Day 1//Week 1
A few years back my wife and I were looking for a new house.
We weren't that serious about it, we didn't hire a realtor or anything yet, we'd just find open houses on zillow and go check them out by ourselves.
Well, one night someone posted a house on facebook, of all places.
We called to set up a walk-through, and we asked the price and the price was lower than ANY OTHER HOUSE we'd gone to see, yet!
Not only that, this house was newly renovated, it was beautiful inside, it all seemed too good to be true!
Fast forward a couple days later, as we were walking through the house, with my wife's dad (because neither of us knew the first thing about buying a house) the three of us were standing out in the driveway and he gave us this piece of advise:
"You guys should put an offer in on this house today."
Sure enough, we did! We walked inside, told the owner that we wanted to buy his house, I ran down the street to the bank, got a check as earnest money, and that was how we bought our first house.
Immediately after, we went out to dinner.
As we were sitting at dinner, my wife and I kept asking
"What in the world did we just do?"
"Did we really just buy a house?"
"Was this the right decision?"
A million questions swirled.
Did you know there is actually a thing called "Buyer's Remorse?"
It's a common emotion after making large purchases.
The decision that you just made, to follow Jesus with your life, sometimes has the same effects on people. This is a big deal and things in your life should not remain the same in your life. For example:
- You may need to choose some new friends
- You may need to choose some new hobbies
- You may need to choose some new language
Even though you read this right now, you might also be thinking, "Yes that's true, but things don't FEEL different, so how do I know I'm really saved?"
Here are some ways you can know...
1) If you've turned from your sins and put your faith in Jesus, you have eternal life!
John 3:15 Everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. (NLT)
Acts 16:31 Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (NIV)
Romans 10:9 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. (NLT)
John 5:24 Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. (NIV)
2) You are now God's child
Romans 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you recieved God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." (NLT)
ABBA is an aramaic word, it was the most affectionate title that a child could use in addressing his father. it is similar to that of "daddy" or "papa." Meaning you're now adopted into God's family as his child!
John 1:12 Yet to all who receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (NIV)
3) Your character and lifestyle will change to become more like Jesus.
1 John 3:14 we know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers, anyone who does not love remains in death. (NIV)
Romans 12:2 Do not conform, any longer, to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve God's will for you, his good, pleasing and perfect will (NIV)
Response Questions
Which of the verses did you feel applied to you the most? Why?
Jot down any questions you have for the next time you meet in the space below:
Take a look at the video below, and write any observations, thoughts or ideas you have about it
Final Thoughts