Kerusso T-shirt

Jesus died for my space in Heaven, but He also died for your space in Heaven.  “He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed” [Isaiah 53:5].  When I think about Jesus dying, I am reminded of what Simon Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God ” [Matthew 16:16].  Who is Jesus to you?  To me, Jesus in my savior that died in my place to take away the burden and consequence of sin, all of my hurts and pains, and He delivered me from the doom of eternal death (complete separation from God).  Paul tells us in Romans that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Paul goes on to say that “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Like everyone else, I am not perfect.   I have had my own downfalls, and for many years I had no one any greater than me to help me back up.   It was a struggle to go through life each and every day.  One day things could be fine and then the next they were what seemed to be the worse that they could get.

Thanks to my maternal grandparents, I am in a better place today.  They showed me Gods love, and they started taking me to church each Sunday when I was very young.  I am so glad that they did.  I seriously doubt that I would be where I am today without their influence.  I also am thank for other family members, my church family, and my pastor that prayed for me and encouraged me.   They all have been there for me through everything that I am going through.

Since becoming a Christian.  I have surrendered my life to my Savior Jesus Christ; even my thoughts, actions, and my reactions. “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” [Galatians 2:20].

However, I am still not perfect, but I am going to strive to my best to model my life after Christ’s life as He loved here on Earth.  With His example, I am able to keep my self in check each day.

’Cause Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

I have heard the question asked before, “what if when you die you find out that there is no heaven, no God, no Jesus.  What if you just wasted your time?”.   My friend, I tell you that my life will have been much better off than if I had lived my life for myself and my own desires.  I would have been into so many things.  Who knows; it may have been drugs, alcohol, a life full of living off of sexual desires, or even suicide. But my faith in God has given me strength and a purpose for living.  Jesus tells us in New Testament that “…man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” [Deuteronomy 8:3].  This is very true–I would not be able to have the joy that I have without God’s Word.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 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. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

John 3:1-21

God has definitely changed my life for the better, will you let Him change yours?

If you would like to talk with me about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then please contact me.

Updates and modifications will be made at: http://matthew-smith.com/my-faith-statement/testimony.html