With Christmas rapidly approaching many are thinking about what to buy their loved ones. Jesus has prepared a priceless gift for every soul. There are many people who think they have everything that don’t have this priceless gift, at least not yet.

The gift Jesus has prepared for us is the priceless gift of eternal life purchased on the Cross. Jesus holds His hand out to us. It’s an invitation to a new life, an eternal life that begins here on earth. In His hand Jesus holds the key that opens the gates of Heaven to us. This key is there for each and every one of us that will simply say, “Jesus I believe that You are my Saviour. I’m sorry for my sins. Please forgive me and help me.”

All that’s needed to access this gift is FAITH.

“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.” Ephesians 2:8-9

When Jesus was dying on the Cross a criminal crucified next to him believed that Jesus could save Him. The criminal acknowledged his sins and showed faith in Jesus by saying “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”Luke 23:41 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”Luke 23:42

And to this Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

The criminal did not have time to amend his life but Jesus forgave him and gave him access to the eternal kingdom, Heaven.

For those of us living today that want access to the priceless gift of eternal life we need to understand that Jesus wants our faith in Him to give birth to many good deeds that prove that we truly love Him. In this way we show Jesus that our faith is alive NOT dead.

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:26

Eternal life can begin today. A new beginning full of hope and opportunity can begin today if we choose to take the hand of Jesus and pray for His forgiveness and grace.

God’s grace and Holy Spirit produces the fruits of faith. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

One of the most heartfelt gifts I received was from a mother and young son I met at Church. I was preparing the little boy for His First Communion in the month of February during a cold Canadian winter. One evening I realized the mother who was expecting a second child (whose father was a soldier posted abroad) was taking the bus with her little boy to come to our preparation meetings because she didn’t own a car. When I realized this I offered to drive them home and I also offered to help a very pregnant lady get to some of her doctor appointments (hoping I would not have to deliver a baby in my car!) At the end of the Sacramental preparation program the mother gave me a beautiful, very expensive dish with two hearts carved out in it. She told me the hearts symbolized her heart and her little boys heart. I looked at the dish as I was writing this and pray for God’s blessing upon them.

Jesus offers us His Heart, a Sacred Heart so full of love and compassion that the depth of His love can perhaps only be understood as we remember Jesus dying on the Cross for us.

Jesus lies on the Cross and is nailed to it enduring excruciating pain and torture. He endures this all out of the greatest love, the divine love of God! Jesus sacrifices His life in order to pay the price of our sins and give us the priceless gift of eternal life, a life that can begin right here and now on earth if we will just accept the gift of Jesus Christ’s infinite love.

Let us never forget the price Jesus paid to give us the gift of salvation.

“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

I invite you to consider this question:

“If you gave your life to save someone, wouldn’t you want your sacrifice to be remembered?”

I invite you to join Christians all over the world that are stopping every day (if but for a few solemn moments) at the time Jesus died for us, 3pm, to remember the Passion of Christ and pray for all souls. We call this movement that is uniting the Body of Christ in a daily moment of sacred remembrance of the Passion of Christ, The Mercy Movement. Please join us and pray for the salvation of all souls every day at the Time Jesus died for us, 3pm. Pray for peace in our world and in our hearts that we may bear the fruit of love for the glory of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.