“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
2 Corinthians 6:2
God’s people had been in bondage in Egypt for over 400 years; slaves of the Egyptian Pharaoh. But God’s plan for their deliverance was in play and when the time was right, He called Moses to lead His people out and to the Promised Land. After several acts of God that placed immense pressure on a stubborn Pharaoh, the Israelites were a free people once again.
Their longer-than-it-needed-to-be journey to the Promised Land is a whole other topic.
But to even get started, they had to make a choice.
Freedom or bondage?
The discomfort of change or the familiarity their current circumstances offered?
There’s comfort in what’s familiar to us—even when it’s highly unhealthy!
It’s the devil we know.
Just as God delivered the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt from more than 400 years of bondage, so He can and will do for each of us and our families. But just like the Israelites, we are faced with the same two choices: will we trust God and will we obey Him?
He will provide for our every need; the Great I AM will be it all! “His arm is not shortened that it cannot reach us” (Isaiah 59:1) – no matter the need nor how long we’ve struggled. When the battle has run long, decades even, we become weary and can lose hope.
But God is hope.
Dysfunction within our lives and families, and the normalization of it, was never God’s will for us. There is ground that has been forfeited to the enemy that God wants to take back…in us, in our marriages, in our children’s lives and in our relationships with them.
With God, the course can be corrected; the trajectory can and will shift. Do not be fooled into thinking that it will just work out on its own! It will not—there must be an intentional turning away from every unhealthy habit, faulty perspective and lie that’s taken root that is keeping us and our families in cyclical turmoil.
Surrender is the way…the only way.
But this surrender isn’t a hopeless forfeiture of your life into the hands of apathy; doing nothing to disrupt the status quo of dysfunction. No more of that; that needs to go right now.
It’s a hopeful leaning in as God draws us near to Himself.
If you’re in a place where you believe that God doesn’t love you, that you’ve gone too far down the wrong road for too long and He’s written you off or even if you are doubting the truth of His existence; if you take only one thing away from this piece, please let it be this:
that is an absolute lie from hell intended to keep you separated from God.
Come back. Right now…come back.
Every day—every moment—that God gives us breath is a new opportunity to turn away from every choice that has led us away from Him. We get to choose to turn back to Him! His arms are open wide; you are His beautiful creation, made in His image. Through Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross and our faith in Him, we are made righteous in the eyes of God! Every sin and shame that causes us to hide our faces from the Lord is wiped clean.
Forgiveness. Healing. Freedom.
This isn’t an exclusive offer for the “good” or the Super Christian. This is for you and me. “God does not desire that any should perish, but that all come to repentance”(2 Peter 3:9).
Eternity is long and you want it to be secure in Jesus.
But you know what else is long? A hard life on this earth. The kind that’s made more difficult because of choices that aren’t serving us or our loved ones well. But “Jesus came that we may have life and have it in abundance” (John 10:10).
Eternally with Him, yes. Praise God!
AND fruitful, blessed lives while on this earth.
It begins with a simple choice…the choice to choose Jesus.
Jesus over the addiction.
Jesus over the pain of the past.
Jesus over the lies that shame & guilt pour over you.
Jesus over the temptations of this world that promise fulfillment, yet only deliver emptiness.
God can and will change it all.
He’s the only One that can. That’s truth.
Take hope back today. Reach out and take Jesus’ hand and allow Him to redeem your story and the legacy of your family that’s being written. May your life, marriage and family be in a much healthier place a year from now because of the course-altering, life-changing choice you make today to surrender to God.
“Behold, I come.” (Psalm 40:7)
Ready for salvation?
If today is the day for you and you're ready to make the best decision of your life and accept Jesus' offer of forgiveness and eternal hope, beginning a beautiful journey that will change everything for you and your family, bow your head and say this simple prayer:
"Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and I am coming to You as I am, asking You to forgive me for my sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus Christ is Lord; that He died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I recognize that Your mercy and grace is a gift You offer me because of Your great love.
Jesus, by faith, I receive You into my heart as Savior and Lord of my life. Help me now live for You.
In Jesus' precious name I pray, Amen."
Please let someone know that you have prayed this prayer in sincere faith so that they may pray over and with you! We also encourage you to 1) get a Bible and start reading it regularly so the Holy Spirit can fill your heart & mind with Truth and 2) find a local church that preaches God's Word without compromise and enjoy the fellowship of your brothers & sisters in Christ.
We pray God's blessings over you and your family!