Howdy Folks,
I want to welcome you to my blog! A lot of you are probably friends with me on facebook and it is likely that you clicked on the link from my profile page to get here. I feel like having a blog will allow me to extend thoughts, ideas, interests, and beliefs beyond what you see about me, or anyone for that fact on facebook. One reason that I created the blog is so that you, my friend and reader, can get to know me more personally. Facebook gives you all the basic information, such as who I am, friends I have, religious affiliation, political views, relationship status, etc. But this is to expand on that. You can only write so much in a facebook note. And you can only tag so many people per note. The goal is that I do not want there to be any limits on how many people can get tagged or how many people can read about things I write.
You will see me post thoughts on a lot of different subjects. There are many things I have interests in. I feel that having a blog will allow me to connect and share them with you more personally than I could ever do on facebook. But a few topics I will most likely write more on than anything else will be over my relationship with Jesus Christ, my experiences that I have found significant in my life, and my experience as an aviator and one who seeks to pursue aviation.
This is your grand welcome to my site! It is my pleasure to be able to share with you. For the past 2 and a half years, or since I have had a facebook account, I have always written an end-of-the-year facebook note that reflects what I've learned and experienced within the last 365 days of the life that I have had. I will still post that to facebook, but I will also be posting that story to this site as well to make it more available to non-facebookers!
A little bit of an intro I want to give you about myself: I am going to be extremely BOLD on this site. I am not going to hold back an opinion about an issue or something, even if I think it would offend someone. You want to know more about me, so you will have the chance to find out more about me here than you would probably on facebook. If you're afraid to see what I say, then don't waste your time coming here. I'm just feeding you my thoughts is all. If you want to go further with me on something, you're welcome anytime to comment on anything I publish and if necessary, I can contact you and we can further discuss what you want to know on a personal level.
I first want to start off by saying that I am not a perfect person. That's the obvious statement. But I want you to know how I feel on the subject that all mankind can reach perfection. I am a follower of Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God. My religion is Christianity and further branches down into me being a Southern Baptist. But I want to make it clear that Jesus Christ was a real man who lived and died a perfect life on this earth. He and God are completely separate from religion. There is a reason why we humans are not perfect. It is because of the problem we have called Sin that exists in our lives. Sin is what we do that goes against God. Sin is not necessarily the right or the wrong decisions that we do in our lives according to others. It's the wrong that we do according to God. Jesus said, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). You and I dear friend, were created to have fellowship with the perfect, sovereign, almighty, righteous God! But because of our sin, our selfishness, and our own stubborn self-will, we chose to go our way, and that is why our fellowship with God is broken. Have you ever thought about why you have many problems? Man is separated. "The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23). Wage is what you make or what you are paid when you do a job for example. The wages of our sin is death. But that's not where it ends! That's where Jesus comes in! We deserve death for our sin. We do not have to have that death because Jesus Christ died in our place. God died on the cross for you, for me, and for everyone who ever lived, currently lives, and will one day live! He died on the cross! He did not deserve that death! He was the only one who ever lived a perfect life free of sin. We should have all died instead of Him. His grace has been discovered by the death on the cross that He died for us. "God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Have you started feeling guilty yet? Because believe it or not, that's not the end result! Jesus rose from the dead! That's right!!! "Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter, then to His twelve disciples (or followers). After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6). The thing is that people want to have proof that Christ existed. That's it right here! People witnessed Him after He was killed and buried. They saw Him alive, again!!! And these people recorded this! Nothing is hidden! It's right there! And Jesus is the only way to God! "Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me' " (John 14:6).
So now you wonder how that relates to you? VERY SIMPLE! Follow these steps with your heart:
1. You MUST Receive Jesus
We must individually receive Jesus Christ into our hearts as our one and only Savior and Lord. It is only then that we can truly know and experience God's real love and plan for our lives. "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).
2. Receiving Christ through Faith
Inviting Jesus into your heart and life is a free gift. But you must take it. Someone can give you a gift, but you have to take it in order to receive it. "By grace you have been saved through faith; not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). This is all done by God. Not of ourselves. We did not do anything of our own. It was all from God! Remember? Because we're not perfect and we make mistakes-sin, which proves our faults. Telling others that you're a Christian, a believer, or a follower of Christ is not a great act for self. It is humbly confessing that you have acknowledged that your life is messed up because of the sin you have and it simply shows that you have asked Jesus; the real treasure of life into your heart to guide you through your life.
3. You Receive Christ through personal invitation
You ask Jesus into your life! It's not your words that make a difference. It's the content of your heart. Are you really asking Him into your life from deep inside your heart? "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come to him" (Revelation 3:20).
Receiving Christ means turning away from yourself and turning to God. You gotta trust Christ and ask Him to come into your life and to forgive you for your sin and to make you what He wants you to be! Just to agree at a conversation level that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough! Not even enough to have an emotional experience. You receive Jesus Christ by faith!
4. How to know Christ is in your Life
Jesus said and promised (Revelation 3:20) that He would come into your life. Would He mislead you? What authority do you know that God has answered your prayer? (The trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word).
5. The Bible Promises Eternal Life to all who receive Christ
"For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but shall have eternal life!" (John 3:16)
How much clearer can it be? You have the evidence, the free gift of Jesus, and His promise to you for the plan with your life!
How can you pursue it?
Pray/talk to God daily (John 15:7). Ask Him to help you with whatever is unclear or you need help with that's in your life. Read God's Word (the Bible) daily (Acts 17:11). Start with the Gospel of John. It will really help you answer questions about your faith that you have as a new believer. Obey God moment by moment (John 14:21). It's not about what you or what others want you to do. It's about what God wants you to do! Witness for Christ by your life and words (Matthew 4:19, John 15:8). Show others Christ is in you by striving to daily live a Christ-filled life; not a religion-filled life. Trust God for every single detail of your life (1 Peter 5:7). This is one that I have recently been learning to do a lot more, and it feels so good to trust in Him with everything and not myself to deal with it. I know I would screw up on my own! Holy Spirit- allow God to control and empower your daily life and witness (Galations 5:16, 17: Acts 1:8). Find a good church! God instructs that we should not forsake "the assembling of ourselves together" (Hebrews 10:25).
As you can tell, this is something I passionately strive to try and meet every day that I live. Not every day is as good as the other. Becoming a believer of Christ does not mean all your problems will disappear. But He will give you guidance and even when we only see the bad things that has happened, God already sees the good of it before it even happens! I have my bad days here and there. But ultimately having Jesus and reaching people who do not have Jesus is the absolute most important thing in the life He has given you! Do not take it for grant it! Share this with the nations! "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).
Last comment: I don't know if this is already an existing original statement, but I'll claim it as mine and then if anyone else claims it, I will give it to them. I have said it to myself and to others many times before. "There is no greater joy than having Jesus Christ in our lives and getting to lead others to Him!" How to save a life? God enables you to share His Son, Jesus with others! He works through you in that time giving you the words to say, and the heart to do it. You just gotta ask for opportunities and you'll begin to see opportunities all over the place! Everywehere you go! It's exciting! People all over the world are seeking God; they just don't know it and can't get a clear grip on it sometimes. Every time I get to share with a non-believer, regardless of what the results are, I feel like I have had a part in getting to rescue someone from a burning building. God enabled me to go into that person's life and see the sin they are in (the burning building) and with God's power running through me, to reach their soul with God's love and pull them out of the fire.
Thank you and I wish you a wonderful day filled in the spirit of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Cordially,
Matt Wallace
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