This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.

2 John 6

As Christians, we are called to obey God’s Word—the Bible. The whole thing. “That’s a lot of stuff,” you’re probably thinking. But, during His earthly ministry, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ summed up everything into two rules: Love the Lord God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34-40). On one hand, there are just two “simple” commandments…but on the other hand, they truly do encompass the rest of the Bible—and it’s a definite challenge to stay on track.

But there’s very good news: First, when we choose to surrender our lives to Jesus, accepting His free gift of salvation by grace, we are immediately given the Holy Spirit to live in us, empowering us to walk the walk of obedience. We’re not traveling alone, in our own effort!

Second, we are called to step-by-step faith. Sometimes, when we have our eye on the long game, the thought of traveling there in perfect stride the whole way can be really overwhelming. Plus, most times, God doesn’t necessarily give us the “big picture” of His will—but He will give us the first step…and this is where we can have confidence. The first step of faith is what He wants of us. Look at Abraham. He was called to go. He was promised an inheritance, but wasn’t told where to go. God told him to step out in faith, and he did (Hebrews 11:8-10).  

Finally, as long as we’re living in this broken world, housed in our decaying body, we will not—cannot—be perfectly obedient. We will sin and fall short. I always get encouraged by the Apostle Paul. His transformation after his encounter with Jesus was amazing. He went from persecuting and overseeing the death of Christians to being the evangelist of all evangelists (and being persecuted himself). He was brilliant and passionate and dedicated to bringing as many people to Jesus as he could. He set a very high bar. But even Paul wrote about how he did what he didn’t want to do (sin) and didn’t do what he knew he should (Romans 7:14-25).  

Picture obedience to God’s Word as walking on a stone path (a path laid upon the narrow road we first stepped upon at salvation). As we walk toward our eternal Home, we will trip up. We’ll place our foot to the right or the left of the stones. We may even meander or backtrack a bit. But, dear friends, we must keep putting one foot in front of the other, with love of God and love for others as our guide. Let’s keep moving in the direction of obedience. 

Lord, obedience to You is love. As I make my way Home, thank You for the Holy Spirit and Your Word to help me walk in a way that glorifies You.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

The “end times” began the moment Jesus ascended into heaven, right after He gave His disciples the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). And it has lasted over 2000 years, with each generation believing that the Lord would soon return. This is a good thing, as this anticipation has motivated Christians to live as if Christ will come back at any moment—an attitude that keeps us focused on the things of heaven and, hopefully, makes us evangelism-minded. But now, as my pastor says often, “we are at the end of the end times.”

Is this the “worst” things have been since Jesus walked this earth? Well, I can confidently say that it’s most certainly more terrible than I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. As a U.S. citizen who has been relatively aware through my teen years and adulthood of national and global goings on, I believe that the Apostle Paul’s list in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is clearly manifest. Just looking at America through the lens of those verses (“lovers of self, lovers of money, abusive, ungrateful slanderous, without self-control, brutal, treacherous, lovers of pleasure…”), I see a very different country than the one I grew up in.

If there was a coin that was, on one side, printed with “The end is near,” what would be on the flip side? For believers and unbelievers alike, it would clearly be inscribed: “The time is now.”

For believers: The time is now to focus on the Gospel truth. With cultural “realities” now arguable on every side and “truth” having become relative and individualized, we must know God’s Word (the Bible) and stand firm on it. To know the absolute Truth of God means we are less likely to be deceived by the lies of the enemy. The time is now to be faithful in word and action, living out God’s Truth to be a shining light in the ever-growing darkness. And the time is now to share God’s Truth with others. With illness and death in the forefront each day, people are thinking more and more about what will happen to them after death. We, brothers and sisters, have the answer.

For unbelievers: The time is now to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. No one denies that we live in a broken world full of broken people. And that brokenness (sin) separates us from a relationship with God. But God sent His Son into the world to live the perfect life we cannot live, die on the cross to pay the penalty we deserve, and rise victorious over sin and death. Accepting this gift of grace restores our relationship with God, so we will live forever in His holy presence. 

Friend, we don’t know exactly when the “end times” will end. But whether Jesus comes back for His followers today, next year, or 1000 years from now, the “end is near” because our own end is near—the going death rate for humanity is 100%. So, if you know the Truth, live it and share. But if you’re unsure what death will bring, please accept the Truth of Jesus Christ. The time is now.

Lord, the global situation seems to be pointing to your imminent return. May I be bold and unashamed to share Your Truth with others.

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

We adopted a new dog a little over a year ago. Her name is Caroline, and she is probably about five years old—but no one really knows, because all her remaining teeth are little nubs. (The vet has told us it’s from being kept in a cage and incessantly chewing on the bars.) Anyway, what we do know is that she’d been in shelters and foster homes for about a year before we adopted her, after being picked up in pretty bad shape from a life on the streets. We don’t know how long she was homeless, but she was rescued with two of her puppies that were already teenagers. One of her back legs had been badly injured—probably broken after being hit by a car—and the way the bones healed left that leg about three inches shorter than the others.

It took a few months for her to get used to us—and for our other middle-aged dog, Bella, to stop trying to eat her. But Caroline is super-snuggly and affectionate, and she turned out to be the perfect addition to our family. She’s scarred up and a little wonky, and she can be pretty anxious.

But there’s one thing that’s particularly noticeable about this sweet little dog: she is always just so happy to be here. Her tail is always wagging—which actually also wags that back leg that hangs a few inches above the ground. (It’s quite adorable.) Her eyes are bright and shine with a noticeable gratefulness. 

What an amazing lesson for us broken, scarred, and slightly wonky people who have been rescued by the grace of Jesus Christ. Like Caroline, we were all once lost in this world. Many of us—including myself—were caged by besetting sin, seeking ways to get out…but these efforts often caused more self-damage than freedom. Some of us may even carry permanent scars from the bad choices we made. 

But God did not leave us in our brokenness. He sent Jesus, His Son, to pay the penalty for our sin and declare victory over death (John 3:16). When we accepted this gift of grace, we were given a new life—made a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We were transferred out of darkness into marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) and made citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20)! Like Caroline, we have a new family, a new home. 

When we wake up each morning, we may not exactly jump around with glee, goofily roll around on our backs, and want to immediately hit the outdoors in full-on discovery mode. But, sweet friends, do we open our eyes to the wonder of a new day—a fresh gift from God, full of new mercies and potential? As we go about our day, do we bask in the wonder and beauty of God’s amazing creation? Are we overflowing with gratefulness for the eternal hope we have as a child of God?

Life is challenging right now for every one of us. But, as followers of Jesus Christ, we have joy unspeakable to which we can cling each day—despite the relentless bad news from the media. We have a Savior who will never leave us or forsake us, no matter how long we are isolated from others. Despite the vitriol and divisiveness in our culture and world, we have the Prince of Peace. 

Lord, help me to be thankful at all times, in all circumstances, appreciating the multitude of gifts you lay out in front of me each day.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.  

Matthew 16:24

Back in the 1970s and 80s, the lemon-lime soda brand 7UP had a very popular tagline that immediately boosted sales of the fledgling pop: The uncola. The marketing firm that came up with the campaign pitted its light flavor and lack of caffeine against the opposing qualities of the very popular cola brands. Coke and Pepsi were the standard—still are, really. (In fact, 7UP has all but faded away to its lemon-lime competitors like Sprite.)

This fun fact came to mind when I was thinking about Jesus’ words to His disciples, found in three of the four Gospels: “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23; Mark 8:34). Can there be any stronger words than these in direct contradiction to our “me” culture? From the self-love (self-esteem) movement to ubiquitous social media selfies, “What’s in it for me?” seems to be the bottom-line modus operandi for most people these days. But, here, Jesus is exhorting us to embrace “unself” living.

Did you know, friend, that love of self is Satan’s top Rule for Life? When we seek to fill our lives with pleasures of the flesh and earthly pursuits, our focus will remain on ourselves. Our enemy loves that. And self-obsession makes a natural progression to pride, which precariously teeters on the edge of a big fall—Satan knows that, because he lived that outcome. (Self-obsession can also take a darker turn into depression—either way, Satan will be doing a happy dance.) I can almost see his mouth drooling as he watches us stomp our feet to get things “our way” and, to that end, turn to people, things, social media, and substances (and even to hatred and vitriolic divisiveness) to attempt to meet that need.

But when we accept the free gift of salvation—the finished work of Jesus that paid the full price for our redemption—it’s not about us anymore. We no longer live in the flesh, for ourselves. We live, by faith, for the Son of God who loved us so much that He gave Himself for us, dying and rising again in victory on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 2:20; John 3:16). In response to being made a new creation, completely righteous in God’s eyes, we surrender to His will for our lives. (Note, sweet friends, that pursuing God’s will versus our wants is not to “earn” God’s love—it’s our response to being made His child.)

When we are emptied of self, we can be filled with (surrendered to) the Holy Spirit, Who is given to us at the moment of salvation to live in us as our promise, counselor, and guide. This results in a fruity life (check out Galatians 5:22-23)! And when we come to the end of ourselves, our precious Lord can use us in big ways to serve others for His glory and to be a light pointing to Him.

And our dark, selfish world can definitely use more “unself” right now. 

Lord, help me to daily empty myself of “me-ness” and surrender more fully to You. Let my life reflect less of me and more of You.

But You, O LORD are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head. 

Psalm 3:3

I don’t know about you, but it’s really easy (albeit, somewhat necessary) for me to keep my head down and just move forward through each day. I stay focused on the task at hand, from when my eyes open until they close again at night. And if I have no task, per se, my intentional efforts are to find distracting activity or amusement. (Picture those three monkeys, one covering its eyes, one its ears, and one its mouth…that about sums it all up.)

Because when I look around these days, I’m bombarded by fear mongering, mental and emotional assaults, unconscionable lies, and ludicrous irrationality—not to mention vitriolic hatred and divisiveness that is being purposefully generated.

The problem, though, with keeping our heads down in focused diversion, avoidance, and self-protection is that it can eventually lead to head-hanging discouragement. As believers, we know we are to keep our eyes on the Lord, acknowledging we are not of this world—we are citizens of heaven through the gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. We know this, but oh, how challenging it can be sometimes to lift our eyes to the Father.

Praise God that He is the lifter of our heads when our chins seem heavily weighed down! When we are pressed in on every side and feeling stuck in the mire dredged up by the enemy, the Lord is our shield and rescuer! Psalm 3 is just one of the beautiful prayer-songs written by David eloquently expressing what we may not be able to—but need so desperately. 

We can cry out to the Lord, as David does in this Psalm (and many others), saying, “Lord, enemies are rising up, surrounding me, telling me all is lost. But You, Lord, protect me. You lift my head, so I can keep my eyes on You. You give me peace, so I can rest at night. Each day, I know you’ll sustain me—I don’t have to fear men…what can they do to me, anyway? You are the Righteous Judge of all, my God, and You will strike down Your enemies. Salvation is of You, as well…and blessed are those who run to you for safety.”

Sisters and brothers, let’s not allow the enemy to discourage us. It’s his favorite and most effective tool, really. Remember, moment by moment, that the Lord is on His throne. Nothing is taking Him by surprise. Yes, our eyes must remain on Him—our Hope. But when you (and I) are so burdened and heavy-ladened that your view consists of dirt and rocks, cling to the Truth that God is the lifter of your head.

“Lord, You are the King of kings. Although the battle rages, You have won the war. Thank You for being the Strong Tower into which we can run and be safe. Thank you for keeping my chin up when, in my own power, I cannot.”

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35

My memory isn’t great—and it’s not just because I’ve surpassed that big 5-0 mark. Ask my friends from high school and college, and they’ll tell you that whenever we’ve gotten together through the years to reminisce, I’m usually the one who shakes her head and says, “Nope, I don’t recall that.” But play a song from 1982 that I haven’t heard in 30 years, and I will be able to sing every word. 

That being said, when I was reading John’s gospel recently and got to verses 34 and 35 of chapter 13, a song I learned in elementary school came rushing back—tambourines and all. (I spent seven years in Catholic school, so my peeps out there can give me an “Amen” to the tambourines…although, there aren’t any “Amen” shoutouts during Mass. But I digress.) The song is “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” (Hoping to find it the 70s version on YouTube, I discovered that the song has actually been recently remade. Sadly, no tambourines.)

Anyway, the lyrics tout unity among brothers and sisters in Christ, asserting that believers will recognize each other by the love we have for one another. This brotherly/sisterly love is a reflection of the love Jesus has for us—love He ultimately displayed through His death and resurrection for our salvation. 

Have you ever started chatting with a stranger, say at Walmart or the tire store, and just recognized a certain something in them—a light perhaps, or an unmistakable spirit-level connection? That’s Christian love. An attraction we have toward God’s people. It’s pretty cool, actually.

But more than that, we are called to love these brothers and sisters out of obedience…even if we don’t like them very much. And our Apostle friend John had a lot to say about this too. “If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20). Ouch. This love is also evidence of our reconciliation with God: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him” (1 John 3:14-15).

Many years ago, I read a cool saying (it would actually make a great tattoo): “Be the moon. Reflect the Son.” God loved us so much, He gave His only Son so we could have eternal life (John 3:16). So, how about it, friend? When we meet brothers and sisters in Christ (from strangers to Sunday School classmates), let’s demonstrate reflective love. 

Lord, may I “be the moon” as I interact with Your children—my brothers and sisters—and love them in response to Your love for me.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:4-7

Confession time: I’ve been very anxious lately. From macro to micro, there’s a lot going on that can take me down a hole of worry, which can easily lead to fear and, ultimately, to the darkness of discouragement. Various issues with my children, work (or lack thereof), escalating inflation, the loss of our nation as we’ve known it…I could easily curl up in a ball with a package of Oreos and cry.

And I know I’m not alone. What about you? Are you feeling the weight of more worry than usual? Have you perhaps started the descent to depression or discouragement?

Brothers and sisters, God is sovereign. He is in control, regardless of what our circumstances imply. The Bible is very clear that we are in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12), and the god of this world (Satan) is out to destroy us (1 Peter 5:8). One of the enemy’s greatest weapons is discouragement! It can lead to doubting—or even hating—God, as well as taking us down paths of self-destructive behaviors. And what better plan of attack than for him to plant seeds of worry and anxiety to get the whole ball rolling?

This world is dark, for sure, but we are not of this world (John 15:19)! Our faith in Jesus has already rescued us—transferring us from darkness into glorious light (1 Peter 2:9; Colossians 1:13). We are children of God and citizens of heaven (Ephesians 1:5; Philippians 3:20). What can man—or Satan—do to us (Psalm 56:11; Hebrews 13:6; Matthew 10:28)? What better reasons to rejoice?!

And while we keep our eyes on our beautiful Savior, let’s also stay rooted in the Truth of God’s Word, so when the wind and waves pummel us, we will stand firm—bending, but never breaking. For instance, “let us consider it all joy, when we encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance” (James 1:2-3). And “let us rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)! Finally, “may the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Ah, I needed that—how about you? 

Lord, You are working all things together for Your purpose. Help me keep my eyes on You, trusting in You, and letting go of the worries of this life for the hope I have in You.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

Romans 16:17-18

Have you ever stayed in an Airbnb? With a couple exceptions, our experiences have been great. The places are typically very well kept, beautifully decorated, and completely void of anything that may reflect the personal characteristics of the owner (other than their sense of style). We recently spent a long weekend out of town, making someone’s Airbnb home our base for the trip. Interestingly, the walls, bookshelves, and even kitchen mugs revealed quite a bit about our host. 

As I perused the place upon our arrival, I was excited to see decorative Bible verses hung in several rooms. I said to my husband, “Oh! A fellow believer lives here!” (The connection between Christians, seen/unseen, known/unknown, is always a spiritual joy.) And then I noticed a small bookshelf in the living area holding about 25 books, the spines neatly lined up as if awaiting appraisal. There was C.S. Lewis (a solid theologian) and Lee Strobel (a stellar apologist). Yay! But as my eyes moved to other titles and authors, my soul deflated. Joyce Meyer. Rick Warren. The Shack. (Yep, I did that. I just named names.)

Without going into the theological details (because you can—and should—do your own deep-dive into current popular teachers), I will use this bookshelf discovery to underscore that there are waves of deception flooding the current Christian culture. Today, as in the First-Century Church, people are turning away from sound doctrine. They are gathering teachers around them to say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Tim 4:3-4).

You see, now—as in the beginning of human history—the enemy’s goal is to either (1) keep people from turning to God or (2) keep believers lukewarm in their faith. The first goal seems pretty easy right now, considering how humanistic and idolatrous people are (just watch the news for five minutes…or spend two minutes on TikToc or Instagram). But what about creating and maintaining “lukewarm” Christians? Seems fairly doable too. When a Christian doesn’t look any different than the world, he or she simply isn’t a threat to Satan. Think about those small group “fellowships” that include drinking games or the woke churches flaunting pride flags and BLM signs. Believers are meant to shine as a light in the darkness (Phil 2:15) and not conformed to what’s happening around us (Rom 12:2). We are not to be of this world—and, because of that, we’ll be hated by the world (John 15:19). If we are loved by the world, something is amiss (and Satan is a happy camper). 

Moreover, the enemy can keep Christians from getting in his way if they are misled by false teachers and twisted doctrine. Remember, Satan’s first lie ever to humans was, “Did God really say…?” He’s still at it today, and he takes great advantage of the fact that many Christians don’t know God’s Word well enough to answer back with confidence. Friend, we must know the Truth of the Bible so we can recognize the lies. Otherwise, when that cultural wave rolls in, we’ll simply be swept away.

Lord, Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path. May I grow in knowledge and understanding, able to stand firm on the Truth in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.       

Romans 8:5-6

What is your mind set on—the things of this world or the things of God? Are you constantly pursuing the next dollar, promotion, or feel-good activity? Is the culture driving what you watch, how you interact on social media, and your water-cooler conversations? Or do you follow the directives found in God’s Word, from the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:2-7) to the Greatest Commandment (Matt 22:36-40)? Are you, as the Apostle Paul exhorts, keeping your mind on what is true, right, pure, and praiseworthy (Phil 4:8)?

How we answer these questions is crucial. Not just in determining our level of peace and contentment in this life, but also in deciding our eternal reality. 

Let me start with a story. I once heard about a man who was visiting Israel when he came upon sheep being herded across a pasture. The man asked his friend, “I thought shepherds led sheep, yet these are being driven.” The guide responded, “Oh, that’s not the shepherd. That’s the butcher.”

This is a perfect analogy for Christians. The Lord—or Good Shepherd—carries us and gently leads us (Isaiah 40:11), He leads us beside still waters of refreshment (Psalm 23:1-6), and He laid down His life for us (John 10:11-17).

Once saved by grace through faith in Jesus, we are not left on our own to navigate our new life in Christ—to wander through this evil world whose god is the enemy of our soul. We are given the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us. He gives us wisdom and counsel, and He convicts us when redirection is needed. 

But friend, we have a choice. We can ignore this gentle guidance. Instead, we can think, speak, and live as the rest of the world does—driven by the lusts of the flesh and the old, natural man. Although we each are made a new creation at salvation (2 Cor 5:17), complete transformation is a lifelong process until ultimate perfection when we see Jesus face to face (2 Cor 3:18). This process (“sanctification”) requires that we constantly renew our minds (Rom 12:2) and not conform to the world’s quest to satisfy selfish desires of the flesh—things like sexual impurity, jealousy, fits of rage, ambition, drunkenness, and putting anything before God (Gal 5:13-21).

See, Satan (who is very real, by the way) hates you. He follows behind you, nudging you on with promises of fulfillment and selfish gratification. But he’s really only driving you toward your earthly—and eternal—destruction.

It’s a real battle. We can be led by the Spirit or driven by the world. We can either give in to pride and the want for pleasures, or we can surrender to the One who loves us—giving up our old ways and giving Him our burdens. 

So, who will you choose today—the Shepherd or the butcher?

“Lord, You have given us all we need to live this life for You—the Holy Spirit in us! May we yield to Him with every thought, word, and action.”

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43

I went to a funeral the other day. And it was a time of deep grief, sorrow, and wishful thinking.

We’ve known him his whole life. Through various traditions, our families spent special times together over the past decades, despite any geographical distances. This kind, creative, wholly unique (and somewhat mischievous) young man was well loved by everyone who crossed his path. Stories were shared that brought laughter at the remembrance, as well as admiration at his outside-the-box perception of life. 

But the day was blanketed with tears and sadness. His life was like an amazing firework that was lit 23 years ago, emblazoning the sky with a glorious light show, only to quickly burn out, leaving us wanting for more.

The church service, however, did not celebrate the confident hope of Heaven—that, as the Bible promises, “to be absent from the body (is) to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:7-8). Despite the cross at the front of the church, the message given was an antithesis to the Truth found in God’s Word. The robed man delivering the sermon spoke of uncertainties. The “hope” he did share was built not on the solid foundation of the finished work of Christ, but on the shifting sands of church traditions originated to delude and fleece believers.

“Is he in heaven? I don’t know,” the robed man said. “But he is likely in purgatory, being purified for Heaven.” He stated that because of our sin in life, we are not perfected at death to enter into God’s glorious Kingdom. The man went on to tell the crowd of tear-stained faces that action was required—we must pray the departed soul through that time of purification in order for him to be perfected for Heaven. 

There was a depiction of Jesus on the cross right in front of the congregation. And I wanted to shout, “You’ve got it wrong! Yes, we are sinners, and our unrighteousness forbids us to stand in the presence of a Holy God. But Jesus! Jesus died on that cross and rose again, defeating sin and death! Through His action—not ours—we are made perfect when we accept the gift of grace through faith.” 

Jesus, although mentioned throughout the service, was not proclaimed as Savior, Conqueror, King or the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It is the responsibility of those of us left behind (along with our prayers to Mary, Jesus’ mother, and other “saints”), he said, to help usher this young man into God’s presence. 

Friends, this is not so! No work on our behalf is required—He did it all. No penalty is owed—He paid it. No post-death suffering must be endured—His suffering was sufficient. This is the Gospel—the GOOD NEWS! 

We are all separated from God by our sin. But Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived the perfect life we could not live and died to take the punishment we deserve. He rose again, defeating sin and death. And when we surrender to Jesus, He exchanges our rags for His righteousness, so that we can live eternally with Him. (Romans 5:8; 6:23; 8:1; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 John 4:10)

You can have confident hope—knowledge that this life is fleeting, and upon death, you’ll be in the eternal presence of the Lord. Won’t you accept the free gift of salvation—of soul restoration—provided by Jesus? 

Lord, thank You that You paid the price for our sin, and that by Your grace through faith we can stand in Your presence immediately upon death, fully righteous because of Jesus.