The Rebuilt Temple under Cyrus and Darius

I love it when I feel motivated to do a SOAP devotional on Scripture from the Old Testament. I tend to gravitate toward New Testament passages because they seem to have more direct application to our lives. But the Old Testament applies to our lives as well; it just takes a bit more digging to find that application. Here's the SOAP acronym for personal Bible study:

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• S for Scripture
• O for Observation
• A for Application
• P for Prayer

Scripture:

Haggai 2:1-9 (ESV) 1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, 5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’”

Observation:

• I was impacted by the fact that God's sovereign hand was on the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. God's Spirit was evident because He sent the prophet Haggai to command Israel to continue rebuilding the temple. The work had all but ceased for 20 years due to local opposition to the rebuilding. Also, King Artaxerxes, who ruled Persia between Cyrus and Darius's reigns, commanded that the rebuilding cease in Jerusalem. Darius, after reading Cyrus's original decree, ordered that the rebuilding continue. (Ezra 6). So, the rebuilding continued in the second year of Darius' reign. The temple was completed in Darius's 6th year of reign.
• So, we see how the secular authorities influenced the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. But the prophecies of Haggai reveal that God was the ultimate authority behind the rebuilding. Also God undoubtedly controlled the hearts of Cyrus and probably Darius. Ezra 1:1-2 says, "1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah."
• Haggai 2:9 says, "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’” The NIV notes say this could be referring to Christ's physical appearance at the temple, the first time as a child (Luke 2:22-38) when his parents presented Him at the temple. Simeon prophesied over the Christ child, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
• The ESV notes mention God's "latter glory of this house" as possibly tied to the New Covenant church, who are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Application:

• As God's sovereign hand was on the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple, his hand is committed to the rebuilding of our lives. Philippians 1:6 (ESV) says, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
• As God promised that the latter glory of the temple would be greater than the former, the temple of the New Covenant church is the ultimate manifestation of the latter glory. 1 Cor. 3:16-17 (ESV) says, "16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple."  Eph.5:27 (KJV) says, "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

Prayer:

"Dear Lord, thank you for your sovereign hand on our lives and your commitment to the sanctification of your church. As your hand was on the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, your hand is on the rebuilding of our lives. Help us to do our part in the rebuilding process. In Jesus name we pray, amen."

Get Your Priorities Straight by Sowing Seeds

I've heard many sermons about the importance of putting Christ first in our lives. Concerning priorities, most Evangelical pastors would say God should be number one, family number two and perhaps our job/career number three. A recent Christianity Today article featured some findings from a recent Pew survey about family. Pew found that 42% of Christians (all protestants and Catholics) viewed family as the greatest source of meaning in their lives. 29% of these same Christians  found religion to be "their most important source of meaning." So, these results seem to indicate that most Christians find family more meaningful than God.

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Evangelical Christians fared better--45% placing their faith first, and 31% putting family first. Though we (yes, I'm an Evangelical) fared better than all combined Christians, we still fell short of Christ's words: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10:37 ESV)

My purpose in this blog post isn't to heap condemnation on those Christians who lack passion for their Creator. Frankly, my passion for God can be weak at times. I think we can make God #1 in our lives--even during those times when we don't passionately experience Him. After all, we walk by faith, not by sight or feeling. So, putting God first requires that we take steps of faith.

With our physical eyes, we can see our families. We don't physically see God. We have to walk by faith in order to put Him first in our lives. What are some steps of faith we can take to place God first? All I can do is share what I do to make God my number one priority. I think God meets me with grace when I take rough steps of faith toward Him. When I take a step, he blesses me with more faith. Faith builds on faith. I take one step, then He enables me to take several more steps. It's kind of like seed faith. I sow a little seed and God causes it to sprout and grow into a large plant or tree.

I think the first seed is prayer. We need to talk to God regularly. If I feel spiritually weak, then I should ask God to fill me with His Holy Spirit. James wrote, "You do not have, because you do not ask." (James 4:2 ESV). If I've made other things number one in my life, then the first thing to do is make a prayer of confession, such as: "Lord, I confess I've been more passionate about politics (or family, sports, career, etc.) than you. Lord, help me to be most passionate about you. Thanks for forgiving me. Fill me with your Spirit so that you will be the most meaningful person in my life. Amen."

The next seed of faith would be meditating on Scripture daily. Psalm 119:11 (ESV) says, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." I think God's word is like a battery charger. I'm the battery that needs charged up daily. If I'm not regularly reading His word, then I get spiritually drained.

The next seed would be regular fellowship with other believers. This doesn't necessarily mean going to church every Sunday. It's possible (typical?) to attend church and not go beyond small talk. I attend church most Sundays and rarely get past small talk. The pathetic thing about this is that I'm bad at surface chit chat. Consequently, I don't mingle very well, and I look forward to the sermon so I don't have to invent fluffy conversation. I think clicks form in part because the small-talk experts gravitate towards other small-talk experts. Some are good at shooting the breeze, others aren't. It's not that clickish people are bad, they're simply going where it's comfortable.

It's important to have meaningful dialogue with other Christians. This means we should actually talk about the deep things of God. What are we learning from Scripture? What's the Lord teaching us? We need to share these things with our fellow believers. Small groups (that are dialogue-based) are much better at meeting this need. Small groups need to be intentional about focusing on meaningful dialogue. This may require that each member do a little preparation prior to the meeting, so they can have something other than surface talk to share.

Also, meeting with a strong Christian regularly, one-on-one, over coffee or tea (or a meal) is very beneficial. I meet with a friend every other week for a Christian book discussion. It's a "two-man book club." Of course, we talk about more than just the current book we're reading. These talks should also have some intentionality about them, or they could become only surface chit chat sessions. For me and my friend, the book discussion is the intentional thing.

Another "seed of faith" is receiving good teaching. God has provided gifted teachers within the body of Christ. All Christians need to receive good, Bible-based teaching on a regular basis. Good teaching can come through books, articles, videos, audios, Bible studies and sermons.

I'll mention a final seed of faith we can sow. We need to obey God. Please don't be intimidated by the word obedience. I see obedience as something that is a part of our progressive sanctification. As we grow in Christ, God reveals new areas where we need to change. This growth often means that we need to obey God in some part of our lives. Your area is typically different than mine. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15 ESV). This isn't referring to the Old Testament law. Rather, there are numerous commands in the New Testament that God wants us to obey. But really, we can only obey God if we are first abiding in Him in a relationship. If we try to obey God apart from an abiding relationship with Him, we will fall on our face. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to obey God from the heart. One of my favorite verses is 2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV), "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." I've found it true that God gives me strength when I recognize my weakness.

I'm sure there are other seeds of faith we should sow, but I'll finish with this: we should be diligent with the measure of faith God has given us. In other words, we should be faithful with the small things that God has revealed to us. If there's some easy little thing that I know God wants me to do--then I should do it. When I'm faithful with the small things, then God will entrust me with more. Blessings to you.

"...as she watches the third man in her life slip away."

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     I'll introduce the following book excerpt by explaining my writing strategy for Mornings with Larry. I began most chapters with a short, present-tense segment about an experience I had as Larry's caregiver. These segments are the memoir parts of the book. These day-in-the-life intros took up the first page or two of most chapters. They would be followed by the longer biographical sections describing Larry's life. The following excerpt is from chapter two, Days of Youth. It contains a memoir segment, followed by a bit of biography. I hope it speaks to you.

* * *

DAYS OF YOUTH

     It’s late in the morning and Larry asks me to check his emails before I leave for the day. The computer is in his bedroom. He directs me to delete most messages, but as usual has me read all prayer requests from his former flock at Valley Hills Community Church. I stifle a yawn and read the requests. To me, they’re just names. But Larry listens intently. A young man has lost his job and Larry responds with a “Hmm.” A child is very ill and Larry sighs, “Oh.” This is Larry’s spiritual family. I’m glad I held back that yawn.
     I hear the back door open and close. Footsteps echo from the kitchen, then across the hardwood living room floor.
     “Hello,” says a woman’s voice. “Anybody in there?” She speaks in a slow, southern drawl.
     Larry’s mother, Agatha (pronounced a-GAY-tha) Morse, is here for her weekly visit. I greet her as she enters the bedroom. She smiles at me and turns to her son. “How you doing, hon?”
     “Fine, Mom,” says Larry. “We’re about done.”
     Though eighty years old, Agatha looks and carries herself like she’s fifteen years younger. She’s a retired nurse and lives about twenty miles away, in Springfield. A widow twice, her first husband, James William Browning, died in a logging accident in 1970. Her second husband of over thirty years, Lynn Morse, suffered from pancreatic cancer and died in 2008.
     We finish with the emails and I wheel Larry into the living room. I adjust the tilt of his wheelchair so he’s more reclined. Agatha extends her hands as if she wants to help. It’s not the first time she’s tried to assist me in my job. One time she inspected Larry’s weekly pill organizers to make sure I filled them correctly.
     She dotes over her son. The strenuous morning work of getting Larry started is done. Agatha can now spend the afternoon just being with him, performing only a few light-duty tasks to help with his comfort.
     “Anything else, boss?” I ask.
     “Nope,” says Larry. “I’ll see you in the morning, brother.”
     I smile and nod at his mother. “Bye now.”
     “Bye Tom.” She moves close to him.
     I leave the living room and head to the kitchen for my keys. Mother and son begin to catch up on news about friends and family. The atmosphere is upbeat and their mutual affection is evident.
     I exit the back door and walk toward my pickup. Melancholy thoughts enter my mind—about Larry’s frustration at not being able to care for his aging mother, and the heartbreak Agatha must feel as she watches the third man in her life slip away.

* * *

     A small black and white photograph sits on a shelf in the Browning bathroom. In it, Larry, about age four, leans against the right knee of his dad, James Browning. They pose in front of an open garage door. The father, wearing a white shirt and black tie, is dark-haired, slender and handsome. He allows a hint of a smile. Squinty-eyed little Larry appears bold and energetic, not unlike Dennis the Menace. James’ right arm reaches across Larry’s back as if to steady his son. A cigarette is visible between the dad’s fingers.
     Larry remembers an incident that occurred about a year after the photo was taken. He had snuck one of his dad’s cigarettes and lit up. James caught him and asked, “What are you doing?” Young Larry answered, “You smoke. Why can’t I?”
     Larry suspects this was the incident that spurred his father to quit smoking.
     Agatha recalls a similar event that occurred in the mid-1950’s when Larry was about six. James, or “Jay,” as she refers to her late husband, would attend church off and on, but had yet to make a commitment to Christ. One Sunday, Jay decided to skip church. As Larry’s older sister Brenda and their mother prepared to leave, Larry pointed at his daddy and said, “If he’s not going to church, then I’m not going either.” From then on, the father attended church regularly. The next Easter Sunday, Jay invited Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Savior.
     Although Larry tested his father at times, he also revered him and loved being around him. Jay’s happy-go-lucky personality drew Larry like a magnet. The six year old got a scare once while shadowing his dad. Jay was on the back porch, moving a large ceramic crock of Agatha’s homemade pickle relish. The heavy container slipped out of his hands. He tried grabbing it to break the fall, but the crock shattered on the concrete. Jay gashed his hand and blood flowed freely. He passed out before his son’s wide eyes.
     Larry remembers panicking. “So I go running down the road hollering, ‘My daddy’s dead! My daddy’s dead!’ And all the neighbors came back and when they got there, he’s sitting in a chair, alive and well.”

Do We Enter God's Rest This Side of Paradise?

Hebrews 3 and 4 mention a mysterious rest that is available for believers. I'll apply the SOAP method of devotional Bible study to some of these passages from Hebrews. The SOAP acronym is:

• S for Scripture(s)

  

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• O for Observation
• A for Application
• P for Prayer

Scriptures:

Hebrews 3:16-19, "16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief."

Hebrews 4:1-31, "Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest...

Hebrews 4: 8-11, "8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience."

Observation:

Two types of rest from the Old Testament are mentioned. First, the Promised Land rest that Moses and other Israelites failed to enter due to disobedience and unbelief.

The second was the Sabbath rest where we rest from our works "as God did from his."

What does Hebrews 4:3 mean when it says, "For we who have believed enter that rest..."? There's an interpretive problem in that the text doesn't plainly explain what "the rest" means for modern-day Christians.

I think there is a "now/not yet" interpretation. Some of this rest is meant for us now in this life, but we will experience the fullness of the rest in heaven. I think the Promised Land is a likely metaphor for heaven--the eternal life after death.

What is heaven? I think the best thing about heaven will be our ability to stand in the presence of God, unencumbered by our sinful bodies. Our resurrected bodies will be sinless, so we will be able to look at the face of God without dying.

I think the Sabbath could be a metaphor for how we will be free from the toils of labor when we get to heaven. 

To a certain extent, we experience God's presence now, despite our sinful bodies. After all, scripture is clear that Christians are temples of the Holy Spirit, individually and as a group. God lives in the heart of each Christian. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says, "6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us."

I think this means that we get glimpses of heaven even before the resurrection. This could be "the rest" that we experience in this life.  1 Corinthians 13:12 says, "12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." So, we experience God's presence dimly in this present life, but in heaven we'll experience Him fully, face to face. I think this could be "the rest" mentioned in Hebrews 3 and 4.

Application:

One application could be the blessed hope we have, knowing that eternal life awaits us. The hope of eternal life enables us to endure the difficulties of our present life.

Another application concerns the experience of God's "rest" in our current life. We can expect God to make His presence known in our lives today--here and now. How He works can differ from one person to another, but I think we can expect glimpses of Him now, though these experiences are through "a mirror dimly...."

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help me to focus more on eternal life in heaven. Help me to realize that the difficulties of this present existence are nothing compared to the utter joy of heaven. Help me to expect glimpses of your presence in my current life. You are in fact present in each Christian. Help me to stand in faith, believing you are with me even though I don't always feel it. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

I'm Like Israel: SOAP on Ezekiel and Jeremiah

Denise and I have been sticking to our church's two-year Bible reading plan. I'm in a small "life group" that discusses the Bible readings from the preceding week. Each person shares for about five minutes a verse or section of scripture that stands out to them. We follow the SOAP method of journaling/meditating on scripture.

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S is for Scripture. "Write down a verse or passage that particularly spoke to you." 

O is for Observation [and interpretation]. "What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you. Paraphrase and write this scripture down in your own words." [I might add an I for Interpretation here. This requires using your God-given brain--considering things such as context (how the passage relates to those verses that precede and follow it), word definitions and historical context. In essence, don't interpret an isolated passage out of context from the rest of the Bible.] 

A is for Application. "Personalize what you have read, by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now.... Write how this scripture can apply to you today." 

P is for Prayer. "This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you." Also, listen to God as well. Write it down.

Here's the SOAP on Ezekiel 20:31 and Jeremiah 32:35-42:

Scripture:

Ezekiel 20:30-31  "30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things?31 When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you."

Jeremiah 32:35-42 "35 They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. 36 “Now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence’: 37 Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. 42 “For thus says the LORD: Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them." 

Observation and interpretation:

Israel and Judah deserved the judgment of the Babylonian captivity. Part of their idol worship included sacrificing their children to the idol Molech. But as bad as their sins were, God promised to restore Israel and bring them back to their land. God even promised Israel an everlasting covenant where he would "put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me." It seems to me this could be a reference to the New Covenant under Christ, where we have the Holy Spirit in our hearts to instill a Godly fear within us and enable us to serve and obey God. Is this Godly fear more of an awe inspired reverence toward the Lord or fear of punishment? Let me know, dear reader.

Application:

I'm like Israel. Although my past life deserved punishment, God instead chose to intervene and rescue me from my sin; He made me a partaker of His New Covenant under Christ. The Holy Spirit gave me a new heart that respects the awesomeness of God; and the Spirit empowers me to love and obey Him.

Prayer:

My prayer is first one of thanksgiving to God for rescuing me from the Babylonian captivity of my old life and restoring me through the New Covenant. I pray that God will continue to empower me to love and obey Him.

I Can't Shake That Evangelical Label

Part of me wants to shed that word "Evangelical" and simply be content with calling myself a Christian. The problem is that the term Christian is used broadly to describe pretty much any group that claims any vague belief in Jesus. Many New Agers claim to be Christian; they call Jesus a great prophet and teacher--and a god, just like all humans and animals. They would say, "God is all and all is God." Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses claim to be Christian. Ultra liberal mainline churches claim to be Christian. I don't want to pick on these groups; I'm just trying to make a point that "Christian" is a very broad term. How do I narrow it down to the nitty gritty of genuine Biblical faith?

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One solution is to call myself an Evangelical Christian. In a recent post I explained that the word Evangelical is derived from a Biblical Greek word that means Gospel or good news. So, Evangelical Christians have a Gospel focus, that is we are grounded in the good news of the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the only begotten Son of God who died on the cross for our sins and rose again. This is the Gospel.

Do you consider yourself an Evangelical Christian? One way to know for sure is to compare your beliefs with the statement of faith offered by the National Association of Evangelicals. Here's the link: https://www.nae.net/statement-of-faith/ . The following is the NAE statement of faith “As adopted by the National Association of Evangelicals”:

• We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
• We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
• We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
• We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
• We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
• We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, if your beliefs differ from the above statement of faith, then you are not an Evangelical Christian. If you have doubts about your salvation or whether or not you're a Christian at all, then I would like to give you an opportunity to get saved and born again right now.

Romans 10:8-13 says this about salvation: "8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Pray the following: "Dear God, have mercy on me a sinner. I believe that Jesus is your one and only Son who died for my sins. I repent of my sinful ways and give my life to you. Please be my Savior and Lord. Transform my heart and mind."

If you prayed this prayer genuinely from your heart, then congratulations--you are now a born-again Christian! Now that you're saved, I recommend that you confess the NAE statement of faith. Personalize it by saying "I believe..." instead of "We believe...." By confessing this statement, you will be grounding yourself solidly in God's truth. Confess this aloud to God:

• I believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
• I believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• I believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
• I believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
• I believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
• I believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
• I believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now that you are a born-again Christian, tell a fellow Evangelical about your new faith. Start attending a Bible-believing Evangelical church. Pray every day and read your Bible everyday. You are welcome to contact me (through this blog or Facebook) and let me know about your decision.  I would be greatly encouraged to hear from you. May the Lord bless you exceedingly!