John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

God's love is not self-centered, as human love often is. He is constantly reaching out to you, regardless of your past thoughts or actions. By giving His own Son as a sacrifice, God sets the pattern of real love, the basis for all love relationships. When you love someone totally, you are willing to give even to the point of giving up your own life. God paid dearly by allowing Jesus to die a brutal death for your sake. It was the highest price He could pay.

Jesus accepted upon Himself the punishment that was actually meant for us. He paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that He had bought for us through His action.

If your life seems hopeless and miserable, you may not see any value in living an eternal life. But the eternal life God offers is not an extension of your life (with all its problems) here on earth--eternal life is a joyful experience totally free of any grief, sadness or hardship. It is God's life embodied in Christ and given to all believers. In eternal life there is no disease, enemy, evil, cruelty or sorrow. That may be hard to understand, because when we don't know Christ, we act as if the current life we are living is all we have. When you receive the new life God offers through Jesus, you will begin to evaluate all that happens from an eternal perspective.

It is not enough to believe intellectually that Jesus came to earth as the person of God in human flesh. Believing in Him means to put your trust and confidence in Him that He alone can save you from certain death. To believe means to put Christ in charge of your present plans and eternal destiny. You won't have to change anything in your life. God will do it for you, if you give control of your life over to Him. The result will be freedom, joy, and peace in your heart.

If you have never trusted God, let this promise of everlasting life be yours. To find out how, or if you've just taken that step of faith, please contact us at women@ccc-van.crusade.org We'd love to encourage you and help you grow in your faith.