From God’s Heart
The day that I was introduced to Jesus Christ, I began to realize that I had just found the answers to all the questions I had about life wrapped up in one very precious Book called the Bible.
I do not remember the exact date I got saved, but I do remember the circumstances as if it were just yesterday. On a Sunday in the early part of 1986, my husband and I had visited Central Baptist Church in Sioux City, Iowa. The following week…on a Thursday evening…a young woman by the name of Rae, along with an older woman and a middle-aged man knocked on our door. Rae was the “spokesperson” for the threesome. I do not remember the other two saying more than “hello.” (Apparently they were involved in what they referred to as ‘missions training’ and Rae was their ‘trainer.’) The man, I learned later, was actually a lawyer… who never said but a few words during the visit! Imagaine that… a lawyer staying so quiet!!)
Rae was a very sweet and confident young lady. I remember thinking that she exhibited something that I wished I “had,” although I could not put my finger on what it was I saw in her at the moment. She sat curled up, Indian style, on one of the living room chairs wearing a pair of cut-off shorts and a t-shirt; while the lady with them was in a dress and the man in a 3-piece suit. It was an interesting looking group…to say the least! 🙂
Rae very graciously thanked us for attending her church and then proceeded to ask us some questions. My husband, Scott, was the first to respond. When Rae asked him if he knew he would go to Heaven when he died, Scott explained what had happened to him in a hospital in 1981 when he learned he had cancer. His uncle talked to him about salvation, and afterwards, when Scott was all alone in the hospital room, he asked Jesus to come into his heart and save him.
How Can I Know for Sure?
Then Rae turned to me and asked me, “Lori, if you were to die, do you know 100% that you would also go to Heaven?” As I looked in her eyes, I knew I had to be totally honest with myself and with her. I replied, “No, I don’t. How can I possibly know that for sure?” This is when Rae took the Bible and showed me the wonderful grace of Jesus Christ!
As I listened to her, it occurred to me that what I had known of God was all “head knowledge” and Rae was helping me to understand that “head knowledge” of who and what Jesus was and did would only send me to Hell. What was important was that I have “heart knowledge” of Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I had grown up in church; I had learned the stories of Jesus; I knew that He had died on the cross for the sins of the word, but I had never given a thought to the fact that the devil and all of his imps also know what Jesus did for the world. The devil’s knowledge of Jesus and what He did for the world does not allow the devil to go to Heaven! Knowledge of Jesus Christ is meaningless unless it is applied to the heart in repentance and faith while making a decision for a personal relationship with Him.
Grace: God’s Unmerited Favor
The struggle that I had as Rae spoke to me was the fact that I could not understand why God would love someone like me. How could He forgive me and all that I had done in such a short lifetime? I did not believe that I deserved God’s forgiveness. Then Rae showed me His wonderful grace, love and mercy from the Bible…God’s love letter to us.
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)
…In the next newsletter…(Chapter Three)… I’ll tell you more about our free will and God’s FREE GIFT to ME!!! …and for you, too!