Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Download MP3 (right click to save)
There was a young man we knew who was pretty distraught over a death in his family. Suddenly, he just decided to delete a bunch of Facebook friends. And I know others that have been "deleted" friends as well. Listen, it hurts! It's quite a time we live in. You can delete a relationship with a stroke of your finger.
People have been deleting other people forever. It just got easier now. And, in some ways, it's gotten more brutal. But most of us know how "deleted" feels, whether it came from someone turning on us, abandoning us, divorcing us, forgetting us. Or maybe they just died on us. No matter how it happens, it hurts.
I'm more grateful than ever that I have a friend who absolutely will never delete me no matter what.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Never Deleted."
In our word for today from the Word of God, Hebrews 13:5, Jesus has promised me – and He's promised everyone who belongs to Him – "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you". And I'll tell you what; Jesus has never broken a promise.
This part of the Bible goes on to say that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Man, that sounds awesome in a world where everything from governments to gas prices to politics to relationships – they're all changing wildly. But one anchor Relationship, one unloseable person, "I'll never leave you. I'll never forsake you. I have been the same yesterday, today, I will be forever."
It's pretty amazing that I can call the Son of God my friend. But His Word says I can. "We can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God (the Bible says) because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us (Fasten your seatbelt now.) friends of God" (Romans 5:11). And Jesus actually said to those who follow Him, "Now you are my friends" (John 15:15). And He proved how much He loved me by how much He sacrificed for me. In His words, He loved us enough to "lay down His life for His friends" (John 15:13).
So I know He'll never delete me. If He was ever going to turn His back on me, it would have been when He was suffering and dying on that cross for all the things I have done against Him. And He hung there until He could say, "It is finished." He did that because He wants me – He wants you – to be with Him forever. If you're not with Him forever, it will be because you deleted Him.
So, is this the day that you finally turn personally to this Jesus and say, "Jesus, beyond any religion, beyond everything Christian; all the Christian meetings, because I have been a part of a religion that's about You, none of that means I belong to You. I want to be Yours. I want to take for myself what You died on the cross for."
You've been lonely enough. You've been hurt enough. You've been lost enough. You've been deleted enough. This is the One you can anchor your life to. Are you ready to make anchor? Here you go. You say, "Jesus, I'm Yours from this day on. You died for me. I give myself to You. Nobody loves me like You do."
And then that promise kicks in, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Listen, I've set up our website so you could actually know how to belong to Jesus and be sure you do. Would you go there and check it out today? It's ANewStory.com. Or if you'd like to talk with someone about how to belong to Jesus, text us at 442-244-WORD, and know from this day forward while you may be lonely again, you've just spent your last day alone.