[image: Purpose Driven Connection - Daily Devotional] April 14, 2009
Three Benefits of Good
News<http://links.purposedriven.com/u.d?d4GtsNlBzySr6kIdw=53>
by Rick Warren
In our Devotionals series, Pastor Rick Warren discusses the Bible passages
that inspire him the most. Today's Devotional is based on this passage: "For
the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through
Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NLT).
The good news is you're able to enter into a relationship with God
through an attitude of trust in Jesus Christ; not through religion, rules,
regulations, or rituals.
When we trust our lives to Jesus Christ we're given three incredible,
fabulous, wonderful benefits. So, when we tell others about the good news,
we can let them know: God forgives your past; he gives you purpose in the
present; and, he offers you a future.
*God forgives your past.* None of us are perfect. Everybody has made
mistakes. Everyone has skeletons in the closet—things he or she wishes had
never happened. God comes along and says, "When you trust Jesus Christ with
your life, I take everything you've ever done and wipe the slate clean. You
get to start over with a brand-new life."
Now, is that good news?
*God gives you purpose in the present.* You are not an accident. God created
you for a purpose. But you're never going to know God's purpose for your
life until you first get to know God. When you get to know God, you're going
to know who you are. When you figure out God, you're going to figure out
yourself.
I meet people all the time who say, "I'm just trying to find myself." You
know what—you probably aren't going to like yourself once you find yourself!
These people say, "There's something missing in my life." God's missing! You
weren't made to live and go through life just on your own power.
*God offers you a future.* God gives you a future, a home in heaven. Most
people hope they're going to heaven, but they're not sure. Most people think
if you do more good in your life than bad, then maybe God will grade on a
curve and say, "Okay, you can come in."
Wrong! It doesn't work that way. You won't get into heaven on your own power
because you're just not good enough.
There's only one way we can get into heaven—on somebody else's ticket. Since
none of us are perfect, God came to earth in human form as Jesus. Jesus
lived a life of perfection. He died on the cross, paid for our sin, and then
went back to heaven. Now you get into heaven on his ticket, if you trust
him.
Romans 6:23 (NCV) says, "God gives us a free gift—life forever in Christ
Jesus our Lord." It's a gift. That means you can't earn it, you can't work
for it, and you can't own it in any way.
God says, "If you trust My Son with your life, you get forgiveness for your
past, a purpose for living in your present, and a home in heaven in the
future."
Is that good news?
Do you think anybody you know would be interested in that?
The world is hungry for good news.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest,
Calif., one of America’s largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick
is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The
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'Unless you change what you do, you will always have what you've got.'
- Jim Rohn
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