How does Jesus REALLY save?

God desires for us all to go to heaven. He doesn't judge us, or condemn evildoers to hell. Those who choose evil condemn themselves to hell by choosing to withdraw from the Lord's love and mercy. The Lord God Jesus Christ saved us by showing us how to live our lives. His entire life on earth was about overcoming evils and temptations, and his death was the conclusion of that struggle. Just as we are faced with evils and temptations in our lives, Jesus struggled against those same temptations as a human. In overcoming them, He taught us the way to live.
We are saved when we open ourselves to the Lord and his love, and draw nearer to the Lord; and we do that by living our lives loving him. What does that mean? It means obeying his commandments (avoiding evil), being of use and loving others. We may have been taught that believing in the Lord is enough to save. But belief (or faith) without actively living that faith is not truly believing. Certainly, we cannot earn our way to heaven by our works. But we only truly believe or have faith when we actively work to do God's will. Love (or charity) must be united with faith in order for either to be real.
Jesus saved us, not through his death, but through his life. He overcame evil and restored a sense of balance in the world, leaving us in freedom to choose good or evil. He taught us how we should live our lives; in fact he showed us how to do it. It is only by so doing that we can be truly happy. When we die, we continue to make these choices, which determines whether we live in heaven loving God and doing his will, or turn away from him to hell. Jesus set the stage so that we are free to choose. We must do our part to choose good, which will draw us closer to the Divine. This is how Jesus saves.


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Who I Am In Christ

 "Understanding your identity in Christ is absolutely essential to your success at living the victorious Christian life." If you are a Christian, then what is below is true of you.... If you are not a christian, Click here.

		I am accepted...
	John 1:12	I am God's child.
	John 15:15	As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
	Romans 5:1	I have been justified.
	1 Corinthians 6:17	I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
	1 Corinthians 6:19-20	I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
	1 Corinthians 12:27	I am a member of Christ's body.
	Ephesians 1:3-8	I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
	Colossians 1:13-14	I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
	Colossians 2:9-10	I am complete in Christ.
	Hebrews 4:14-16	I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.
		I am secure...
	Romans 8:1-2	I am free from condemnation.
	Romans 8:28	I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
	Romans 8:31-39	I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
	2 Corinthians 1:21-22	I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
	Colossians 3:1-4	I am hidden with Christ in God.
	Philippians 1:6	I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
	Philippians 3:20	I am a citizen of heaven.
	2 Timothy 1:7	I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
	1 John 5:18	I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.
		I am significant...
	John 15:5	I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
	John 15:16	I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
	1 Corinthians 3:16	I am God's temple.
	2 Corinthians 5:17-21	I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
	Ephesians 2:6	I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
	Ephesians 2:10	I am God's workmanship.
	Ephesians 3:12	I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
	Philippians 4:13	I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

More resaons for Trusting Jesus

There are more reasons for trusting Jesus. He is our hope. He will become our hope only when we put our trust in Him. Indeed Jesus is only hope for whole universe, but this hope is not available for those who dont know Him.
The hope is that Jesus is coming back. "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me" (Revelation 22:12). When I look around, I am scared to live in this world, I don't know how can I survive this unlawful systems of the world where I have no hope for justice. But when I understand Jesus is coming again to take me with Him, I was excited. I was more excited when I understood where He is taking me. He is going to take me to a place where  " Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life." (Rev.21:22-27)
By trusting Jesus I have received the citizenship in the "City of God". What can be a more amazing reason?. Well thee are more reasons. I will continue writing. God bless you.

POINTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE

Personality:
1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment
3. Don't over do; keep your limits
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
6. Dream more while you are awake
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Community:
15. Call your family often
16. Each day give something good to others
17. Forgive everyone for everything
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day
20. What other people think of you is none of your business
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch

Life:
22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do
23. GOD heals everything
24. Do the right things
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
27. The best is yet to come
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
29. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it
30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy.

While you practice all of the above, share this knowledge with the people you love, people you school with,people you play with, people you work with and people you live with.Not only will it enrich YOUR life, but also that of those around you.

Impact of past sin

How much I can trust a person who is coming to my church who had a sinful past? This question is very important. If we know some new believer's  past and If he happened to be a criminal or sinful person before accepting Jesus Christ, we are hesitated to accept him completely or we used to put a border for our relation with such a person. Even we tell our children not to speak with that person.


You might be a person who is haunted by past sin. I am. Instead of saying much let me share with you an incident happened in a church.


One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at herheart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.


The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs,and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on shebecame a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved inthe ministry, teaching young children.


It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that awoman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son.


The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.


The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin."


"Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?" The whole church became silent as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.


Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of ourLord Jesus Christ.


If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins?... Nothing butthe blood of Jesus! End of case!!!! 

Why trust Jesus?

Why trust Jesus? He is another religion originator! What is the use of trusting Him? This was the most important question in my mind years ago. I searched for the answers were ever I go and in what ever I read. As you read this you might be a person asking the same question. Or you might be a person who  already found the answer of this question.

In the beginning, there was only one answer for me, it was that Jesus is the only person who can give you the peace of mind and satisfaction. I trusted in this information; started trusting Jesus and I really found the peace and satisfaction in my mind. 

Along with that I found another great use of trusting in Jesus, I found that Jesus can save me from destruction. I learned that I was created to be with God, but because of various reasons, I am not having that kind of relationship with God right now and I was going to the eternal damage. I also found that Jesus could save me from this situation and give me heritage in heaven. And I trusted in Him and started enjoying the joy of salvation. Jesus delivered from the bondage of sin which put me in trouble and gave me the great hope and strength to live the purpose of my creation.

I found another reason for trusting in Jesus. He started guiding everyday events in my life and i started receiving answers for my prayer. Also I saw Jesus is also blessing all kinds of people from every tribe, tongue and nations. I want to share the witness of one of my dear brother in Jesus Christ. His name is Suresh Kumar. You can also see him on http://www.facebook.com/tvsureshkumar

I was born in a in a Hindu family in the year 1962. Since my child hood, for a long time, I had been boldly denying the existence of the Almighty, as I was not able to see or feel God. I spent time to learn other activities like sports, martial arts, practiced Karate and Boxing and participated in the national tournament. We were living according to the standards of the world. Our parents were against such practices and they restricted us. We faced problems at home and were gradually loosing harmony. I attended “sai bhajans” but that did not make any difference in my nature.  I received a job with the Government which gave me a slight consolation. 

    After marriage my relationship with my wife grew worse gradually and started loosing hope in life. I made up my mind to divorce my wife as I was sure that we will not be able to pull on further. At this time a Hindu friend shared the Good News of Jesus Christ and informed that there is hope for me in Christ. Being a Hindu and a vegetarian, I refused to accept Christ’s teachings. Later, when I knew that Jesus was the only true God I whole heartedly accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and confessed him with my mouth as Lord and Savior, according to the Scriptures. I was saved and I felt the power of God in my body and peace in my heart. My friend took me to prayer fellowships and requested believers to pray for me. As the word says “There is a time for everything”. Later, when my uncle prayed for me I received the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Soon, I took immersed baptism, in water. 

           My behavior took a sharp turn. God helped me to stop my vices and cleansed me from inside. God saved my wife and showed us great signs and wonders, increased our faith and proved that he is living. He cured my mother from her death bed, several times. My father too was cured from his low level of hemoglobin (Only 4%). I saw my co-brother’s son being cured from cerebral disorder, by prayers. My children too were saved. Now we live in fellowship with God. He is answering out prayers as it is written “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers”. 

       We understood that there is only one true God and that he came in the form of a man; bore punishment for all our inequities to redeem us from our sins by dieing on the cross, in our place. He resurrected the third day and is living in the right side of God interceding for all of us.

“Believe in Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your family”.

Bro. Suresh Kumar

Where where you God when I need you?

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. 
She said: "How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? 
When can I see him?" 
The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it." 
Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer? 
Doesn't God care any more? 
Where were you, God, when my son needed you?"
The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son?
One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."
Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to her son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. 
"Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse asked. 
Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally. 
The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. 
"I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom." 
She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could." 
Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. 
She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. 
She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. 
She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. 
She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep. It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. 
The letter said: "Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say "I Love You" . 

I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. 
He can have my room and old stuff to play with. 
But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. 

You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I go t here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. 

The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. 

That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. 

I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?' 
"God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. 

He was right there, as He always is with all His children. Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now. 

He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. 
That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that? Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

"Follow Me"

The only thing that qualifies us to be followers of Jesus is that we are sinners who need grace. Sinners are the only kind of people Jesus calls, as the Apostle Levi (Matthew) discovered.¹

*          *          *

Levi looked around the campfire circle at Jesus and the other eleven disciples. Strange rabbinical school, he thought. Not exactly the cream of the scholarly crop. Led by a rabbi with no formal theological training, his disciples tended to be a bit heavy on fishermen.

But he saw himself as the oddest of the oddballs.

Levi had been a tax collector. That meant he had essentially worked for Rome. And that meant he had been considered a traitor by most of his neighbors. “Tax collectors and sinners” were synonyms.

Whatever Roman official had crafted the empire’s internal revenue system had been a genius. It was designed to encourage collection corruption. So long as Rome received its prescribed amount from a region, collectors were free to keep any overage. There was serious money to be made by the financially ambitious, and ethically…unprincipled. And the more corrupt the collector, the more alienated he became from his own people, thus increasingly dependent on Rome’s continued governance.

It had been a hard vocational choice. A tax collector’s income was both sizable and reliable. It wasn’t as vulnerable as other trades to the fluctuations of the local market or the caprice of rain clouds. But it required that one be willing to endure a different kind of drought: social respect. When Levi became a collector he knew he was trading his reputation for financial security. Thereafter he had kept a prudent distance from synagogue society and made his friends within the “sinner” caste.

And then came the strangest and best day of his life.

Levi had heard about Rabbi Jesus. Everyone seemed to be talking about him. There were reports of astounding miracles. People were puzzling over his parables.

And now Jesus had come to town! Levi had hoped to hear him preach, but he was swamped with work. Tax collectors dare not disappoint their regional managers.

Sitting in his tax booth Levi had seen a bustling crowd approaching. Experience had taught him to keep his head down and look busy to avoid making eye contact with his despisers.

Suddenly the bustle had stopped right in front of him. He could feel peoples’ eyes on him. He heard mutterings. He looked up cautiously. An intense young man was staring at him. He knew immediately it was Jesus.

A nervous knot formed in his stomach. He braced for a rabbinical rebuke.

But what Jesus said was, “Follow me.” There were gasps from the crowd and a murmuring hum. Levi sat in a frozen stun. Jesus was clearly speaking to him. But what did he mean?

Jesus’ expression grew more earnest and he beckoned with his hand. He wanted Levi to literally follow him—at that very moment!

A jumble of thoughts collided in Levi’s mind. What about the tax booth? Where was Jesus going? Would they be gone long?

But he also felt an exhilaration and joy he had never experienced before. For so long he had assumed (and been told) that God didn’t want anything to do with him. But now it seemed that, through Jesus, God was speaking directly to him. And despite the fact that abandoning his booth would no doubt cost him his job, Levi suddenly realized that he would gladly trade financial security for following Jesus.

So he laid down his quill, stood up, and simply fell in behind Jesus. He had never felt freer in his life.

Now, sitting around the evening fire, it hit Levi all over again how strange and wonderful and merciful are the ways of God. Who would have guessed that he would pluck a tax collector, of all people, right out of his booth and appoint him to be a disciple of Israel’s long-awaited Messiah? And now many tax collectors and sinners were swelling Jesus’ ranks.

*          *          *

Being a sinner was the only qualification Levi had for joining Jesus’ disciple band. Jesus had come to call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Levi was sick with the disease of sin and Jesus, the Great Physician (Luke 5:31), healed him.

Because of that, Levi later threw a party at his house and invited his sinner friends to meet Jesus. And many followed him (Mark 2:15).

Jesus did not call us because of our righteousness or gifting. He called us when all we had was need. And even now, as his disciples, we serve only in the strength and grace that he supplies (1 Peter 4:11), because apart from him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

by Jon Bloom