I don't know why....

I don't know why the Lord is prompting me to do this today. But, I feel as though He's saying there may be someone reading this blog who doesn't understand what a personal relationship with Jesus is.

I have never felt more prompted to write this out than I do today.......So I will act in obedience.

For me, my relationship with Jesus is a very personal thing, because it's between ME and HIM, but also something I'm willing to share with the world because He's so incredible. Why would I want to keep it a secret??

According to scripture, we are all sinners. Romans 3:23 says this, "For we have ALL sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."

What does that mean to me? Personally?......That no matter what I do, who I think I am, who I want to be, or how hard I try, I will always be a sinner.

What is sin?

Sin is all the horrible things in our lives.

Jealousy, Gossip, Betrayal, Hate, Envy, Strife, Anger, Resentment, Disobedience, Bad thoughts, Rude Actions and this list could go on and on.

Now, I don't know about you, but no matter how hard I try each day, something is going to slip into my life that is a sin. If you ever hear a Christian say they never sin......walk away. We ALL sin. ALL. ALL. ALL.

But you see, God, He is perfect. He is Holy, He is righteous and He is....God. And all of these yucky things separate us from Him because he is....God.

The bible tells us in Romans 6:23, that "The wages of sin is death...."

That means that sin ultimately leads us to destruction. Death. Separation from God.......forever. Meaning, hell.

But there's another part to that verse that is incredible......Romans 6:23 cont "BUT, the gift of God, is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Did you see that too? A gift? Free? Forever?......Eternal life? = Heaven!

According to that scripture there is nothing, NOTHING you and I can do to "earn" eternal life. No matter how many good deeds we do, nice things we say, give our tithe to the church, go to church or even just pray......no matter what WE do, we cannot "earn" heaven.

But here is the beauty of God........He gives us all a choice. ALL. A choice. To accept or deny.

I love that God did not make us puppets and has everything played out in our lives and we are following a script. He is ultimately in CONTROL of everything, but we have a free will choice.

So because of this problem......sin and God being perfect, holy and righteous....and we have free choice, meaning we are able to sin, God knew that He needed to make a way. A way to Him. Because remember, sin separates us from Him.

On Christmas day oh so many years ago, God sent down an incredible gift to the world, Jesus.

He came in the most humble way possible, a birth in a manger, in a miraculous way!

Jesus came, He lived a perfect sinless life. He showed us, the world, how to follow Him, He performed miracles, He was amazing! And then He did what no one else would do........

He died the most brutal, horrible death, on a cross. Just for me. Just for you.

As He hung on that cross, your name, my name, they were on His mind. He knew that He had to be the sacrifice so that we might have fellowship with Him one day.

Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"

My friends.....He paid the price. For you and I.

You see, we can believe this, we can wear the t-shirt, we can have the bumper sticker.....but scripture tells us in Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

It's a heart change first.......do you feel your heart racing? Is God knocking on the door asking you if He can come in and be the Lord of your life? Do you know that there is nothing, nothing that you can do to receive eternal life except to cry out to God?

If so, you don't have to walk down an isle at a big fancy church, or call a 1-800 number, or even be with ANYONE. It's personal.......it's between you and God. He knows your heart, He sees you. He wants to be the Lord of your life. He wants you to experience eternal life.

For me, personally, it's a peace....in knowing that when I die, I know where I'm going. There is no question in my mind that when I leave this earth I will experience eternal life with my King in heaven. It's where my hope is found. It's where my joy is found. That this earth will fade away.....but my God is forever. FOREVER.

And when I made this decision, a choice, a free-will choice, when I choose Christ....I simply said this,

"Lord, I know that I am a sinner. I know that you hate sin and you cannot even look at it according to scripture. But I know that you paid the way, you made the sacrifice through your son, Jesus Christ, so that I can have eternal life.....forever. I ask you to come into the depths of my soul....and live and reign in my life always. I surrender, I give up, I know that I cannot do anything but receive the free gift from you Son, Jesus. Amen."

Have you had this defining moment in your life?

Have you ever made this decision?

If not, it's more important than any vote that will be placed in our country today. It's more important than any relationship. It's THE most important decision you will ever have to make.

It's not about being a Baptist, A Catholic, A Lutheran, A Jehovah's Witness or Any other religion.

It's about a personal relationship......just between you and God.

But it's a choice. Will you let Him in?

Revelation 3:20a "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him..."