Come Home

I was sitting here on TikTok and something told me to go to my notepad on my phone so I did and just started typing. I had no idea what I was about to write but I just started typing. I know that God speaks to me through my writing. A lot of people tell me that I have a gift when it comes to writing and I think they're correct for two reasons: the words truly just flow when I'm writing and when I get done and read it later I think "Where did that come from?" 

So, if youre still reading, this is what I was left with in my notepad on my phone:

Whether you've been a Christian 30 years...

Whether you've never been to church a day in your life....

Whether you think you're too far gone...

Whether you've sinned 3 seconds ago...

Whether you've tried to gain salvation through works and fell short...

Whether you've sworn you were going to "get right" with God for years but just haven't...

Whether you know God has placed a calling on your life but have been too fearful to begin...

Whether if no one in your family goes to church, so you know they would look at you crazy if you started going alone....

Whether you're currently in prison, whether that be physically or spiritual...

We are all lost and in need of a Savior. If you think you can manage to craft a good enough life and somehow make it into heaven by simply "being a good person" - you would be incorrect. By this logic, you'll never be satisfied and you'll always end up knowing something is missing deep down. The Bible says that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. You might say, "Well that sounds depressing and that doesn't make me feel good, so I'm going to keep scrolling" and that would be your choice to make..but what if I told you that that simple fact can give you a sense of od relief. It didn't say that only you have sinned - it says that everyone has. We are all in the same boat when it comes to needing Hope. 

Today is the day of salvation - but what is salvation?

Is it church attendance?

Is it traditions and rituals?

Is it praying a certain number of times a day and hoping that it's good enough?

Is it being nice to everyone you see because that must mean you're a good person, right?

Is it never getting mad, never getting discouraged, and never just utterly failing?

What is salvation? 

There's a reason that the Bible tells us we are to be like a child when it comes to our faith. Children are innocent and pure hearted. They don't take something beautiful and start trying to break it down and make graphs and prove why it's beautiful. They simply know it's beautiful. That's why, as we get older and life starts to wear and tear us down, it gets harder to appreciate the simplicity of the Gospel. We try to make it harder than it really is, because something so beautiful must be more complicated than it seems right? The following verse tells us how we receive salvation:

"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."

...Rest in how beautiful and simple that verse is. Anyone, anywhere can be saved whether they're in a large, lit up church or alone in the dark. God was intentional with this. 

The Bible says that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved & that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. 

Read that again...

What kind of condemnation did it say there are for those IN Christ? 

"No condemnation" - none, zilch. 

'For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Theres a reason God wanted that "it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast" added in there. It's to show that only God can grant you the gift of salvation because it's only His gift to give. No man can boast and say that this extraordinary gift is from him because it's not his gift to give. Your pastor cannot give you salvation, your saved parents cannot give you salvation, your good works cannot give you salvation - only God can. God isn't a trickster trying to keep it away from you either, by His grace He has actually made it pretty simple. By grace through faith. How do you receive His grace? By faith. 

So what do we do with this knowledge now that we have it?

We return to Him no matter how far we have strayed...

I think of the story of the prodigal son and how that story has been told so many times that it's become something we think "Oh yeah, that's nice," but we don't really think of the depth of that reality.

The prodigal son knew he had failed his father but he also knew that he could return to him. He didn't know though that he would be greeted with such open arms. Jesus told this parable to show us, still to this day, over 2000 years later, if we would just return to The Father that His arms are open wide.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate."

I hope this has been a blessing to whoever has read to this point in some way. Whether or not you've followed Christ for decades or have decided at this very moment to, He just wants you to come home.