Tag Archives: Faith

Prayer to Receive Jesus as Savior and Lord

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“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6

…if you’ve not already done so….

After you’ve acknowledged that you, like all, have sinned–then repent and simply receive the free gift of salvation by grace through faith in Christ, to become one of God’s own children….

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith….” from Romans 3:21-26

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23


Dear Heavenly Father,

I come to you in the name of Jesus…

who said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37), so I know You won’t cast me out, but You take me in and I thank You for it.

It’s written in Romans: “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” Romans 10:8-13

I am calling on Your Name, so I know you have saved me now.

I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  I believe that He was raised from the dead for my justification, and I confess Him now as my Savior and Lord.

Because Your Word says, “With the heart, one believes unto righteousness,” and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ…and I am saved!  “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Thank You, Lord!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’” Matthew 16:24-25 

“Therefore, also God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him, the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:11-13

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Lift Up Your Eyes to the Hills

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“I will lift up my eyes to the hills–
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2

Lord, you are the source of my help on any given day.
You made the heavens and the earth–On you, my hope will stay.

I will look even to the hills–On their horizon, I’ll always see,
through the eye of faith, my Savior, heading down with help for me.

P. A. Oltrogge

“He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.”
Psalm 121:3-8 NKJV

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 NKJV (and entire Psalm)

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. God is to us a God of deliverances; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death.” Psalm 68:19, 20 NASB

“Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:47 (words of David to the Philistine, Goliath)

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint…” words of Jesus, in Luke 18:1 KJV

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 NKJV 

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” words of Jesus in John 14:27 NKJV

…our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth–in whom we’ve placed our faith and who we look to, pray to, and offer our praise. Jesus is Lord!

Not Moved…

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I’m not moved by adverse winds and waves,
I’m moved by the fact that Jesus saves!

I’m not moved by how I feel or by how things might look;
I’m moved by the promises in God’s Holy Book…

Faith pleases God, so I won’t be moved;
I know I can trust that His Word will be proved.

The Almighty Father God and I are fully agreed…
His Son has made me free, and I am free indeed!

P. A. Oltrogge

And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:35-36

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:22-24

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11

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Take Your Place

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“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17-18

_________________________

The following challenging message is by Kenneth Copeland–good to recall when, as believers, we lay hands on the sick…

[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection.

– Philippians 3:10, The Amplified Bible

The more you fellowship with God around His Word, the more you’ll know the “power outflowing from His resurrection.” You’ll develop joy. You’ll develop faith. You’ll start developing God’s own characteristics…just by fellowshiping with Him. You’ll begin to understand who you really are in Jesus.

I remember one day I was reading the story of the woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed.

I’d read the story many times and pictured myself as almost everyone in the story, just experiencing how it would feel to be someone in the crowd or even the one who was healed.

Suddenly God spoke to my spirit and said, Read that again and this time picture yourself as the one wearing the garment.

I was stunned. “Lord,” I said, “how can I do that? I can’t take Your place!”

That’s just what’s wrong with the Body of Christ, He told me. That’s the reason the world doesn’t know anything about Jesus. You identify with everyone except Me. But I sent you to be My witnesses, to imitate Me, to stand in My place…not everyone else’s!

So, I read that story again. This time I pictured myself in the role of the one with the Anointing of the Holy Ghost. Instead of crawling up to touch the hem of His garment, I was the one wearing the garment, freely giving what God had given me. After all, the Bible does say, “Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Do you know who scares the devil most of all? Believers who’ve found out they can do that. Believers who, instead of begging for a little touch from Jesus, are letting His very life flow out to others.

Come on, give the devil a scare. Fellowship with your Father around the Word and start discovering who you really are today.

_________________________

Scripture reading: Luke 8:40-48

Reprinted with permission from Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Fresh as a Dewdrop

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“Fresh as a dewdrop,” My Word is to you.
Go to it daily and find things new.
You’ll find the familiar in it as well–
Of comfort, wisdom, and truth it will tell.
At times, for direction, it gives a faith hint,
Bringing light to your path like a dewdrop’s glint.
Fresh as a dewdrop, I want to impart
More of its treasures into your heart.
Like finding the dewdrops, you can depend
On My being there always to instruct and befriend.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 KJV

“I will never forget Thy precepts, for by them Thou hast revived me.” Psalm 119:93 KJV

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort….” 2 Corinthians 1:3

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NKJV

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26 NKJV

“Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.” John 17:17 KJV

“…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].” Isaiah 26:3 AMP

“Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5 AMP

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:31-34

(Scriptures NASB or as noted)

To Life!

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“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live….” Deuteronomy 30:19

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6

“I have been crucified with Christ” is my Biblical decree….“and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

I need have no fear of death, for I’ve already “died.” Thanks be to God for eternal life through His Son crucified!

Not only that, but abundant life is mine today as well, for Jesus rose from the dead in victory over all the power of hell.

And by the Holy Spirit, He guides me day and night. In our God is the fountain of life; in His light, we see light.

P. A. Oltrogge

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

“I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (AMP)

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  John 10:10

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:14-18

“For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light, we see light.” Psalm 36:9

“…but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 AMP

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:11-13

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’” John 11:25

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:17-19

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:17-18 (KJV)

Psalm 116:15
Isaiah 25:8
Matthew 10:28
Luke 10:19
John 3:16
John 5:24-30
John 14:1-3
Romans 6:1-14
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Philippians 3:20-21
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
1 John 3:14
1 John 5

Scriptures: NKJV, or as noted.

A Spiritual “Driver’s Training Course”

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“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe and therefore speak.”
2 Corinthians 4:13 KJV

If you were training a new driver who was going wrongly in reverse,
you wouldn’t wait until you saw things get worse.
You’d shout out, “Stop, put it in forward gear!”
Likewise, using words of faith in life is the right way to steer–
Not only that, it helps us to “drive away” from fear!

P. A. Oltrogge

photo/Unsplash

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23 RSV

“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:23-25 NKJV

“…the just (the righteous man) shall live by faith.” (from Galatians 3:10-12, verse 11 NKJV and NASB)

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus in all generations, forever and ever. Amen” Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

Proverbs 18:20-21
Proverbs 21:23
Luke 18:1
Philippians 4:8

The Faith of Mary

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On this Mother’s Day, Mary’s life comes to mind as an example of trusting in God, as she learned of being chosen by Him to give birth to His Son, Jesus, Lord of all….

Mary changed the course of this entire earth,
by accepting God’s plan for the virgin birth.
Her agreement with the angel’s words affirmed God’s will,
and the words that she spoke are often quoted still.
She declared herself to be God’s handmaid or servant;
in her, the Lord had found a heart that was fervent.
She had faith the Lord loved her and all of mankind;
she trusted in God’s heart and not her own mind.
She was just a young woman of a tender age,
but she stepped out in faith onto the world’s center stage.
Though startled at first by the angelic visitation,
her faith in God was strong enough to take up her station.
Likewise, it’s wise today to ask the Lord to help us find
the plans and purposes for our lives that He has in mind.
By doing so, we ensure that we’re on His sure quest,
for our loving Designer knows which plans are the best.
Jesus called His disciples to leave earthly pursuits
to follow Him and put down strong spiritual roots.
What He has for our lives can be discerned by His Word;
and through the power of the Holy Spirit, He also can be heard.
The more that we listen to Him, the more we obey,
the brighter the dawn grows to the full day.

P. A. Oltrogge

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” Proverbs 4:18 NASB

“And in the sixth month, the angel, Gabriel, was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, ‘Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.’ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, ‘Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.’ Then said Mary unto the angel, ‘How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?’ And the angel answered and said unto her, ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.’ And Mary said, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.’ And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:26-38 KJV

(Later, at a visit to Elisabeth, her cousin)

“And Mary said:

‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.’” Luke 1:46-55 NKJV

Our Christian Walk is Really a Marathon

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“…The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.” Psalm 145:13-14 (New International Version)

by J. Vetter
Guest Contributor

Perhaps that’s where I first went wrong–believing walking with the Lord was just that–only a walk. Lately, it seems like the speed has increased, and I have to run to keep up! There have been a few times I’ve “hit the wall” too. So I searched out what it means to run a marathon.

First, you need to train–not just any way you want to, but by listening to experts and following a schedule. Then, you need to eat the correct foods, drink appropriately, and learn to pace yourself.

But the most important thing is realizing you will “hit the wall” sometime during your race; and that doesn’t mean it’s over. It means if you keep on going, you will make it! Others go through this and still finish the race.

Legend has it that marathons got their beginning when a Greek messenger was sent from the town of Marathon to Athens, announcing that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. He ran the entire distance without stopping, and then burst into the assembly exclaiming, “We have won!” before collapsing and dying.

We, too, have a message–that we have won–and to proclaim it fully, we have to die to only focusing on ourselves or the problem or, better put, the magnitude of our race.

One of the walls we hit in our Christian race is discouragement. There are times when we feel nothing is changing and our prayers are not being answered. Perhaps an affliction increases its grip with a fury that cries “unfair.”

We may think our race is just our own, but the Christian race is also a team effort. We’ve got to take a drink from that brother or sister on the sidelines. We’ve got to cheer and encourage others in their race and be able to accept words of encouragement from others along the road. One of the interesting aspects of participating in a marathon is that few people enter expecting to win. Their goal is to finish.

Another wall is believing the lie that we really can’t make it. I listened carefully to the interview with Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger as he described what he felt when he realized his plane was about to crash land in the Hudson River (January, 2009). His initial reaction was that he couldn’t believe this was happening to him. However, on the heels of that thought, he also proclaimed, “I was sure I could do it.”  He was a man confident of his training and his experience. Because he was at the helm, 155 people survived that day. Incidentally, he also gave credit to the crew, passengers, and the first responders by sharing his belief that the miraculous outcome was a team effort.

Another stumbling stone is fear. Perhaps the fear of making a mistake. I believe a person who is afraid of making another mistake won’t make any significant steps further in his race. That’s why we are told in scripture to forget the past. “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (New King James Version)

Sometimes during our struggles, we forget the message of Hebrews 12:2-4, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because he never lost sight of where He was headed–that exhilarating finish in and with God–He could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourself flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Message Bible)

Race on!

Meet Nurse Georgee (Part 2)

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Part 2 (a continuation of Big John—I saw Jesus)…having left off at:

“John, I’m here. What’s wrong?”

“I SAW JESUS! I SAW JESUS!”

“Oh, John! What did He look like? I never saw Him. What color were His eyes, His hair?”

“I can’t tell you that. All I know is that He is love. Look, He’s here,” pointing to the left side of his bed. “You want to know something? That devil is a mean devil.”

“What do you mean, John?”

“You know all those fights I told you I was in? Well, I never fought so hard as I did with that devil. I was sweating buckets full. That devil almost got me, but Jesus saved me. So, then I asked Jesus if I could come back for a little bit. So then, Jesus went through the gate to the Dad and asked the Dad if I could come back.”

It was at this point that I felt it necessary to interrupt John and inform him that Jesus went to the Father. I thought it necessary to have a theological discussion about the trinity.

“Nurse Georgee, Jesus went to the DAD. He went to the DAD.”

I heard the Lord yell at me as loudly as John screamed my name earlier, GEORGIA, BE QUIET. LISTEN TO JOHN.

But I just had to ask one more question. “John, did you see the Dad?”

“Oh, no, I didn’t see the Dad, but I heard the Dad.”

“What did the Dad sound like?”

“Well…I guess it was like He was talking through a great big megaphone.”

“WOW! You mean like thunder?”

“Yeah, that’s what the Dad sounded like.” Then, John sat straight up in bed and pointed his finger at me, commanding my attention. “Nurse Georgee, I want you to know something. No one goes through that gate to the Dad unless Jesus takes them.”

I literally froze in amazement at what John just said to me. I’m sure my eyes were as big as cantaloupes. John had quoted my favorite scripture in the Bible. It is found in the book of the gospel of John chapter 14, verse 6:

…..”Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

My mind was racing with questions. John told me before his cardiac arrest that he never saw a Bible. He said he was never in church. Yet, he was quoting from the Bible a truth that I knew. How could this be? He couldn’t be making it up. He knew nothing about the Bible. Did he really see Jesus? I was so confused. I am ashamed to admit that I doubted his account of what happened to him. Was John hallucinating? When he said Jesus went to the Dad, I asked John if he saw the Dad. I asked him that question because I doubted his story. The Bible tells us in the gospel of John chapter 6, verse 46:

…..“No one has seen the Father except the one (Jesus) who is from God; only He has seen the Father.”

I knew this passage of scripture. Therefore, if John would have said he saw the Father, then I would know he was hallucinating. God forgive me. Why do You even bother with me? I battle fears, doubts, and unbelief. Is there any hope for me? Forgive me for doubting You.

John continued to yell at me at the top of his lungs. “Nurse Georgee, I’m telling you the truth. NO ONE GOES THROUGH THE GATE TO THE DAD UNLESS JESUS TAKES THEM!” It was like John knew I doubted his story. How much clearer can it be? JOHN SAW JESUS. Glory be to God. John had an encounter with the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Who am I to discredit his encounter? God forgive me.

Again, John very emphatically yelled, “Nurse Georgee, I’m telling you the truth. NO ONE GOES THROUGH THE GATE TO THE DAD UNLESS JESUS TAKES THEM. You don’t believe me. Nurse Georgee, I’m telling you the truth.”

“John, I believe. I believe.” Once John knew that I finally believed him, he was ready to tell the world he saw Jesus and that Jesus was for real. With the door wide open to John’s room and the nurse’s station within earshot, John yelled as loud as he could, “Is there anyone out there that doesn’t know Jesus?” Immediately, all staff and even some visitors gathered in John’s room. John radiated while he related his encounter with Jesus. Even his dear wife, who sat quietly in the corner of John’s room, took it all in.

Eventually, John’s room was cleared of nurses and visitors; however, the presence of Christ continued to permeate the atmosphere.

“John, let’s talk about what just happened to you. Jesus revealed Himself to you as the Lord of lords and the King of kings. John, are you now ready to surrender your life to Jesus?”

“I sure am. What do I need to do? I know that Jesus is for real. I want to be with Him forever.”

“John, you need to pray and invite Jesus into your life. You don’t need to worry about fancy words. Talk to Jesus just like you talk to me.”

“O.K., Nurse Georgee, here it goes. Jesus, it’s John, the one you just saved from the devil. Don’t leave me, Jesus. Forgive me of all the fights I was in. Sorry I beat my wife up. Come live in me. Thank you for loving me. I’m YOURS. Amen!”

God, You are so amazing and awesome. Thank You for giving me the privilege to talk with a patient who has been in Your presence.  You have blessed me beyond belief. I know, without a doubt, that every word is true in the Bible. Sorry it has taken me so long. Thank You again for Your patience with me. 

For other compelling stories, Georgia’s book, Nurse Georgee, is available at Barnesandnoble.com and Amazon.com.