My last blog was: Want to live to be a hundred? I am aware that some who read our blog are new Christians and others have not yet accepted Christ as their Savior. To the new Christian who is wondering if you really have been saved is the following Scripture.

I John 2:3 – 6 – “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” I John 3:15 tells us that anyone who does not have love in their heart or hates his brother will not have eternal life with Christ. Scripture then gives another way of knowing if the Holy Spirit is within us. I John 3:24 – “We will know it by the Spirit he gave us.” The Holy Spirit will provide a sign of His presence in our lives. Something supernatural will take place from time to time. We must expect it, watch for it and confirm it when it happens. Once we recognize the Holy Spirit working in our lives we have God’s promise that we are saved and will live eternally with Him forever.

Our chance of living to a hundred increases once we are able to turn our lives and our problems over to God. As I previously wrote, it is extremely important to rid or reduce all stress in our lives. Sadly there are Christians who feel guilt ridden, unsure of their standing with God, their hearts are not at rest and they may not want to draw near to God. Instead they may from time-to-time wish to flee from His presence. We must be able to approach God with a clear conscience. That comes only when we believe we have been totally forgiven of everything we have ever done in our past that we know was not right. Recognize that as an adopted son or daughter into God’s family, God is a God of love and wishes what is best for His children. We then must follow the teachings of Christ. When we do we will not let guilt overwhelm us. We will stop focusing on our failures and focus on Christ Who has redeemed and freed us from a life of sin. Scripture continually tells us that we are to be positive and confident. Can we not understand the importance this will have on our physical bodies if we want to live a long life?

I John 3:21 – 24 – “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask; because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”

I have heard preachers say that no matter what you ask, if you meet the requirements above God will give you anything you ask. I interpret Scripture a little differently. It means God will meet our basic needs. But anything we ask is spiritual such as the fruits of the Spirit as defined in Galatians 5:22 – 23 – “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” If we have each of these fruits in our life will it not change how we view everything in life?

To those of you who have not accepted Christ yet, would you like to have in your life a Spirit that becomes a part of you and helps you to rid yourself of guilt and assures you that you can have peace, joy, love, patience and self-control? It seems to me that only a person, who likes stress, enjoys worrying, seeing things from a negative standpoint and struggling with self-confidence would not want to receive the Holy Spirit into their lives as a partner to change how they live.

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 10:13 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:9 – 10 – “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Revelation 3:20a – “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.”