new life from an old rugged cross

The second time we went roller-blading Kyle fell backwards and got hurt and shook up, so we haven’t been back yet. But we did go biking again. And plus we’ve been so busy, almost to the point of being frantic and stressed. Oh wait a minute, we ARE stressed!!! How can it be that we have so much to do that we can’t get caught up? Between VBS and church responsibilities, sponsoring the World yoyo contest, Ryan’s concert preparation, finishing up Kyle’s high school transcript, and just life in general, we haven’t had much time to do normal things like clean and vacuum. The house is a disaster everywhere I look and that stresses me out big time. Oh well, I’m sure I will have plenty of free time once the boys head off to GBC. Then the house will be clean but I will be lonely. I think that’s how it works, right?

So I’ve been thinking about the fragility of life. It doesn’t matter our ages necessarily. A young person can slip from us just as quickly as an older person. Accidents, disease, death... all part of the curse that was handed down to us from Adam because of his original sin. We live in a world full of sin and corruption, death and dying, sickness and pain. No one is immune from sin’s effects on the earth. We are all fallen creatures, born with a sin nature doomed to an eternity in hell. Thank God that Jesus Christ made a way for us to be reconciled back to God like the way things were meant to be in the Garden of Eden. God saw our sin and allowed His precious only Son to die a sacrificial death to pay the total bill to cover it all. Our sin debt is PAID IN FULL when we trust in Christ! How much easier can it get? There is nothing difficult to do to guarantee your eternity in heaven with God.

It reminds me of the account of Naaman in 2 Kings. Naaman thought he was so cool...even though he had leprosy. He went to the prophet Elisha’s house to get cured. But when Elisha sent his servant out and told him to go dunk in the stinky old Jordan River he was highly offended and stormed off in a rage. Naaman’s servant basically told him what a fool he was for refusing to do what he needed to do. I mean, come on, Naaman, all you gotta do is this one simple little thing and then you will be cleansed completely from your leprosy, but you are too stubborn and self-righteous!!

See, that is how people look at true Christianity. They think, “Aw, this salvation stuff is for the birds. Who needs it?” Then their hearts are filled with anger and bitterness just like Naaman because they were too stubborn to do the one simple little thing that is required, and that is to believe what God said. Stubborn folks may have been taught all their lives that all people are basically good and everyone goes to heaven, but deep inside they have no assurance of their eternal destiny. (you can't have assurance in a lie)

God says all people are sinners. God says we all need a Savior if we want to have everlasting life with Him. God says He has provided us a Savior if we will just believe it and accept Christ’s payment on the cross.

To every lost soul who reads this, please remember that you are not promised another day on this earth. The next breath could be your last. What happens then? You can be sure right this minute if you will only believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day.

The Old Rugged Cross

John 3:16 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.