Tag: John 3:16

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

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The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (KJV)

I’ve heard that verse so many times it could slide right past a man without leaving a mark. That’s the danger of familiar things. You stop looking at them close. But sit with it a while, out on the porch where the crickets are loud enough to drown out your own noise, and it starts to work on you different. That’s not a Bible verse. That’s a love story. The realest one there ever was.

A Love That Came Near

God looked down at a world that was broken in about every way a thing can break, and He didn’t turn His face from it. He didn’t stay up in the clean and distant places where trouble can’t reach. He came down into the mud with the rest of us.

He gave the one thing that cost Him everything. His Son.

Jesus didn’t get sent like a telegram from somewhere safe. He walked into the middle of our suffering on purpose, and He gave His life so the rest of us could be forgiven and set loose from what was holding us down. The cross isn’t a symbol. It’s proof. Love that only talks is cheap. Love that bleeds is the kind that means something.
A Gift for Whoever

There’s a word in that verse that’ll stop you if you let it. Whosoever.

No fine print behind that word. No list of who qualifies. Doesn’t matter if you’re rich or ruined, churched or never been inside one, smart as a whip or barely scraping by. The invitation doesn’t check your record first.

You don’t have to clean yourself up before you knock on that door. You don’t earn your way in. Grace was never a wage. It’s a gift, and gifts don’t ask what you did to deserve them.

Anybody can walk up. Anybody can believe. Anybody can be given a life that doesn’t run out.

A Promise With No Expiration

Everything else wears down eventually. Trucks rust. Friendships fade. The body gets tired quicker than it used to, and the years go by faster than a man wants to admit. Nothing you can hold onto stays the same forever.

But what Jesus hands you doesn’t come with a shelf life.

Eternal life isn’t just some far-off promise about what happens when the dirt closes over you. It starts right now, in whatever kitchen or truck cab or hospital room you’re sitting in tonight. Forgiveness. Peace. A reason to keep going. The quiet certainty that death doesn’t get the last word, no matter how loud it talks.

You Are Not as Alone as You Feel

There are stretches of road that get heavy. Sickness, losing somebody, disappointment that won’t let go, nights so lonesome you can hear your own heartbeat. In those stretches, this old verse says something your circumstances can’t take back.

You are loved. Not loved in some general way that gets handed out to the whole crowd. Loved by name.

God knows what you’re carrying even when you can’t find the words for it. He saw the gift cost Him His Son, and He paid it anyway, so you could trust He’s not going anywhere now.

His love stays when everybody else has packed up and gone. It finds you in the dark places. It holds on through every hard season you walk through.

Something to Carry With You Today

Just take a minute today and let that verse sit with you a while.

You haven’t been forgotten. You’re not too far gone for grace to reach. You don’t have to earn what’s already been given.

The gift’s already on the table. Jesus came so you could be forgiven, brought back, and given a life that never runs dry. Believe it. Rest in it. Walk through today knowing you’re seen, known, and held.

A Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for a love big enough to give up Your only Son for me. Thank You that the door’s open to anybody who’ll believe. Help me take hold of that love, trust the promise, and remember I’m never walking this alone. When the road gets heavy, remind me I’m seen, known, forgiven, and held close in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, amen.

#John316 #GreatestLoveStory #KJV #FaithJourney #Grace #EverlastingLife #GodsLove #DailyDevotional #ChristianFaith #WhosoeverBelieveth #HopeInChrist #FaithOverFear

Finding Purpose

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Reset

It’s Friday, the first day of November 2024. The morning feels fresh with newness, yet familiar, like stepping into a well-worn path. I was up by 6 AM, my mind already spinning with the day ahead. The last week of September plus October was a time of world travel and letting my beard grow wild. This morning I trimmed it down to a goatee. It feels like a small reset. I’m tidying up as I face the start of another month.

By 7:15, I had settled at my local Starbucks, holding a glass of water in one hand for my morning medications and a tall blonde roast coffee in the other. The aroma of coffee grounds and the gentle hum of morning chatter created a comforting backdrop as I settled in with my thoughts.

Nowhere Man

After opening my MacBook, I began listening to The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man,” as I do from time to time. You may be wondering why I decided on this song and why it holds such significance for me. During my recent travels I was in Liverpool England in September. I did The Beatles tour. The tour had me thinking on John Lennon’s life.

1n 1965 John Lennon wrote “Nowhere Man”. He was in a period of intense introspection. He was famous, admired, wealthy—by all standards — a man who had “made it.” Yet, amid this success, he questioned his identity and purpose. The song captures his struggle, expressing the unsettling feeling of being adrift despite outward achievements.

Fame Wasn’t Enough

For Lennon, fame wasn’t enough; something deeper was missing. In “Nowhere Man,” he reveals the ache of feeling detached, disconnected, and, perhaps, unanchored—a feeling that resonates worldwide. We’ve all had moments where we feel like we’re going through the motions, searching for something elusive that might give life meaning.

Listening to the song reminds me to be cautious, to resist letting life slip into routine without intentional purpose. Lennon’s story is a reminder: he had all the outward markers of success, yet something remained unfulfilled. I don’t want to end up like that. I appreciate his influence on music, culture, and activism, yet I perceive a longing for something more in him. For me, that “something” is purpose—a sense of direction that grounds me.

Purpose

This idea of purpose brings me back to a time in my life that shaped my outlook. When I was in the tenth grade, my church youth group performed a Christian musical called “Purpose,” written by Jimmy and Carol Owens. Aimed at young people, it explored themes of faith, self-identity, and finding meaning. The storyline followed a group of young people wrestling with their beliefs and discovering their purpose within their Christian faith.

The musical’s message was uncomplicated yet meaningful: our purpose transcends the surface, rooted in a significance. It struck a chord, especially during a period of cultural turmoil and societal transformation. The musical encouraged us, a young audience, to lean into our faith, to look beyond societal expectations, and to find our purpose in something lasting.

Faith in Jesus Christ

Reflecting on that experience now, decades later, I see how it helped to solidify my foundation. For me, faith in Jesus Christ gives life meaning beyond the ebb and flow of external achievements or challenges. I base my purpose not on fame or wealth, but on living in alignment with my faith and values. And so, on this November morning, as I sip my coffee and listen to Lennon’s haunting lyrics, I’m reminded of that grounding truth.

Do You Have a Purpose?

Purpose is something we all seek. It’s what keeps us going, even when the path ahead seems unclear. So, I’ll ask you: do you know your purpose?

Through faith in Christ, I believe I’ve found mine. And it’s a purpose I hold close, reminding me of what matters, even as the world around me changes.

You can find my story of finding purpose here. It is how I became a Christian. Click HERE for my story.

July: A Month of Birthdays and New Beginnings

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Benita, Jimmie, and Kristopher Kepler 1977
Benita, Jimmie, and Kristopher Kepler
from February 1977

July: A Month of Birthdays and New Beginnings

July is an extraordinary month, filled with celebrations and significant milestones. For one, it marks the birthday of America, a time of patriotism and fireworks. But for me, July holds an even deeper meaning—it’s my spiritual birthday.

What Is a Spiritual Birthday?

Now, you might be wondering, what exactly is a spiritual birthday? Well, let me explain. You see, everyone has a physical birthday, the day they were born into this world. Mine happened on November 25, 1953, at Brooke Army General Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. 

However, a spiritual birthday is different. It’s the day when a person experiences a profound transformation, accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and embarking on a new spiritual journey. 

My spiritual birthday is July 11, 1977, a date etched in my heart forever, when I was “born again” and found salvation at the First Baptist Church of Lakewood in Tacoma, Washington.

My Story

Allow me to share with you the story of my own spiritual awakening, the day that changed the course of my life forever.

Back in July 1977, I was a second lieutenant serving in the United States Army at Fort Lewis, Washington. Life seemed to be going splendidly. I had a loving and intelligent wife, and we had welcomed our first child earlier that year. Professionally, I was excelling, receiving accolades for my work and had been selected for career status. Yet, despite all the achievements and blessings, there was an unexplained void, a sense of emptiness deep within me.

In my pursuit of fulfillment, I tried various avenues. I indulged in the politically correct social drinking, sought solace in relationships, chased material possessions, and immersed myself in the social scene. But no matter what I did, that elusive something remained absent from my life. I sensed that there had to be more, something I was missing.

It was during this time that I became involved with a group of men at my church who seemed to possess a profound sense of purpose and contentment. Intrigued, I joined them for a Bible study. Little did I know that this encounter would lead me to the answers I had been desperately seeking.

Through the study, I discovered that God had provided us with a guidebook for life—the Bible. It held the key to addressing the problems we face and filling the void within us. 

I learned that I was not here by accident, but rather, I had a purpose. Most importantly, I discovered that Jesus loves me and desires to have a personal relationship with me. However, sin had created a separation between us.

I realized I had a sin problem.

Coming to terms with my own sinfulness was a crucial turning point. The Bible states, 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 3:23 

I realized that despite my best efforts to be good and virtuous, I couldn’t save myself. Good deeds alone wouldn’t secure my place in heaven.

I learned there was a penalty to be paid for my sin.

The Bible also teaches that there is a penalty for sin—

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

Romans 6:23

It was clear to me that I needed a solution, a way to bridge the gap between my sinful nature and God’s righteousness.

I learned God provided a promise.

Thankfully, God provided a promise—a way for us to be saved. 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

This verse revealed to me that God’s love is so immense that He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins.

I learned that God made provision for me.

In light of this revelation, I learned that I could receive God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. 

“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.”

Romans 10:9-10

It became clear to me that by acknowledging my need for a savior and accepting Jesus into my heart and life, I could experience the transformative power of His love.

I prayed to accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus.

In a heartfelt prayer, I embraced this gift of eternal life through Jesus. I acknowledged my sins, believed in His sacrifice on the cross, and invited Him to be the Lord of my life.

It was a moment of surrender, a surrender that would forever shape my journey.

What came next? 

From that day forward, my life has been far from perfect. I’ve stumbled and made mistakes along the way, sometimes veering off course. But amidst it all, I’ve found direction, purpose, and unshakeable peace.

The Bible has become my compass, guiding me through life’s trials and offering timeless principles for daily living. I’ve never been alone on this journey, for the presence of God has been with me every step of the way.

What About You?

Now, I pose a question to you: Have you experienced your own spiritual rebirth? Have you been “saved” and found solace in a higher power? 

Just as I did, you too can find salvation and peace. 

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. … For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  

Romans 10:9-10, 13

Why would an intelligent person believe in Christianity?”

But perhaps you are skeptical, wondering if an intelligent person or an intellectual can truly believe in God. The answer is a resounding yes!

Many brilliant minds have found faith in God and embraced Christianity. The real question should be, “How can an intelligent person believe in Christianity?” or “Why would an intelligent person believe in Christianity?” The truth is, faith and reason can coexist harmoniously.

As I reflect upon my spiritual journey, I can’t help but marvel at the extraordinary transformation that took place. 

Conclusion

That tired, weary face you see in the photo taken in February 1977 holds a story of profound change and hope. It captures a moment in time, a snapshot of a young couple embarking on a path filled with uncertainties and new beginnings.

So as we celebrate the birth of America this July, let us also remember the significance of personal rebirth, the power of salvation, and the transformative journey of faith.

About the photo

It was taken in February 1977 in my military quarters at Fort Lewis, Washington. In the photo in Miss Benita, my bride. We have been married since 1974. Also in the picture is our first child, Kristopher. Yes, I look tired. I had just returned home from a fourteen day training exercise. I had not had sleep in over 72 hours at the time the picture was taken. I was very tired. The picture was taken by my late father-in-law William Clarence Breeding, Sr. He and my mother-in-law had came to Washington State to help Miss Benita with our new son Kris.

How to Hang On: A Biblical Alternative

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Life Can Be Tough

A few weeks ago, my forty-one-year-old son called. “Dad, my colonoscopy results show a tumor and colon cancer.”

Four years ago this week I rushed my wife to the emergency room. The young ER doctor said to me as she was sobbing, “I’ll let your neurologist give you the details when he’s here in the morning. I’m so sorry, your wife’s malignant brain tumor has come back, larger than before.” 

She passed away six weeks later.

Was failing to prevent the cancer or its early detection my fault?

Five years ago, my father called me. 

“Jim, I’ve fallen and can’t get up. Don’t call 911. I want you here to take care of me.”

My father died less than eight-hours later. His heart failed. 

In 2014, my mother passed away. 

From 2004 until mother’s death, I found myself as her caregiver. I even changed my work schedule to work nights for several years where I could take her to her medical appointments. This including navigating her having a kidney transplant in 2011.

God, I don’t want more bad news. My heart aches for the loss and pain my loved ones have experienced. I don’t want to be a caregiver again, but will do whatever it takes for my family.

Being honest, I cry out, “No, God. Not another assignment as a caregiver. Why my family? Why me? The pressure of life is too much.”

God’s word says,

“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—.”

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Maybe, like me, you find that life is getting you down. Do you feel you’re at the end of your rope? 

Here are seven Biblical principles I’ve learned on how to hang on when you feel you’re at the end of your rope and the pressures of life are unbearable.

Principle One: I must not forget God loves me.

Yes, God loves me. 

The Bible tells me

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

Because God loves me, I don’t lose heart! 

The Bible tells me

“Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.”

2 Corinthians 4:1

I learned that it’s not who we are. It’s whose we are! Remember, our performance does not give us our worth. I am what I am. By the grace of God, I am what I am. God’s grace helped me through losing my father and my wife.

The Bible tells me

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

1 Corinthians 15:10

Remember, God’s grace gives us the power to start over. Even when we lose a parent or a spouse, God helps us to start anew. Because He loved us, as Believers, we are more than conquerors.

The Bible tells me

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Romans 8:37

Principle Two: I must keep a clear conscience.

I wondered what I could have done to better care for my loved ones. If only I made my father eat better, get that check-up. What if I had encouraged or even made my wife go to MD Anderson, the Mayo Clinic, or John Hopkins to get the world’s best care?

Why didn’t I pray harder or longer? Why didn’t I claim this or that Bible promise?

Satan would want us to blame ourself for our loved not recovering, especially when they are young or even of middle-age.

The Bible tells me

“But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

2 Corinthians 4:2

Principle Three: It is not about me.

When bad things happen, I need to remember it’s not all about me. Yes, I could face the consequences of wrong choices, but we live in a sinful, fallen world. Bad things happen to good people. Disease and death happen.

The Bible tells me

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.”

2 Corinthians 4:5

I need to realize my ego will only take me so far. In my wife and my father’s illness and passing their journey was used to point family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers to Jesus Christ.

It’s not about me. It’s about Jesus.

Principle Four: I cannot do it all.

When caring for my wife, I got so tired. The initial days of her last hospitalization before she moved to hospice care, I spent over fifty hours without sleep. Heart break and trying to do it all exhausted me.

I called, no cried out, for help from God, her sisters, and my adult children.

The Bible tells me

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

2 Corinthians 4:7

I learned I couldn’t do it all. Pacing myself wasn’t enough. I grabbed hold of God and won’t let go. 

I realized life is a journey, not a sprint.

Principle Five: Love, love, love.

Accepting God’s love guided me through the rough and not so rough spots. God was and continues to be glorified through the love He poured out on my loved one’s life.

The Bible tells me

“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.”

2 Corinthians 4:15

Principle Six: Take time to refresh, renew, and revive.

As I continue to face challenges of caring for family, I look to God. I make sure I stay in His word and continue to pray.

I need God’s strength and renewing every day.

The Bible tells me

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”

2 Corinthians 4:16

Principle Seven: I must keep my eye on the goal.

Somehow, I have learned that the challenges of life, including cancer and death, while tough, aren’t the end-all.

The Bible tells me

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,”

2 Corinthians 4:17

Remember that God helps face your troubles and hang on. God will be with you as you face the challenges of daily living.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me turn to and rely on You. Help me keep hanging on and trusting You.

Questions

  1. Can you recall a time when God helped you when it seemed as if you were at the end of your rope?
  2. Have you ever went through doubt that you failed to do enough or mishandled a tough situation? Is Satan placing guilt and acquisitions in your mind that you handled it wrong? 
  3. How did you over come that doubt or do you need to lay your doubt before God now?

I took all Scripture verses from the New King James Version of the Bible.

One Way to Prepare For 2022

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Two Things Are Critical

As you embark on the journey in the year 2022, two things you do are critical.

  1. The CHOICES you make.
  2. The ACTIONS you take.

One – Choices You Need To Make Everyday

1. Choose to get excited about each new day.

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24 English Standard Version (ESV),

  • Each day is a gift from God.
  • Make a daily choice to rejoice.
  • Get yourself fired up for having another day of life and be glad.

2. Choose to be thankful.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:15 (ESV)

  • Allow God’s peace both into your heart and to rule your heart.
  • It’s hard, if not impossible, to be thankful and miserable at the same time. Choose to be thankful.
  • Thank God daily for your daily bread.

3. Choose to be positive.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

  • Don’t say, “Good Lord, it’s morning” but say “Good morning, Lord.”
  • Make sure you get up on the right side of the bed.
  • As the late Zig Ziglar used to say, “Get rid of your ‘stinking thinking.’”

4. Choose victory over defeat.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:4 (ESV)

  • Remember the words of the old hymn, “Faith is the victory.”
  • Never forget it is the Lord who goes with you to battle the daily enemies and challenges. (see – Deuteronomy 20:4)
  • God gives us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. (see – 1 Corinthians 15:57)

5. Choose to live above the level of mediocrity.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24

  • We are to work heartily.
  • Our work honors God.
  • Remember, in any endeavor of labor, our work honor’s God.

6. Choose to put the other person first.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Philippians 2:3 (ESV)

  • The late Christian motivational speaker, writer, and Bible teacher Zig Ziglar (a Baptist deacon and member of my church) said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”

7. Choose to have hope.

Though he slay me, I will hope in him (God);

Job 13:15a (ESV)

8. Choose to keep on keeping on.

  • I had an Associate Pastor named John West that frequently admonished all to “keep on keeping on.” He would say, “Keep trying; keep doing what you are doing. Keep doing your best; never give up and keep on keeping on.”
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in 1967, “You don’t get to the Promised Land without going through the Wilderness. You don’t get there without crossing over hills and mountains, but if you keep on keeping on, you can’t help but reach it.”

Two – Choose to take ACTION by accepting Christ as Savior.

The only way we can really have a winning 2022 is to know Christ as Savior. Do you know Him as your personal Savior and Lord? Here is how to be sure.

Man’s Problem:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23 (ESV)

Man’s Penalty:

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 (ESV)

God’s Provision:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (ESV)

God’s Promise:

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9 (ESV)

To accept Christ as Savior – A Prayer of Salvation:

“Lord Jesus, I confess to you I am a sinner. I believe that you died for my sins and that God raised you from the dead. I ask you to forgive me for my sin right now. Thank you for saving me and for giving me eternal life. In your name, I pray. Amen.”

FYI – I originally wrote this last section in 1988 as an article titled “Our Need and God’s Provision” using the KJV as the Bible reference. It was published in “Motivators for Sunday School Leaders” by the Baptist Sunday School Board (now Lifeway Christian Resources).

What Do You Think of Jesus Christ?

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Being Good Doesn’t Get You To Heaven

Did you know being good doesn’t get you to heaven. Being “saved” does.

Here’s my story of “being saved.”

On July 11, 1977, my life changed. If you look up that date in history, you will find nothing historically significant happened on that Sunday. It was a noteworthy day to me. That day was the watershed event in my life.

July 1977 found me on active duty as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. I was serving as Battalion Maintenance Officer, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington.

Life was good.

Life was good. I had a beautiful, intelligent wife. I had a new son born in January that same year. I had just gotten a commendable rating during an annual general inspection in maintenance. It was the first commendable rating since the division had returned from Vietnam. Named an Outstanding Junior Officer of the Ninth Infantry Division because of the commendable rating, I received an offer of a regular army commission. My career was going great.

I always tried being the best I could be, and doing what was right. I was a detail-oriented perfectionist, high-achieving, and a workaholic. I excelled at most things I did. However, after all of this, I still had an empty, unsatisfied, void, and alone feeling. Beginning in my college years I tried drinking adult beverages, women, materialism, partying, and hanging-out with the right crowd to fill this unexplained need I had. I knew something was missing from my life.

I was also attending church. At my church I noticed a group of men my age that seemed to have what I was missing. I attended a Bible study with them. Here I found that God has given us an important manual for life — the Bible. He has the answers to the problems and emptiness we may face. I found out I was here for a purpose, and not by accident. I learned Jesus loves me, and desires to have a personal relationship with me. However, sin separated me from Him.

I realized I had a sin problem.

The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23 But no one is perfect! Not even a perfectionist. We have all sinned and therefore cannot save ourselves by simply living a good life. Why?

I learned there was a penalty to be paid for my sin.

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

I learned God gives us a promise.

The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

I learned that God made provision for me.

The Bible says, “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. – Romans 10:9-10

I prayed to accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus.

I prayed, “Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the grave so that I might have eternal life in Heaven with You. I willingly repent of my sins and ask you to come into my heart and life. Take control of my words, thoughts, and actions. I place all of my trust in You for my salvation. I accept You as my Lord and Savior, and this free gift of eternal life. Amen.”

What came next?

Since then my life has not been perfect. It’s been far from it. I have messed up from time to time, sometimes failing miserably in my decisions and choices. However, I have had direction and purpose in my life. I know where I am headed. I have the Bible to give me the principles for daily living. I am never alone. I have had real peace for the last 44 years.

How about you? 

Have you ever been “saved”? You can do like I did. Romans 10:9-10, 13 tells us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. … For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

How I Became a Christian

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How To Get To Heaven

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Benita, Jimmie, and Kristopher Kepler 1977
Benita, Jimmie, and Kristopher Kepler 1977

My Spiritual Birthday

July is the birthday of America. July is also my spiritual birthday.

What’s that? You don’t know about spiritual birthdays? My physical birthday is the day I was born. It was November 25 at Brooke Army General Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

My spiritual birthday is when I was “born again”. It is when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. It is when I was “saved”. It was July 11, 1977 at the First Baptist Church of Lakewood in Tacoma, Washington.

Being Good Doesn’t Get You To Heaven

Did you know being good doesn’t get you to heaven. Being “saved” does.

Here’s my story of “being saved.”

On July 11, 1977, my life changed. If you look up that date in history, you will find nothing historically significant happened on that Sunday. It was a noteworthy day to me. That day was the watershed event in my life.

July 1977 found me on active duty as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. I was serving as Battalion Maintenance Officer, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington.

Life was good.

Life was good. I had a beautiful, intelligent wife. I had a new son born in January that same year. I had just gotten a commendable rating during an annual general inspection in maintenance. It was the first commendable rating since the division had returned from Vietnam. Named an Outstanding Junior Officer of the Ninth Infantry Division because of the commendable rating, I received an offer of a regular army commission. My career was going great.

I always tried being the best I could be, and doing what was right. I was a detail-oriented perfectionist, high-achieving, and a workaholic. I excelled at most things I did. However, after all of this, I still had an empty, unsatisfied, void, and alone feeling. Beginning in my college years I tried drinking adult beverages, women, materialism, partying, and hanging-out with the right crowd to fill this unexplained need I had. I knew something was missing from my life.

I was also attending church. At my church I noticed a group of men my age that seemed to have what I was missing. I attended a Bible study with them. Here I found that God has given us an important manual for life — the Bible. He has the answers to the problems and emptiness we may face. I found out I was here for a purpose, and not by accident. I learned Jesus loves me, and desires to have a personal relationship with me. However, sin separated me from Him.

I realized I had a sin problem.

The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23 But no one is perfect! Not even a perfectionist. We have all sinned and therefore cannot save ourselves by simply living a good life. Why?

I learned there was a penalty to be paid for my sin.

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

I learned God gives us a promise.

The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

I learned that God made provision for me.

The Bible says, “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. – Romans 10:9-10

I prayed to accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus.

I prayed, “Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the grave so that I might have eternal life in Heaven with You. I willingly repent of my sins and ask you to come into my heart and life. Take control of my words, thoughts, and actions. I place all of my trust in You for my salvation. I accept You as my Lord and Savior, and this free gift of eternal life. Amen.”

What came next?

Since then my life has not been perfect. It’s been far from it. I have messed up from time to time, sometimes failing miserably in my decisions and choices. However, I have had direction and purpose in my life. I know where I am headed. I have the Bible to give me the principles for daily living. I am never alone. I have had real peace for the last 44 years.

How about you?

Have you ever been “saved”? You can do like I did. Romans 10:9-10, 13 tells us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. … For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Can an intelligent person or intellectual/scholar believe in God?  Can an intelligent person believe in Jesus Christ and Christianity?

The Real Question –– The answer to the above question(s) is, “Yes, of course! We cannot deny that many intelligent people do believe in God and Christianity.” So a better question may be, “How can an intelligent person believe in Christianity?” or “Why would an intelligent person believe in Christianity?”

About the photo: It was taken in February 1977 in my military quarters at Fort Lewis, Washington. In the photo is Miss Benita, my bride. We have been married since 1974. Also in the picture is our first child, Kristopher. Yes, I look tired. I had just returned home from a fourteen day training exercise. I had not had sleep in over 72 hours at the time the picture was taken. I was very tired. The picture was taken by my late father-in-law William Clarence Breeding, Sr. He and my mother-in-law had came to Washington State to help Miss Benita with our new son Kris. Kris is now in his mid 40s. My beautiful wife passed away from cancer in 2018. We were blessed with two other children. My father-in-law went to heaven in 1995. My mother-in-law joined him in heaven 11 years later.

John 3:16

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God So Loved The World

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