|
She May Be Shy But She Sure Can Share
Sun., Nov. 23. 2008 1:40pm EST
Shaleigh Sugden is a longtime fan and friend of ours in Wisconsin. We first met her in Janesville WI on February 22, 2002, when she begrudgingly attended her first ApologetiX concert at the urging of her brother DelRay. Much to her surprise, she had a good time. Far more importantly, she accepted Christ into her heart that night when we gave a message about salvation.
Now, almost seven years later, Shaleigh is attending Emmaus Bible College, and she asked us if she could share the message in her own words. Although she's extremely quiet in person, we think you'll agree that she writes eloquently and delivers her message quite well:Have you ever stopped to think about where people go when they die? Have you ever stopped to think about where you will be going when you die? The Bible tells us how we can know for sure that we are going to Heaven. Has anyone ever taken you through the Bible and shown you how? May I?
First off, the Bible has some bad news for us. It says that we are all sinners. That is, we've all done, said, or thought something bad. We've all disobeyed God's perfect standards. Romans 3:23 says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Let's say I pick up two rocks, one for me to throw and one for you to throw. Our goal is to hit the moon with our rocks. Now, one of the rocks may reach a higher distance than the other, yet we still have not made it even close to the moon. In this way, we cannot ever be even close to obeying everything that God has commanded us.
Have you ever lied, hated someone, stolen anything, or even been jealous? If you said yes to these questions, the Bible says that you are indeed a sinner. If you said no, I'd ask you to re-think your answer, for 1 John 1:8 says "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
Unfortunately, there is even more bad news about the sin that is in us. The beginning of Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death." Our wages, payment, punishment for those sins is death. Not just a physical death, but a Spiritual death as well. Will you be eternally separated from God because of your sins?
Well, thankfully the Bible has Good News for us. Romans 5:8 says "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God provided eternal life through the gift of His Son. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life on earth, and died on a cross. He took the punishment, which was death, onto Himself so that we wouldn't have to be punished for our sins. He died in our place.
Acts 2:21 says "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." If you call on Jesus, and believe He is the Son of God who died, was buried, and rose again for you, and put your trust in Him alone to save you, you will be saved. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Ephesians 2:8-9 states "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."
The gift has already been given. Are you willing to take the gift of free life? There is nothing you can do to get into Heaven on your own. You must trust in Christ alone to save you. John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." It is my hope for you that you have crossed from death in sin to life in Christ. If you have that gift of eternal life, please share it with everyone you know. It's the best news anyone could ever hear.
|
