Lately I have had it on my heart to write a post about the Gospel message.  Pure and simple.  I know many of you who read No Boys Allowed are believers in Christ, but chances are some of you are not.  Maybe it’s because you’ve been jaded by the church or you think being a Christian is boring and lifeless.  But maybe, just maybe, it’s because you have never heard about what Jesus did for you. 

I was raised in a Christian home, and assumed I was a Christian because I was a good kid and had Christian parents.  I knew all the Sunday school songs, had verses memorized, and was familiar with all the Bible stories and characters.  But in the summer between grades six and seven, I attended a prayer meeting at a Christian camp and my life changed forever. I was sitting there with my eyes closed, and suddenly I envisioned a gift being held out to me.  The gift would only be mine if I accepted it, and I hesitated.  I realized for the first time in my young life that Jesus was offering me the gift of His life and salvation, but I had to accept it in order for it to be mine.  So I did. I made the decision that day to follow Jesus and I haven’t looked back since.  It was the best choice I have ever made!

Here’s the Gospel Message in the words of author Max Lucado:

When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, he also adopts us.  Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear.  Here is how it happens.  You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes.  Because of His justice He cannot dismiss your sin, but because of His love He cannot dismiss you.  So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished Himself on the cross for your sins.  God’s justice and love are equally honoured.  And you, God’s creation, are forgiven. 

The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. None of us are good enough.  All you need to do is look around you and see the brokenness of the world to know that this is true.  But the good news is that God so loved the world that He gave is one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died.  But it didn’t end there: He rose from the dead, conquered death and sin, and offers life and hope to all who believe.  This is SUCH good news!  If we come to Him with humbled hearts, admit that we can’t be perfect, and confess our sin and brokenness, He is faithful to forgive us.  The Bible says that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we are saved.  Saved not only from eternal separation from Him and all that is good, but saved for a life of purpose and meaning here on earth.  I can’t tell you how full my life has been since giving it to Jesus.

No matter how far you’ve fallen, no matter how “non-religious” your background, no matter what you have done, no matter how “bad” you are, no matter how little you know about church, Jesus offers you hope and life in Him.  But you need to receive the gift He is holding out to you.  It is my prayer that you do!

Love you ladies,
Michelle