jesus – Instructions To A Young Life

A Life Understanding Life

The Bible says that the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. We all long for understanding. Have you ever said to yourself, “I don’t understand” or “I wish I understood”?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

When we don’t know what to do we lack understanding.

For they are a nation lacking in counsel, And there is no understanding in them. Deuteronomy 32:28

Understanding is a very interesting characteristic. It can be gained and it can be lost.

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good. Proverbs 19:8

Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding. Hosea 4:11

Understanding has many benefits and without it much grief is experienced. It gives life and can bring about death.

Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, Proverbs 16:22

But fools die for lack of understanding. Proverbs 10:21b

To the Lord belongs understanding.

With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding. Job 12:13

Understanding produces favor for the one who has it. Without it life is hard.

Good understanding produces favor, But the way of the treacherous is hard. Proverbs 13:15

Understanding makes knowledge easy. A scoffer is one who turns their back on God and does not seek Him, therefore he lacks in understanding.

A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding. Proverbs 14:6

Understanding is more valuable than silver.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. Proverbs 16:16

Whether building a house, a life, a career, a marriage, a business or any other endeavor it is only by understanding that it will be established.

By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; Proverbs 24:3

A lack of understanding brings about ruin.

So the people without understanding are ruined. Hosea 4:14b

If we want understanding then we must depart from evil. Another word for departing from evil is repentance, which means turning from doing what is wrong and turning to the Lord. We can’t have both good and bad. We can’t continue doing what we know is wrong and experience good through having understanding.

And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding. Job 28:28

The Lord does not despise any but wants to give to all understanding, if they will only come to Him then He will give understanding.

Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any; He is mighty in strength of understanding. Job 36:5

God’s Word gives understanding.

The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130

God’s understanding is infinite.

Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite. Psalm 147:5

There is nothing beyond His understanding. Do you want to understand yourself or your spouse or life or death? Do you long for resolution in certain areas that you don’t understand? Are you weary of trying to figure things out on your own? Come to Jesus. He is calling you.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 22:28-30

A Life that is Not Anxious

Are you ever anxious and worried? Anxiety can debilitate a person. Worry robs us of peace, joy and love for others because when we are anxious we focus on our problems. Some of our anxiety is about things that have never happened and will never happen but we believe they might so we worry about them.

Philippians 4:6,7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Anxiety is a lack of faith. A lack of prayer is a lack of faith. The Lord says that if we will pray then we will not be anxious. Prayer is an expression of faith.

Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

If you will go to Him with your cares then then you will find mercy and grace to help in your time of need.

I Peter 5:7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

He tells us to cast all of our anxieties on Him because He cares for us. He cares for you and your burdens will become His burdens if you will give them to Him.

Psalms 138:8 The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Isn’t this an amazing promise…that He will accomplish what concerns you. Are there things that concern you? Are you anxious about whether you will ever meet a young man who will truly love you? Are you anxious in your school work or you job? Do you have a sick loved one? There are so many things that concern us but if we will give them to Him then He will accomplish them for us.

A Life with Security

We all long for security. It is a basic human need. However, no other human can offer it and no government or human institution can offer security. Security has to come from something that will never change and something that is much bigger than ourselves. Something that only does good towards us and something that we can trust completely. Something that knows our needs and has the power and knowledge to meet those needs. That “something” is a loving God. There is only one God and He is able. He loves us perfectly and He has the power and knowledge to meet our needs. He never changes. We can trust Him completely.

“Remember this, and be assured;
Recall it to mind, you transgressors.
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Isaiah 46:8-10

There is none like Him. There is no other God and there is no one else who knows the end from the beginning. Whatever He desires He does and His purposes will be established. He will accomplish all His good pleasure.

The things that you carry are burdensome,
A load for the weary.
They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the burden,
But have themselves gone into captivity. Isaiah 48:1b,2

The things that you put your security in will become a burden. They will make you weary trying to carry them. They will bring you down into a mental slavery as you seek to make them your security. They will ultimately fail you, whether it is money, insurance, stocks, people, government or any other thing. You will end up being disappointed for they can not deliver you from your insecurity.

“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been borne by Me from birth
And have been carried from the womb;
Even to your old age I will be the same,
And even to your graying years I will bear you!
I have done it, and I will carry you;
And I will bear you and I will deliver you. Isaiah 46:3,4

Only God can provide security. He will carry you and He will bear you and He will deliver you from the moment you put your faith in Him to the end of your life. The remnant of Israel are those who through faith have received the righteousness of God. They are the true Israel who have been borne by Him, that is, born again by Him.

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; Romans 9:27

Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11

It is those who have been born again into the family of God who are the true Israel. Those who through faith have received Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah. It is through faith in Jesus Christ that we enter into His kingdom.

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:5-7

Those who trust in anything other than Jesus Christ can have no true security either in this world or the eternal world. They will have insecurity in this life and an eternal world of torment in the life to come. Those who have made the Lord their trust will have security in this life and in the next life. They will also have comfort and He will carry them even in their old age. He never changes and His love for those who trust Him never changes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, I John 4:18a

for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. I John 3:20b

If you are weary from carrying your burdens or from seeking your own security then come to Him. He loves you. He invites all to come to Him because Jesus Christ died for all. He will give you the rest and security that you long for in this life and in the next life.

A Life with Security

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; Romans 9:27

Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, I John 4:18a

for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. I John 3:20b

A Life that Experiences Life

The Bible says that knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. The only way that we will understand life and everything about life is if we know the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. Jesus Christ is life Himself. When we have Jesus Christ then we have life because He is life.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; John 14:6a

When we were created by God, as He creates every human being in their mother’s womb, we were made in His image.

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Psalm 139:13,14a

When we are born then He breathes in us the breath of life. We are made up of spirit, soul and body. The spirit gives life to the soul and the body.

Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

It is with the spirit that man communes with God. God is spirit and made man to have a relationship with Him and to fellowship with Him.

The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. Proverbs 20:27

However, due to sin, man’s relationship with God is broken and he no longer is in communication with God. Man’s conscience is guilty and is no longer clear. His conscience must be cleansed to come into a relationship with God. Man’s conscience is cleansed and cleared through receiving God’s Spirit. Man receives His Spirit through being born again spiritually. When man receives the Spirit of God then he receives the life of God and begins a relationship with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, by becoming His child.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:6,7

Only God can remove the guilt within a man and cleanse his conscience through His Spirit. The Lord does this through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. When Jesus Christ died on the cross He took the sin of the world by being the Lamb of God. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, one time for all people, in order that He might bring us to God thereby restoring us to a right relationship with God.

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God I Peter 3:18a

When Jesus Christ was raised from the dead then He received the authority over life and death and He gives life to all who believe in Him. For this reason, Christianity is different from all other religions of the world. All other religions worship and honor a dead leader and are a way of seeking to attain life but can not give life. Jesus Christ is the only One who gives life.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. John 5:21

Not only does Jesus Christ give life to us in this life but He gives life for all eternity to those who believe in Him. However, not only does Jesus give life to our spirit but He gives life to our soul. Our soul also died when we sinned and it is through our soul that we experience life. The soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions.

The soul who sins will die. Ezekiel 18:4b

The Lord gives us life and He cleanses our conscience when we believe His Word and receive His Spirit. Just as we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior so we experience the life He came to give us by learning to walk in Him.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, Colossians 2:6

When we keep His commandments and do what He says in His Word then we live the abundant life that He gives to us when we receive Him. When we become a Christian we turn our back on our sin and turn ourselves to the Lord. We must continue to do this so that our souls will experience the gift of the life in Christ. We must learn to live according to His Word and we do this through the power of His Spirit. It is not enough just to hear His Word but we must do it.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. James 1:21-25

The Lord came to set us free from sin, from guilt, from defeat and all the other negative things that come through sin. He came to give us life. A true Christian will want to follow the Lord and do what He says in His Word. A true Christian will no longer enjoy sin. When a Christian sins, he does not lose his salvation, but he will no longer experience the joy of His salvation until he confesses his sin to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord is faithful and will cleanse him from all of his sin.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10,12

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9

If you have never received God’s Spirit and been born again then come to Jesus Christ or if you have gotten off of the path of life then come back to Jesus Christ. He will forgive you and He will restore you to Himself.

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:5

A Life Pleasing God with Worship and Service

One of the characteristics of a true Christian is that the Christian will want to please God in all that He does. There are many who call themselves a Christian but they are a Christian in name only and they are not pleasing to God. They do not understand what the God seeks for in His worshipers.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23

Before we “do things” for the Lord we must first learn what pleases Him and what He is seeking in His children, who are called by His name.

But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23,24

A true Christian will want to worship the Lord in spirit and truth. He must have been born again by the Spirit of God and he must have an honest heart. An honest heart is one that has received the truth of God. The true worshiper, with whom the Lord is pleased is one who worships by faith in the Spirit and is filled with God’s truth.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

We live by faith when we seek to trust the Lord and keep His commandments. We seek the Lord and seek to trust and obey Him through His Word, which is the truth.

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:17

Our worship is an offering to God and is expressed in the life we live. We are to present our bodies to the Lord as a living and holy sacrifice. A life filled with God’s Spirit and lived in obedience to His Word is an expression of our worship to the Lord. He has promised to accept our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice because of the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1

Jesus lived a life pleasing to God before He ever did any ministry. His life was pleasing to the Father because Jesus had learned to trust and obey the Father. Jesus had to learn obedience just as we have to learn obedience to the Lord.

In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. Hebrews 5:7,8

The Bibles says “the wages of sin is death”. Jesus never sinned and so He never experienced death until He went to the cross and took the death that we deserve, because we have all sinned. He was tempted in all things as we are and yet never yielded to the temptation and sinned.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

In the same way as Jesus did, in order that He might not sin, we are to cry out to the Lord in our time of need so that we might receive grace and mercy to help us in order that we should not sin.

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

It is through trust and obedience that we learn to worship the Lord. This is what pleases the Lord and it is also what prepares us for a life of spiritual service to Him. It is not merely knowledge that prepares someone to serve the Lord but it is the life that has learned to live in faith and obedience to Him. It is not until we have learned to worship the Lord can we serve Him. Before Jesus did any ministry He first learned to live a life pleasing to the Father through faith and obedience. This is what prepares any man or woman for the ministry.

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Matthew 3:17

The Father’s approval of Jesus and His affirmation of being well pleased with Jesus was the beginning of the work and ministry the Father had given Him to do. Jesus had learned to please the Father through His life of trust and obedience. The Father was well pleased with Jesus before Jesus did any work or act of service. In the same way, we are to learn to please the Father before we do any act of service in order that our service will be an expression of a heart of love and worship to the One who gave us His Only Begotten Son out of love.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

A Life that Can Discern

Discernment is the ability to tell the difference between right and wrong, but not what the obvious is to everyone else also. With discernment you can decide before the action takes place whether something is right or wrong. It is a spiritual strength that allows you tell the difference between the spirit of good and the spirit of evil, the spirit of righteousness and the spirit of wickedness. Often the devil will disguise himself as a messenger of good. Something will look good, it will seem as though it would be good for you but it is evil. It will bring you great sorrow.

Genesis 3:4-6 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Eve saw three good reasons to eat of the fruit that the Lord told her not to eat. However, it does not matter if there are one hundred reasons to do something, if the Lord says not to do something then you are not to do it. There is only one reason that should determine whether we should do something and the reason is, “does the Lord want us to do it?” Or, has the Lord said not to do something. We do or don’t do everything according to His Word.

Colossians 3:25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

The Lord does not show partiality. His ways are laws and they are true no matter who keeps them or who does not keep them. Just as the “law of gravity” is a physical law and does not show partiality, neither does God’s laws.

Proverbs 19:3 A person’s own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the Lord.

A person who goes his own way or runs his own life will come into trouble by his own doing but then he will get mad at the Lord. If you find yourself saying, “Lord, why did you allow this to happen?” You need to go back and reexamine your actions to see if you violated any of the Lord’s commandments.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

Especially if it is a big decision go to an older godly woman who will speak the truth to you and not what you want to hear. Do not go to a man other than your father or your husband. The Bible says that Eve was deceived but Adam was not deceived. if she had gone to Adam then possibly they would still be in the garden.

Psalm 119:24 Your testimonies also are my delight;
They are my counselors.

God’s Word is the only true counselor. One of His names is Counselor. Whoever you go to for counsel, they must counsel you out of God’s Word, otherwise it is not counsel but opinion, which is almost always wrong.

Isaiah 9:6 And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

The Lord is a Wonderful Counselor. Wonderful means that you will be full of wonder as you see Him and His marvelous ways.

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

It is your spiritual senses that learn to discern good and evil. We all mess up but don’t give up. Learn from your mistakes so that you do not do it again. It takes much practice in life to mature. Don’t give up and you will become a mature Christian.

A Life of Making Disciples

If you are a Christian then the Lord has called you and given you a commandment to make disciples. This is an incredible privilege and joy. Jesus Christ went before us and showed us how.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and earth. He will be exalted whether you or I exalt Him or not because He is God. The amazing thing is that He has called us to be a part of what He is doing in history. Since history is really “His story” it makes since that it is all about Him. He alone is worthy of all honor and glory and power. He promises to be with us even to the end of the age. His kingdom came down to earth when He came the first time.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

His kingdom is coming again when He comes to rule. He is our King and we are His people. He wants us to pray that His kingdom will come and to look for the coming of His kingdom.

Matthew 6:9,10 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.

He wants us to seek first His kingdom.

Matthew 6:33a But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,

The way we learn to be obedient to Him and build His kingdom is first learning to walk with Him and follow Him. We can not lead others if we are not being led. Jesus Christ chose His disciples first to be with Him and then to do ministry.

Mark 3:14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach,

The way we make disciples is first by learning what it means to be a disciple.

John 8:31,32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

You must first believe in Jesus to be His disciple and then if you continue in believing in His Word then you are truly His disciples. As you continue in His Word then you will experience true freedom that begins on the inside. He came to set us free. Once free then you can share with others how they too, can be free. A disciple of Jesus Christ leads others to Jesus Christ.

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Others will know that you are His disciple if you have love for others.

John 15:8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

When you bear much fruit then that is the proof that you are His disciple.

Acts 6:7 The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

As the Word of God spreads then so will the number of His disciples. The Lord has called us to make disciples by sowing the seed of the Word of God, loving others and teaching them to obey our Lord Jesus Christ in all that He has taught us to do. Those who are found faithful will have no regrets when they see the Lord.

Matthew 25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Do you ever hear the voice of the Lord? He says that those who belong to Him will hear Him talking to them. He has something for all of us to do. When we are all faithful in whatever it is that He has called each one of us to do then His kingdom will be built. May we all be found faithful.

Revelation 3:20,21 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

A Life that Becomes Great

You must be taught by One who is great if you want to become truly great. Since there is only One who is truly great when we are taught by Him then He will lead us into greatness.

Luke 6:40 A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

You must learn to sit at the feet of Jesus everyday and allow Him to teach you His ways. When He speaks to you do what He says. He will speak to you through His Word and you will find that as you obey His teaching that He will teach you more.

Luke 16:10 He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

Faithfulness is what is necessary to become great. Faithfulness in the little things will bring more truth so that you can learn faithfulness in the bigger things. Righteousness is doing what is right. We learn to do what is right by doing what Jesus teaches us. Yes, when we become a Christian we receive the righteousness of Christ, since He always did what was pleasing to God, but He also tell us to do righteousness that we might represent Him to the world.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

As you allow yourself to be taught by Him then you will learn to practice righteousness and will become more like Him. As you learn from Him then He will also lead you. You will see that as you follow Him that He will also teach you to be a servant, for Jesus came not to be served but to serve.

Matthew 20:26-28 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

As you learn to follow Him and be led by Him then He will lead you into the good works that He prepared beforehand for you. He has made you unique and no one else can do what He has called you to do. He wants you to follow Him.

Matthew 4:19 And He *said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Follow Him and you will be His servant and you will see His kingdom built. Your cup of joy will overflow as you learn to walk in His ways, do righteousness, love kindness, do good to others and see Jesus and His glory.

John 12:26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Do you want to become great? Then you must learn to become like the One who is truly great. Jesus came to serve and those who follow Him, He will lead and will teach them to serve. All of our service to others is an expression of our service to Jesus Christ. Whoever serves Jesus, the Father will honor him and he will become great like his Teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Life with Forgiveness and Freedom

It is easy to misunderstand what is in God’s Word until one comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal relationship. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Jesus Christ is the truth. He is the source of all truth. There is no truth apart from Him.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

There is peace in knowing and understanding the truth. The truths in the Bible are like diamonds with many facets. The more we know then the more we understand and the more we understand then the more we are set free.

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31,32

To know the truth of what God says then we must first become a disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple is one who believes in Jesus Christ and holds to His teaching. When we hold to His teaching then we seek to do what He says. Obedience to His teaching comes first and then understanding and knowledge. Many people want to understand first and then obey but the knowledge of truth comes after we hold to His teaching and do it. When we know the truth then the truth sets us free. When a person becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ then they receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and the Holy Spirit leads a disciple of Jesus into the truth. The Holy Spirit sheds light on God’s Word and gives understanding.

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. John 15:26

A disciple of Jesus Christ receives the Holy Spirit when he becomes a child of God. He is born again through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes and lives within him. He becomes spiritually alive and this is when he becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ. A true disciple will want to live according to God’s Word. He will want to be faithful to do His commandments. He will begin to understand the truths in God’s Word through learning and keeping His commandments. He will see that God’s commandments are not burdensome, but when obeyed, they bring freedom and joy. He will want to love God.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. I John 5:3

Apart from God we can not understand the way to true freedom. It is God’s Word through our conscience that keeps us. When we choose to live the way we want to and not according to God’s Word then it is called sin and lawlessness.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. I John 3:4

The world feels that they are free from God’s Laws. However, when they break free from God’s Word then they are in what is called “free fall”. It is a state of feeling free because they have not experienced the consequences of when they “hit bottom” which will come either sooner or later. Either way, it will come and it will be painful. Lawlessness is sin and sin brings death.

For the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23a

The death for the one who chooses not to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is an eternal death, which is an eternal separation from God. It is being in a state of torment for eternity.

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10

For the Christian who sins, this person will experience death to his soul and his fellowship with God will be broken.

you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? Romans 6:16b

When the Christian sins, the death that he experiences in his soul is the regret and shame that he feels. He has grieved the Spirit of God within him. However, he can repent, that is, turn away from his sin, and confess his sin to the Lord. He can then experience God’s forgiveness once again and come back into fellowship with the Lord.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I john 1:9

When an unsaved person, that is, one who has not yet given his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ to be His disciple, sins then he too can experience God’s forgiveness and cleansing from his sin if he will come to Jesus Christ also. If he repents, that is, turns from his sin and confesses his need for a Lord and Savior then he will be forgiven, saved and set free from his sin.

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13

For Jesus Christ came for this purpose to set all men free from death and He came to give all men life. He came that He might bring us to God.

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; I Peter 3:18

This gift of life is for all. However, only those who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will experience this great gift of God’s love and forgiveness and become His child and His disciple.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, John 1:12

Have you experienced the love of God in your life? Have you known the cleansing of your heart and conscience? Have you experienced the forgiveness of all of your sins? The Bible says that “today” is the day of salvation. Come to Jesus Christ. There is no one who has sinned too much and there is no one whom the Lord does not love and want as His child. Come to Jesus Christ. He loved you so much that He died for you.

Coming to Jesus Christ is acknowledging your need for Him and surrendering your heart and life to Jesus Christ. Believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you, was buried and rose again. He lives today. Receiving Him as your Lord and Savior. If you have never prayed and asked Jesus Christ to come into your life then you can today. Pray to Him. Prayer is expressing your heart to the Lord. Tell Him that you are coming to Him and you want Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior. He is faithful and if you genuinely mean what you pray then He will answer you.

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. I John 5:11-15

Jesus Christ is the way to true freedom and forgiveness. He is the only way. There are no other religions who can offer this great gift and He is the only Savior. He is Lord of lords and King of kings. He is alive today.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16.