The First Step in Developing the Eyes of Faith

In review of John 3:36 it says, “Whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever!” (The Message).

Anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.

Bottom Line:

Accept and trust the Son to get in on eternal life.

What this means to me:

My accepting and trusting in Jesus gets me in on everything God has to offer and more importantly eternal life.

Jesus says that those who believe in him have (not will have) eternal life. To receive eternal life is to join in God’s life, which by nature is eternal. Thus, my eternal life began at the moment of my spiritual rebirth. Jesus set before me the greatest choice in life. Only I have the responsibility to decide whom I will obey, and God wanted me (and everyone else) to choose him and the eternal life he offers. God’s angry judgment refers to his final rejection of those who rejected him. So, to put off the choice is to choose not to follow Christ. Indecision is a fatal decision.

In practice, living for the glory of God requires a change in my priorities, my schedule, my relationships, and everything else.

But first, I needed to invite Jesus into every room of my life. My heart is much like a house with many rooms. I’ve got a bedroom, kitchen, family room, and workroom. I’ve got all these rooms which represent the different areas of my life. (See “My Heart, Christ’s Home”.)

Any room (or part of my life) that is filled with worry and fear is a room I have not invited Jesus into. For instance, I may not have invited Jesus into the relationship room. Or I may not have invited him into the finance room. Or I may not have invited him into the bedroom or the workroom.

Wherever I’m are worried, it means Jesus isn’t in that room because when Jesus walks into a room, he fills it with His peace. So any of my worries and fears tell me the areas that I have not turned over control to Jesus Christ.

I’m reminded this morning that this is important because Jesus says I must invite him into your life — into the rooms of my heart — in order to see life as it truly is, in order to see the Kingdom of God (John 3:36). To follow Jesus, I must decide whether I will live for myself or for God.

At times I may hesitate, wondering whether I will have strength to live for God. That’s another thing not to worry about. God will give me what I need if I will just make the choice to live for him. The Bible says, “Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God” (2 Peter 1:3 The Message).

I must believe that God loves me and made me for his purposes. I must believe that I was made to last forever. I must believe that no matter what I’ve done, God wants and will forgive me.

Remember to always receive Jesus into my life as my Lord and Savior. Receive his forgiveness for my sins. Receive his Spirit, who will give me the power to see with the eyes of faith and to fulfill my life's purpose. The Bible says, “Whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever!” (John 3:36 The Message).

This morning I pray: “Dear God, I’m scared at times and unwilling to let go, but I want to continue to get to know you better each day. I admit that I don’t always understand it all, but I thank you that you love me. I thank you that you were with me even when I didn’t recognize it. I thank you that you are for me — that you didn’t send Jesus to condemn me but to save me.” Further,  “I admit I often forget that I need a Savior, but this morning I want to continue to receive the gift of your Son. I confess that I have sinned, doing things that you don’t want me to do. I thank you for sending Jesus to save me from my sins. I know he died for me and that his blood will cleanse me of my sins. I ask you to save me from my regrets and mistakes. I need you to take away any stress and fill me with your love. I need to be at peace with you, and I need you to put your peace in my heart.”   

“Also I want to know why you put me on this planet. And I want to fulfill what you made me to do. I want to learn to love you and trust you and have a relationship with you. I pray this in the name of Jesus, amen.”