Forgiven and Free
John 3:17 comes right after one of the most famous verses in the Bible, and it continues to clarify the manner in which Jesus brings us eternal life. The great gift of God through Jesus comes to all who believe in Jesus as the way to salvation.
John tells us that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world because of its sin, but rather to save the world through His life, death, and resurrection.
It can be easy to feel condemned or guilty because we don’t often see ourselves as worthy of God’s love. But this verse tells us something important—regardless of who you are or what you’ve done, you are loved by God.
God is not trying to fill you with guilt or make your life difficult. He wants the best for you and desires a relationship with you. He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to the earth to give us grace and life that we did not deserve.
While it is true that Jesus exposes the darkness of this world (John 3:19), anyone who believes in Jesus and follows Him will experience salvation, and all that God has to offer.
If we choose to follow the ways of this world rather than Jesus, then our actions and thoughts will lead us to condemnation and death. But if we follow Jesus and believe in His Word, then we will experience eternal life in relationship with God.
Spend some time thanking God for the amazing gift of eternal life that He has given to you for free. Continue to walk in the light of Jesus knowing that you are no longer condemned, but forgiven and free.
Luke 9
“Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead; and of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him. And the ...
God Keeps His Promises
“'The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.”
Jeremiah 33:14 NIV
A lot of people would have laughed at Jeremiah when he said these words. Why? Because it seemed like God had abandoned both Israel and Judah.
At this point in the story of the Bible, Israel is gone—wiped out by an invading army. Now Judah is alone, and another massive army is at their gates to destroy them too. The situation couldn’t have been more hopeless.
Have you ever experienced a moment like that? Maybe it was a life-changing loss, or impossibly difficult news. In those painful moments, it can feel impossible to trust God’s promises. The people listening to Jeremiah probably felt the same way. But it wasn’t the end of their story because circumstances can’t ruin God’s promises.
Yes, the enemy broke in and took God’s people into captivity for decades. But God didn’t abandon His people or give up on...