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Do you love music? I’m never riding around in my car when the radio isn’t on. My main staple has always been ROCK & ROLL. There’s something about listening to it that gets your heart pumpin’. One night the songs Highway to Hell and Stairway to Heaven were played back to back. If that isn’t a strange dichotomy! I’m sure you have a preference between those two destinations. I mentioned that to a friend who made the astute observation about how many more people travel on a highway than on a stairway.

Do you believe in God? Satan does. We find that out in the third chapter of the Bible. Man was given God’s entire creation. Adam was the man! Paradise was his and he called all the shots. God didn’t give him ten Commandments—God gave him one. And along came Satan in the form of a snake and convinced man to disobey God, and like a child being told not to touch the wet paint, Adam and Eve knew better but ate from the forbidden tree and sealed mankind’s fate. Man became a SINNER. Romans 3:23 tells us “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The question remains:

How can I get this “gift”?

There is currently a popular Country song titled, “I Believe Most People are Good.” Many people believe that we get to Heaven by being “good,” but how much “good” do we need? The word “good” is not an absolute. What’s “good” for me may be “bad” for you. But before we go any further, let’s ask God, not Google. In the Bible, Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Titus 3:5 says “... not because of righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy. He saved us …” If you think that being a “good” person and doing “good” things is your ticket to heaven, you’re wasting your time. Man’s ticket to heaven is free! No hoops to jump through, no fine print, no password to remember. Free! God is the absolute!

Each year on December 25th, we celebrate Christmas. Our primary focus may be the tree, presents, TV, and dinner table. Rarely will there be an acknowledgement of the reason for celebrating. The holiday may as well be called Family, Friends, Food, Football, Funday! Then, there are those who celebrate the birthday of Jesus—the Son of God! We reflect on the real reason for the season. If it wasn’t for Jesus, there would be no reason to celebrate. There would never have been a way to God’s heaven. Earth would be our “heaven” and our eventual death would be a finality. End of story.

But Jesus was born to die for you and me. It was the blood He shed at the cross that paid the wages for our sin. He was dead and in the grave for three days and was resurrected to give man a second chance at life. The gift! We didn’t deserve His love, and Jesus didn’t deserve to die, but it was the only way for man to live. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

At the age of 9, I believed in God. I went to church, sang the songs, memorized the verses, hung out with church kids, and connected the dots. But one Sunday morning, a guest missionary spoke and I realized his God and my God were not the same. I wanted God not only in my head, but in my heart. He is there right now and I know I will be going to Heaven!

Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

God wants to hear from you. Heaven is one prayer away.

Jesus is your stairway to Heaven. I hope to see you there.

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