Read it,
Learn It, Live It, Share It
“Then Jesus told him, “Because you
have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet
have believed.” – John 20:29
Thomas, the first skeptic. After
following Jesus Christ for nearly 3 years and observing His actions, his love,
peace and mercies upon those He came in contact with; Thomas still was a person
that needed the first hand experience. He
was one of those that need to see the proof with their own eyes. The Thomas affect is no less real in the 21st
century than it was in the 1st century. Christ appeared before many after His resurrection. There are many scriptures which reference His
appearance to the disciples, to Mary, to Peter and John, to Paul, and even to a
group of over 500 in 1
Corinthians 15:6. Each of the apostles
carried this message forth after a face to face encounter with the risen Lord,
many of them to the point of death for their belief. Some beheaded, some boiled in a vat of oil,
some hung from crosses and some stoned to death for what they believed. Why would these men carry a lie so far that
they were willing to die for it, rather than recant it and just walk away?
I have never seen Jesus face to face. What an amazing day that will be though. My belief in Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, is based on a faith that the Bible is the Word of God and that contained in the 66 books, written over the course of 1600 years by over 40 authors, is the truth from His lips to my ears. My faith is rooted in the foundation that we are all born into sin, separated from God the Father because of our iniquities and unrighteousness. I know my heart, I know my mind and I know that I am guilty as charged when it comes to being a person filled with sin.
You see, I believe that Adam and Eve did exist, and that they did commit the first sin in the garden by seeking that which God told them not to do. From that moment on we have been separated from God, because He is Holy and perfect in every way. For centuries mankind would sacrifice goats and sheep as an atonement for their sins for that year. This history is documented in depth throughout many documents and artifacts, authenticated by worldly scholars. I’ve walked the streets of Bethsaida, Megiddo, En Gedi and Ceasarea. I’ve seen the Western Wall of Solomon’s temple and the walls of his fortress near Mount Carmel. These remnants exist just as the Roman Coliseum, the Parthenon, the Pyramids and the Sphynx. We believe the history books of record and the events that took place in these places, but don’t believe the history of the Jewish people? What makes the truth of God’s word so unbelievable?
Daily, I have to come to the realization that my propensity for sin is the basic nature of my existence, and that I must recommit myself to Christ. I have to accept that I am a broken individual in this life, and that the love of God, the grace and mercy He has poured out on this world is available to me. I have to choose to accept that love and hold onto it, despite how insecure I am with my own life and actions. I must be willing to accept that I am not worthy of His love, and in doing so then acknowledge that His love is stronger than my unrighteousness. His only desire is that I accept His love by grace, because there is nothing I can give Him in return that is worthy enough for what He has given me. In doing this, daily I can come before Him, with heartfelt repentance for my actions and receive His mercy and forgiveness. No longer must we sacrifice an animal, for Jesus Christ was that eternal sacrifice, provider by the Father Himself, to redeem all mankind. Yes, I am blessed, because I believe without seeing.
I have never seen Jesus face to face. What an amazing day that will be though. My belief in Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, is based on a faith that the Bible is the Word of God and that contained in the 66 books, written over the course of 1600 years by over 40 authors, is the truth from His lips to my ears. My faith is rooted in the foundation that we are all born into sin, separated from God the Father because of our iniquities and unrighteousness. I know my heart, I know my mind and I know that I am guilty as charged when it comes to being a person filled with sin.
You see, I believe that Adam and Eve did exist, and that they did commit the first sin in the garden by seeking that which God told them not to do. From that moment on we have been separated from God, because He is Holy and perfect in every way. For centuries mankind would sacrifice goats and sheep as an atonement for their sins for that year. This history is documented in depth throughout many documents and artifacts, authenticated by worldly scholars. I’ve walked the streets of Bethsaida, Megiddo, En Gedi and Ceasarea. I’ve seen the Western Wall of Solomon’s temple and the walls of his fortress near Mount Carmel. These remnants exist just as the Roman Coliseum, the Parthenon, the Pyramids and the Sphynx. We believe the history books of record and the events that took place in these places, but don’t believe the history of the Jewish people? What makes the truth of God’s word so unbelievable?
Daily, I have to come to the realization that my propensity for sin is the basic nature of my existence, and that I must recommit myself to Christ. I have to accept that I am a broken individual in this life, and that the love of God, the grace and mercy He has poured out on this world is available to me. I have to choose to accept that love and hold onto it, despite how insecure I am with my own life and actions. I must be willing to accept that I am not worthy of His love, and in doing so then acknowledge that His love is stronger than my unrighteousness. His only desire is that I accept His love by grace, because there is nothing I can give Him in return that is worthy enough for what He has given me. In doing this, daily I can come before Him, with heartfelt repentance for my actions and receive His mercy and forgiveness. No longer must we sacrifice an animal, for Jesus Christ was that eternal sacrifice, provider by the Father Himself, to redeem all mankind. Yes, I am blessed, because I believe without seeing.
For additional Daily Thoughts, please visit: http://www.10minutereader.com
No comments:
Post a Comment