Recently I attended a funeral and a memorial service on two consecutive weeks.
At both it was mentioned that each person who had asked Jesus into their hearts at one stage had then had a period of time of difficulties and where their relationship with God had taken a backseat. They both then came to a point where their relationship with God became more important to them and they turned back to God. This highlighted two facts to me, one that people are human and when someone says they are a Christian, life is still at times challenging, they have free will and they can choose to head down one path or another or let their circumstances lead them down one path or another. And two, Jesus was so important to them that they turned to him fully not once but twice and I’m sure cried out to God many more times along the way.
So what is it about Jesus? Even the name brings about a powerful response in people, how does the name of Jesus make you feel? The name of Jesus can draw some people and repel others. It is a name that is popular as a swear word, have you ever stopped to wonder why? There is obviously something about that name. The Bible says the demons hear that name and tremble.
I feel that many of the worlds religions and sects have aspects that you would find in the bible, many would say that would prove we are all one and the same. Personally I feel like the bible and Christianity is like a big deep root of a tree, I feel that other faiths and religions and sects have taken something they like the sound of from the bible or can agree with like for example one may be “love your neighbour” that sounds kind and logical and all peace and love so that would be a popular one in other faiths. These others are like off shoots from the original root that have branched off into another plant and started their own garden. I feel that I would rather base all my faith and trust in the original root of the tree and take the bible as a whole not a pick n mix of what makes me feel comfortable.
Have you ever heard of ‘the gospel of Jesus’? This was talked about at the funeral and memorial services that I attended, not because it was tradition or forcing across a preach to a captive audience but because it was the wish of the deceased, they wanted their faith to be talked about at their funeral because it was everything to them and they wanted their friends and family to know how much it had shaped and changed their lives.
The gospel of Jesus is that in order to reach down to mankind God sent his only son into the world as a baby to live with and teach us and to bring the teachings about God directly to us, showing love and compassion unlike any that had been seen before. Jesus died on a cross for our sins and rose again on the third day. Now I may have lost you at this point at the sheer “yeah right” that you might be feeling, and yet it is possible that you believe that the intricate world as we know it was created by an explosion in the atmosphere, I think that takes more faith. People also readily believe that the dead can haunt them or chat with them through a medium. And that our ancestors were monkeys yet no monkey has given birth to a human since or vice versa. So I think God coming to earth in the form of a man and dying for our sins is possible and that’s where faith comes in. We are told the world is spinning yet we aren’t tripping and falling, the world is round yet was thought to be flat. There are everyday times when faith is put into practice. Faith in Jesus takes away the fear of death and fear of the unknown. Faith in Jesus takes away fear of the future and fear of eternity. We still worry but God knew that which is why He encourages us to cast our cares, worries and fears onto Him, He sees we have fears and gives us a way to escape them.
Turning to Jesus is as easy as saying thank you, sorry, please. If you would like to turn to Jesus and invite him to take the steering wheel of your life, then pray this prayer. Thank You Jesus for dying for me, sorry for the sins that I have committed, please forgive me and come into my heart and life in Jesus name Amen. If you prayed that prayer you have become a Christian and have the hope, joy and security of Jesus living within your heart and life. Do tell someone, feel free to let me know and do find fellowship with other believers who can guide you.
I remember years after I had given my life to Jesus, I too had caused my relationship with Jesus to take a backseat. I went to a play locally at Eldad church called ‘heavens gates and hells flames’ every time they mentioned asking Jesus into your heart I didn’t listen as I knew this didn’t apply to me as I had already done it. But then the Minister said “while every head is bowed and every eye is closed” I was thinking “yeah yeah he’s going to do the sinners prayer” I had grown up in church and ‘knew it all’. The Minister said “If you are someone who has given their life to Jesus a while ago but realise that you have grown cold in your faith” I shifted uncomfortably. “If you feel you have drifted away from God and want to recommit your life to Jesus then raise your hand”. My heart was pounding, I knew this was for me. If you are reading this and have grown cold in your faith and want to recommit your life to God then pray this prayer. “Dear Lord Jesus, I’m sorry for turning away from you and growing cold in my faith, please forgive me, I re commit my ife to you Lord Jesus, I want you to live in my heart and life in Jesus name amen.”
I wrote a song called “the message of the cross” and will conclude with that.
Verse 1
The message of the cross
The blood You shed for us
None other could cleanse us from our sin
The hope we have within
Is because You took our sin
The message of the cross has set us free
Chorus
Lord I praise you for all you have done
I give glory to the risen Son of God
Through God the Father we can confess our sin
There is none higher than Christ the risen King
Verse 2
The stone was rolled away
Jesus rose again
Through Christ alone we have eternal life
Lord help me share this joy
May Your light shine out to all
The message of the cross can set you free
Verse 3
And when the trumpet sounds
God’s children will be found
In His presence we will be eternally
I can’t wait to hear that sound
That will lift us off the ground
In a twinkling of an eye we’ll see the King
Lyrics and music by Jo Le Page
© Fresh bread and faith Jo Le Page
Fresh Bread & Faith 