Are you tired of life? Does it feel like you can not do a thing right? Do you lose sleep worrying about the cares of the world? Does it feel as if you do so much but accomplish so little?
I once felt that way. I was tired of my life. I woke up everyday and went through the days like a zombie. I had made so many unwise choices, so many wrong turns. I messed up so many times. My heart was broken, my dreams were shattered. I had no peace. I was a young mother who barely had a clue. I was always involved in some kind of drama. I desperately needed a new start. A second chance...
I remember this one night I had a dream. In my dream I was in love with this nasty burned up man. I mean really, I can still remember it very clear. He was black in color from being burned. Smoke came off of his skin. His face looked like a burnt skeleton. No lips, no mouth, just bone structure and teeth. His body was peeling big burnt ashy flakes. Disgusting. He had no clothes on. He looked like one of those creatures from the movie, I am Legend (if you ever seen it) except he was completely toasted. He was so nasty and gross but, the real gross part was, I was in love with him. I remember sleeping with him. He was on top of me and though I was so uncomfortable, I just laid there. It was as if I had no other choice. He was apart of my life and because I loved him, I just let it happen.
When I woke up, I knew I had to make some changes in my life.
I wanted Christ, for real this time...I wanted to be Saved by Jesus Christ.
For me, the term "being saved" was more than a christian term. I really needed God to rescue me from my life. I really needed him to save me from the pact that I had made with the devil.
John 14:6 NLT- “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
Romans 10:8-11-13 NIV-“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
When I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart, when I confessed with my mouth that I believed and wanted him to be Lord over my life. When I repented for my sins and all the evil that I had done up until that point in my life, I felt a RISE within. I really can't articulate it but the Message version of Romans 10 helps:
It’s the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right between him and me!”
11-13 Scripture reassures us, “No one who trusts God like this—heart and soul—will ever regret it.” It’s exactly the same no matter what a person’s religious background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help. “Everyone who calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help.”
Acts 3:19 NLT-Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.
It was as if I rose from the dead. I had hope, which was something that I gave up years ago. Something within me said, "Welcome to your new life." It felt good to know that I still had a chance to live. Mannn, I took off running! I'm still running!
Right after accepting Christ into my life, I got baptised by water. Baptism by water was the act of showing family & friends that I had made a decision to follow Christ. It was an outward presentation to give testament for my decision of being forgiven/cleansed/washed by God. I like to say, "It was my faith in action." It was a public announcement to the world, to hold me accountable. Being baptised in water expressed my repentance.
Gal. 3:27 NLT- 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.
Matthew 3:11-I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Then shortly after that, I wanted more of God! There were a series of events including joining a church, removing things attached to my past out of my life, reading my word, and praying-just to name a few. But, I still desired more. I was so excited about the second chance I received and I wanted to feel God. I wanted him to touch me. It was right after I hosted my first women's conference that I was baptised with his spirit. The christian after party was at my house...lol. I remember going into the bathroom. I started praying. I was crying and praising him at the same time. I begin to worship him forgetting all about the women in my home, forgetting about the conference, forgetting about everything-it was just about him & I. I begged him to touch me. In my mind, I was thinking "He's God, he will stretch his hand from heaven and rub my head to show me how real he really is." I stayed in that bathroom for a while, begging God to touch me. I received the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4) in my tiny bathroom. I really did not realize what had happened but, I knew God had touched me.
Getting baptised by water or receiving the gift of speaking another language did not save me. Being baptised when I was a baby did not save me. Going to church every Sunday did not save me. Reading the bible did not save me. Hosting women conference's did not save me. Repenting everyday did not save me. What saved me was accepting Jesus Christ into my heart, believing that he died for my sins and confessing out loud to him that he is Lord. That is what saved me.
Acts 2:21-But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
I got SAVED over 10 years ago and it still feel so good! I pray that if you do not know Christ or if you have not accepted him into your heart, you do so. The world is so demonic, make no mistake about it-WE NEED JESUS CHRIST! You may find yourself beat up from life or just needing a fresh new start. You can pray this prayer right now and be saved! How about that!
Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. But I believe that you died upon the cross for me. That you shed your precious blood for the forgiveness of my sin. And I believe that on the third day, you rose from the dead, and went to Heaven to prepare a place for me. I accept you now as my Savior, my Lord, my God, my friend. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and set me free from my sin. And, because you are my Savior, Jesus, "I shall not die, but have everlasting life".
Now, YOU ARE SAVED!!!!! HALLELUJAH! Welcome to the camp! You can yell:
S-ALVATION
A-CCEPTED
V-OCALLY
E-NDED
D-AMNATION!
Oh yeah!Oh yeah! Oh yeah! I am available if you want to talk or pray or whatever (email me for my #)! We can discuss what's next!
Have a great day!
Baya...that Godly Diva.
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