Topic: What It Means to Be Saved [RICK WARREN Devotional 2 April   2022]

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What It Means to Be Saved

“Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.”

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (CEV)Because of God’s great mercy, Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10 NIV). He showed you how much you matter to him by sending his Son to die on the cross for your sins. That’s the kind of love God has for you.

You may have heard people say, “I’m saved.” You may even say that yourself when you talk about your relationship with Jesus. But what does it mean to be saved? What happens when you accept God’s gift of salvation?

Salvation rescues you from yourself. Many people don’t think they need to be saved or “rescued” from anything. And I ask them, “Really? You have no pain in your life? You have no resentment, pressures, guilt, or anxiety?” Everyone has problems they can’t solve on their own. Everyone needs to be rescued. Everyone needs Jesus.

ALSO READ: Open Heaven 2 April  2022  –Topic: BY GOD’S GRACE 

The Bible says, “Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15 GW).

Salvation recovers what you lost. What would you like to get back? Maybe you’ve lost your confidence, your joy, your reputation, your dream, or your innocence. Jesus came to recover what you’ve lost.

If you’re familiar with farming, you probably know how damaging a swarm of locusts (grasshoppers) can be. They can destroy a field of corn in about two hours.

What has eaten away at your life? What has destroyed your profitability, plans, or relationships? Only God can restore it all. Joel 2:25 says, “I will give you back what you lost in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops” (GNT).

Salvation reconnects you to God. When you surrender your life to God, Jesus makes peace between you and him. He tears down all the barriers that once separated you from your Creator. There’s a word for that: reconciliation.

The Bible says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18 CEV).

Being reconciled to God also means you will live with him forever. You will have a home in heaven for all eternity! That’s why preparing for the next life is the most important thing you can do in this life.

• Do you struggle to admit you need God’s rescue? In what way do you sometimes try to rescue yourself?
• What have you lost in life? Take time to thank God for being a God of restoration and ask him to restore “what you lost in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops.”
• If you are already a Christian, in what ways did your salvation reconnect you to God? If you haven’t yet decided to follow Jesus, in what areas of your life do you see a need for reconnection to God?

It’s never too late to seek God’s rescue

If you haven’t yet accepted God’s gift of salvation through Jesus, you can do that today. Are you ready to commit your life to Jesus? If so, then pray this prayer:

“Dear Jesus, you have promised that if I believe in you and make you Lord of my life, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.

“I confess my sin, and I believe that you are God, my Savior. Today I’m turning every part of my life over to you. I want to follow you and do what you tell me to do.

“Jesus, I am grateful for your love, for your sacrifice on the cross, and for your resurrection that make it possible for me to join you in heaven. I know I don’t deserve it. And I thank you that it is a gift of grace. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I commit my life to you, and I ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

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