The following is a book excerpt from Cheryl Lynn Betz’s new devotional, Lord, It’s Time for Just You and Me.
Scripture Reading: John 3:16-21
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:36)
Don’t you love Christmas? Some people take an entire year before deciding upon just the right gifts to give. They shop in several stores in various locations. They consider the choices, and as the time nears, they begin to eliminate possibilities. Finally, they decide on the one perfect selection for each person on their list. They are sure that what they have chosen is something that each person needs.
When Christmas morning arrives, the gifts are opened one by one. Loved ones express their thanksgiving, and happiness abounds. The person who has put so much thought, preparation, and sacrifice into each gift feels satisfied and appreciated with a job well done.
But how would the giver feel if the specially chosen gift was ignored and left under the tree unopened? What good does it do if the gift that would enhance one’s life is left unopened under the tree? Although the giver has chosen something that he knows his loved one needs, until the gift is opened and accepted, it does not fill that need. The need remains, even though the answer to that need is in the same house. If it stays under the tree, it will never fill anyone’s need. The result is disappointment on the part of the giver and a void for the prospective recipient.
Our heavenly Father gave the perfect Gift, the one who can meet all of our needs, the one who can give us eternal life. It was a free, wonderful, great Gift. The Gift was planned before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-6). The next step, though, is up to us. We can accept His Gift of salvation by acknowledging that Jesus was and is the sacrifice for our sins, or we can choose not to accept His Gift. It is our choice. But refusing to accept this Gift, unlike the gift that was left under the tree, has eternal ramifications. This choice is literally a choice between heaven or hell, eternal life with Christ or unforgiveness, judgment, and damnation.
The thing that many people don’t seem to understand is that, as they avoid God’s voice, they’ll spend a lifetime of hell on earth and then go on to fall into eternal hell when they die. What a tragedy and how horribly sad, especially as we consider that His Gift gives abundant life, both here and in the hereafter.
In John 3:16, we are told that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Then Jesus tells us in John 10:10 (RSV), “The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Plan of Action:
1. If you have not yet accepted God’s perfect gift of salvation through Christ, who was and is the perfect sacrifice for your sins, do so today. Tell Him that you know you need this salvation that you cannot provide for yourself.
2. Confess any sins that you can remember, and ask Him to forgive you. He will do this because, when Jesus died, He shed His blood to erase those confessed sins from your record.
3. Rejoice in your new life and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you anew to overflowing, teaching you and leading you into all truth. He promises that He will do this in Psalm 25:5. Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26: “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
4. Call someone whom you know to be a kind, gentle Christian and share the news that you are a member of the family of God as a new believer.
5. Ask the Lord to direct you to a good church that teaches the Bible as God’s Word. We Christians need each other, and God wants us to work with other Christians.
6. Spend time everyday talking with God, listening for His leading, and reading the Bible. Be sure to use one of the translations that is easy to understand. The NIV (New International Version) or the NLT (New Living Translation) are among the easiest to understand.
7. In addition to your private time with the Lord, become involved in a Bible study/fellowship group where you can have the support, teaching, and encouragement of other believers.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the perfect Gift of Christ. I ask that Your Holy Spirit would minister to anyone reading this who has not accepted Jesus as his/her Savior, and lead him/her to accept Your perfect Gift. In Romans 10:9, You spoke through the apostle Paul and said, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” We confess You as Lord right now. We believe in our hearts that God raised Christ from the dead. Please help us all to grow in our faith. Please lead each of us to a Bible-teaching church, led by Your Holy Spirit, and help us to grow up in You. Thank You, Lord. We pray in our precious Savior Jesus’ name, Amen.
God bless you, dear reader, as you become more and more like Christ.
Cheryl Lynn knows she is one of the Lord’s works-in-progress, serving Him as an ambassador for Christ in the roles of: wife, mother, writer, speaker, teacher, and business woman whenever and wherever He calls her. Her mission is to help equip fellow believers in Christ to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13 NIV). She and her husband live in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky. They have two adult children.
