Jesus Christ the only way

Mankind was created in the image of God, and we were created to be with God.  When you are in the presence of God, he will give you a peace in your spirit.  You can go to bed at night and sleep peacefully, not worrying about anything.  We place all our cares on him, because he cares for us.  We never worry about what will happen if we die, or get sick, or become unemployed.  We know that whatever we loose in this life, God restores.  Even when we try to do things on our own, they always pale in comparison to what god does for us.  When Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, they covered themselves with fig leafs.  God made them full coats of leather and covered them.  When Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael out of his camp, he gave them a bottle of water for their trip that quickly ran out.  God provided Hagar and Ishmael a Well, to drink from. 

We have all drifted from God, and we are all sinful by nature, but God sent us his Son Jesus Christ, so that through him we could all be reconciled back to God.  If we take that step by faith, God will wipe away all our sins, he will be our God, and we will be his heirs along with Christ.  Jesus Christ is the only way to gain favor with God.  No other way will be profitable for eternal salvation, and eternal life.  No other way will bring you complete peace.  We can have confidence that we can enter God’s eternal rest when we die, and even if our children are taken by some misfortune, we can have confidence that God will keep them in heaven with him until we get there and be re-united with them.  Total peace and contentment is what you can have on this earth, if you have Jesus Christ as your Lord.

After our Lord was crucified, Peter and John were heading for the temple at the hour of prayer and came upon a crippled man at the gate begging for money.  In the name of Jesus, Peter healed the man who had been crippled since his birth.  The Jewish church leaders called upon Peter and John and asked them by what power or name have they done this.  This was Peters answer to them:  Acts 4: 10 – 12  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.  This (Jesus Christ) is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The author, who I believe was the apostle Paul, of Hebrews covers this as well in the opening chapter of the book.  He explains to the Hebrews of his day that before Christ, God spoke to them through prophets, but now he speaks to all through his Son.

Hebrews 1: 1 – 4  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Philippians 2: 9 – 11  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him ( Jesus Christ ), and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In the book of Matthew 17:5 God the Father boldly proclaims this:   While he yet spake (speaking of Peter), behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.  This one little verse speaks volumes. The Father God, loves his Son, and placed him in the highest position there is.  He made his name the highest name there is.  He spoke directly and said, “Hear Ye Him.”  If you want to find favor in God, you must go through his Son.  Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life.  We will all stand before God the Father one day.  How do you think God the Father will react, when you never accepted his Son, after his Son made so simple of a way for you to inherit eternal life?

Salvation is easier than you think.  Romans 10:9 says that if you will just confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shall believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Ask Christ to come into your heart, and start a new life of Joy and inward peace.

Old dogs

My wife and I have an old dog in the house that has been around long enough to watch all our grandchildren grow up.  She is a very sweet and gentle dog and very patient when it comes to being around kids.  I remember several times she would look up at my wife or myself with big sad puppy eyes, while one of the grandkids was pulling on her ears, or tail or dressing her up like a doll.  She never tried to bite; she just looked sad and put up with it.

Our old dog is getting way up there in years, and has to take several different pain medications each day.  She hates taking the medicine.  I guess she doesn’t like the taste of it or something.  I try to hide it in her food sometimes, and it will work.  Other times she finds it and spits it out.  My wife will try and force the medicine down her throat by placing it in her mouth, holding her head up while holding her mouth shut and rubbing her throat.  The old dog will usually out smart her though.  She acts like she swallowed it, and as soon as my wife lets her go, she spits it out and runs off. 

On the days we can’t get the medicine down her, she can just barely walk around, and yelps in pain at the slightest touch.  The other day, I was thinking to myself, “you stupid dog.  If you would just take your medicine, you wouldn’t be hurting like this.  You’re doing this to yourself.”

I’m sure God looks down on us thinking the same thing.  We run around down here getting ourselves into messes, and full of problems, when all along God has a solution if we would just follow him.  God sent us his beloved son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Christ made a way for us to be forgiven of all our sins, and allow the righteousness of Christ to be on us.

Jesus Christ said in John 10:10 -11   The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:   But by the death of one man, Jesus Christ, grace came upon all men who believe.  Romans 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

God sent Jesus Christ into the world 2000 years ago, so all could be saved, and have a blessed eternal reign with the son of God.  Christ is our medicine for eternal life, and for a blessed and hopeful life down here on the earth.  It’s a shame that the vast majority of people would rather hurt and be miserable, instead of partaking of the medication God has already provided them.

Romans 10: 9-10  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

I Corinthians 15 1-4  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

There is absolutely nothing we can do on our own, to live a holy enough life to merit eternal life with God.  If we accept Christ and believe in him, God will apply the blood of his dear son upon the heavenly alter and cleanse us of all sin, and cloak us with Christ’s righteousness.  This is what we call grace.  It’s only through Christ we can obtain grace.  If you believe in Christ, when you call upon God, he does not see you as sinful man, but sees Christ in you.

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.