KNOW PEACE
An integral part of who we are is our spirit. Our mind, body, and spirit cannot exist without the other. Therefore, it follows that if one of the three is sick, then the other two will be negatively affected. It is important to strive for health in all three areas, and to discover what is lacking in order to be whole.
Chaos creates disorder, peace creates order.
Everything in your body operates according to a particular order, and your spirit is no different. Think about it. When you eat, what happens? You chew, you swallow, your stomach digests the food, your body receives the nutrients from the food, and the waste product moves through your intestines and out into the toilet. What would happen if this order of events was disrupted? Would you receive the nutrients you need? Would the waste be eliminated? I can tell you, big problems would ensue!
How do you think disorder in your body affects your mind and spirit? The physical stress would most definitely create mental stress, which would create further disharmony within you. Think about what happens when you have the flu, for example. Would you say that your mind and spirit are affected? Do feel like you have a clear mind and unencumbered spirit when you have the flu? I would guess that the answer is "no." Disorder in your mind and body creates disorder in your spirit, so can you see how disorder in your spirit could cause disorder in your mind and body?
So what causes disorder in your spirit? A person who has not made peace with his/her Creator cannot know peace in their spirit. Only when you are at peace can your spirit live in harmony with your mind and body.
No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace.
In order to truly be able to know peace, you must accept Jesus Christ as your savior. Not that everyone who has done this miraculously transformed into a peaceful being, but they were "born again," and therefore, hold the keys to knowing peace. For most people, there is still work to be done before peace can be achieved, but this is the first, and most important, step.
How does one become "born again?"
The Bible says that 1) You must acknowledge that you have done wrong things (sinned), feel sorry about your sins, ask God to forgive you for them, and determine to turn away from them (this is repentance); 2) Declare that you accept that Jesus is the son of God, and that he died on the cross to pay the penalty (which is death) for your sins (as a free gift from God - also known as "grace"); and 3) Believe that Jesus Christ is your personal Lord and savior by putting complete faith and trust in Him and relying on Him as your ONLY source of salvation.
You are welcome to pray to God any way that you choose to complete the three steps above, but if you're needing a little help knowing what to say, you can just repeat the following prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I want you to come in and take over my life right now. I am a sinner. I have been trusting in myself and my own good works, and in other things, but now I place my trust in you. I want You as my own personal Savior. I believe You died for me. I receive You as Lord and Master of my life. Help me to turn from my sins and follow You. I thank you for Your offer of the FREE gift of eternal life. I am not worthy of it, but I thank You for it. Amen."
You may or may not feel any different after praying your prayer. Some people feel an instant conversion. Some people wonder if they prayed correctly and try again. Rest assured that if you prayed the prayer above (or something similar) sincerely from your heart, then God heard you, and He is so glad to have you back!
If you are wondering what to do next, I recommend finding a congregation of Christian believers where you can learn more about your new faith. You can start by asking Christian friends where they worship and visiting their churches, or you can do a search on the Internet (or phone book) for churches in your area. I, personally, recommend a non-denominational (or inter-denominational) church. Remember to ask if the pastor preaches from the Bible (if they preach anything in addition to the Bible, then go somewhere else), and if they believe that Jesus Christ is their personal Lord and Savior (if they don't sound quite convincing, then try somewhere else...trust your "gut feeling").
Most of all, if you just received Jesus as your Savior, CONGRATULATIONS! And welcome to the family!
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