Bilbo B. wasn’t exactly gifted for an adventure… he simply went along with a game-changing calling.

Here’s my go at the Gospel:

God created the world. He also created man in his image. When he created man, he gave us a gift: free will, or the freedom to make choices. “The fall of man” occurred in the Garden of Eden shortly thereafter when Adam and Eve exercised their free will and sinned, following the instruction of satan disguised as a snake, and disobeying God. Therein lies the problem – the wage for disobedience or sin is death and eternal separation from God. We, as humanity, have royally messed up. Since Adam and Eve, all of humanity has fallen short… we’re all sinners in need of a Savior… there is no other way.

Fortunately, our God is a loving God. So, he sent his son, Jesus, to live a perfect, sinless life on earth in the flesh as a man and to die on a cross as a substitute for our sin, thus providing an opportunity for us. Again, there is no other way. Jesus didn’t come into our world to make bad men good. He came into our world so that dead men can live. Thankful.

Jesus reigns in heaven at this time called the church age and offers us forgiveness for our sins. When we repent from our sins and believe in him we all can have eternal life… If that is our choice. Here’s another cool part of the story: when we belong to God and are a part of His family the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Our human body actually becomes a temple where our living God dwells.

Can you dig it? Or maybe I should say can you feel Him within?

How would you explain the Gospel?

Image courtesy of Jim Pennucci on creativecommons.org

The post How Do You Explain The Gospel? first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post How Do You Explain The Gospel? appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

Romans is divided into two parts: what to believe, and how to behave.

It’s found in the Bible following the Gospel, the connecting link between the Old and New Testaments, and the Book of Acts.

Remember, the Romans were also the oppressors of the Jews, and the ones who put Jesus to death. The Gospel outlines Jesus’ journey to the fulfillment of the prophecy, or promise from centuries before of how a leader would rescue the Jews from their oppressors. The Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or “The Gospel,” contain the most powerful story ever, about the humble carpenter’s son who is the Messiah, and his journey… how he was betrayed by those he loved, and how he died for us. I wrote about this shortly after Easter, The After Party and The Empty Tomb. This year I related to Jesus more than ever before. Being a growing Christian is a good thing!

The Book of Acts is where I left off after Easter. It’s an accurate account of the birth and growth of the early Christian Church. Acts in where the fire is built.

… and on to the Book of Romans. I guess I have this mental picture of a Roman as a soldier in a chariot, fully armored, draped with weaponry, and ready for battle. You know, the dudes that manhandled and slayed Jesus. And while reading through the Book of Romans my impression begins to change, much like the Romans must have. So maybe we’re not talking about all of the same people. There were more than a handful of people in Rome at the time. I want to believe that some of these same people saw the light through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

… and the mental picture for me now is of Chariots on Fire for Jesus!! Yep, The Holy Romans. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. To paraphrase the footnotes in my Bible, it’ doesn’t mean that all that happens to us in good… Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for our long-term good.

… and I’m inspired…

Maybe, just maybe, there’s someone out there on the fence, or far away from God at the moment… eating a submarine sandwich… and they’re reading this… and they decide to give the Book of Romans a try.

It’s all right there.

For a Win.

His Win!!!

The post The Holy Romans: Chariots on Fire for Jesus first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post The Holy Romans: Chariots on Fire for Jesus appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.