Read

Isaiah 53:6, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Romans 10:9, “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Think

We’ve all felt that familiar gut-punch, that disgusted and shameful feeling that arises after being duped or deceived. So, imagine how awful and horrified Adam and Eve felt after they “received the deceive!” They lived in paradise, in a God-given place of perfection, when Satan tricked them into believing God was holding out on them. Despite having only experienced God’s goodness, they willfully disobeyed. In an instant, sin entered the world, and Adam and Eve were introduced to the same fear, shame, and regret so prevalent in our lives today. Their rebellion came with harsh consequences: their failure was fatal and it separated them from entering God’s holy presence. But God had a plan to redeem His most prized creation.

The beauty of God’s design for humanity is that He doesn’t force us to love or follow Him. He didn’t create us to be like robots — He gave us freedom of choice, and we decide whether to surrender our lives to Him or not. Therefore, our eternity is determined on this side of the grave.

Have you ever heard someone ask, “Why would a loving God send people to hell?” The answer: He doesn’t! Hell wasn’t created for people, but for the devil and his demons. The hard truth is God doesn’t hurl people to hell, they choose it for themselves. Those who deny that they are sinners in need of a Savior are denied eternal life.

We will all face judgment someday. And it won’t matter how charitable we were, how straight-laced we lived, or how good of a person we were — we’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s perfection. We’ll never be good enough, but God is always God enough! We either surrender to His Lordship or not.

Which do you choose?

Act

Pray for three people in your life who have not yet made the choice to follow Jesus. Ask God to open their eyes and work in their circumstances so they can come to know Him. And, if you haven’t made this decision, you can choose Jesus today!

Pray

God, Thank You for loving me enough to offer me the freedom to choose to love You in return. I praise You for sending Jesus to die on the cross for my sins and rise again to offer me eternal life. Help me walk along Your path of righteousness and use me to guide others to do the same. In Jesus’ name, Amen.