To Be{lieve} or Not To Be{lieve}

I believe that God the Father created the heavens and the earth and all its inhabitants.

I believe that God created all things out of love and for good purpose.

I believe He created us for loving relationship with Him and each other.

I believe God created angels and man with freewill.

I believe that sin was created via the freewill choice of the devil,
putting enmity between himself and God.

I believe that sin entered the world via the freewill choice of man. Thus putting the barrier of sin between God and man that is death.

I believe the devil is the father of all lies, destruction and death.

I believe that God is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

I believe that for this reason God the Father sent His son Jesus to bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free from sin.

I believe Jesus by His own choice laid down His life, paying the price of death for man's sin

and thus removing the barrier between God and man.

I believe that all mankind has the choice to partake in the atonement of this sacrifice that is Jesus.

I believe that Jesus' death on the cross took back control of death from the devil.

I believe that Jesus rose from the dead, was seen by many and then ascended into heaven.

I believe the Holy Spirit to be the power of God to enable man to battle NOT against flesh and blood but against the enemy, that is the devil.

I believe in the fruit of the Holy Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness, gentleness and self-control.

I believe in the acts of the Holy Spirit that is wisdom & understanding, deliverance,

healing, spiritual tongues, prophecy and intercession.

I believe in specific callings of the Spirit to teach, worship, witness, pastor and counsel.

I believe that the fruit, acts and callings of the Holy Spirit are to be the testimony of Jesus

through all that choose Him. It is the grace given to us who remain in the world

to have spiritual power over the world. It is also to minister to the body of Christ and to the lost.

I believe that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit three in one as the only Truth and the Word. The principles of truth are the principles of God and may be spoken by many but Jesus is the only way to the Father and eternal life.

I believe the Bible to be the one and only Word of God;

Truth never changing and therefore relevant to all generations.

I believe that one day Jesus will return to earth. At that time man must choose(if he hasn't already) where he will spend eternity. This earth will pass away. Eternity is either spent with God or the devil.

I believe only those who choose Jesus will live in the eternal fullness of

God's presence that is eternal life forever.

I believe that ultimately God is the Judge of man's heart. He is far more gracious than any man.

When the time comes He will gather as many of His created that He can back unto Himself. But He will not gather those who's heart is unwilling. He will not override man's freedom to choose.

At the close of 2009 I wanted to remind myself what I believe. I wanted to again make a declaration to myself and God that this is what I commit my life to. To remind me of His love and His grace. But also to remind me of my commitment to testimony and servant hood to others in His name.

See when we give our lives to God He takes them and cleans them but then gives them back to us. Salvation should never just be a ticket to heaven. It is a commitment to now use your life to testify who God is and minister to the lost. Notice I say minister not judge and rebuke. A starving, broken heart needs food and care. It is with that food and care that you win the heart of man for Christ. Condemnation and shame is not the message of the cross. A wounded heart must be bound up before the damage can be assessed. Then the heart can confess freely and by it's own choice without fear.

So that is what I believe. What do you believe? Have you made a commitment? Think about it and when you are ready just declare out loud these 5 things. Out loud so you can hear yourself say it and remember it. Also as a statement to God and the devil that today you chose LIFE.

1} Believe it! Jesus loves me and wants to save me; just as I am...right now.

2} Say it! I admit that I need Jesus to take away my sin and give me eternal life.

3} Receive it! I ask to be filled with His Holy Spirit to give me power to be a changed person.

4} Do it! I commit to reading His word, prayer, worship and fellowship with other believers.

5} Testify! I will be an example of Christ. I will minister to those in need spiritually & physically.

These 5 steps should be an ongoing declaration for anybody who chooses to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Not that we always need to be groveling at the cross for forgiveness. On the contrary we need to be laying the burdens of this world down at the cross. Daily asking for the Holy Spirit to give us power against the enemy, grace for dealing with hard situations and a heart for the lost. Also to be joyful at the love, grace and salvation of God. To partake of peace that passes understanding. Most of all to put yourself in active conversation with God so that you can remind Him that you love Him because He first loved you.