Have you ever been flipping through the channels and come across the end of a preacher’s sermon as he asks you to accept Jesus into your life?
When I was little I was in the kitchen eating a snack and a preacher was on our TV. I started watching and became quite engrossed in the show. At the end he asked everyone who truly believed to stand up and say it. I stood up right there in the kitchen and said it. I was little, but I truly believed it in my heart.
Am I saved, am I filled with the Holy Spirit? Many would say yes you are saved and this is all that must be done, but in the many years since this incident I fallen over and over again. I have let false gods dominate my life many times, even now. I have wandered far from God to the point that I have completely forgotten about Him for long periods of my life.
Yet through all of this, I have come full circle and again believe the answer to this is a resounding Yes! I have strayed far, but looking back I see that Jesus has brought me back. I have fallen, but looking back I see that Jesus has picked me up. I have sinned and still sin often, but so gently Jesus shows me my sin helps me to see how it is an assault against Him, a thorn in His head, a slash on His body and a nail in His hand, and I know any desire to repent and change is inspired by Him for me.
For almost 3 years I have been asking you to say, live and believe “It is our best life” with full faith that if we do this then it will be!
I am now asking you again with full faith to literally say (Out Loud)
Dear God I know I’m a sinner and I want Your forgiveness!
I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for my sins.
Please wash me clean from all sin, shame, and guilt.
Jesus come into my life to be my Lord and Savior.
I ask this in your name Jesus.
Amen!
If you pray this prayer or another prayer of surrender from your heart then I believe it is not the end of your story resulting in an immediate and easy road to your salvation, but instead the beginning of your part, your role to be played, within God’s great story in The Book of Life with Jesus as your Lord, your Savior, your Friend, your Beloved!
Say it out loud my friends! We can’t even imagine the awesome power that our God has entrusted us with even before we decide to follow Him.
I have forever struggled with how God selected the names within The Book of Life. Why would my name be written instead of anyone else’s name, how could He choose one child over another? As I have written this blog, I think I am finally starting to understand!
He has given us the power to add our names to The Book of Life. Through a prayer of surrender, we surrender our individual stories that we have been writing and we add our names to His book so He can begin writing our stories within the grand story of His Book, The Book of Life!