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the way to heaven


John 14:6 (NLT)
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Some people will say that I am narrow-minded.  And I would agree, but Jesus was too.  Some people say that God wouldn’t send people to Hell.  And I would agree, yet God created Heaven and Hell.  It is at that point that God provided our salvation, the way to Heaven.

I write today as I am preparing for my grandmother’s funeral.  Bobbie Louise Heaton was a precious saint.  She lived 88 years on earth, and grandma Bobbie has now moved to a home she will live for much, much longer.  That is also by the grace of God.  That promise is by God’s grace based only on what Jesus has done.

Salvation is offered as a free gift to all anyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Jesus by His own blood obtained our eternal redemption. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration (bringing a person to life), justification (the act of forgiving sins), sanctification (bringing our daily life into alignment with what God has in our lives), and glorification (the promise of heaven when we leave earth). There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. (see these verses for further study Matthew 1:21; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.) taken from The Community Fellowship’s “Community 101: Membership and Meaning” class; session 2.

That is pretty clear, and I am sure that not everyone will agree with this explanation of how to be saved.  It is clear to my.  It is by faith.  God did what needed to be done to help mankind, you and me, spend eternity with God as well as to live with purpose while we are on earth.  Plainly put, life is about God. 

When we focus on God, life has meaning.  When we focus on doing what we want or pleasing ourselves, we will find that we have little to no meaning in our lives.  We are not puppets.  That means that God doesn’t tell us what to do and when to do it.  He allows us to make choices, and when we understand His place, life gets sweeter and sweeter.  I didn’t say easier. 

I believe with all my heart that God called me and our church to tell people the truth about God.  We do this by getting the attention of our community and telling them about Jesus.  Many times this happens as we meet people’s needs and win the right to share with them.

Grandma Bobbie was secure in her salvation, and she understood that Jesus secured her way to heaven.  That was set.  She said yes to Jesus a long time ago.  May we too know the peace that comes from trusting and knowing Jesus.  His plan for us makes clear the way to heaven!

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

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