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Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Do you have your Passport?

Passports become critical when we want to 'get outta Dodge'.  They are the vehicle authorizing us to enter another country by auto, board a plane to Spain and climb Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa.  They provide the country of entry authorities with vital information about us; our physical statistics, country of origin and other countries we've visited.  Without them, we stay put in the land of our birth.

Passports aren't automatically issued like a birth certificate.  You apply for them through your country's passport agency.  It can be a lengthy process and costs money.  A picture always is prominent on the first page along with an official looking seal.  And they are colorful.

Basically, possessing a passport gives you the right to travel freely throughout the world.

In life, God gives us a spiritual passport through Jesus Christ.  If you want to change the travel plans of your life and visit other places God has provided for you to travel to, Jesus' sacrifice for your sins is your spiritual passport.  God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, to die for you - even when you didn't know you needed this passport.  BTW - this passport gives you an eternal home to travel in after death.

"For God so love the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 ESV (English Standard Version)

"But to all who did receive him (Jesus), who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 ESV

The stamp of God's kingdom looks blood red on His passport.  It cost Jesus His Life for our life.  The picture God sees when we hand Him our passport into His heavenly realm looks like Jesus.  By believing that God is Who He says He is and does what He says He'll do through Jesus, we are issued our most important document in life and death.

How do you apply?  Start by reading the gospel of John in the New Testament of the Bible.  Then choose to believe that Jesus died to save you from an unmentionable eternity apart from Him.  If you are a skeptic, read about the father with a demonized child who stated in Mark 9: 22-24, "But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.  And Jesus said to him,  'If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.' Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'"  (italics mine). God always answers this prayer!

I am excited for all the new spiritual countries you will have access to enter.  One of them I have been visiting with regularity is Grace and Truth land.  The inhabitants; God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit, teach me not only to show grace but to walk in truth.  It can be a confusing culture to learn if you have lived mostly in Grace Land.  Let's see; where else have I been lately?  It's a rocky and barren land called Brokenville.  I always leave there with holes in my shoes but a warm heart at all the others I sojourn with.  I spend a lot of time there.  big sigh.  But I am among friends!  The Son lives in all lands; even the land of death and grief - especially there.

Someday, maybe soon, I will come to my last country called heaven.  "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb (Jesus)." Revelation 18:23 ESV

Thanks for reading.  If you want to take a fascinating journey of faith, you'll need your spiritual passport.  I promise, God promises, you won't regret the miles
...ever.

Nancy