Daily Truth: “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:10
To be honest, I woke up this morning not exactly filled with joy that we were starting a new year. The last two years have held enough sorrow and change in them to last a lifetime for our family. So, I guess the fact that 2014 is filled with a lot of uncertainties (like every year) just didn’t add to the excitement of a new year and new beginning. I also woke up this morning not knowing what in the world I was going to blog about. Since most people use January 1st to resolve to be healthier, I was going to post a healthy granola recipe that we make. However, I just didn’t feel that was what I was supposed to post. Maybe another time. So, I went down to fix our New Year’s breakfast. Unbeknownst to me, my oldest son was asking his dad how to get saved. Shortly before breakfast was ready, my 6 year old son, with joy all over his face, explodes out of his dad’s office yelling, “Mom, I just asked Jesus into my heart!” Well, that sent this mom into a flood of tears – tears of complete joy. That wasn’t all. Shortly before we sat down for breakfast, I couldn’t find my 5 year old son so he could help set the table. He then exploded out of his dad’s office with the same, “Mom I just asked Jesus into my heart!” Once again, this mom was sent into a flood of tears – tears of utter and complete joy. You see, we have been praying really hard that the boys would not only understand their need for a Savior but that they would, on their own, come to one of us and ask us to show them how to be saved. That is exactly what happened. What was even cooler was that right before Micah talked to his dad, my 7 year old daughter came to me and said that she just prayed that Micah and Sam would get saved this year. Can I tell you what that did for her to see God answer her prayer so quickly? Joy. Complete, fulfilling joy! Friend, if you are reading this and have no idea what I am talking about or have never experienced the joy I am describing, will you give me a moment to share with you. 1. You have to realize that you are a sinner (Romans 3:23). 2. You must realize that willingly gave His life for your sins (I Timothy 1:15). 3. You must realize that Christ did not stay dead, but that He rose again (I Corinthians 15:4). 4. You must realize that there is NOTHING you can do or say that will earn your salvation. You must believe in faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and that it is a free gift (John 3:16). 5. You must confess your sins and believe that Christ died for you – make it personal (Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9). Satan loves to get us to believe that we aren’t worthy of God’s love or that God couldn’t possibly save us based off of our past. But the wonderful thing about that cross, is that God sees us all the same – sinners in need of a Savior. If you haven’t received Christ as your Savior and experienced this unbelievable joy that only God can give, will you do that today. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, take the time today to thank Him for His gift of salvation and to ask Him to remind you of that joy. Some of my favorite lines come from an old hymn entitled, “Holy, Holy is What the Angels Sing“: Holy, holy, is what the angels sing, And I expect to help them make the courts of heaven ring; But when I sing redemption’s story, they will fold their wings, For angels never felt the joys that our salvation brings. I know my dad is up there belting out a loud “AMEN” right now. Until next week, Rebekah 