"Who do you say that I am?"-asked Jesus.
Matthew 16:13
My Name is Katie Ballard and I am a New Creation in Christ Jesus!
About 5 years ago, God revealed Himself to me while I was reading 1 Peter chapter 1, as it is written "Be Holy, for I am Holy." I had not read the Bible since I was a child, but I had always believed that what was written was the Truth. How could anyone "Be Holy?" How could anyone "Be Perfect?" How could God demand the impossible?
There was nothing "Holy" about Katie Ballard.. I knew it, everyone knew it. I knew there was a God because I had been a church-goer all my (adolescent) life, but I didn't KNOW GOD. While I was reading the Word, God confronted me about sin and folly in my life: I had not been living for God's purposes, I had been living in continual sin the majority of my adulthood, and Jesus was certainly not the Lord of my life. I couldn't imagine how God was going to turn my life around, I didn't know what He would be able to do with the mess I had made of the life He had given me.. But I asked Him anyway.
I asked Him to forgive me and cleanse me from sin, to give me a new heart that wanted to live according to God's ways, God's purposes, and for God's glory. I fell asleep in my tears that night, only to wake up a NEW CREATION the next morning. In an instant I was changed forever, being grafted into an eternal covenant with my Maker as I found myself entering true fellowship with my Father; the best thing that ever happened to me!
All glory, honor, and praise be to the God who saves us in His great mercy. Jesus Reigns!
JESUS IS GOD…
GOD IS LOVE1John 4:8 …
The MOST AMAZING THING ABOUT GOD IS: that even though we are sinners God loves us!
When I started reading the Bible, I found the Truth about God: that He was and is Holy, Perfect, Sinless, Good, Faithful, and Righteous. I also found the Truth about myself: that I was not Holy, not perfect, not sinless, not good, not faithful, and not righteous. Most importantly, I found Good News that changed my life and brought me everlasting hope:
That God still loved me even though I was a sinner, and that Jesus paid the price for all my sins. The Good News for you? This is also God's Truth for every single person that has ever been born!
The book of John and 1John are great books of the Bible to read about God's love for us. John 3:16 tells the Truth about God, "That God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This is one of the most popular Scriptures quoted by people and it is the ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
1John2:1-2 "But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father on our defense- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world."
1John3:16 "This is how we know what love is: that Jesus Christ laid down his own life for us."
1John 4:9-10 "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us first and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
JESUS CHRIST IS GOD'S LOVE IN ACTION!
Our God loves us SO MUCH and desires to be with us SO DEEPLY that He sent Jesus into the world as a Holy sacrifice for all the sins of all the sinners in all the whole world! Because God requires a HOLY sacrifice for the punishment of sin, God knew that human beings would not be able to save themselves; for there is no one righteous and no one who is able to keep the whole law! So, God added to His divinity HUMANITY, and He came in the flesh as Jesus Christ (John 1:1-18)
(Emmanuel, "God with us").
All GLORY, THANKS, PRAISE, AND HONOR BE TO GOD FOR HIS LOVING KINDNESS, DEMONSTRATED ON THE CROSS!
**In the understanding of God's law: that because of my own sin I was destined to be separated from God and doomed to be punished for all my sins… and
**In view of God's mercy: BUT BECAUSE JESUS gave His life as an atoning sacrifice for my sin… I will live
**MY WHOLE LIFE in surrender, devotion to, allegiance to, and trusting in God's ways and God's plans and God's truth and God's purposes for my life.
THIS IS MY TESTIMONY, TO THE POWER OF
GOD'S GRACE & LOVE & FORGIVENESS in Christ Jesus!
"But what about you?" Jesus asked.
"Who do YOU say that I am?"– Matthew 16:15
This the question that ALL PEOPLE will answer, for it is written:
"God exalted Him to the highest place and gave him the Name that is above every other name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD," to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2).
It is just a matter of time for you, like it was for me… like it is for every person on earth..
but the question is: WHEN will be your time? Will you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is God before you take your last breath on earth, or after you have taken your last breath on earth? Either way, you WILL confess that Jesus is God, Savior, and Lord… I PRAY THAT IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR ALREADY, THAT YOU WOULD HUMBLY BELIEVE IN HIS SACRIFICE, THAT YOU WOULD ASK HIM INTO YOUR HEART AND THAT YOU WOULD ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU FOR SIN!
Anyone who does not repent will die in their sin (John 3:17)
Anyone who does not have a Savior will die in their sin (Hebrews 7:26)
Anyone who does not believe that Jesus is God will die in their sin (John 8)
Anyone who is not born again of God's Spirit will die in their sin (John 3:3-5)
No one is sinless, everyone must repent (Romans 3:23)
No one can take away their own sin (Ephesians 2:8)
No one can be their own savior (Romans 5:6-8)
N one can know God unless they are born of His Spirit (1 Corinthians 2)
Jesus Christ IS THE MESSIAH that came into the world to save sinners from their sin. He is the Savior, He is the Redeemer. Jesus is the Holy (Perfect) sacrifice that God requires in order that sin might be removed from the sinner! Believing that Jesus died on the cross to pay for OUR sins, asking Jesus to give us a NEW HEART, and surrendering our life to God is the only way to: "Be made Holy" and spend eternity with Him forever…
GOD LOVES YOU, AND WILL CLEANSE YOU IF YOU ASK HIM
Receive Jesus Today as your Savior!
