I did not grow up in a Christian home, both of my parents did not attend church, I did not know anything in the Bible other than the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (from a picture filled Children’s Bible). God was not “personal” to me, He was the BIG, pie-in-the-sky GOD. He was far away. He was someone waaaaaaaaay out there. It wasn’t until I was attending the University of Massachusetts, Boston, studying theatre that God became personal to me. You can read about my salvation testimony in the pink link below (click on it):
Pardon, Me I Should Have Begun with My Testimony
The reason why I bring this up is to ask you this question:
IS GOD WAAAAAAAY UP IN THE SKY, OUT THERE SOMEWHERE TO YOU? OR IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP ONE THAT IS DEEPLY PERSONAL?
Your relationship with Him may be based on what others have told you about Him. Maybe you know OF Him, but you don’t KNOW Him personally. By that I mean, have established a 1:1 relationship with Him. Think about it this way – is there a person that you have been told about by someone? But that you don’t know them personally, been introduced and have established a relationship with? All that you know about that individual is based on what someone else has said. Perhaps you have formulated your opinion on them based upon what you have heard from others… Not on personal experience. How would you feel if people formulated their viewpoint on you based upon hearsay? Didn’t choose to come to know you for yourself, but based their opinion on you based on the words of others? There was a game we use to play when we were kids called, “Telephone.” We would form a line and the first person would whisper something into the ear of the person next to them. They could only whisper it once. Then that person would whisper what you said into the ear of the person standing beside them and it would go straight down the line to the last person, by the time it reached the last person in line, more often than not, the thing that had originally been whispered was turned into something TOTALLY different than what was originally said. Have you ever been on the receiving line of being misconstrued by someone who never even took the time to REALLY get to know you? It is an unpleasant feeling to be misjudged, lied about or misconstrued by someone else. Can you imagine if it hurts us how much more it hurts God?
God doesn’t want you to judge Him based upon what someone else says about Him, He wants you to experience for yourself what it is to be in a relationship with Him. I wish I could find adequate words to describe what it is REALLY like to do MORE than KNOW about God, but to experience His good and perfect love! The ONLY way you can do it is to open up your heart to allow Him to come into your life and be the Savior He died to be for you! Accept Him into your heart as Lord and Savior. The words to the prayer I am posting below are not mere words – they WILL change you! They WILL impact your life! I pray that the gift that God gave in sending His Son, Jesus to be born of the virgin Mary, live a sinless life and die on the cross with YOU in mind – take on your sins and the sins of the world so that a RIGHT relationship could be restored between you and God the Father will be the MOST important gift you will open this Christmas by verbally saying out loud this prayer, and meaning it! THIS is what Christmas is ALL about! Here is the thing, if someone gives you a gift and you don’t open it, you don’t receive it than you don’t have ANY idea what the gift contains! I speak from personal experience, when I prayed the prayer below, I had no idea that God would enter into my life in such a powerful way and alter my life. HE DID! And the only way for you to experience an intimate relationship with the Father is to do the same. Ready? Pray this prayer out loud and from your heart:
“Father God, thank You for loving me so much, that You left the glories of Heaven and came down to meet me, right here where I am at – even before I was created – You had ME in mind. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sin-less life and died on the cross for forgiveness of my sins and the sins of the world. The only thing You ask, is that I receive You as Savior and make You Lord over my life. Father, please forgive me for my sins, wash me with the precious blood of Jesus. I want to know You. I want to experience a deep and personal relationship with You. I need You to make Yourself REAL to me! I need You to manifest in my life! Please enter into my life and BE my Savior and Lord. I receive the salvation that was purchased at such a high price for me and I give You my life. Holy Spirit, please come into my heart, I love You Father, I love You Jesus, I love You Holy Spirit. I accept the gift of Your salvation this Christmas, Thank You! In Jesus’ precious name I pray, Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer, you are going to begin to experience the intimacy that God desired to have with you ALL along. You will experience that “peace that passes ALL understanding” written about in the Bible. You will experience and be filled with the most remarkable love one could EVER experience, and God will bring into your life people that will minister to you and help you grow. If you can, pick up a Bible – a study Bible so that you can delve into the Word of God and begin to grow in your walk with Him. If you can’t get one, message me and I will send one to you! Learning the Word of God is like reading God’s love letter to you and it will mature you in Him! You just received the Christmas Gift that Christmas is ALL about! It is the BEST gift you will EVER accept, and you WILL see a difference as you pursue God’s purpose for your life! Merry CHRISTmas and God bless and keep you!
MUCH love in Him,
Kelly