Dodger: Hi there! How was your week? Sorry we haven't been in for a while. I'm trying to keep track of everything that's happened to me this week. I've been really busy, getting ready for school again.
Lilly: Me too. Interestingly enough, I was driving with my mom to go get some pencils and notebooks, when we came behind a car with a bumper sticker.
Dodger: What did it say? Was it funny?
Lilly: No, this one was kind of sad. It said "Life is a journey, with the destination unknown*".
Dodger: That's odd. I wonder why it says that.
Lilly: My guess is that the person in that car doesn't know where his/her life is going. That's pretty dangerous.
Dodger: I see what you mean. After all, life can only have two destinations, and you have to make the choice as to where you'll arrive.
Lilly: Exactly. Unfortunately, many people don't seem to know where they're going.
Dodger: That reminds me of when I went on a trip with my family last month. We were driving, and got lost on our way to the highway. Dad couldn't get the GPS to work right. We ended up stopping at a gas station for a map, and then we figured how to get to our destination.
Lilly: That's a great example, Dodger.
Dodger: Of what?
Lilly: Well, think about it. Life is kind of like the trip you were taking. In order to navigate and make the right decisions, we have to know what we're doing and where we're going. If we get lost, we need to find someone or something that can get us on the right road again.
Dodger: A map, for example.
Lilly: Right. The Bible is like a roadmap for our lives, and the Holy Spirit gives us directions too, but when we don't know the Bible, or haven't heard it, or don't listen, we're liable to get lost and have no idea where we're going. The real danger is not as much as when we don't know, as when we don't care. If you don't care where you're going, you could end up in a really, really, bad place.
Dodger: I see what you mean. There's two places we can choose to go, and when we die we'll end up in one or the other. One's heaven, and the other is hell. And both are real places. Neither one is a bad word, unless you use them in the wrong way, but I certainly don't want to end up in hell.
Lilly: You said it. In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus actually tells us which path to travel. He says “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (NKJV)
Dodger: What does that mean?
Lilly: Well, here's how I explain it. If you want to go someplace, you can't just take any road. If you want to get there safely, you have to follow directions and signs on the road. If you don't, you could crash into another car, or jump your car off a cliff. Sometimes the right road is bumpy and hard to ride on. But if you follow it, you'll still reach your destination safely. It's the same in life. The choices you make will put you one place or another. If you do something you know is wrong, you'll have to pay the consequences for it, like running a stop sign and hitting another car. You need to be careful so you don't make bad choices you have to pay for later.
Dodger: I get it. But there's one choice more important than all of them, isn't there? After all, we all make bad choices sometimes, so we can't rely completely on ourselves to get to heaven.
Lilly: That's very true. None of us can actually get to the right road without Someone Special's help.
Dodger: You mean Jesus.
Lilly: You bet I do. In Romans 3:21-26 the Bible shows us how we can be saved from the sins that would take us to hell. It says "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (NKJV) You see, we've all sinned and done wrong, and that's our own fault. But God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. But He didn't stay dead, oh no, He rose again on the third day and is alive even now! The Romans verse makes it clear that we can be saved because Jesus paid the price for our sins so none of us would have to go to hell. On our own, none of us is good enough to reach heaven. But when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and our Savior, we can be saved, and know that our destination is heaven.
Dodger: It's not always easy to do what Jesus wants us to. Life won't be perfect when we accept Him, at least not right away, but when we reach heaven, it will be the best place we ever see. So what do you think? Maybe you're already a Christian. If you are, good for you! Keep reading the Bible and pursuing Jesus Christ. But maybe you've never heard of Him, and would like to know Him now. Romans 10:9-11 says "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” You will never need to be ashamed of asking Jesus into your heart. He already loves you, and really wants you to live in heaven with Him. If you'd like to know Jesus for the first time and have The Holy Spirit in your heart, say so, and believe that He really rose from the dead. You can pray to Him, and tell Him "Dear God, I know I've done wrong, and that I don't deserve you. But I also know that you sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die a very hard death so that I could be saved from my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess You as Lord and Savior of my life, Lord Jesus. Thank you very much. In Jesus name, Amen.
Lilly: Did you know that if you were the only person on earth Jesus still would have died for you? He doesn't play favorites. He doesn't see anyone as more valuable than you. In His own words: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 NKJV)
Dodger: If you just accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, well done. You now know where your life is going. Even though the road isn't always going to be easy, He has promised to never leave or forsake you. His angels are even throwing a party because of you!
Lilly: It's amazing how much life is like a journey. I'm glad that as Christians, we can say "Our destination is heaven".
Dodger: Hallelujah! By the way, that means "Praise the Lord!" Well, it looks like I have to get going.
Lilly: Yeah, me too.
Dodger: Thanks for coming today. Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not to change!
Lilly: La revedere!
(NKJV means New King James Version)
* This was based on, but not quoted, from a real bumper sticker.
Lilly: Me too. Interestingly enough, I was driving with my mom to go get some pencils and notebooks, when we came behind a car with a bumper sticker.
Dodger: What did it say? Was it funny?
Lilly: No, this one was kind of sad. It said "Life is a journey, with the destination unknown*".
Dodger: That's odd. I wonder why it says that.
Lilly: My guess is that the person in that car doesn't know where his/her life is going. That's pretty dangerous.
Dodger: I see what you mean. After all, life can only have two destinations, and you have to make the choice as to where you'll arrive.
Lilly: Exactly. Unfortunately, many people don't seem to know where they're going.
Dodger: That reminds me of when I went on a trip with my family last month. We were driving, and got lost on our way to the highway. Dad couldn't get the GPS to work right. We ended up stopping at a gas station for a map, and then we figured how to get to our destination.
Lilly: That's a great example, Dodger.
Dodger: Of what?
Lilly: Well, think about it. Life is kind of like the trip you were taking. In order to navigate and make the right decisions, we have to know what we're doing and where we're going. If we get lost, we need to find someone or something that can get us on the right road again.
Dodger: A map, for example.
Lilly: Right. The Bible is like a roadmap for our lives, and the Holy Spirit gives us directions too, but when we don't know the Bible, or haven't heard it, or don't listen, we're liable to get lost and have no idea where we're going. The real danger is not as much as when we don't know, as when we don't care. If you don't care where you're going, you could end up in a really, really, bad place.
Dodger: I see what you mean. There's two places we can choose to go, and when we die we'll end up in one or the other. One's heaven, and the other is hell. And both are real places. Neither one is a bad word, unless you use them in the wrong way, but I certainly don't want to end up in hell.
Lilly: You said it. In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus actually tells us which path to travel. He says “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (NKJV)
Dodger: What does that mean?
Lilly: Well, here's how I explain it. If you want to go someplace, you can't just take any road. If you want to get there safely, you have to follow directions and signs on the road. If you don't, you could crash into another car, or jump your car off a cliff. Sometimes the right road is bumpy and hard to ride on. But if you follow it, you'll still reach your destination safely. It's the same in life. The choices you make will put you one place or another. If you do something you know is wrong, you'll have to pay the consequences for it, like running a stop sign and hitting another car. You need to be careful so you don't make bad choices you have to pay for later.
Dodger: I get it. But there's one choice more important than all of them, isn't there? After all, we all make bad choices sometimes, so we can't rely completely on ourselves to get to heaven.
Lilly: That's very true. None of us can actually get to the right road without Someone Special's help.
Dodger: You mean Jesus.
Lilly: You bet I do. In Romans 3:21-26 the Bible shows us how we can be saved from the sins that would take us to hell. It says "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (NKJV) You see, we've all sinned and done wrong, and that's our own fault. But God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. But He didn't stay dead, oh no, He rose again on the third day and is alive even now! The Romans verse makes it clear that we can be saved because Jesus paid the price for our sins so none of us would have to go to hell. On our own, none of us is good enough to reach heaven. But when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and our Savior, we can be saved, and know that our destination is heaven.
Dodger: It's not always easy to do what Jesus wants us to. Life won't be perfect when we accept Him, at least not right away, but when we reach heaven, it will be the best place we ever see. So what do you think? Maybe you're already a Christian. If you are, good for you! Keep reading the Bible and pursuing Jesus Christ. But maybe you've never heard of Him, and would like to know Him now. Romans 10:9-11 says "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” You will never need to be ashamed of asking Jesus into your heart. He already loves you, and really wants you to live in heaven with Him. If you'd like to know Jesus for the first time and have The Holy Spirit in your heart, say so, and believe that He really rose from the dead. You can pray to Him, and tell Him "Dear God, I know I've done wrong, and that I don't deserve you. But I also know that you sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die a very hard death so that I could be saved from my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess You as Lord and Savior of my life, Lord Jesus. Thank you very much. In Jesus name, Amen.
Lilly: Did you know that if you were the only person on earth Jesus still would have died for you? He doesn't play favorites. He doesn't see anyone as more valuable than you. In His own words: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 NKJV)
Dodger: If you just accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, well done. You now know where your life is going. Even though the road isn't always going to be easy, He has promised to never leave or forsake you. His angels are even throwing a party because of you!
Lilly: It's amazing how much life is like a journey. I'm glad that as Christians, we can say "Our destination is heaven".
Dodger: Hallelujah! By the way, that means "Praise the Lord!" Well, it looks like I have to get going.
Lilly: Yeah, me too.
Dodger: Thanks for coming today. Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not to change!
Lilly: La revedere!
(NKJV means New King James Version)
* This was based on, but not quoted, from a real bumper sticker.
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