The Scripture That Saved My Life

THE SCRIPTURE THAT SAVED MY LIFE

By Carolyn Dale Newell

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NKJV

I’m not going to heaven? I read it again. When I was twelve, they said I would go to heaven! Momma told me that. The church told me that. “Do not be deceived.” Had I been deceived? My future mother-in-law asked me if I had been saved. Was getting saved the same as joining the church? No, it is not. Had I been lied to all these years? The Holy Spirit prodded me, making me realize what a depraved sinner I really was. What guilty sinners we all are.

Does that sound harsh? Let us look at the gospel truth. I love my missionary friend’s approach to witnessing. You may find it helpful too.

He starts with this question: are you a good person? The typical response is yes. I pay my taxes, keep my lawn clean, give to charity, and I attend church. Yes, I am a good person.

His next questions are as follows: have you ever lied? Have you ever stolen anything, even as a child? Have you ever hated someone or lusted after a man or a woman? Even if we were talking to King David, a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), his answers would be yes. King David was guilty on all counts, and so are we.

Lying and stealing are prohibited in the Ten Commandments. According to Jesus Christ, lust is equal to committing adultery (Matt. 5:27-28), and hatred is synonymous with murder (Matt. 5:21-22). Now our good person is a lying, thieving, adulterous murderer, just like David.

There is none who does good, no, not one. Rom. 3:12b

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Rom. 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 6:23

We are all sinners, and we all must die, but Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, died for us. His never-ending love, that love you read about earlier, was so strong that He went to the cross to pay, make atonement, for our sins. Heaven and hell are real. Once we realize our path leads to hell, we know we need a Savior. We can pray, asking God for forgiveness, mercy, and His saving grace. That is genuine salvation, not signing a card, walking the aisle, or shaking a preacher’s hand.

I long to see people come to Christ and spend eternity with Him in heaven. If I did not love them, I would write a popular message.

My prayer is that one of two things happened as you read this; either you found a new witnessing tool or you found your need for a Savior.

Lord God, I realize I am a sinner. I seek Your forgiveness. Jesus paid my sin debt, and I trust in Him as Savior and Master over my life. I turn from my sins, and now I want to live my life for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

DIG DEEPER

Read John 3:1-21.

HIKING THE TRAIL

If you have trusted in anything except Jesus Christ for salvation, you are trusting in the wrong thing. Today can be your day of salvation.

Copyright 2017 Carolyn Dale Newell.

He Loved Me Anyway

HE LOVED ME ANYWAY

By Carolyn Dale Newell

 

… To godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

2 Pet. 1:7 NKJV

She could not know what her words meant to me. They exceeded kindness, and she had perfect timing. She didn’t know about my pain. I had just been cyber slapped. The post had teeth like a shark. It tore right down to my core, but now there was a stranger with kind words and arms open wide to hug me.

We were Facebook friends, but we really didn’t know one another. Yet she loved me anyway.

Isn’t that just like Jesus? Actually, He did know us. He knew exactly what a dirty rotten sinner I would be, but He loved me anyway.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

Now a sister in Christ was extending the love of Jesus to a hurting sister she didn’t even know. She didn’t know how badly I needed a friend in that moment.

God knows what we need exactly when we need it. He was working through a Christian I will meet one day.

My prayer is that I can be emptied of myself in order to be filled with His Spirit. Then I can be poured out onto someone else. Another woman. Another sister who has had a door slammed in her face. Another moment of pain. Then I can show her the same love which was shown toward me. The love of a dying Savior on a cross over two thousand years ago. The love of a sister reaching out to me just a few hours ago.

Yes, Lord, fill me with Your love and point me in the direction of a sister in need. A sister who just had her heart broke. Let my love spill out on the one who needs kind words today.

Heavenly Father,

I want to be so filled with Your Spirit that I don’t recognize myself. Then point me in the direction of Your desires. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DIG DEEPER

Read 2 Pet. 1:5-11.

HIKING THE TRAIL

Ask God to empty you, fill you, direct and guide you. Lavish someone with kindness and love today.

Copyright 2016 Carolyn Dale Newell.

You may also like “A Prayer For Love” https://amountainoffaith.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/a-prayer-for-love/