The Road to Eternal Life

The eternal life granted to followers of Jesus Christ is not simply a never-ending existence; it is an unending life of acquaintance with God in Christ.

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”  Colossians 3:16 (NASB)

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Let this be a time of worship to God.  Pray each prayer and add your own personal message to God.  Read each scripture as though reading it for the first time – listen carefully for the voice of God.  Listen to each song paying close attention to the lyrics provided.  These songs were carefully chosen.  Even if the music is not your favorite style of music, know that the musicians performing are sincerely making music to the Lord.  Try to feel the passion in their words and their musical expression.  Give thought to the message presented and confirm the truth therein by opening your Bible and taking some time to do your own personal study.  May you be greatly blessed.

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Let’s Pray Together

Heavenly Father, we stand in your presence in awe of your awesome power and love.  We seek that which is your will in our lives and look forward to the return of your Son Jesus Christ.  Please Father, wrap your arms around each of us and provide for us all of our needs.  Forgive us Father, for all of our mistakes and failures in our pursuit of righteousness.  Develop in us the ability to also forgive those who disrupt our lives.  Open our eyes Father, to the enemy who is in pursuit of our souls.  Let us see clearly the evil trying to control our lives so that we can avoid destruction.  We offer this prayer in the Holy name of Jesus.  Amen.

The Road to Eternal Life

The eternal life granted to followers of Jesus Christ is not simply a never-ending existence; it is an unending life of acquaintance with God in Christ.  This free gift granted through the grace of God is available to all who place their faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus as payment for their sins.  Death is the penalty for our sinful nature; God has provided us with a way to erase all sin thereby overcoming death just as Jesus conquered his own death on the cross.  If you are a believer, you already understand this truth and this message should be a sweet reminder of your salvation.  This message is also an opportunity for you to share the gospel with a friend.  If you have not yet trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, spend the next few minutes with an open heart and carefully consider your next move.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  John 17:3 (NASB)

This first step to knowing Jesus is to admit your sinful nature.  We all have a built-in selfish point of view that we have to contend with on a daily basis.  It is this inborn passion for self-preservation that tends to push us toward lying, cheating, and stealing whenever we think we can get away with it.  We need Jesus to help us move beyond our selfish desires and help us to love one another and serve God by serving others, rather than our own personal gain.  Jesus is not hard to find.  If you are sincerely looking for him, all you have to do is turn away from your sinful nature and open your heart.

Allow this song to speak to your heart:

Turn Around – Matt Maher

Young man on the side of the road

Lost and beat up with nowhere to go

Smells like a hangover from days ago

He does what he can to survive

Single mom with a dead end job

Ninety hour week just to keep what she’s got

With the bills that add up and now she’s caught

She does what she can to survive

Well, let me say

That love won’t take away the pain

But don’t be afraid

‘Cause it will never walk away

If you’re scared that you don’t matter

If you’re lost and need to be found

If you’re looking for a Savior

All you gotta do is turn around

Some turn to a bottle

Some turn to a drug

Some turn to another’s arms

But it seems like it’s never enough

Well I won’t say

That you will ever fail again

But there is grace

To wash away your every sin

If you’re scared that you don’t matter

If you’re lost and need to be found

If you’re looking for a Savior

All you gotta do is turn around

No one listens to you anymore

And your heart has broken down, you don’t need to move

Love has come to you, all you gotta do is turn around

All you gotta do is turn around, turn around

You don’t have to

Take the broken road

You can turn around

And come back home

You don’t have to

Take the broken road

You can turn around

And come back home

You don’t have to

Take the broken road

You can turn around

And come back home

If you’re scared that you don’t matter

If you’re lost and need to be found

If you’re looking for a Savior

All you gotta do is turn around

No one listens to you anymore

And your heart has broken down, you don’t need to move

Love has come to you, all you gotta do is turn around

All you gotta do is turn around, turn around

Jesus Loves You

Right before Jesus began his ministry, John the Baptist traveled from town-to-town urging people to repent – turn from their sin – and be baptized as a symbol of that transformation.  John’s mission was to prepare the way for Jesus.  When Jesus finally appeared in his presence, John said this:

“The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  John 1:29 (NASB)

In the Old Testament of the Bible, God instructed his people to sacrifice a perfect lamb for the forgiveness of their sins.  John the Baptist was now announcing Jesus to be a form of sacrificial lamb that would not only forgive sins, but completely take sins away.

Precisely how blood is used to forgive sins or take them away is not explained in any detailed way in the Bible.  What we do know is that blood is our life force provided to us by God.  And those things that God has established to be sin are an indication that we have turned away from God to satisfy our selfish desire.  The shed blood of an animal was intended to remind us of who God is and bring us back to living for him rather than ourselves.

The shed blood of Jesus was profoundly different than the blood of animals.  Jesus, the perfect Son of God, was the ultimate sacrifice, whose shed blood removes completely the sins of those who believe in him.  This permanence is the result of believers dedicating their life to following the teachings of Jesus – thereby never losing sight of God our Creator.

“You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”  1 Peter 1:18-19 (NASB)

Praise God for sending his Son!  Praise Jesus for having the courage to be nailed to a cross on our behalf.  Jesus is and was completely one with God, however, he was also completely a man who felt every minute of pain as he was beaten and hung on the cross.  Jesus endured this pain because of his enormous love for all of God’s creation.

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13 (NASB)

We are provided with this salvation through the grace of God – in other words, as sinners we do not deserve God’s favor, yet out of his great love he provides it anyway, through faith in the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

Allow this song to speak to your heart:

This Is Amazing Grace – Bethel Music

Who breaks the power of sin and darkness

Whose love is mighty and so much stronger

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder

Who leaves us breathless in awe and wonder

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

This is amazing grace

This is unfailing love

That You would take my place

That You would bear my cross

You laid down Your life

That I would be set free

Jesus, I sing for

All that You’ve done for me

Who brings our chaos back into order

Who makes the orphan a son and daughter

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

Who rules the nations with truth and justice

Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

This is amazing grace

This is unfailing love

That You would take my place

That You would bear my cross

You laid down Your life

That I would be set free

Jesus, I sing for

All that You’ve done for me

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

Worthy is the King who conquered the grave

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

Worthy is the King who conquered the grave

Jesus Came for Everyone

Those of us who are followers of Jesus have an obligation to share the gospel at every opportunity.  Like Jesus, we are called to spread the good news about salvation to anyone willing to listen.  It is not up to us to judge who is worthy of the message and who is not – everyone is in need of salvation.

“Many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him.”  Mark 2:15 (NASB)

Jesus did not discriminate; all were welcome at his table.  When questioned about the company he kept Jesus answered with this:

“Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Mark 2:17 (NASB)

If you have not yet trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior He is lovingly waiting for you to join Him at the table.  If you are already a believer, Jesus is waiting for you to bring your lost friends to the table and for you to reach out to those you have been neglecting.  We are all sinners.  We are all in need of Jesus.

Allow this song to speak to your heart:

Jesus, Friend Of Sinners – Casting Crowns

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away.

We cut down people in Your name,

But the sword was never ours to swing

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth’s become so hard to see.

The world is on their way to You,

But they’re tripping over me.

Always looking around but never looking up. I’m so double-minded.

A blank-eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided.

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners,

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers.

Let our hearts be led by mercy.

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors.

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners,

Break our hearts for what breaks Yours.

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who’s writing in the sand.

May the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands.

Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves.

Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees.

Nobody knows what we’re for. Only what we’re against when we judge the wounded.

What if we put down our signs, crossed over the lines and loved like You did?

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners,

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers.

Let our hearts be led by mercy.

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors.

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours.

You love every lost cause.

You reach for the outcast,

For the leper and the lame.

They’re the reason that You came.

Lord I was that lost cause,

And I was the outcast,

But You died for sinners just like me,

A grateful leper at Your feet.

‘Cause You are good,

You are good,

And Your love endures forever.

You are good,

You are good,

And Your love endures forever

You are good,

You are good,

And Your love endures forever.

You are good,

You are good,

And Your love endures forever.

Jesus, friend of sinners,

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers.

Let our hearts be led by mercy.

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors.

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours.

And I was the lost cause,

And I was the outcast.

You died for sinners just like me,

A grateful leper at Your feet.

Thank you for spending this time worshiping God.

His door is now open to you.  You are in God’s presence.  Don’t leave without Him.  Keep Him with you throughout your day.

Go in peace.

All scripture references are linked to Bible Gateway so that you can read each verse in context.  Bible Gateway allows you to change the verse to your favorite translation and compare it side-by-side with multiple translations.  In addition, you can select to hear an audio version of any verse by clicking on the speaker icon.  Keep the Bible Gateway App on your phone so that you can visit the Word of God at any time during your day.

Trusting Jesus