About
I was born in Florida and lived there for the first twenty years of my life. College baseball allowed me to attend the University of Kentucky. During this time, I heard the message of the New Testament about Jesus and recall how the claims of Christ seemed so compelling as I took in the promises of forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal life. The message of Christ: His sinless life, His death on the cross, His resurrection from the dead, His ascension back to heaven, and His promised return resonated with me. The burden of my heart, which I later came to understand was my sin, was rolled over to Christ by faith in the summer of 1985. That summer, I heard a message from Matthew 11:28-30 that was life-changing for me. In this passage, Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” I took Christ at His word and received Him by faith. Over 40 years have come and gone, and I have found Him to be faithful to all His promises. To know the Lord on His terms has been the most fulfilling pursuit I have ever known. Not life without problems or failures, but life with purpose, satisfaction, abiding peace, and hope.
My ongoing relationship with Christ is also one of grace and is not based upon my performance. Being a Christian is not like a spelling bee where participants can stay in the competition as long as they keep spelling the words correctly. What an assurance in Christ that even on the worst of my days, I have a Savior who gladly hears my honesty about my sins as I confess them and forsake them. Rightly understood, the grace of God in Christ motivates and empowers us to live in obedience to God’s commands.
Here are six verses from the Gospel of John that call us to believe in Jesus:
John 1:12- But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:18- Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 6:47- Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
John 14:6- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 20:30-31- Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
The message of Jesus in the Bible is called “Good News” because only in Christ do we find true salvation. What is keeping you from believing in Jesus now? Calling out to Him now? Be assured if you call out to Him, He will come to you with His saving grace (Romans 10:9-10, 13).
Let me leave you with a parting 90-Day Challenge:
- Consider reading the Gospel of John and take in the promises of Christ
- Consider attending a church that teaches the Bible. Give yourself a 90-day challenge to attend for three months and let God speak to you from His word and the gathering of His people. Allow yourself to be known and seek to know others. Understand that followers of Jesus must build their lives around a local church family. This is God’s way to grow spiritually.
- Ask yourself 3 simple questions over this time: Is this church pointing me to Christ and my need for Him? Am I learning more about God and the Bible by attending here? Do these people show the love of Christ to others?
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will take this challenge! If you are in the Gonzales/Baton Rouge area, I invite you to visit FBCG, www.fbcg.net. We meet at 10:30 on Sunday mornings @ 1217 S. Burnside Avenue, Gonzales, Louisiana.
Please contact me if I can ever be of help to you.
Rejoice,
James B. Law, Ph.D.