John 5:24-27 (The Message)
24"It's urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living.
25-27"It's urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived—I mean right now!—when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in himself, he has conferred on the Son life in himself. And he has given him the authority, simply because he is the Son of Man, to decide and carry out matters of Judgment.
Wow, this verse just grabbed me this morning. I love The Message translation of this one, and how twice, it emphasizes the word URGENT. This message from Jesus truly is urgent and I think so often times we forget that. If Jesus said it, then I'm taking it as truth. He thought it was important enough to emphasize the fact that it is time, now, to accept Him and believe in Him. I don't just think He is saying that we will have lasting life in eternity, with Him, at the moment we accept Him. I think He is saying that we will have real and lasting life now.......once in Him, we enter into our REAL life, the one He intended for us all along. The one full of passion for Him because of His amazing love for us; which fuels compassion for others in need......which gives us the courage we need to step out there and really serve them, really! Something that others would label as radical! To stretch ourselves to do what we think we cannot! The Holy Spirit does the serving and the loving through us! How awesome is that?!? He knows we cannot keep His commands on our own strength so, if we allow Him to, He enters into us and does it for us!
Incredible that just by believing Him, He not only equips us but motivates us to do His will, now, while we are on earth, as it is, and will be in Heaven! Doing His will here, is a picture, a preview of what Heaven will be like. Perhaps that is why we feel so "pumped" when we are doing something for God!
What an amazing life! There is nothing on this earth that should not be worth giving up in order to step into this life with Him. We can trust Him, He knows us better than we know ourselves! He is worth it!
The grass truly is greener on the other side with Jesus!!
These verses in John are an invitation for us to enter into this life with Christ and he is saying that all we have to do is BELIEVE!!
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