I've been feeling SO nudged lately! You know how sometimes you just feel deep down like you are supposed to do something and then things keep happening to make it all the more clear? It started about a month ago as I finished up an awesome book on prayer that we were doing in my women's Bible study. The last chapter was titled "Are you ready?" It was a beautiful invitation to give your life to Jesus. I know there are people around me who need this invitation, so I decided I was going to share it on Facebook. But I got distracted and never did it. And the last few weeks in church, (as we are studying the Book of Jonah), our Pastor has really challenged us to share our faith. Like actually do it! Then a few weeks ago, I started a New Testament Bible reading plan. Right now I am reading through the Gospels and Jesus is sharing all sorts of parables about the desperate need for salvation in the world. I get teary eyed thinking about how so many people don't have it... don't have Him. I remember what that was like! But then I close my Bible and somehow just go on with my day. But not today, today was different. We are getting ready to go out of town for the holiday weekend and I have so much to do today, but I cannot put this off anymore. Nothing is more important than this! 

Why is it so easy to just sit on the sidelines watching this world crumble, thinking about how very sad it is, and then just move on? It is hard not to become numb in this culture. We see so much violence all around us every day and sin is celebrated and accepted by so many. It much more comfortable to pray for people's salvation behind closed doors in the privacy of my own home than it is to approach them with the Gospel. I know I am not alone here. So many believers are so quiet about the saving power of Jesus Christ. We are so worried about offending people these days. But what I've realized is that each person who ever had the nerve to approach me with the Gospel did offend me to a degree, but at the same time (unbeknownst to me) broke off another piece of my hardened heart, until eventually it was softened enough to be ripe for salvation. So that when my husband, (then boyfriend), asked me... "If you died today, do you know without a doubt where you'd be going?"... I wept and wept, because I knew the answer was no. And I finally understood the gravity of my sin and my need of a Savior! That is when it all began to change for the better. Soon after that, I gave my life to Christ and finally started to understand what true love and true freedom were all about! I am tired of holding back what He has done! I KNOW where I am going and I want as many people as possible to go with me! 

With Independence Day approaching, I've been thinking a lot about freedom. I'm proud to be an American and I am very patriotic! I love our veterans and I am so thankful for all of those who serve in the U.S. military to help secure our freedom as a nation!! The definition of the word Independence is: freedom from being controlled or ruled by another country. What a blessing that we Americans all have that physical & national independence! We should not take that for granted. But the sad truth is that many, many people in our country are still spiritually controlled by the "ruler of this world," Satan. And most don't even know it! They think they are in control of their own lives, but the truth is... You are either God's or Satan's. You're either free or you are in chains. Seriously let that sink in. Wake up to the fact that there is a spiritual war raging around us right now. What side are you on? 

"Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ."                 
2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Satan has so much control over the unbelieving world. He blinds the minds of unbelievers. If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, you are completely defenseless against Satan's lies and schemes. You're anything but independent and free! (Although he likes to give you the false sense that you are). Satan loves to keep people in bondage. It really, really burdens my heart now that I am on the outside looking in. I used to be so tangled up in his darkness. I was like a zombie going through the motions and never questioning why I was so religious, yet so empty. Satan wanted me to keep thinking if I just did enough and kept all the rules and performed well that I was good to go... because then I'd be too busy and too pridefully self absorbed to see the truth. The truth that it is not about what I do, but what Jesus DID! And his plan worked for a long time. I was lost, lonely, drowning in sin, full of guilt and shame, but going to church every Sunday and looking like I had it all together. So busy making sure the outside looked good while the inside was rotting. It was terribly lonely. Satan is the king of deception and teaches us how to fake it so well. To hide what is really going on inside. And that is exactly what I did for a really long time. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Matthew 23:27-28

But that is not how God operates. He brings sin into the light and shows mercy and grace and brings healing to our broken, dirty places. So we are washed clean rather than working so hard to cover up our filth. He knows everything about us and loves us anyway! He wants us to just come as we are. The truth of the Gospel is so simple, yet so profound. Jesus died so that we could live.... freely, abundantly & eternally! There is nothing like it. 

Here is what I have realized. Most people believe in God. But that is simply not enough. Even the demons believe in God! Here is the deal: You must BELIEVE + RECEIVE to = SALVATION.  It is essential that you believe in God, but please do not stop there. You then need to receive the free gift bought for you by His death on the cross. If you don't repent of your sins and welcome Him in to be the Lord of your life, you will NOT BE SAVED. Please understand that. There are a lot of unsaved, kind people wandering around this world. Folks that believe in God, that do nice things, that give to charities, etc. You can be a very pleasant person on earth and then not go to heaven. Because it is not about what YOU do, it is about what HE did! So believe and receive. That is God's design. 

When you read this today, I don't know if I am planting the 1st seed in your heart or the hundredth seed. And it really isn't any of my business. All I know is God calls me to share what I know and have been given! A relationship with Jesus, pardon from my sins and the promise of eternal life are all wrapped up in the greatest gift ever... salvation. Maybe you have believed for a long time, but if you haven't received, there is no time like the present! He stands at the door of your heart and knocks, but He will never force Himself in. You must open the door and invite Him in. He doesn't want a puppet He can control, He wants a child He can have a beautiful relationship with! He doesn't want to give you an impossible to-do list to earn His favor, He just wants you to rest in Him and let Him shower you clean with His righteousness. So that when God looks at you, He won't see your sins, He'll see Jesus. What a beautiful thing! I don't fear judgement now because I am not relying on my own righteousness anymore, but on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross! That is freedom in it's fullest sense. Anything else just won't cut it. There is nothing you could ever DO to earn this free gift. It has already been bought at a very high cost. 

It all comes down to one thing, a choice. Only one question remains...

I pray that whoever desperately needs salvation today will be stirred to fall onto their knees, repent of their sins and proclaim Jesus as Lord! I don't care what religion you are or what you have done in your past... His gift of grace is for all of us! I pray independence and freedom will take on a whole new meaning for some reading this. I feel strongly that God wanted me to share this message today. It is a beautiful day for lives to be changed. You just never know whose heart is ripe for salvation. Who just needs to be asked, "If you died today, do you know where you would be going?" I am asking. And if your answer is no, let's change that RIGHT NOW!! Because if you die, there is no second chance. And we all know how fragile life is. "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world but forfeit their soul?" Matthew 16:26 

 "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!