Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Revised.

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When did I become a Christian?

Ten years ago I was deeply shocked when a good friend died.  I called out to God for help and understanding.  From that moment God made me aware, again, of His presence and the teachings  of Jesus Christ His son.  I opened up my heart and mind to receiving His holy spirit into my life, my very being.  I repented of all my sins and know that I am forgiven.  Since then I have been hungry to hear his precious word spoken through Christian ministers and my daily readings from the holy bible (old testament, psalms and new testament), have become my spiritual food.


When I was a child many schools in England at that time taught Christianity in 'scripture lessons'.  I was never happier or ever more at peace than I was attending those lessons where the world dissolved around me and I was 'at home', in spirit, with Jesus.

Some of my school teachers shared my faith, some did not.  None-the-less I diligently learned from them all.


Today, in just the same way, when I study a subject, other than Christianity, I do not expect my teacher to share my faith.  I take note of what my teachers teach, study hard and with the grace of God I pass my exams.


Once I have obtained my qualification, I am free, within the code of ethics and the teachings of Jesus Christ to use my qualification in accordance with my own beliefs.


We cannot always choose, or indeed know, if a teacher/trainer/lecturer shares our beliefs.


As a Christian, wherever I am, whatever I am doing I can, and do, continually pray that I am being lead by Jesus Christ of Nazareth, son of God and acting only in accordance with His will.   Then I confidently let go and trust in Him.   I can keep my eyes and mind firmly fixed on Jesus Christ and pray that I remain on the right path, walking steadily towards Him and His Kingdom.  If I find myself in a 'doubtful' situation,  (which  it seems to me that I volunteer to do),  I recite in my head, the 'Lord's prayer' and pray fervently that He keeps me gently, yet firmly in his divine hand, for His is the Kingdom, the power and the Glory.  Amen. 

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Jesus is risen!


 



Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, (1571 – 1610)
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas
Oil on canvas, 1601-1602
107 cm × 146 cm (42 in × 57 in)
Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany

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WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH

CHAPTER II.

Of God, and of the Holy Trinity.

I. There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and withal most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty.

II. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; he is the alone foundation of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight all things are open and manifest; his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature; so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.

III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.

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¹⁵The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

 ¹⁶Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions:

 ¹⁷And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

 ¹⁸And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

 ¹⁹Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

 ²⁰And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

 ²¹And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

 ²²And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.

 ²³Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

 ²⁴And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

 ²⁵And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

 ²⁶Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

 ²⁷My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

 ²⁸And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.  

Ezekiel 37.15-end.

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22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
 23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
 24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
 25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
 26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
 28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
 29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 
 2 John 2.22-end (KJV)