Choose Life!

Nov. 17, 2014 Monday Message:

“Choose life, so that you and your children will live.” Deut. 30:19ba MSG

Becoming a Christian is a 2-part endeavor. God does the first part. He deals with the sin problem in the world. Jesus reconciled the separation of God and mankind by taking the sin of the world upon himself. Good news – your sins are forgiven! In fact, the sin problem of mankind has been reconciled once and for all.

So does everyone have salvation, eternal life with the Father? No, not yet. It’s a choice each of us has to make.

Think about this – when the prodigal son was at his lowest, feeding pigs, it was not the father who kept him away. In fact, the father gazed longingly at the road each day, hoping his lost son would return home.

It’s a choice - that lost one needed to choose to come home to the father. He was fearful of what would happen if he did return. But his fear was misplaced. The father had long ago forgiven him. The father had already settled the son’s sin issue, once and for all. The question now was not about the father – it was about the son, if the son would choose to humble himself before the father, and return home.

Why are you still feeding pigs when you could go home to your father? He loves you so much, has already blotted out your sin and will welcome you with open arms.

Choose life. That’s when heaven celebrates!

Norton Lawellin

Every Sunday Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers at 10 a.m. in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week, Nov. 23, Pastor Michael Pilla leads our Thanksgiving discussion. For what are you thankful?