I am Blessed

I realize that 2006 has been an incredible year. In spite of ourselves God has blessed us time and again in so many ways.

The biggest blessing of all is knowing that God, who created heaven and earth (whose ways and thoughts are so much bigger than my own) sent his Son Jesus to be born as a baby. Jesus led a sinless life and was condemned and hung on the cross to pay the price for the sins of mankind.

You and I are sinners. We fall far from perfection. There is no way that you, or I, or anyone else would be good enough to get to heaven on our own. That's why God sent Jesus to pay the price so that when we admit that we are sinners and ask Jesus to come into our lives... he takes our sins away from us. Jesus stands between us and God so that when God looks at us he doesn't see our sins, but instead he sees his Son.

Jesus didn't come to save the good people. He didn't come to save the perfect people (there aren't any!). He came to save people like you and like me. People who are not good enough to be called children of God. Those are the people that God wants to call to himself through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you want to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ...

Admit your spiritual need. Admit you are a sinner.
Repent and be willing to turn from your sin.
Believe that Jesus Christ died for YOU on the cross.
Receive Jesus Christ into your heart and life, by choosing this relationship over your current life of sin and separation from God.

Nearly 7 years ago I made this decision for myself. I knew I wasn't good enough, and I thought that God wouldn't send Jesus to save someone like me. If he only knew the bad things I had done, he certainly would not have sacrificed his Son so that I could live with him forever in heaven. On New Year's Eve 1999, I heard someone tell me otherwise. He told me that not only would God forgive my sins, but that he would forget them... never again to be used against me.

Wow, the God of the Universe really wants a relationship with me? I thought. I knew I could use a blank slate, and I took God up on his promise. I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life that night. When I got home I just knew somehow that life was going to be different from that point on. I didn't know how, and I had no idea what he had in store for me... but I knew regardless of what happened, my life would be better off because I would no longer be walking through this life alone... I'd be walking through it hand-in-hand with my Creator and my Savior. In the midst of a very stressful, hectic crazy time in my life, I felt an abundance of peace.

And now, on the other end of this life, I know that I will be in heaven. I can live without fear because I know that through his Son, Jesus, God will welcome me to heaven with open arms.

I can think of no greater joy this season to see you make that same decision. Pray to God (no magic words necessary, just talk to God in a heartfelt manner) and tell him that you are a sinner, but that you want to turn from your sin and that you believe that Jesus Christ died so that you could live with God in heaven forever. Ask Jesus to come into your life.

That's what Christmas is all about. It's not about the giving of gifts, or about being generous. It's not even about coming together with family. It's about doing all of these things to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the only way by which we can have a relationship with God. I pray earnestly that you choose to make that decision this Christmas. I promise, it's a decision you will never regret!

If you want to hear a little more about what it means to become a Christian go to www.purposedrivenlife.com and click on the video "What does it mean to follow Christ." If this is a decision you've decided to make, please let me know. I would be ecstatic to hear about it, and to be able to share in your joy.

Merry Christmas,

Robyn