Friend, I want to tell you about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News, and I want to use a very short version of my own personal story to do it!
I remember so vividly, just like it was yesterday, receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior at the age of 8 years old. I definitely said yes to Jesus that day and my life was changed as a result of me letting Jesus take over the driver’s seat of my life; but, although I didn’t understand what I’m about to tell you until 34 years later, I saw Christianity more as something I needed to do for God than something He did for me.
Fast forward over three decades and I’m sitting in my chair that I sat in every morning to have my devotional time, wondering once again what more I could “do for God” when suddenly I felt a wave of His love for me (like title wave) flood into the room. I literally felt like I was swimming in the love of God.
That day, January 2, 2012, was the day I began to understand what God’s grace really was. That day my Heavenly Father did me the biggest favor of my life by taking my eyes off of myself and placing my eyes on Jesus and on what Jesus had already done for me through His finished work – through His death, burial and resurrection.
You see, I had indeed chosen to receive Jesus as my Savior all those years before but then, from a lack of knowledge, I went forward, acting as if it was my responsibility to save myself day in and day out. And the worst part of it all – what I believe was actually at the root of all my issues – was my wrong belief that God was standing over me just waiting for me to make the next mistake so He could beat me over the head with condemnation.
I obviously did not understand who God was or His heart toward me. And I know I’m not the only one because I’ve heard similar stories from countless individuals.
What the Father did for me that wonderful January morning was He revealed to me the Good News of the Gospel of His Grace in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. He spoke to my heart, “Sandra, I love you for you, just because you’re my child, not because of anything you do for me.”
I felt like a 1000 tons was lifted off my shoulders that day, the day I really began to believe the true gospel…God was for me and not against me. He wasn’t even a little bit mad at me.
The truth is, there is nobody on this planet better than anyone else. We ALL need Jesus. We’ve ALL sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and we ALL need a Savior. (see Romans 3:23-24) This is why Jesus came to earth and willingly laid down His life for the whole world. He conquered sin and death for humanity, providing eternal life for all that would believe in Him!!
Friend, will you believe the Good News? Will you give up living by your own self effort and throw yourself on the grace of God and allow Jesus to be your Savior? Grace saves you at the beginning and it keeps you all the way through. You don’t have to keep yourself. You don’t have to earn it. In fact, you can’t earn it. It is impossible. Salvation must be received as a free gift. Jesus made the way!
I hope you say yes to Jesus today and invite Him to be your Lord and Savior. Your sins are forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus. Now, receive His free gift to you. Receive the eternal life Jesus died and rose again to give you!
Look at this Good News!!!
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else? – Romans 8:31-32 (NLT)
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:15-16 (NLT)
I want to highly recommend that you click on the link below and read the following article about The Gospel of Grace from Paul Ellis! You’re going to love it and its’ going to help and encourage you so much!
