Category: Salvation

The Hardest Thing We Will Ever Do

MaryAnn Ward 1 Comment Evangelism & Discipleship, Inspirational Blog, Salvation , , , , , , , ,
The Hardest Thing We Will Ever Do

Although we have all experienced difficult things in life, the hardest thing we will ever need to do still lies ahead. Those who have endured more than their fair share of trials might be asking, “What could that possibly be?”

Recently, a friend contemplating the seasons of life reflected, “The hardest thing we will ever do is take our last breath.” The force of that statement hit me. I have long considered that being with the dying during their last moments the highest honor afforded us on earth. Sharing the transition from this life to the next becomes a sacred blip in the eternal thread of time. This statement put it into perspective for me.

Life is short — very short. Eternity is long — very long. The veil between the two realities is very thin. The last breath signals the completion and finality of all things hoped and desired in the here and now. For some people, a life well lived and the anticipation of heaven makes that breath an anticipated seal of promise. For others, a cloud of regret and uncertainty weighs heavy. The fight for one more millisecond relentless. For still other people eternity holds neither hope nor promise.

The question seeks an answer, “Are you ready? Am I?”

We never know, do we, which one will be our last? Often, it knocks on our door far too quickly and often too soon … a heart attack … an accident … the hands of violent men … disease … the determining causes many.

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
Philippians 3:20-21

The Gift

My elders used to say, “Two things are certain — death and taxes.” Short on words and long on truth, wisdom speaks through the aged.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23

I have never received an earthly inheritance of money or lands. I know people who enjoy such privilege. One inheritance we all received has tainted humanity since the beginning. Its name is death! When Adam sinned, he passed death to all others who would come after him. God never desired us to experience death. He came to give us a life overflowing (John 10:10). Death is a jagged consequence of sin — Adam’s and ours.

In comparing ourselves to others we may rightly claim we have lived exemplary lives. But none of us, except for Jesus, lived perfectly, meeting God’s standard of holiness. As such, we all fail. We all fall short. We all have sinned in one way or another.

“… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God …”
Romans 3:23

Physically, we shall one day face the hardest thing we will ever do when we take our final breath. We will all come to death’s door and the end of human strength. We all need a Savior!

It is Finished

God made a way to guarantee something far better follows that last breath. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He guarantees us a place with Him forever. But like all other gifts, it must be received before it can be enjoyed.

“ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

No human mind can comprehend the immensity of such an offer. We only see the outer fringes of such magnificent love. That anyone would live holy and blameless, then die a horrid, sacrificial death on our behalf is incomprehensible. Yet, Jesus did. He gave Himself for the down-and-outers and the up-and-outers alike.

He willingly did the hardest thing anyone will ever do — not just in His last breath, but through every moment of His life. And with His last breath, He uttered these precious words, “IT IS FINISHED!”

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
John 19:30

Love made the hardest thing the easiest and only thing. He bowed his head and gave up His spirit. No struggle for one more breath nor delay to meet His Father.

The Other Side

I would be amiss to not also tell you the other side — eternal death. As certainly as there is a heaven, there is also hell. The Bible makes it clear that one of these two eternities awaits us when the curtain closes on this life and we take our last breath. It defines a horrid place of never-ending fire, agony, torment, and separation from God.

Hell was made for fallen angels, including the devil himself. God never sends anyone to hell. We make that choice and determine our own fate. By refusing to except God’s offer of grace through Jesus Christ, we make the choice for the alternative. By rejecting God, we reject His salvation and the perfection of glory spent eternally with Him.

Just as we cannot imagine the wonders and beauty of heaven, neither can we comprehend the awfulness of hell. Speaking of heaven, we read:

“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him—” 1 Corinthians 2:9

May we choose wisely (Matthew 25:46).

Confidence

Eternity awaits. It is only a prayer of commitment and dedication away.

“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.”
Romans 10:9-10

Do you believe Jesus paid the penalty for you sins on the cross? And that He rose again as the evidence of resurrection life that awaits those who trust in Him? Then you already possess a heart positioned to receive His promise. Something more happens when we verbally declare our faith. I don’t profess to understand the full reasons. However, by professing our faith, God seals the deal in heaven. The hardest thing of your last breath becomes an open gateway to eternal blessings.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39

This may not be the last thing I ever write, but it is the most important. I desire that everyone would live with the assurance that their lives are eternally secure in Christ.

Oh, that we may all share that confidence. John the Apostle echoed these thoughts, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

We celebrate births, graduations, weddings, and promotions in life. How much more should we celebrate the tearing of the thin veil, entering into eternity confident in the hope of Christ?

Blessings, my beloved friends.

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Give to God What is God’s

MaryAnn Ward 1 Comment Inspirational Blog, Salvation , , , , , , , , ,
Give to God What is God’s

Spiritual opposition never seems to end. Of all such interactions, this response from Jesus amazes me the most, “Give to God what is God’s.” Often, He ignored His critics. At other times, He boldly confronted them. Sometimes, He was gentle and inviting. Frequently, He pointed straight to the deeper issues of the heart. How deluded to think anyone could outwit the One who holds all wisdom and knowledge — who hears and understands even unwhispered thoughts! Again and again, they tried their corporate best to discredit Him.

Every parent discovered the difficulty in convincing a child to loosen their grip on something clenched in tiny palms. Whether through persuasion or force, it became a battle of wills. They resisted every parental attempt to protect them from inevitable harm. Even though it would be for their good, they defiantly refused to release their white-knuckled hold. Such obstinate refusal often lasts long after childhood, however.

At one point, the religious leaders surrounded Jesus. They tried to “catch him” in a trap of words over whether or not people should pay taxes to Caesar. As they built their accusation against Him, they clung tight-fisted to bulging pockets of Roman currency.

Jesus’ brilliant response silenced them.

“They brought the coin, and he asked them, ‘Whose image is this? and whose inscription?’
‘Caesar’s,’ they replied.
Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.
And they were amazed at him.”
Mark 12:16-17

Brilliant! Right? More brilliant, perhaps, than we initially fathom!

Whose Image

We don’t always see through the false fronts of accusation. Initially they appear innocent and well founded. Were the religious leaders genuinely concerned about protecting Caesar’s reputation and financial best interests? Hardly! We need only look at the preceding verse.

“Then the chief priest, the teachers of the law, and the elders looked for a way to arrest him …”
Mark 12:12

Smooth talk and flattery couldn’t hide their devious agenda. They looked for a way, anyway, to have Jesus arrested and put out of the public view. The Message Bible says that they were hoping “to bait him … to catch him saying something incriminating.”

Jesus exposed their ruse. “Whose image is this?” He asked.

To answer the question, we must go back to the beginning — the very beginning.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:27

God’s only Son stood before them — His identity secure — created in God’s holy image and anointed with divine purpose. They focused on the bait, a single Roman coin. He pointed them higher. “Whose image is this?” Jesus asked the question to anyone listening, then and now.

Whose image do we bear? Is it the image of the world? Its power, position, or wealth? If it is, we belong to the world. But, if we bear the image of Jesus — His resemblance and likeness — then we belong to Him. There is no middle ground. Jesus calls us to willingly and fully give to God what is God’s!

Whose Inscription

Authentic Roman coins held both the image of Caesar and an inscription verifying its identity and value. In the same way, believers bear the image of God, confirming them as His representative image to the world and carrying His inscription.

“This is the covenant that I will make with them. After those days, says the Lord: ‘I will imprint My laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will inscribe them [producing an inward change].'”
Hebrews 10:16

The inscription of God’s holy Word written upon a believer’s heart and mind validates them and produces an inward change visible through their outward actions and words.

What have we intentionally buried in our hearts? Is it the inscription of God or that of the culture we occupy? Our hearts determine the way we feel, think, and respond? Whatever we fill our hearts and minds with will inevitably show.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11) the psalmist wrote. The inscription of God’s Word protects and guides us. What a good reason to give to God what is God’s.

Transformation

With God’s image and bearing His inscription, we move toward complete transformation. This transformational change comes from hearts of flesh, soft and responsive to the Spirit’s direction. We begin to possess an internal desire to fervently obey God. Unlike stubborn or rebellious children, we recognize the loving wisdom of our Father loosening our grip on things that will harm us.

As we acknowledge the image and inscription with which we have been designed, our consciences seamlessly align with His will and ways. Authentic relationship between our faithful Father and His beloved children replaces religious performance and dead rituals.

Could God’s design become any more perfect? Never!

As we continuously turn to God and His Word, He engraves His truth within us, giving us increased wisdom and discernment. Our minds and hearts become forever forged in united connection with Him.

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.'”‘
Mark 12:17

Oh beloved! May we open wide our hands, releasing our grip on things that will ultimately destroy our relationship with God and damage our Christian witness. May we trust His absolute brilliance and design, as we humbly bear His image and inscription to those around us. Today, may we decide to fully give to God what is God’s. Let go, beloved! Let go of whatever we are desperately holding on to before it is too late.

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Choices — Holding On or Letting Go

MaryAnn Ward 3 Comments Inspirational Blog, Salvation , , , , , , , ,
Choices — Holding On or Letting Go

We drift between holding and releasing. Whether holding on or letting go, each one contains a challenge, joy, and even pain of its own.

Yesterday, a gentle breeze skipped multihued leaves along the narrow, dirt path in front of me. The leaves danced with ease and freedom — loosed from the limb’s static grip. They had lived obscured by the glory of others so similar and yet different from themselves. I smiled as they bounced freely this way and that. Oh, the joy of letting go. Once held high, they eventually found refuge cradled beside the rocks, where soon enough they would become less so that a new generation would be nurtured by their sacrificial falling.

Today, the wind and rain pelt against the half naked branches with fierce tenacity, violently forcing the fragile leaves from their secure placement. Each tender leaf desperately tries to hold itself in place a little longer. Their efforts prove futile as the powerful wind whips them high only to slam them to the ground, tearing their tender edges.

Do you feel it, too! This both glorious and sad dilemma between holding on and letting go. Sometimes indescribably pleasant; other times agonizingly painful.

Quickly one season ends and another takes it place. Life contains both miniature and mammoth forms this cycle: embracing a newborn and celebrating a convocation; the first job, then retirement; the strength of youth and the fragility of the aged; beginning and ending only to begin again.

Only God could design something so wondrously excellent. Our human nature, selfish as it is, either resists or welcomes the cycles.

“Since all these things are on the verge of being dismantled, don’t you see how vital it is to live a holy life? We must be consumed with godliness while we anticipate and help to speed up the coming of the day of God …”
2 Peter 3:11-12 TPT

Temporary

My husband and I have developed a new catch phrase to help us navigate through a difficult time “It’s only temporary!” We remind ourselves, again and again, of the temporary nature of lifem while choosing to set our focus on what is eternal. Today, we celebrate the little victories. We made it through this step, this challenge, this moment! Whew!

No one wants to hold on to the agonizing pieces of life. These we fling off without remembrance or regret.

Other wonderfully fulfilling seasons, we release with great reluctance and then only as a sign of trembling trust in our Sovereign God whose ways are perfect and whose heart is pure. We cling to last breaths, ending life with a tear. We cherish fleeting moments with family and friends, sharing words and hugs of affection before long goodbyes. The transient nature of these and many other moments pierce our hearts like sharpened thorns.

“Why does it end so soon?” we ask — audibly and inaudibly.

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen, for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Holding on and letting go coexist within the temporary nature of all we know on earth. But a new day soon dawns! A day of eternal peace, rest, and unspeakable joy, where the things worth holding on to will remain forever and those worth letting go of will be forgotten.

Eternal

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4

People appear almost transfixed with wanting to know and prepare for the future. Yet, their concept of future encompasses only fleeting earthly things. A much greater and eternal reality waits beyond this earth and its trappings. Jesus spoke about these two eternal realities of heaven and hell.

In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus minced no words describing the torturous existence of those who will spend eternity in hell. God designed hell as the final end for demonic forces who rebelled against Him and expend all their energies destroying the immaculate goodness of all He loves and created.

“The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 13:40-43

Jesus also assured all those who chose to make Him the Lord of their lives of their welcome in Heaven. By submitting ourselves to live for and with Him, He guarantees us of the wonderful blessing of being with Him forever — free from fear and pain. Some people may view Heaven as a life-time achievement reward for good works and worthy efforts. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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

Both holding on to the things that matter and letting go of the things that don’t comes incredibly easy when we rest in Jesus — in His grace and indescribable gift.

Choosing

Whether our days are sunny and warm or the winds and rain beat against us, we have the opportunity right now to choose our eternal destination. God doesn’t send someone to Hell or Heaven. We each make that choice.

Confessing Jesus as Lord and following Him is the only way to Heaven. This truth goes against cultural norms and popular thinking.

“Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life — to God — is vigorous and requires total attention.”
Matthew 7:13-14 MSG

The Bible calls the path to Heaven narrow and difficult and the road to Hell broad and easy. Oh, but how marvelous we discover this narrow path with Jesus to be. Even though few people choose the narrow path of trusting in Jesus, Heaven opens wide its gate to everyone who will come.

So, I ask. What am I (or we) holding on to that keeps us from committing our lives to Him? What are we afraid to let go of?

May we each ponder these questions and open our hearts to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to reveal to us those often hidden things that keep us from more fully trusting and resting upon Jesus. May we release whatever He reveals to Jesus, like leaves dancing upon the ground of new-found faith and freedom. May we shelter ourselves close to the Rock of Christ, resting in the eternal provision He has prepared for us.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NLT

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God Loves and is Fighting for Our Families

MaryAnn Ward 1 Comment Freedom & Transformation, Inspirational Blog, Salvation , , , , , , , , ,
God Loves and is Fighting for Our Families

A week ago, through a dream, God reminded me again how much He loves and is fighting for our families — your family and mine. Just as God wants to reassure me, He wants to encourage others.

In the dream I saw convoys of bright orange U-boats escorting families through a narrow channel. The heavily armed U-boats created an ominous presence, intimidating any would-be attackers. One of my sons stood on the shore. A very tall woman approached him and put her arm around his shoulder and began to whisper in his ear. I knew immediately the danger of the situation and quickly went over to where they stood. Again and again, I repeating the words “in the Name of Jesus,” as I easily removed her arm from around his shoulders and halted the whispers. I awoke with a strong awareness of how much God loves and is fighting for our families.

“There is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only one name to whom God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the name of Jesus.”
Acts 4:12 TPT

Warfare

A hideous war rages for the hearts and minds of our families.

I don’t know anything about military tactics or naval history. U-boats have the capability of functioning above or below the surface of the water, which in my dream symbolizes an ability to wage war in both the natural and spiritual realms. In a similar way, their bright orange color emphasized not just the reality of warfare, but also their bold presence and position over the families they were protecting. However, the Name of Jesus was beyond question the strongest defensive and offensive weapon. No matter how the enemy attempts to entice or manipulate our families, the Name of Jesus is stronger!

Our son who stood on the shore wasn’t facing any apparent spiritual struggles. His faith holds secure, as he seeks to follow Jesus with his whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. He is a godly example to those around him.

Both the strong and the weak among us are being targeted by the enemy to pull them away from their destiny and purpose.

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”
Romans 10:13

Families Matter

Immediately, I was reminded how God brought His people through their wilderness journey. God directed them to camp in family groups, and then to also move forward by families. He reminded me of the many times He instituted both responsibilities and blessings according to family genealogy.

From the very beginning, God created marriage and family as a divine institution to best reflect His love and character. Even in the Trinity, we see a family dynamic of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God, three persons relating as a family.

God loves and is fighting for our families. He takes the present threat on our families seriously. Rather than distress, a peaceful calm and assurance filled the dream. I’m not sure of the full meaning, but I know that whatever is ahead, God goes with us. He has ordained and commanded a strong presence of spiritual might to guide our families through the channel ahead.

The enemy knows and trembles at His Presence. He hates us because he hated God first and most. We need never fear or become discouraged. In the Name of Jesus, we will come through undefeated.

“There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might.”
Jeremiah 10:6

Coming

For a long time, I have felt in my spirit that we are on the verge of an overwhelming number of family members returning to Jesus. Those who have experienced the goodness of God but have grown discouraged or indifferent toward Him will make an about turn and come running back to Jesus. Do you feel it too?

Yesterday, our church held a baptismal service. Every candidate carried a unique story. A young child, excited about living for Jesus, sees dreams and visions, prays for the sick, and is tender to the Lord’s voice. After escaping demonic oppression and depression, another found freedom in Jesus. Someone much older turned his life completely over to Jesus and now boldly shares Him everywhere. The highlight of the morning came when an entire family stepped forward to be baptized together. A recent tragedy had brought them closer to each other and closer to God. Each story beautifully written by our Savior and Lord. Each life transformed in the Name of Jesus.

Protocols fell to the floor as we celebrated our earthly families and spiritual family as well. We, as a body of believers, are a spiritual family. The Lord is guiding us through the narrow channel of salvation to victory by unseen heavenly forces moving in unison in front, beside, and behind us — battle ready and offering protection.

The influx of entire families into the Kingdom of God has only just begun! Get ready! May faith rise to anticipate what He will do in and through our family. Let’s get excited about what God is about to do through families in our neighborhoods.

They are coming back to Jesus! Nothing can stop them! Why? Because God loves and is fighting for our families.

“On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
Revelation 19:16

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for Your intense love and devotion to our marriages and families. You redeem, restore, and reunite even families which appear irreparably broken, in the mighty Name of Jesus. Your angelic host over and around our families, guides them through each moment, hour, and day. You fulfill Your purposes and plans for them, in Jesus Name. Nothing can thwart the destiny You have planned over their lives.
Their testimonies will be strong. Their faith will stand the test of time. They will overcome every threat by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Their voices have been muzzled by shame and defeat, but today they return.
They return to declare the victorious power of our God. They return to bring Him honor and glory. With strength and boldness, they return. They set their eyes like flint upon the Rock of their salvation, Jesus Christ. They will no longer be enticed or intimidated by the enemy’s tactics. Wisdom marks their steps. Grace and love fill their hearts … they are immovable and unstoppable in advancing the Kingdom of God …
Awaken those who have fallen sleeping. Strengthen those who have become weary.
God loves and is fighting for our families. The days of discouragement are over. The time to celebrate has come. We stand with them, fighting not with carnal weapons but declaring the Name of Jesus.
In the Name of Jesus, loose those who have been bound. In the Name of Jesus, release the captives to addictions and lesser gods.
Your Name is stronger! Your Name is greater! At the Name of Jesus everything bows.

God Walks With Us All the Way!

MaryAnn Ward 0 Comment Inspirational Blog, Salvation , , , , , , , , ,
God Walks With Us All the Way!

I am reminded again that God never quits. He stays with us all the way. The good work He began in each of us He will finish. My thoughts are rooted in Deuteronomy 8. Moses reminded Israel, and us, of the faithfulness of God.

“Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” Deuteronomy 8:2

The words “all the way” seemed to bounce off the page of my Bible. My journey with God has transitioned through more than forty years. I, too, can say, “He has led me all the way, through the good times and the not so good.”

Any and every success of my Christian walk results from His faithfulness, not from anything special on my part.

In the Wilderness

For some, the wilderness sections of our journey came darker and dryer than for others. But no matter where we start, He promises to go with us.

All the way from broken to whole,
from tormented to delivered,
bound to free,
a nobody to the King’s palace
as His own sons and daughters!

The verse calls us to remember. Though memory grows distant, there is value in remembering the tattered sin-stained cloth He tore us from.

Paul minced no words with the Christians in Ephesus,

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.”
Ephesians 2:1-3

No one dare claim ground for immunity. We all were cloaked in sin, “just like everyone else.”

To The Cross

And because of this, Jesus went “all the way” to the cross. He didn’t have to, you know. He could have opted out. But, He made that difficult decision because of His love for us. He wrestled over it, asking God for another way.

We read these famous words,

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Luke 22:42

Even knowing ahead of time the tremendous price of saying “Yes!” to the Father, He loved us too much to say, “No.” Because Jesus surrendered going “all the way” to the cross, we now access the unlimited and unmerited blessings of God.

To an Inheritance

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:4-7

God led Israel “all the way” into the promised land — a land of brooks, streams, deep springs, valleys, hills, wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey (Deuteronomy 8:7-9). Their inheritance lacked nothing they would ever desire.

So, too, He leads us. This life is only the beginning. He brings rich blessings here and now, but the best waits on the other side. Then He will reveal the full measure of the “incredible wealth of his grace and kindness.”

Oh friends! Just as He has faithfully led us in the past, He will lead us into all He has promised.

Into His Promise

How can we be sure?

Every good and perfect gift comes from God, James 1:17 tells us. God, in His perfection, gave the perfect gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus.

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9

The gift has already been given. We only need to receive it. The Father went “all the way,” offering us the best He had, His own Son — the ultimate sacrifice of grace to us all. Then He gave us the Holy Spirit as a deposit of greater things to come (2 Corinthians 1:22).

All the Way

The hard part stands finished. God waits for us to receive His gift of love. He did it all for us. Will we reach out with thankful hearts to accept it?

Whether we still walk in our wilderness, or it is a faint memory. The Father waits for our response.

“Father, thank You for going all the way through the wilderness with me — humbling, uncloaking, and revealing the condition of my heart. Thank You for not giving up or abandoning me. I receive Your gift of salvation, made available through Jesus on the cross. Thank You for reminding me the price Jesus paid for my sin. I believe He was raised again to new life and that He offers that life to me. I accept Your gift. Lead me into the inheritance and promise You have for me. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for going all the way.

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