John 2:11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

When I was a teen I did not like the path I was on in life, following the mistakes of my oldest brother. I wanted off that path. My first prayer was God’s opportunity to show me He was real. In that moment he took me off the path of anger without cause. He changed me.

Knowing there is a God does not mean that understanding comes with it. I lived the other parts of my life unchanged. Anger was gone but all the other sins were still being manifested in the way I was living. Decades went by believing there is a God but not believing God.

Then my father died and I saw my life as one whole regretful encounter. In my despair I repented of the life I had lived with all its mistakes. The moment I repented God spoke to me.

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

When I was a teen I had not done enough to produce godly grief. I was naive. Later after a life of sinfulness, godly grief was present. Repentance at that point led to salvation. I turned and began following Christ.

Now this is my story and it may or may not be your cautionary tale. Maybe similar but not the same. One common denominator is always repentance. We cannot follow Jesus without it.

That night I opened a bible for the first time in years. Regret was left behind and looking forward was the only thing on my mind. Perhaps that is what faith is after repentance, looking in the right place for answers. I didn’t know what I was doing back then. I do now.

Once again, this is my story. We all have a story.

What does yours sound like?

John 1:29

Behold, the Lamb of God

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

John the Baptist is credited with being the forerunner spirit of Elijah.

• Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
• Matthew 11:10 This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

John fit the prophecy given by Malachi. There is only one about John but when it comes to the Christ there are more than 300 according to some scholars. Some are very specific while others are vague in meaning. What ties them all together with complete understanding is the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit.

Now comes our problem, how do we get to hear the testimony of the Holy Spirit?

John 14

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

Do you love Jesus?

I apologize for the accusation but given that Jesus said to those who did signs and wonders in His name that He did not know them, then signs and wonders (works) are not signs of love.

In the same way that obeying the law is not a sign of loving the law we must find a way to love Jesus that is not a part of doing works.

• Galatians 3:2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
• Galatians 3:5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—