Following JESUS must have been a challenge because there was no money to be made with him, no worldly bonus. But there were very interesting experiences and conversations. Something of the finest.
There are now quite a few people who are interested in Jesus. Why actually? What makes HIM so special, so interesting for us? Could it be that there is something to be heard and seen with HIM that we cannot get anywhere else? Is it possible that He has a source of love that never runs dry and can satisfy all of our deepest needs?
Whoever takes this relationship with JESUS seriously and wants to decide for HIM cannot avoid the following three steps:
Step 1: Know Your Situation
We can meet JESUS like any other person. But as soon as we recognize our need, such an encounter will have a completely different character.
Who are we actually? Dear reader - WHO ARE YOU?
Where are we in life? Have we already got to know our limits and inner needs? Have we already met our real, deep-seated needs?
Our greatest need is REAL LOVE.
Our sinfulness, our deficits and our fears have been causing problems over and over again since childhood. These fears lead to anger, aggression and frustration. Everyone has their own inner concept of addressing these problems. More and more children - so you read - get depression! Many young people have great difficulty dealing with their situation in life.
There is one thing they are missing, something we all are missing: true love. If we had it, all human problems would be given a different look. Everything looks different in the light of divine love.
We all have a bigger problem
Unfortunately there are many people who don't like looking in their inner mirror. Because in this way things could become visible that they dislike. And they cannot afford that, because their self-esteem (BLOG) is so delicately structured that they cannot afford it. To bad.
People who have a real relationship to true love are also ready to look the truth about themselves in the eyes. Wonderful. Because truth sets you free !! This is what the Bible tells us in John 8: 31-32:
Then Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him: If you will abide by my speech, you will be my true disciples and will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Isn't that a wonderful thought: Jesus will help us if we are interested in his word, so that we will recognize the truth and only then will be able to achieve real freedom!
It is a great challenge not to become a victim of this worldly postmodern system. We are already told in the Bible (2 Tim 3: 1-5,7):
“But you should know that in the last days there will be terrible times. Because there will be people who think a lot of themselves, stingy, glorious, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unspiritual, loveless, implacable, slanderer, unchaste, wild, unkind, traitor, wrongdoer, pompous, those who love more lust because God. They have the appearance of a godly being, but they deny His power. Avoid such. (7) They are always learning and yet they cannot come to the knowledge of the truth. "
It's not that bad everywhere, but in many places there will supposedly be worse deterioration.
CONCLUSION: Anyone who has once recognized that he/she carries this problem of sinfulness within him/herself and that it has a very negative, even destructive influence on his/her own life, has understood exactly this person - thank the Lord - that they need a solution to this problem . Urgent and immediately.
What a privilege we humans have that we can talk to our God. Not everyone likes to pray. But whoever tries, will sooner or later be rewarded. Our father is happy for everyone who makes contact with HIM.
Step 2: Find The Solution
Matthew (7: 7) writes to us:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you."
Paul gives us the advice at 1. Thess 5:17:
“Pray Without Stopping”
Let's imagine a person who is in contact with our Creator God all the time. What do you think will happen to such a person if they are in constant communication with their Heavenly Father, inside or through audible words?
We have the promise that Jeremiah (29:13) made loud and clear to the people of Israel:
“You will seek and find me if you do this with all your heart.”
Many people give up after the first try. Nobody can find a hidden treasure this way.
This is about relationship, the most important of all relationships.
It also means that one cannot serve two masters. Either you choose our Heavenly Father or your counterpart. One enables an eternal future, the other an extremely unpleasant exit.
What do you think, how great a love must be so that a Son of God gives his life for us humans, in order to have the opportunity to recognize his love for us and when accept it be redeemed from our sins and be ready for an eternal life together with HIM ?
You have to imagine this God: He sends his beloved son to us and lets us humans crucify him, just so that we get the possibility of an eternal life. And most of the people refuse this offer !! What a tragedy!
….
3. Schritt: Lebe diese Beziehung
Ein Bibeltext, der uns Mut geben soll:
“Siehe, ich stehe vor der Tür und klopfe an. Wenn jemand meine Stimme hört und die Türe auftut, zu dem werde ich eingehen und das Abendmahl mit ihm halten.” (Offb 3:21)
Ist doch interessant. Was für ein Privileg: Gott persönlich klopft bei unserer Herzenstüre an. Einige öffnen diese Türe, andere nicht. Schade eigentlich. Dabei wäre doch so viel Gutes möglich gewesen. Das ganze Leben, das Verständnis der Lebensumstände hätte sich verändert:
“Wir wissen aber, dass denen, die Gott lieben, alle Dinge zum Besten dienen, denen, die nach dem Vorsatz berufen sind.” (Matth 8:28)
Wenn wir bereit sind, unseren Schöpfergott als unseren himmlischen Vater zu akzeptieren, wird alles, was wir erleben, Sinn machen. Es wird zu unserem Besten dienen. Ist das nicht ein sensationelles Angebot. Und das ist noch nicht alles.
Man stelle sich nur vor, wenn folgender Vers in uns Wirklichkeit wird. Paulus spricht da zu den Galatern (5:22) und möchte ihnen klar machen, dass Gott ihnen ein sensationelles Angebot macht:
Die Frucht aber des Geistes ist
Liebe - Freude - Friede
Geduld - Freundlichkeit - Gütigkeit
Glaube - Demut - Selbstbeherrschung
Das nenne ich einen liebenden Vater. Wer solche Qualitäts-Geschenke macht, der weiss, was Lebensqualität bedeutet. Wählen Sie, lieber Leser, ihre drei liebsten Begriffe aus und stellen Sie sich ein Leben mit diesen hohen Qualitätseigenschaften vor.
Dieses Angebot macht uns JESUS mit einem zukunfts-historischen Hintergrund. ER möchte uns nämlich für die Zeit im Himmel vorbereiten, wo solche Qualitäten NORMAL sind. Also, wer auf dieser Erde sich von JESUS dieses Geschenk geben lässt, der darf sich jetzt schon auf ein ewiges Leben freuen.
In der Zwischenzeit - also in unserem Erdenleben - gilt:
“Lasset uns aber Gutes tun und nicht müde werden; denn zu seiner Zeit werden wir auch ernten ohne Aufhören.” (Gal 6:9)
Wer in dieser Hoffnung auf eine ewige Beziehung mit unserem Schöpfer lebt, der geht mit höchster Lebensqualität von Tag zu Tag und kann dafür Gott immer wieder danken. Einfach einmalig oder besser gesagt: universale Sensation.
Liebe/r Leser/in - Lassen Sie sich diese drei Schritte zu Herzen gehen und geben Sie doch unserem himmlischen Vater eine Chance, Seine Liebesqualität in Ihrem Leben Wirklichkeit werden zu lassen.
JESUS wants to help all people. HE has invested everything in promoting His love. It is now up to us to respond as best as possible.
