Good News!

I have news for you that could completely change your life for all of eternity! It changed mine when I was 12 years old and I hope it will speak to you too! Let me give you some backstory first…

In the beginning God created all things! He created all mankind to be perfect and live in harmony with him [Genesis 1-2].

But…there’s some bad news...Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent and brought sin into the world. This separated us from God [Genesis 3].

The rest of the Old Testament is full of so many stories of followers of God and His promises to them, those who disobeyed God and their punishments, and the best of all prophecies of a Messiah [See Genesis through Malachi].

The New Testament begins with the story of a baby who would forever be praised. Mary and Joseph bore a son in Bethlehem named Jesus [Luke 2]! Jesus grew up to be a man who started performing miracles and gaining disciples. Unfortunately, a mean man, a.k.a. Pontius Pilate, sentenced him to death on a cross [John 19]. Jesus died and was put into a borrowed tomb guarded by Roman soldiers. Hold on to your seat because it’s about to get good!

Three days later, though, when Mary and Mary Magdalene went to mourn at his tomb it was empty! Jesus had risen!! For the next 40 days Jesus appeared to many and then descended into heaven.

So what does all this mean??

Like I said in the beginning, we were made to be perfect, but because of sin we are separated from God. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

But, because God loved us so much he sent His Son to die in our place. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” Because we sin we are to die, but Jesus took our place on the cross. So what is this “gift”? Glad you asked!

Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” How awesome is that!

By believing in God you can receive His gift of salvation! This gift comes with some awesome benefits like living a life with a joy and peace you can only have with Christ, living for something bigger than yourself, and giving God the glory for the many blessings He will grant you, not to mention eternal life in heaven!

Now I’m not saying it’s easy living for Christ, there will be some hard times, but be encouraged by Jesus’s words to His disciples in Matthew 28:19-20 when he said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”

I hope this message spoke to you!

Blessings,

Chelsea