The Answer- devotional
By: Stephen Matthews
In life we are filled with many important questions. Where will I go to school? What career choice will I make? Where will I live? Will I marry and if so, to whom? The list of life’s questions appears infinite. While these and many more are indeed important, they pale in comparison to the single most significant question every person must ask themselves, which is: “Who Is Jesus Christ?”. How you answer this question in your own heart will profoundly impact your life both now and for eternity.
The Answer:
The Bible makes it clear who Jesus was and is. Scripture tells us that Jesus is God (John 8:58). Jesus is the savior of all mankind for those believe in him (John 3:16). He is the Way the Truth and the Life, there is no other way to Heaven but by Him (John 14:6). Everything that was created, both the heavens and the earth was done so through him (1 Corinthians 8:6). Jesus is full of and grace and truth (John 1:14) and seeks a relationship with every single person (James 4:8). He promised to provide for our needs (Matthew 6:33) and to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Considering what the Bible teaches us about the identity of Christ, Perhaps the best answer to the question “Who is Jesus Christ?” is simply this; “He IS the Answer!”. He is the answer to every sin, every circumstance, every pain, every trial, every struggle, every fear, every doubt, every question, every shame, every guilt, every sorrow, for EVERYTHING we need and more. It is only in Jesus Christ that we will find the hope, the faith, the forgiveness, the strength, the love, the grace, the perseverance, the true purpose for our life, and the eternal destiny which we will enter when our life on earth ends. He IS the Answer!
The Response:
At the end of the day everything comes down to one thing; how will YOU respond to the answer of who Jesus Christ is? Not in the future, not later on, but right now at this very moment. Jesus came to earth and lived a sinless life which we could never live so that he could die on a cross as the final sacrifice for all time to cover the sins of every person. He rose from the dead 3 days later as the ultimate demonstration of his deity and power over death and the grave. The only requirement to accept his sacrificial covering for your sins and be assured of eternal salvation is to believe in who Jesus is and put your trust in him alone as your Lord and savior.
It is our genuine prayer and hope that if you have not yet made the decision to trust in Jesus, this would be the day. The day you say yes to forgiveness, yes to unending love, yes to eternal life, yes to Jesus Christ.
Closing Prayer:
If you are ready to say “yes” to Jesus then we encourage you to pray this simple prayer in faith. “Dear Jesus, I believe you are the one true God. I believe that you came to earth and died for my sins so I could be forgiven and saved by your loving grace. I believe you rose from the dead and reign today in Heaven. Please forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from unrighteousness. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name, Amen”.
If you prayed this prayer with sincerity, you have just received Jesus into your heart & placed your life in the care of a loving God who will never leave or forsake you. Please let us know about your decision so we can continue to pray for you & encourage you!
To learn more about following Jesus please visit us: www.essentialchristianministries.com
The Answer – (Song Lyrics)
By: Mark Pogue
God, God of the Earth and Sky
We live to Glorify and give you Highest Praise Lord, Savior of all men, faithful to the end. We give you Highest Praise
Come, Your Spirit is the Truth that leads us on We put our trust in you
(chorus)
You are the Savior by our side In every moment you provide Your faithful promise says it all You are the Answer
For every question in our mind
Our faith will cling to you and find You're everything we need and more You are the Answer
God, full of grace and true
We fix our eyes on You and give You Highest Praise Lord, Hope in you is found and your miracles abound as we give You Highest Praise
(chorus)
With every doubt and every pain Your faithful love remains the same Your strength and victory we claim Cause You are the Answer
Our Hearts and Hands to you we raise In every circumstance we praise
You are our truth, our life, our way You are the Answer
You are the Savior by our side In every moment you provide your faithful promise says it all You are the Answer-
(chorus)
(oh, Jesus).
Where Are You Now- devotional
Written By: Stephen Matthews
Where Is God Amidst Our Suffering?
Shortly before Jesus died on the cross He cried out to God the Father in anguish saying “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). This remarkable question asked by Jesus is important to properly understand as it has great implications for us in our daily life of following Christ.
1. Why Did Jesus Ask This Question?: Jesus had been in constant fellowship with God the Father throughout every day of his life. Prior to this moment on the cross He had never experienced the silence of God. However, once Jesus took upon himself the past, present and future sins of mankind, God’s holiness required separation from sin. In the moment Jesus cried out “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”, his fellowship with God was broken and for the first time in his life He experienced the silence of God amidst his suffering. This does not mean God abandoned him. In fact, just moments later Jesus committed his Spirit into God’s hands and after conquering death, hell, and the grave he was reunited with his Father God in Heaven where He was given the name above all names!
2. Does That Mean God Is Not With Us In Our Suffering?: It is important to not mistake silence for absence. The Scriptures assure us of many things and one of them is that as followers of Christ, He will never leave us nor for forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Often when we experience trials and periods of suffering in our lives it seems as if God is not hearing our prayers or if He is, His response to us is silence. However, it is during these quiet moments in our life that we must remember that though He may seem silent at the time, He is no less present with us through every trial and tribulation. We stand on his Word and His promises in faith, knowing that God is sovereign in ALL things even those times when we are suffering. He never changes, He’s always in control and He is always trustworthy. Nothing can change His attributes and even when we may feel distant from the Lord, we cannot let our feelings override the truth.
God Desires Our Honesty:
God desires us to be honest with Him in our prayer life. While he already knows what’s on our mind it is important that we open up and share with him our desires, our trials, our sins and our worship. Sometimes in life we do feel alone and that
God is not with us in difficult situations. However, we know in Scripture that is not the case. Therefore, while we sometimes ask God “where He is?” in our life, we must always push through those doubts and feelings to cling to what we KNOW is true. Jesus IS with us through ALL things.
ClosingPrayer: FatherGod,thankyouforbeingwithmeinallthingswhethergoodorbad.Helpmetotrustyouandyour promises when difficult times arise in life. Help me to never allow my feelings to cloud the truth of your Word. In Jesus name, Amen”.
God bless you.... Stephen Matthews