In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

Today you are starting something that has the potential to change your life. Up until this point you may have been like the vast majority of mankind. You may have just been existing from day to day without a great deal of thought as to why you are here and where you are going. For the next thirty days you have committed to read through the entire New Testament, so at the outset it is important to understand just exactly what the New Testament is.

In a nutshell, the New Testament lays out the will of God and the rules for all men who have lived since the time that Jesus was crucified for our sins, was buried, and rose again. God created each one of us and therefore has the right to tell us how to live. But this is not simply a book of rules, it is a love letter from a Father who wants to make sure that you are with Him for all eternity. At the outset make certain that you grasp the truth that you are an eternal being with a soul that will live forever in either Heaven or Hell. You get to choose!

This journey will not be easy. Reading the Word of God entails far more than just taking the half-hour a day that this challenge will require, for once you come in contact with the will of God through His holy Word, it will forever change you. This change will require a decision that you heretofore may have avoided. God's Word will open your eyes to what you are really doing here on this earth, and it really will tell you what you must do in order to please Him. His rules are absolute, and this very fact will cause most to bristle and scoff at the idea that anyone has the right to tell them how to live.

But for those who do not resist His way, he has peace and joy and hope! He offers forgiveness through the shed blood of His precious Son! For those of us who have lived under the burden of sin, we realize how beautiful that forgiveness is. It means we are free! We are free from the guilt we have incurred, we are free from the penalty we deserve, and we are therefore free to live a life that is filled with the gladness of the moment as well as the anticipation of an eternity with God and Christ.

One more thought: If God was powerful enough to create the heavens and the earth, don't you think He has the power to re-create your life to what it was intended to be? Most of us have gotten so caught up in the problems of this world and our daily grind that we have lost sight of what we are here for. Because of that, we have lost the joy of the hope that we have. But understand this: We are going to live forever! God has made all of the arrangements. It is more than possible that you think you have already "blown" your chance at salvation, but this is not so. You are still alive and breathing and today you are beginning your journey to an eternity with God!

I invite you to join all who are taking this journey to Heaven. Make no mistake, we do not deserve Heaven. Understand further that Heaven is not an eternal vacation land. It is a place of service for those who have previously decided to turn their lives over to the service the Father and the Son, right now. This journey will change you. People will notice that change and will want an answer for why you have changed, so you better be committed enough to give that answer. Rely on the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus for your hope. Pray every day that God will help you - He will!

Are you ready to start? Today's reading is the first seven chapters of Matthew. Don't rush through in a mindless quest to check something off of your "to do" list. Savor the words. Appreciate this gift that has been given to you in the form of the very words of God. Enjoy the journey!