By Paula Williamson, guest writer Free ticket for what? Many beliefs are not grounded in Scripture. For instance, “I prayed that prayer and got my free ticket and can just live how I want to, forgiven.” Really? Surrendering our lives to King Jesus means serving Him, not ourselves. True, He paid the penalty for our sins, and it is through Him that we gain admittance to heaven, but I challenge you to find a scripture that supports the idea that we can live for ourselves because we prayed that prayer. It Is Written GALATIANS 5:19 -21 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Allegiance Surrendering our lives to Christ means changing allegiance. We no longer serve ourselves but the King. Not to earn our salvation, but because our hearts have changed, we serve the one who has given us so much. If we are sincere about surrendering our lives to Him, we won’t want to live in a way that dishonors God and His family. The Holy Spirit within us will convict us, and we will be ashamed to do so. Our way of life does not earn our salvation. It shows the world whom we love and serve. Prayer Lord, change our hearts to be like Yours. Help us be about Your business. Help us to represent You rightly and to walk in a manner worthy of all You have done for us. Forgive us for dishonoring You and help us be quick to admit our faults and failures. Help us to love as You love and to live for an audience of one. Takeaway Grace is not a free ticket to live however we please; it is an invitation to surrender our lives to the One who paid the price for us.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer So many people invite Jesus into their lives, yet they remain in the driver’s seat. When Jesus came, He said, "The kingdom of God has come near you." In the kingdom of God, there is one King, and we are not Him. However, if we surrender our lives to Him, we should allow Him to sit in the driver’s seat of our lives. That means we are not the boss. It Is Written GALATIANS 5:18 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. He’s the Boss When we decide to give our lives to Jesus, we want to walk by the Spirit rather than by our flesh. When He is Lord of our lives and in the driver’s seat, our desires, attitudes, hearts, and wills yield to Him and His ways. We gladly take a knee before the King. Prayer Lord, remind us that there is a King; You are He. We humbly bow before You and gladly invite You to take the driver’s seat in our lives. You are wiser, smarter, and kinder, and Your ways are far higher. Help us submit our flesh and fleshly ways to You and walk in the power of Your Spirit. We bow to You as King. Takeaway Jesus is King of Kings.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer What we do, don’t do, say, don’t say, acknowledge, and don’t acknowledge all matter. Everything matters and makes a difference, for better or worse. In the book “The Butterfly Effect,” every action sets off a chain reaction. We all create a ripple effect that we may never see or know, but it’s true. No person and no action is insignificant, from a smile to a pay-it-forward. Why not spend our days releasing good? It Is Written GALATIANS 5:13 -14 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself. What Kind of Mark Will You Leave Today? What does "love your neighbor as yourself" mean? Did you clothe yourself today? Did you feed yourself today? Did you meet your basic needs? Did you come across someone who didn’t? We are not to use our freedom to serve ourselves but Christ, who gave Himself for us. Our lifestyle doesn’t earn us salvation. It shows the world that we are a child of the King, serving Him rather than ourselves. It’s really pretty simple: just love. Prayer Lord, there is no greater love than Yours. When I place my own beside Yours, I know I need to draw on Yours. Yours never runs low or runs out, and it is deeper and wider than any human love. Your supply is always there. In our weakness, You fill us to overflowing, and in the exchange, we learn more and more about You and Your nature. Thank You. Would You fill us today with an abundance of Your love to shower it on a world where it is in short supply? Takeaway God’s love never runs out.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer One only has to turn on the news or scroll through social media to feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, depending on the source of information. It’s easy to look around at what is wrong and become overwhelmed. What if we didn’t? What if we changed our news source to look for what good is happening in our world? What if we searched our days for the good? How might that change us and our outlook on life? What if we played the glad game in the old movie, "Pollyanna?" Her father taught her to look for things that made her glad when she was discouraged. It Is Written MATTHEW 11:28 -30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Relief God created the world and all the people in it for a relationship with Him. We can walk arm in arm, knowing He is with us, leading and guiding us, and giving us strength. This scripture promises that we can come to Him when we are weary and burdened, and that in Him we will find rest. I don’t know about you, but I am walking under His yoke and in the shade of His rest today. Prayer Lord, thank You for the promise that Your yoke is easy. Thank You that we do not have to carry our burdens alone. Thank You that when we run to You, You bear and share our burdens, making them manageable. I rest in You today. Takeaway He is our place of rest.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Why does life have to be about comparison and measurement? Those of us raised with low self-esteem can become preoccupied with never measuring up. Those of us raised with healthy self-esteem can struggle with self-importance. When Jesus, the Messiah, came, he leveled the ground for all of us. It Is Written GALATIANS 3:8 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. Level Ground Jesus broke the measuring stick. The battle between never measuring up and pride ended with Him. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. Our love will never measure up to His—not our joy, not our suffering, not our good ideas, or anything else in this world. The heavy yoke rested on His shoulders. He set us free to love and live in and through Him and His limitless resources. Prayer Lord, when we are tempted to pull out the measuring stick, remind us of the cross, where all measuring ended, the ground became level, and we were freed from relying on ourselves. Thank You that in our weakness, You are always enough. In You there is no lack. We take a knee and say, thank You. Takeaway The cross eliminates all measurements.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer I heard the term naval gazing recently, and it struck a nerve. We spend far too much time examining whether we are enough, measuring up, doing our best, or feeling inferior or superior. We spend too much time fixating on ourselves. What an embarrassing image naval gazing conjures up. It Is Written GALATIANS 4:6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. How Can God Be So Good? That’s a question worth examining and fixating on. One only needs to step outside in the early morning to sit in the quiet, feel the breeze, smell a rose, and listen to the birdsong, or to walk in the evening and look up at the starry hosts. Think about the seasons that come every year, the seashore’s boundary, or the migration of animals. The book of Genesis in the Bible records the story of creation, and the book of John records the life of Jesus. So much has been done with us in mind. Jesus’ last words were, “It is finished.” Everything has already been done to prepare a life worth living for us. None of us are worthy. We need to get our eyeballs off our navels and look up. People need to know of His great love for us. Just love and accept people like He loves us. Prayer Lord, help us get over ourselves! You are Healer, Redeemer, Restorer, Savior, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Help us shift our eyes to You, as Peter did when he stepped out of the boat to walk toward You. He looked away and began to sink. Help us keep our eyes on You. Takeaway Look up. That’s where our help comes.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer I can only imagine what it is like to be in an orphanage. I do know what it is like to feel the sting of rejection; most of us have at one time or another. In either case, what a stark contrast it is to feel the joy and pleasure of being loved, accepted, wanted, chosen, or adopted. It Is Written GALATIANS 3: 26-29 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Belonging None of us deserve what Jesus did for us. What He did through His life, death, burial, and resurrection paid the price for us to be brought into God's family. Just as we would live in a way that honored the family that adopted us, so as children of God, we should live in a way that honors His family. Jesus paid the full price of our adoption. We belong to the family of God. Prayer Lord, thank You for the extravagant price You paid to purchase my salvation and acceptance. I thank You for the opportunity to become part of Your family. I do not deserve such an honor. Thank You, Jesus, for paying the full price for my sin; no words can express my gratitude. Thank You. Takeaway Jesus offers love, belonging, and acceptance.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer When I was a little girl, my mama told me a long list of God-won’t-love-you ifs. When I started reading the Bible, I found the opposite. God is love. It is His nature to love. He never stops loving, and His love is not earned by being good. It Is Written 1 JOHN 4:8: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 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. Extravagant Love Jesus was God in the flesh, and He demonstrated God’s great love for us through His life, death, burial, and resurrection. He is loving, forgiving, and compassionate, and He lived selflessly so that we might be united with Him in Heaven. Prayer Lord, I pray that everyone who comes across this post would know You personally. I pray that You pour out Your great love and compassion upon them, and that they would come to know You as their personal Savior and Lord. Takeaway God is love.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer One only needs to read the Old Testament to find over 600 laws and restrictions. It is clear how hard it would be to keep them. When Jesus, the Messiah, came, he took the outward law and added an internal dimension that stepped on the toes of the law keepers. Matthew chapter 5 says that if a man thinks about committing adultery, he is guilty. It Is Written GALATIANS 3:24 -25 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. What the Law Could Not Do The law was written before Messiah. The law showed what was impossible, namely finding a way to God by our own efforts. Jesus fulfilled the law, and for all who believe in Him, He died for them. His righteousness is given to us. Prayer Lord, may we never take for granted the extravagant price You paid to reconcile us to God. In humility we bow and thank You. May that gratitude spill over into our lives and cause us to walk in a manner worthy of You and all You did for us. Takeaway Jesus paid for our righteousness.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Eternity is not a topic most of us hear about every day, but it becomes a sobering reality when someone we love dies. Where do they go? Many ideas exist about what happens after death, including reincarnation, the belief that they simply die and that’s the end, purgatory, and many others. But where do those beliefs come from, and can they be proven true? What if they are wrong? Just picking one and hoping does not bring much peace. The Bible is a source of information that has been around for over 2,000 years and has not been proven wrong. Where we spend eternity is an important question. It Is Written 1 JOHN 5:11-13 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. 13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. A Strong Promise God says, “He has given us eternal life, and that life is in His Son, Jesus. These things were written so that we would know we have eternal life. Believing salvation requires more than what Jesus did means that what He did was not enough. Dr. James Allen Francis penned these words: He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn’t go to college. He never visited a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.While he was dying, His executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on Earth. When he was dead,He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race, and the leader of mankind’s progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed,all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affectedthe life of man on Earth as much as that, One Solitary Life. Prayer Lord, Your word tells us that if we have the Son, we have life, eternal life. I want to know where I will spend eternity and to take as many people with me as possible. I surrender my life to You and Your ways. Come into my life and help me know You for who You really are. Takeaway Eternal life is in Jesus.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer There are many religions and much confusion in this world about God, spirituality, and Christianity. All but one involve man climbing the ladder toward heaven to reach God by his own efforts. Christianity is different. It is based on God climbing down the ladder from heaven to redeem man and on man acknowledging his need for a Savior. It Is Written GALATIANS 3:1-2 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? JOHN 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ACTS 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].” No Other Way God the Father descended from heaven and was born of a virgin in human form. He lived a sinless, selfless life, was crucified, buried, and rose again, fulfilling more than 300 Old Testament prophecies. He conquered death so we could have eternal life, be united with God, and receive the Holy Spirit as a deposit, empowering us to walk in overcoming power in this life. Jesus died for our sins and paid the full penalty. We live for Him, not to earn salvation but as ambassadors for Him. Prayer "Dear Lord, I know I am a sinner. I am sorry for my wrongs. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that you raised him from the dead. Right now, I turn from my old ways and surrender my life to you, Jesus. Come into my heart. Be my Lord and my Savior from this day forward. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me new life. In Jesus' name, I pray." Takeaway There is no other name by which we can be saved.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer The human paradigm is always trying to climb the ladder to earn our acceptance, success, approval, or a place in life. It’s a hard climb up those stairs, and the truth is, they have nothing to do with our reaching God. On our best day, we will never rise above being human, warts and all. It Is Written ROMANS 7:24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? GALATIANS 2: 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” A Done Deal The truth is that our acceptance by God was planned and purchased long ago. Our entry into heaven has nothing to do with our effort. It was purchased by Jesus. We need only accept that we cannot save ourselves and surrender our lives to Him. I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to jump into His arms and ask, “What shall we do today?” His love is unconditional, and when He resides in us, that love becomes our motivation for everything! We can step off the hamster wheel and pour out the same unconditional love we have received. Prayer Lord, what a relief it is to know You accept us just as we are. What a relief it is to step off the staircase of trying to earn approval, acceptance, and success. Thank You for all You have done through Jesus Christ. Help us walk in a manner worthy of such great love! Takeaway Jesus Christ has done the work. It is finished!