This Is What I Know

This is what I know.  This is why I love Jesus.

He laid down His LIFE for me.  He took my punishment upon Himself.  He seperated Himself from the Father, FOR ME.  He then rose from the dead and ascended to Heaven to be seated at the right hand of God - all for US.

I am saved because of His great love and sacrafice. 

1 John 4:16 "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."

This is truth.

I am a sinner.  We all are.  Without Jesus, we are doomed.

I cannot help but be madly in love with the one who died for me.  Who made everything possible.  WHO CREATED ME.  I mean seriously, we literally can't draw our next breath without Him.  How could I not love Him?

And because of my gratitude for his immeasurable sacrafice, I want to serve Him.  I owe Him my life - complete and utter control of it.  Even then, that isn't enough to fulfill the debt.

But, the beauty is that there is NO debt.  It is covered by the blood of Jesus!

I believe in Jesus.  I believe that He loves me and I know that He cares about even the smallest part of my life and your life. 

I believe that He romances me in ways that only I could pick up on.

I believe that He is telling me that He loves me when He sets beautiful clouds in the sky and paints a perfect sunset, just because He knows they take my breath away.

I believe that He speaks to me through worship.  That He leads me to the perfect song for each moment in life.

I believe that my innocence is restored through Him.  That my past is wiped clean.

I believe that I must leave room for what I can't understand.  He is far greater than what my tiny brain can comprehend.

I believe in the Cross and  I believe in the Bible. 

I know that our Savior is all around us.  He is knocking and waiting for us to open the door. 

But, why do I believe these things deep within my being?  Why would I defend these truths with my life?

I've been reflecting a lot on this lately.  What is my story?  My testimony?

I am about to meet a group of insanely wonderful people who I'll be sharing this journey to Swaziland with.  They will want to know me, they will want to know the things in my life that led me to the foot of the cross.  And I will want to know their stories too.

I feel like I dont have a testimony worth telling.  There are no insane Spirit filled moments that have happened.  I have never witnessed miraculous healing.  I haven't seen or spoken to a burning bush.  I feel like my faith has developed slowly and without any mega moments. 

But, we all have a testimony.  Looking back over my life I see God weaved through every moment in my past.  How He has tested me, shaped me, and loved me.  I am reflecting now, allowing God to weave all the peaces together into a perfect tapestry that is my faith journey - one that is more than worthy of being told...

Romans Road

Romans 3:23  For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is

eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

Romans 5:8  God shows his love for us in that while we were still

sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:13  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

will be saved

Romans 10: 9-10  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in

your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be

saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and

with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation for those

who are in Christ Jesus

That is what I know.