Jesus Hung On The Cross....For YOU!

Lord,



I pray that this work of YOURS is a blessing to many. I pray that you would draw in many more through those you have already brought close to hear your Word spoken. Move in the hearts of these hearers that they might pass along the good thing they have found in You. Lord, I pray that if these words are not in line with your holy scriptures, that you would bring bold brothers/sisters in Christ who will be willing to reject all that is not of you. Lord, cleanse my own heart from all anxiousness, and wickedness, and let me live a life of holiness before all men. Lord, put a guard about my mouth that I would not speak anything that is not pleasing to you. Lord, I pray for wisdom in writing, and in all areas of my life. I pray for patience and perserverance, and even long-suffering. I pray that you might manifest the fruit of the Spirit in me, so others might see You through me. Lord, let me be transparent to all, and give me Your righteousness to wear, so that others may see your goodness in every situation. Lord, bless this blog, and the hearers who faithfully come to read it every day. Bless them richly in the name of Jesus. It is in His name I pray, Amen.



Sarah



I, for one, thank God that He is an encouragement to me through the Holy Spirit. I am thankful that He knows my thoughts, and even the depths of my heart. Without Him, I would be lost and suffering in this world. He knows when I need stern rebuke and discipline, and when I need a soft, kind word from Him. He is the perfect being. I love my husband, I love my family, and I love my children dearly, but none can compare to the Almighty God. He is the lover of my soul, and my friend. I can't imagine at times WHY he would choose to remain my friend after everything I have done to him, and every time I have moved away from him....but the Word tells me that it is because of His great mercy in my life.



I don't know how many of you think of the crucifixion in the light that it was done FOR YOU. Because of the omniscient nature of God, He KNEW about you when He was hanging on that old rugged cross. He knew your name and your life, and He knew he was taking YOUR sin. He did it because of His great love for you and me. He longed to restore fellowship with each of us, and to give us a way to return to His Holy Presence....and to live with him forever. He knew before you were born that you would sin, and which ways you would sin! But He made a way to escape the fires of hell. All we have to do is accept His way! Once we are reborn into the Spirit of God, then we can have day-to-day fellowship with Him. It is not some craziness and a universal lie of all Christians....it is the TRUTH....but one cannot know it until they are "born again." Until we are born of the Spirit, and baptized into Jesus' death (allowing Him to pay for our sin once and for all)...a relationship with God seems like complete foolishness. Trust me, it was to me before I learned the truth.



Many people would argue that Christians can't be the only ones who know God, or that talk to God. What about Muslims? They know Allah, right? I would venture to say (based on scripture) that Muslims do not have a personal relationship with Allah. They pray, they seek to please him, but their salvation is based on works....like every other religion except Christianity. For Christians, salvation comes from God alone....as a free gift of His mercy and grace. We cannot earn salvation through our works. There is absolutely NOTHING we can do to earn our way into God's Presence (heaven). It just isn't possible. But God made the way to Him very easy. He said all you have to do is confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior, that He rose from the dead, and that you believe that salvation comes only through Him. Then Christ pays the penalty for your sin once and for all....just like He knew He would while He hung on the cross. He knew exactly why he was doing that....and it was worth it to Him.



I don't know about you, but I have struggled in the past with the idea that God of the Universe would die for ME, personally. Die for the wickedness, iniquity and sin of the world....MAYBE. But ME....poor, weak, crazy old me? It is so easy for us to feel distant from God, and believe that He just did a universal act of kindness when He died for us....but how many times have you really thought about how personally God knows you? When He died, it was for ALL, but it was for YOU personally. He wants to spend an eternity with YOU....and He was willing to do anything to make that happen. There is just one catch. Like a person that you fall in love with, who may or may not love you back.....you must wait for them to decide to return your love....or even accept it. There are people in the world who are in one-sided relationships simply because they are still hoping that other person will change their mind and love them back! That is how God is before you accept Him. He is the stalking (but loving) person who wants your full love, heart and devotion, and will give up at nothing to get it. He will not give up on you accepting Him until you die, when He simply has to accept that you did not love him back. He waits patiently for your heart to turn to Him, and utter those words....accepting Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He wants to be to you in the future....and asking for His forgiveness for turning your back on Him in sin. Then He forgives you, gives you His Holy Spirit to teach you and guide you, and carries you through to eternity. What could possibly be holding you back?



You say..."I just don't believe that Jesus was God." There is nothing I can do to change your mind. I can tell you all day long that Jesus was the Son of God, that He died for my sins and yours, and that He will take me into heaven to be with Him, but it takes faith and His revelation to your heart of how much you need Him. Then, I CAN promise you that your life will NEVER be the same.



There are a couple scriptures which tell us this truth:



1 Peter 3:18 (NASB):



"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit."



Romans 5:8 (NASB):



"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."



John 3:16 (NIV):


"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."



Christ died on the cross for YOU. Will you accept His act of love today? Maybe you even want to return to Him by giving Him your life.....and receiving His eternal salvation? Think about it!





Loving my Savior Jesus,



Sarah