’s works on the earth.

Please God place it in the hearts and minds of this nation and its people the wisdom and courage to demand and respect an orderly, fair, and impartial political process during this historic election year. Please God heal this nation from the hurts and division of the last two presidential elections.

Please God let Americans behave as one nation united under God. Father, help us to turn from our wicked ways God. Help us Lord to daily seek your face God. Jesus we praise you and we glorify your Holy name.

You are so Holy Lord. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the Glory. Forever Amen."

Vera Richardson author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined.”

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ISBN=9780615177014

Why I Let Him Love Me

Ever since I came to know Jesus, I wanted to be more and more like him. At first, I tried my best to be as Christ-like as I could, but found that that was futile. Using a scripture that I have often quote, Paul the apostle said this, “For I know that in me (that is in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (Rom. 7:18-19) What Paul was saying was that even though he wanted to do well, because of sin in his flesh, he did not have the power within himself to do so. And so it was with me.

So to make a long story short, after some years of struggle and seeking how to be more “Christ-like,” I found that the bible actually teaches that if I had accepted Jesus as my savior, (which I had) then I was already Christ-like. It was Paul again who said, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God…” (2 Cor. 5:17) I was like Christ already but just didn’t know it.

…But what of my erratic behavior and my occasional bad feelings, attitudes and other faults I could see in myself? How could I be Christ-like if I embodied these “un-Christ-like” characteristics? Well, to make another long story short, I found that the “new me” that Paul talked about, the new “Christ-like” me, was my “inner man” and that God had changed me on the “inside” when I accepted his Son. The key now was to get the new inner me from the inside to the outside.

So, shortening one last long story, I learned again from Paul that if I believed what God’s word said about me; that is, if I believed that I was already Christ-like, that a transformation would begin, and that my new “Christ-like” inner self would start to emerge into my outer, behavioral life.

Paul said, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Rom. 12:2) He was talking about how we think about ourselves, and that we should think according to what God’s word says about us, not according to what we see in ourselves. And this way of thinking will in turn transform us, bringing the new Christ-like person on the inside to the outside… “For as (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Pr. 23:7) This was exactly what I was searching for.

What I found was the New Testament way of living that Paul always talks about. It is living by faith rather than works, believing rather than trying.

What Paul taught was that in the Old Testament man was required to do, but in the New Testament man was required to believe. And it would be our believing that would transform us and empower us to do.

About New Testament living, Paul said, “… we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” (Rom. 7:6 NIV) Paul calls this new way of living “walking in the spirit,” (having faith in God’s word) as opposed to “walking after the flesh,” (trying in our own strength). According to Paul, the Old Testament was intended to prove to us that we could not fulfill God’s requirements without Christ, but that Jesus would be everything for us; both to save us, and to enable us to live the Christian life God calls us to live. Without the Lord, we have only ourselves. Ouch!

(It’s no wonder Paul wrote more than half of the New Testament. He knew so much!)

But even though faith is the key to salvation and to our Christian walk, there is something more encompassing than that. It is Paul again who talks about being “filled with all the fullness of God.” Wow! “, Filled with all the fullness of God!” That sounds amazing doesn’t it; but just as amazing as it sounds is as possible as it is. And Paul prayed for it to come to pass in our lives and explained how it could be done in Ephesians 3:17-19.

Now, isn’t that what we are after? If we can be filled with all the fullness of God, we will be filled with love because God is love. And of course if we are filled with God’s love guess what will flow out of us. It is love of course.

Now, simply put, if we want to be filled with all the fullness of God, we must let God love us. Until we let God’s love into our lives we cannot be filled with God because God is love.

When we accept Jesus as our savior, we let God cleanse us and forgive us and give us eternal life, (all part of his love). But there is much more he wants to do for us. Because God is endless, so is his love. He wants to love us endlessly.

People often complicate God. He simply wants to love us. He always has.

It is good to remember God’s original intention in creation. He intended mankind to be blessed with every possible blessing and to live with him in a paradise forever, and his will hasn’t changed. In fact, he sent Jesus to reveal his will to us, and to restore to us what we lost in the Garden of Eden; for here and for hereafter. Jesus said, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” (Jn. 10:10 Amplified Bible) It is the enemy who deceives us and portrays God in a way that is judgmental, disapproving and condemning. Yes, God will judge men on judgment day, but we are now in a time of grace. Because he is love, God sent Jesus into the world not to judge men but to save and deliver us from judgment and condemnation.

Remember the woman caught in adultery? Though caught in sin, and accused by men, Jesus would not lay blame on her. In fact, he defended her from her accusers. And when all of her accusers had left, Jesus told her that he would not condemn her, instructed her not to sin anymore, and sent her on her way. (Jn. 8:3-11) What a loving, forgiving, merciful God! And it’s a good thing or we’d all be in trouble. But we are not. Jesus died so that we wouldn’t be judged! And he rose from the dead so we could have life. What he wants now is for us to receive his love, his forgiveness, his blessings and the instruction he has for us. If we do this, we will be filled and blessed by him to the full. And once filled with him, we too can be like him and be a blessing to those around us.

Isn’t that something? To do what we are supposed to do and to be what we are supposed to be, we have to let God love us!

So, to be "filled with all the fullness of God." we must live a life of letting God love us more and more.

Let me close this article with something else from Paul’s writings when he said, “And now I will show you the most excellent way.” Then he explained that the most excellent way was the way of love. He said, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Cor. 13:4-8 NIV)

This is the way God is and the way he wants to be toward us. So why wouldn’t we let him love us? And how can we expect to love as he does unless we let his love into our lives?

That is why I let God love me… Because I want to experience as much of God as I can and be as much like him as I can. I want to be “filled with all the fullness of God.”

And just imagine… being filled with a love that never fails! That’s for me, how about you?

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering, (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

SO MANY BLESSINGS TO THANK GOD FOR

May grace and peace be yours, sent to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ. Ephesians 1: 2,3 (NLT)

Friends, how often have you said, “I wished I had thought of that?” Well this is surely one such occasion for me. Not very long ago I was surfing the web and discovered, no that’s the wrong word, instead I should convey that I was led to this wonderful writing by Danny Doege entitled: 53 Blessings That Happen To A Person After Believing On The Lord Jesus Christ, I am sure you'll appreciate this site.

http://www.biblebelievers.com/Doege1.html

This is truly big friends, it scripture that supports a list of 53 definitive blessings that occur once we’ve declared Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The more I reviewed and read about the 53 blessings, the better I felt about being adopted by our loving Heavenly Father.
I realize that I am often guilty of not always focusing on my many blessings. Does that also happen to you also? I am sure God desires that we operate differently from here on out! I say in one breathe that I am blessed, but often, my concerns and reservations quickly over shadow the gift of God’s many blessings.

The irony regarding God’s blessings are this: the more we read,reflect and study scripture the more we understand of just how blessed we truly are!
Yes, there are too many days that my Bible study is cut short or not at all. So when we don’t read and been encouraged through scripture, we are hard pressed to remain upbeat, think positive and act accordingly! Surely counting our blessings is out of the picture and then the battle ground of our mind is ripe for the enemy to wreak havoc. Well let's agree to stop the negative thinking aka "stinking thinking!”

Instead let me purpose that we consider this: during moments that we can’t readily reach for our bibles and favorite devotionals let’s opt to reach for this outstanding list of 53 blessings. Here’s a wonder resource with scripture and biblical truths written clearly for all of us to appreciate and apply.

As I share this observation with you it becomes more apparent that not having enough “scripture/word” in us causes us to be easily distracted and removed from the truth. Remember the spiritual battle is waged in our minds. Be sure to reference Ephesians 6 for further clarification. We can be grateful for this resource compiled by Danny Doege; it reminds us of how wonderful God’s many benefits are because we believe in Jesus Christ. I am confident that you’ll also concur that indeed here’s another inspirational spiritual tool for what ails us!!

As I wrote this reflection, I beleived that the Holy Ghost was directing me to further encourage us to be hearers and doers regarding embracing these 53 Blessings. So to that end here are some resource application tips you may wish to implement in your personal lives and your ministries in an effort to improve spiritual growth.

RESOURCE APPLICATION TIPS
For Embracing:
53 Blessing That Happen To A Person After Believing On The Lord Jesus Christ by Danny Doege
http://www.biblebelievers.com/Doege1.html

Let me suggest that you first exercise prayer, asking God about how to effectively share and use this 53 Blessings as a part of your daily devotion time, or as a Christian Education resource and even when you’re on the move. Here are some applications tips that came to my mind. I think you’ll enjoy enhancing your ministry with these suggestions. Friends none of this is written in stone, so feel free to adapt these tips, rewrite them, and comfortably create your own; just step out in faith and do it!

Why not consider...

• Posting 53 Blessings on your refrigerators, bath room mirrors, the night stand and read the blessings daily-take the words to heart! Insert your name, or your families name where the words we are written.
• Daily placing one Blessing in the kid’s lunch bags and be sure to take it to work with you also.
• Speak audibly blessings over your life and your loved ones lives. Share with a colleagues. Ask God to lead you to the coworkers that you should share Blessings with.
• Read it out loud the Blessing(s) for the day, or have one of the children read it aloud before they leave the house. Make it a family activity. Stop for a moment and hear God’s words and let these truths resonate in your spirit.
• Read a Blessing each week and reference scripture during your private worship and prayer time to enhance your bible study.
• Ask God for a deeper revelation of the Blessing(s)
  Incorporate 53 Blessings as part of your Christian Education Curriculum for all the children as well as the adults.
• Share the 53 Blessings with your sick and shut-in, incarcerated, homeless ministries etc. Open your study session with a truth or Blessing, reference the scripture and then share-reflect on God’s plan for us as believers.
• Hey don’t stop there, share this insightful tool with others, especially new believers. “New Members Class, Converts Class, Sheep Fold Ministries whatever your title is, just confidently know that this compilation of Blessing can spiritually enrich others. This knowledge would help to dispel so many of the misnomers that confuse and bewilders us. I am confident that the Holy Spirit desires that we are to be reassured that the moment we embraced the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we have a bouquet of sweet blessings.
• Open your praise and worship session with one of the 53 Blessing, celebrate God and sing Be Be Winans “I Believe”. This is an awesome, uplifting song!
• Create a mural, quilt or collage with your youth groups incorporating the 53 Blessings and be sure to hang it proudly for the edification and building up the body of Christ!

I pray you’ll be further inspired to add to the list of the blessings and begin to savor each of the 53 Blessings that Brother Doege has laid out, ranging from our having access to God’s grace to we’ve got the power of a sound mind. Enjoy your many blessings friend, it’s in your reach!!

Joyfully Submitted by:

Linda Mose Meadows, author

The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises

http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/

Obadiah: A Prophecy Relevant for Today

Scholars and theologians do not agree on which Obadiah penned the prophecy recorded in the book of Obadiah; however, the significance is that the historical markers in the account provide evidence that the prophet lived and represented God during time periods that are detailed in other historical accounts. While we do not know which Obadiah wrote the prophecy we know that it came from God and that this is an accurate account.

The meaning of Obadiah is Servant of Yahweh or Worshipper of Yahweh. Obadiah was able to speak for God because he was submitted to God. It is required of those speaking for God to be servants or worshippers of God first. One with a true understanding of who God is will worship and serve Him willingly and consistently. Moreover, the one with a true revelation of who God is will seek to bring others into the same revelation that they may have relationship with God as well.

It behooves us to know and understand the biblical mandate of leaders when we assess leaders in our lives. Today, people too easily and quickly choose leaders based on feelings, popularity, attractiveness, speaking or singing ability…we should discern the person’s dedication to worship and serve God. When we seek pleasure and entertainment from our spiritual leaders we become dull and unable or unwilling to receive spiritual correction, prophecy, and warning that is necessary for our spiritual growth and maturity. Unfortunately, people forget that false prophets will be punished but so will those who follow false prophets.

Obadiah 1:1 We have heard a message from the Lord that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, "Get ready, everyone! Let's assemble our armies and attack Edom!"
Obadiah’s prophecy does not deal with Israel or Judah. Edom or the Edomites are the descendents of Esau. Israel, formerly known as Jacob and Esau are brothers. Esau traded his birthright or blessing for stew, he let go of his spiritual blessing to meet a fleshly need.

Note: When Israel came out of Egypt and wanted to pass through the land of the Edomites to enter into the Promised Land, the Edomites wouldn’t let them (Numbers 20:14-21)
2 The Lord says, "I will cut you down to size among the nations, Edom; you will be small and despised. 3 You are proud because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. `Who can ever reach us way up here?' you ask boastfully. Don't fool yourselves! 4 Though you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Obadiah’s prophesy reveals God is not pleased with the pride of Edom. Edom was a small nation and poor in comparison to others, they prided themselves in dwelling in the clefts of mountains. It does not take riches to create pride. There are people who take satisfaction in living hard, poor, or rough.

Consider the people today who think it a badge of honor to keep it real and live ghetto. It is infuriating that these small-minded and selfish people imagine this is what it means to be ‘real Black people’. Sadly, not only are Blacks perpetuating this myth but now other ethnic groups are doing the same for profit.

God is not pleased. Black people and indeed all people dedicated to serving and worshipping God lead lives that praise and worship God. While we may have cultural practices or traditions none of these takes precedence over living by the precepts and truth of God. Holiness knows no colors or class.

*Many scriptures confirm that God detests and rejects pride.

These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19


The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Proverbs 8:13

Pride [goeth] before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

Pride causes us to become self-important, to believe we are essential to the operations of the living and the outcome of events. We cannot fully praise God when our heart is prideful because our focus is self. Pride is dangerous indeed pride is deadly.

5 "If thieves came at night and robbed you, they would not take everything. Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. But your enemies will wipe you out completely! 6 Every nook and cranny of Edom will be searched and looted. Every treasure will be found and taken.

God will not let anything be left in Edom. There will be no reason for them to be prideful. There will be no doubt that the devastation and destruction did not come by the hands of man.

There are times when our stiff-necked, arrogance will not allow us to listen or learn from anyone or anything and God must strip us down to nothing. Often people must hit rock bottom or go to the school of hard knocks before they learn to listen and obey. Some people never learn, these people lose everything including their eternal salvation.

7 "All your allies will turn against you. They will help to chase you from your land. They will promise you peace, while plotting your destruction. Your trusted friends will set traps for you, and you won't even know about it. 8 At that time not a single wise person will be left in the whole land of Edom!" says the Lord. "For on the mountains of Edom I will destroy everyone who has wisdom and understanding. 9 The mightiest warriors of Teman will be terrified, and everyone on the mountains of Edom will be cut down in the slaughter.

The Edomites boasted in their wisdom. The men of Edom - especially of the city Teman - were noted for their wisdom. The phrase men of the East in the Old Testament often refers to men from Edom, and passages like 1 Kings 4:30 declare the great wisdom of the men of the East. As well, Jeremiah 49:7 says of Edom: Is wisdom no more in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished? This was another source of pride for the Edomites.

Again, we must look at the condition of our community. How many of our young people are injured or killed by their own so-called friends or associates? These young people have taken pride in living the hard-life. In their confusion they arrogantly believe no one can reach them emotionally or physically. Yet, statistics show these young people are victims of themselves as they steal from one another, shoot and injure one another, and then turn on each other after supposedly reconciling and promising peace.

Often peace is promised or sealed over drinks and drugs. The bond of peace is soon broken and the very ones who supposedly were friends are now pursuing each other violently. Sadly, this violence spills over into the families and communities and leaves no one untouched. Yet, similar behavior is found in the church.

Our weapons and tactics may differ. However, we experience pride that causes us to fail to live according the example and expectation of Christ. Often we can find the most prideful people in the poorest ministries. In fact, some congregations take pride in never having any people, any purpose, or any plan for the future. These congregations are Edomites, they have traded their spiritual purpose to satisfy their fleshly pleasure.

Now they resent any congregation or ministry that seeks to grow in service to God. Moreover, these Edomites will seek to disrupt or weaken the worship of congregations and ministries dedicated to God. Just like the Edom of the scripture or people in the community, these ministry Edomites will declare peace while determining to destroy ministry endeavors.

Are you an Edomite?

FOX Lies!! The real sermon given by Pastor Wright

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined."
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ISBN=9780615177014

Blessed and Returning Home

I will bless you richly. I will multiply your descendants into countless millions, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies, and through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed-all because you have obeyed me."
Genesis 22:17, 18

This was a real hoot to me, when I reflected on how hungry I was. My lunch really hit the spot! Yesterday’s lunch has actually been a really tasty Sunday dinner of Barbequed turkey necks, a broccoli and cheese rice, green beans and a piece of my husband’s sumptuous pound cake, yep I ate it interchangeably at dinner. So there I sat at my desk, in quite, feeling refreshed from a great walk and now enjoying a great meal of leftovers for lunch. All of it wasn’t there, but the little that was there satisfied my hungry palette. And then I began to chuckle as I thought about Grand Mama Rita and her big pots. I was glad not a soul was present, but I sure would have enjoyed reminiscing about my grandmother with my brothers.

I remember many wonderful pound cakes, she called them rabbit cakes, I am not sure why. Maybe it was a Easter cake recipe that she perfected. Yes indeed, she made the best fried chicken-she had that down to a science with the right amount of seasonings and salt. I know for a fact if she said, “I have a pot on,” that was hands off for us. We’d rather go home and enjoy roast, baked chicken or Saturday’s Chili, my father’s specialty. But definitely no oversized pot with neck bones and potatoes, turkey necks and gravy and beans and I don’t know what else? But the laughs on me- here I was at my “University JOB” and partaking in turkey neck bones. Oh my grandmother is rolling with laughter in the heavens. As Abraham says in Genesis 22:5 “...We will come right back!”

So here it is friends, this must be the message that the Holy Spirit is sharing with us today, that when you least expect it-you’ll repeat some tradition, some favorite dish, some ritual, something that connects you to your ancestors. There are many sacred rituals that have been ingrained in us, in our youth we may have shunned them, denounced them and turned up our nose at them, or simply taken them for granted- but I am a witness that you will gladly embrace them in your latter years. Because it really is who we are and apart of our good DNA!! My husband announced as we ate several turkey necks during out Sunday dinner, “See you had no idea what you were missing out as a child!” I nodded in agreement.

How I would love to be able to walk in my grandmother’s apartment one more time, and she invite me to the table and instead of saying, “No thank you Grand Mama!” I’d say, “Yes, Grand Mama I knew I was right on time!”

I thank God for my grandmother’s love and tolerance, I am grateful that by example she demonstrated how we could take a meager item, and create a feast that would nourish our bodies and delight our hearts.

Friends, as I read the New Living Translation today, I was so appreciative of how Abraham spoke life over his son, trusted God and as a result was richly blessed. I’d prefer to think my satisfying lunch was a byproduct and symbolic of the love-of my Grandmother’s love. She knew, and I suspect patiently awaited the day when I’d return home and be reacquainted with what would sustain me in my adult life.

"If you listen to these regulations and obey them faithfully, the Lord your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you, as he solemnly promised your ancestors.
Deut 7:12

Maybe our descendants will fondly recall our sacrifices and obedience to God as they return home by practicing and partaking some remembered ritual of love!!!

"This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your beloved son, I swear by my own self that I will bless you richly. I will multiply your descendants into countless millions, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies, and through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed-all because you have obeyed me." Then they returned to Abraham's young men and traveled home again to Beersheba, where Abraham lived for quite some time.

Genesis 22:16-20 (NIV)

Have a great day my friends!

Joyfully submitted by:
Linda Mose Meadows, Author
The Blessedness of Believing
A Devotional Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises

Enjoy other writings, click on Blessed Chronicles
http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/

Can We Know For Sure?

Can we know for sure that God exists? And that Jesus is his Son, and that he died for our sins and rose again. And can we know for sure that if we believe in him, we will spend eternity in heaven with him? Can we know for sure, or is our understanding of God’s existence and our eternal destiny dependant on a “hope and a prayer?” Is there any way we can know the truth for sure?

Well, we can know, but there is only one person that can reveal the truth to us and that is God himself. That may sound a bit funny. How can God prove it to us if we don’t even know for sure that he exists? Think about it for a minute; if God exists, who else could reveal the truth about his existence to us? I know that I can’t prove it to you. And neither can anyone else. Because God cannot be seen or touched or measured in the natural, if he does exist, he really is the only one who can prove his existence. And if Jesus really is God’s Son and the savior of the world, it is only God that can prove that. And yet it will take a step of faith on our part to go to him and ask, whether we believe in him or not.

You see, God protects our free will. He leaves knowing truth up to us. If we open our heart and take a step of faith toward him, he will be able to reveal himself and reveal truth to us and then we will know. But if we don’t really want to know, we don’t have to.

It is good to note here that spiritual things can only be known through our heart, not our head. Our heads comprehend natural things, not spiritual. Our hearts are the spiritual part of us and can comprehend God and spiritual things. That is why you may hear Christians say that we must “receive Jesus into our heart” to come to know him.

You still might say to me. But how do you know this for sure? I can say this because I have accepted Jesus into my heart and I know. But I am not so presumptuous as to say that I can prove anything to you. I can only tell you what I have come to know, and then point the way to you. The rest is up to you.

What I have learned is that when we open our heart to receive Jesus, we open the door for him to reveal himself to us. If we don’t open up our heart to receive him, we keep the spiritual part of us closed, and no spiritual light will ever get in. We will only know natural things. We can try all we want to figure these things out in our own mind, but it will be to no avail. Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, (that is, accept Jesus into our heart) he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (Jn. 3:3, parenthesis mine) What Jesus is saying is that unless we accept him into our heart we won’t even recognize the existence of God or of his kingdom or of the reality of his Son. We just won’t “see” it or come to “know” of their existence. We’ll just continue to be guessing.

When I invited Jesus into my heart, I didn’t know that he was the Son of God. I knew from history that he walked the earth and was a real person and made great claims of himself. But I didn’t really know if he was who he said he was; and I certainly didn’t know if he rose from the dead. But I wanted to know. So I simply said something like this. Jesus, if you are real, come into my heart and life. I open up my heart and invite you in… But if you are real, you are going to have to prove it to me yourself. And then, pragmatic as I am, I simply began to read about his life in the Gospel of St. John. John is my namesake so I thought that might be as good a place to start as any and as it turned out, it was. What I found out, (and this is vital) was that reading about him was a real key in his revealing himself to me. You’ve got to “feed the seed” or it won’t grow. Well, I had read parts of the bible before, both in the Old and the New Testament, but never before had I invited Jesus in my heart before doing so. And I was amazed at what I began to “see” and to know. It was almost hard to believe. Yet I knew I was beginning to realize something I had never known before, and along with that, that a real change was occurring inside of me. I had tried changing things in my life many times before but this was a real intrinsic change, a transformation I had never experienced before. It was not just a behavioral change using my own will power. The best way I can describe all this is that I was becoming new and fresh and really changed on the inside, and that the bible’s words and the reality of Christ as a living person began to become “real” to me. Things he said began to come alive and take on new meaning. It was amazing.

All I can say is that within about a month’s time I “knew” that Jesus was real and that he was in my life. I was sure for myself for the first time. Nobody had shown me, and I didn’t figure it out myself, and yet I knew he was real and I had been changed; like never before. It wasn't until later I learned that it was God himself who revealed himself to me and changed me because I had opened my heart for him to do so.

Well, you say, that was good for you. Yes, it was. And if you haven't already done so, it can be good for you too. But like I said, I can’t prove any of this to you. I can only describe to you “my” experience and tell you how to experience the reality of Jesus for yourself. The rest is up to you. There is no one who can do this for you, and there is no one else who can reveal the truth to you. Yet, if you do this you will find that there is nothing in the world as good. Now, I didn’t say there is nothing as easy. I said there is nothing as good. And it would just be a beginning. It is not a one time thing; it is a lifetime thing, and it is a development of a relationship.

It has been about 35 years since I invited Jesus into my heart, and though times of doubt came in the early years, as I continued to keep my heart open and search his word, and to ask God to know more, he became more and more real to me and he has been able to continually enhance my life more and more right up to this day. The wonderful thing about all of this is that I know this for “myself” and that no one can take it from me. There may be many of you reading this that know exactly what I mean and that it is the most wonderful thing in the world.

So, measure the cost before you invite Jesus to come into your life because it will be new and life changing; and as wonderful as it is, like anything else that is worth anything, may be very difficult at times... but also measure the possible cost if you don’t invite Jesus into your life.

Jesus said, “…what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mk. 8:36) Our eternal soul is so valuable that a price cannot be put on it. In fact, there is nothing as valuble.

I know from personal experience that Jesus loves all of us, wants to reveal himself to us and will give us a healthy and prosperous life beyond anything we can imagine; both here and hereafter, but it is up to each individual to find that out for themselves. And that will be between them and God because only God can prove himself to us for sure.

Yet think of it… Knowing; finally knowing for sure! Whew!

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com