Julia Melatis – Author

It is so amazing that God sent His only Son, Jesus, to die in our stead, so we can be united with Him forever! Sin alienated us from God, but Jesus’ death repaired that rift for all who believe and repent of their sins. Such a small sacrifice on our parts to receive the great sacrifice Jesus gave for us.

‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‭-‬17‬ ‭BSB‬‬
[16] For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:8‭-‬10‬ ‭BSB‬‬
[8] If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭3:19‭-‬20‬ ‭BSB‬‬
[19] Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, [20] that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you.

Many people think that believing there is a God and being a “good person” is enough. Many also believe all religions lead to the same place. Not so. BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, made a way for us to be alive in Christ, though we were still dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:4-5). So why do so many resist or flat out refuse God’s gracious gift? Pride. The God of self. Being unwilling to live within the boundaries God set so we can experience true freedom in Him. I know that sounds contradictory, but following feelings and desires without the boundaries God set in His commandments leads to the destruction of lives on earth and eternally. Jesus boiled down the commandments to two things (from ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37‭-‬40‬):
#1 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
#2 – “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
But we cannot love like this without God’s help. We need Jesus. The best behaved human on the planet ever is still so far from the goodness and holiness of God that we can never be good enough on our own (Romans 3:10). When we go “through” Jesus (John 14:6), God sees us through the blood of His Son, which has washed us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18, 1 John 1:7). We have been given such an extravagant gift! It tears my heart up when people reject this gift.
When I first received Jesus’ gift, I sometimes felt like it was too hard to live life His way. Two things I discovered about that:
1 – Even in the hard times with Jesus, life is better than it was without Him. Jesus never said we would live free of troubles.  On the contrary, He said we would have troubles and tribulations  but to take heart (courage) because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).
2 – I was trying to do the Christian life in my own power. There’s no way we can. That’s why it was so hard. After His resurrection,  Jesus told His disciples to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower them for the journey ahead of them. We receive this gift of the Holy Spirit to indwell us upon salvation, but we must learn to tune into His voice and heed it. Invite Him to open the Scriptures to us so we can understand and live it.
We cannot ride the fence on this one. We are either with Jesus or without Him. Are you all in for Jesus? Take up your cross (die to yourself and selfish ways) every day and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). He is the only way to God.
• Admit you have sinned and cannot save yourself from the consequences of that sin.
• Believe in Jesus and that He died to make the ultimate sacrifice, once for all, for the sins of the world.
• Choose to accept His gift of salvation and  confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord of your life.
• Determine to live your life for and in Jesus. Loving God and loving people. Following Jesus in Word and deed with the power of the Holy Spirit who now dwells within you.
• Edify yourself with the Word of God. Read, study, meditate upon it, and memorize key verses.

With Blessings of Hope and Joy,

Julia

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