The Way

As I sit here to prepare this message for you, I am struggling to put into words my thoughts and feelings. Holy Spirit, I pray that you would speak through me what you want my brothers and sisters to hear. What you need them to hear. I ask that this not be in my words but Yours. May it show the heart of the Father I pray. Amen.

I am left wondering how people can do the things that they do sometimes. Tragedy strikes, and sometimes it hits so close to home, it makes you sick. Your thoughts start roaming and you think, or at least I think,

This could have been so different if they had known Christ, if they had known the life that Christ has to offer.

We all are searching for something. We are searching for something that fills that “void.” What is that void? Love, that void is love. We all want to be loved. We all want to belong and have a place in life. Some of us have found what we are looking for. His name is Jesus. Some of us continue to look because we don’t believe that Jesus has anything that we are looking for.

My question is this. How can I make you see? How can I make you understand? It’s strange to me, because at one point in my life I was chasing my own desires. I wasn’t going to church or reading my Bible or even serving God in any kind of way. I didn’t acknowledge Him at all. I just lived from day to day like He didn’t even exist. When I look back, I can’t even figure out how I lived my life so long without Him. I can’t even figure out how to explain to you how truly good God is! But I can share my story.

When I was a teenager, I went through depression. I’m talking about a depression where I was in my room all day and all night. The only time I came out was to use the restroom, have dinner with my family, or go to school. I can’t even tell you what I did in my room because I don’t remember. It’s a big black hole in my life that I will never get back. I thought I was the ugliest girl alive. The boys that I went to school only affirmed that for me. There were moments where I would think about dying, but was never brave enough to follow through. (I am in no way condoning suicide. The bravest thing you can do is to choose life, even when it’s hard and even when it’s scary! I want you to know, that there is a God who loves you. THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES YOU!!! THERE IS A FATHER IN HEAVEN WHO LOVES YOU!

Sometimes I feel that the enemy, yes we have an enemy, the devil, who roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, distorts our perception of God. I know that unfortunately, not everyone had good parents growing up. So maybe that parent that wanted nothing to do with you or that parent that decided that alcohol was more important, or that parent that thought beating on you was better than loving you, or whatever your situation may have been is the perception that you have of God our Father. That’s exactly what the devil wants you to think and feel. In John 10:10 (NKJV) it says, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and thatthey may have it more abundantly. The thief is the devil. I am saying the things following this sentence for the one who feels alone, ashamed, unloved, feels like they are without a purpose in life, angry, filled with hate…He is stealing the love that God has for you from you. He is destroying the relationship that God wants to have with you. When I hear of these tragedies that take place, when I know that there are people out there searching for love and acceptance, I get angry to know that the devil is taking all of these things from you! The very thing you are looking for you are denying so that you can live for these empty promises the devil is giving you. Let me tell you…there is no in between. You are either a child of God or a child of the devil. Eternity is a long time to spend in misery and despair…to live where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. But heaven…we can’t even begin to imagine…Revelation 21:3-7 (NKJV) says,

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

I spent years chasing after my own desires. In my darkest, loneliest moment, God showed up in my life and He told me that I am not alone. Wherever I go, He is with me. I want you to know the same is true for you! I am now serving actively in my church, where I met my husband and gained 4 beautiful kids. I was offered a paid position (which I wasn’t even looking for). Does life get hard? Of course it does! It’s in those difficult moments that it reminds us of our need for God. I want you to know, that the scripture from Revelation can be true for you. You can’t just say it’s yours. You have to give your heart to God. You have to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You have to believe that Jesus came as fully man but fully God, died, and rose again to give you new life! Once you have accepted and acknowledged Him as your Lord and Savior, it is up to you to live your life by faith. It will be challenging, but it will be worth it…to have marriage supper with the Lamb, to walk on streets of gold, and to live unendingly in joy and peace…none of the sadness, sorrows, or illness can follow you here.

I am sharing this with you not to scare you or chase you away from God or even to judge you. I am not your judge! I’m sharing this because I want you to KNOW…there is a God who LOVES you. There is a God who WANTS you! He gave His one and only Son to die on the cross so that you if you believed you could have eternal life. Jesus gave His life for you. He could have chosen not to obey the will of God the Father. He instead accepted our punishment because He loved us and knew it was the only way to save us. I’m sharing this with you because I don’t want to silently just be and let those around me go on not knowing what God has to offer them…Life and life more abundant. A life of hope.

If you have not given your life to Christ, I urge you to please take this into serious consideration. If you so choose to give your heart to Christ, then let me pray this prayer with you.

Heavenly Father, I come before you to say I am sorry for the way I have lived my life. I repent of my sins and believe that your Son has died and resurrected to give me new life. From this point forward, I choose to follow Jesus. I choose to surrender my life to You and serve You and You only. Open my eyes so that I can see the love that you have for me. Open my heart to receive all that You have for me. I invite you into every part of me to bind up my wounds and to heal every part of me that needs healed. Teach me Your ways O God that I may live according to Your truth. Create in me a pure heart so that I may honor you. In Jesus mighty name, Amen!

Keeping in Faith Hope and Love

The Way

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