Seeking Real Truth Minisitries - Seeking Higher Faith In Our Lord Jesus Christ

What Is The Result Of Receiving Jesus?

Now you are wondering what is in it for me? First of all, you should stop thinking in terms of what you will get beyond God's blessings.

2 Corinthians 12
⁹But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

But you will find yourself utterly changed, you will will be so incredibly aware of it. You will know in your heart rather than your head that God IS real. You will feel joy in your heart like you never have before. Do not confuse JOY with HAPPINESS, because you are human you will experience unhappy times. But joy is far different. It is what comes when you find the peace of God that transcends all understanding filling your heart and keeping your mind in Christ Jesus, no matter what happens.

In my life, I was so utterly desperate to die because I thought I had no hope for a life of joy and peace. I had mistaken happiness for joy. But I realized that even though I was unhappy, for instance when I had to put my beloved pet cat, Mocha to rest a couple weeks after God reconciled me to him and began to give me his blessings again. I was terribly sad, and even as I write this page a month later I still find myself welling up in tears.

Had I lost her before August 15, 2004 I would have blamed God. But instead, on September 4, the day I left her with the veterinarian, I cried a lot, but was able to pray, "Father, I'm so sad. But I thank you for the 14 1/2 years you gave me with this wonderful animal and companion. In Jesus Name, Amen." What a change that was for me.

You will find your attitude about many things will change. You may even be tempted to become overly-zealous for him. But you will also learn to be discerning, and able to keep in control of yourself.

God will not control you. He has given you free will, and will not "slay you in the spirit". You will not lose control if you pray for him to come in with truth.

The important thing is you will know that the Father is now looking at you through the eyes of Jesus rather than those of his own. It will be so reassuring to know that no matter what you've done, no matter how bad the things are, they are forgiven.

Remember, you cannot come to faith on your own. You don't have the ability to accept the gift of faith. Think of it this way. Let's say I call you up and tell you I mailed a check to you for ten million dollars, and you knew it was true. The postman delivers that check to you in your mailbox. What just happened? You just received the gift. You did nothing, absolutely nothing, to receive it. So what will you do with that gift? Will you go to the mailbox to accept it, or will you leave it there forever? If you get that check, will you accept the gift by cashing it, or will you file the check away somewhere?

Faith is just like that. We can say that the gift of the check is the gift of faith and salvation through Christ Jesus. That I sent the check to you would suggest that I symbolize the Father in heaven, who sent his one and only Son to die for us. The postman represents the Holy Spirit, who delivers the gift to you. You've done nothing to receive that gift. You will do nothing to receive the gift of faith in Christ Jesus. God has already sent it. The Holy Spirit has delivered it. Now what you do with it is up to you.

James 2 (Faith and Deeds)
¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
¹⁹You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.
²⁰You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^[1] ? ²¹Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"^[2] and he was called God's friend. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
²⁵In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? ²⁶As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

You may not realize it, but you have already received the gift of faith. Now it is up to you what you will do with it. I suggest the following things.

• Pray a prayer of thanksgiving. You have just received something more valuable than all the treasures on earth.
• Read the word every day. Start in the beginning of the New Testament, read it completely through, then read the Old Testament. When you get done, do it again. As you read, ask the Father to open your eyes so you can see and your ears so you can hear. End your prayers to the Father with "in Jesus Name, Amen" for we cannot pray directly to the Father without going through Jesus.
• Listen to that still, small voice that is in your heart. God does not come by way of trumpets and powerful miracles (in most cases). Even the prophets found out that God wasn't in the violent winds, nor in the thunders, nor in the shaking of the earth. But he comes as a gentle voice. Learn to listen to what he is calling you to do.
• Take a step in faith to live in obedience to what he has called you to. It doesn't have to be huge. It can be something that is barely even noticable, but you will know that it is something you have done to demonstrate your faith in the Lord. When you do this, then the Lord will begin to really show you things you won't be able to even comprehend.
• Again, read the word. In it you will find all the things I talk about on this site, and you will be amazed at how well and how fast you will come to really know who God is, and how just and righteous and holy he is.

Now, may God's blessings overflow in you. May the peace of Jesus overwhelm you. And may the Holy Spirit lift you up to fly on the wings of eagles. Keep on the straight and narrow path. You now have found the small gate. Walk through it by faith, and let the Lord guide your way through the remainder of your life on earth. And I will rejoice with you in heaven.

In Jesus Name, Amen.