Letter to a Friend

This letter from Jesus is an invitation to faith. Do you know Jesus? Have you met Him in His Word? If you do not know Him personally, be advised that he does know you. He knows each and every person on this earth (past, present and future) personally. Rest assured – He loves you as if you were His only child. I pray that you will be blessed as you read...

Letter to a Friend

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16)

April 28, 2011

Dearest Friend,

I am a very dear friend to you. I know you personally, but you don’t yet know Me.

It has come to My attention that you are having some serious health issues right now and that you are feeling very discouraged. I am writing this letter to encourage you. I want you to have hope not only for your physical health now and in the days to come, but more importantly for your spiritual health which will benefit you not only for the here and now, but will determine where you spend eternity.

You see, your physical illness is not the most serious illness you have. You inherited the sin virus when you were conceived in your mother’s womb. This virus left unchecked will lead you to an eternity separated from God and all that is good. It is a disease which affects all humans, and I will discuss it more in depth with you later in this letter.

You have a beautiful family and they are counting on you. I have known each of them also since before they were born into this world, but unlike you they do know Me and have a personal relationship with Me.

Your wife became a member of My family when her parents brought her to baptism at one month of age. She is connected to Me and she communicates with Me often through prayer. She is smart and beautiful and I have blessed her with a lovely singing voice. She uses her voice to give Me glory each time she visits My house for worship. She has a loving heart and is a good mother to your children. Unfortunately, she suffers from the sin virus also.

Because of the virus she has anger issues at times. Her anger is difficult for her to control, but she prays about it often. I am glad to help her with it and I do, but often when she gets overwhelmed with life she forgets that she can come to Me for the help that she needs. Her stubborn pride gets her into trouble at times also and causes her to say hurtful things which she doesn’t mean. She loves you though and wants to be a good wife to you and a good mother to your children.

When, in her anger, she dishonors My name or lashes out with hateful words toward you, try not to feel hurt and resentful. It is just the virus rearing its ugly head. I know that she still loves me just as she also loves you. 

There are three children in your household and I know each of them personally also.Your step-daughter is a beautiful and talented young lady. She is not only beautiful on the outside, but more importantly she has a loving heart for God and for others. Her personal relationship with Me began at her baptism into My family. She is stubborn, proud and disobedient at times, and a little on the lazy side, but that is because, like you and her mother, she also has inherited the virus. I have blessed her also with the ability to sing and she glorifies Me often in song. She is very smart and is growing into a lovely woman. There will be many temptations for her to overcome as she becomes a teen and young adult, but I will be with her. I will never let go of her.

Then there is your own biological daughter. I know her well and she also is very special. She is more responsible than most children her age and her heart is full of love and the desire to please. Her greatest wish is to be a wife and especially a mother someday. She truly loves babies and I am confident she will naturally slide into the role of mommy in the future when My time is right for her to do so.

She has never been brought to Me in baptism, although she has expressed to Me and to her step-grandparents her desire for that to happen. I love her regardless. It is your responsibility however, as her parent to grant her request for baptism.

Through baptism she will receive forgiveness for her sins (caused by the virus), she will receive faith from the Holy Spirit, and she will officially become a member of My family. For her sake, please think about and consider My gift of baptism for her. There will be rejoicing and a great celebration in heaven on the day of her baptism. You will find reference to this fact in My Word (Luke 15:7)

She also will face many temptations as she grows into a young adult, but I promise I will hang on to her and never let go. Because of her inherited sin there may be times when she will let go of Me, but don’t worry, I will never let go of her.

Ahh... then there is your little man. He is truly a gift – the result of the love between you and your wife. What a precious little boy he is and he is a part of both of you. He became a member of My family through baptism shortly after birth. Of course like all humans he also inherited the virus of sin. He is sometimes a little stinker, but he, like the other two children has a kind and loving heart. He will grow up to be a fine young man but he will need lots of loving guidance and discipline along the way. All three children will need that from you. They don’t realize it but they are counting on you.

So now, let Me tell you about the virus. It came from Satan. I created him a holy angel, but he rebelled against Me and became proud. Rather than serving Me lovingly, he wanted to be in control and tried to take over my position as Lord of the universe. He is "a liar and the father of lies". You may find reference to this in my Word (John 8:44). Because of this he was banished from heaven. I have allowed him to still have a certain amount of power here on earth, but when I come again on the last day he will be thrown into hell forever. In the meantime he continues to try his hardest to lead My people into sin. He wants to take as many of them with him as he can.

In the beginning when I created humans, it was not My desire or intention for death to be a part of their life. But Satan convinced the first people I created (Adam and Eve) to sin against Me.

I had placed Adam and Eve in a beautiful garden filled with plants and wild life. It was their home. There were rivers and streams and there were trees which produced fruit for them to eat. But there was one tree which I specifically instructed them to stay away from. I named this tree “THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL”. I instructed them not to eat its fruit or to even touch it or they would die (Genesis 3:3).

 

They had no reason to go near it, either to touch it or to eat its fruit. There were many other trees and plants in the garden which provided for their needs. I was there with them also to provide for their spiritual needs. I did however allow them the ability to make their own choices in life. I wanted them to love Me of their own accord, not because I forced them or threatened them to.

One day Eve was walking in the garden and there near the forbidden tree she saw a serpent – an animal which the people of today’s world refer to as a snake. To her surprise the snake spoke to her. He asked her; “Did God really say; you must not eat from any tree in the garden? “ Eve then explained to the snake that they were allowed to eat from any tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which was located in the center of the garden. She explained to him further that if they did, God had told them that they would die.

 Keep in mind that God had created his people perfect. They did not yet know the difference between good and evil. They knew only perfection. Satan convinced Eve that God was lying to her and that she wouldn’t die, but rather that her eyes would be opened and she would gain knowledge.

The fruit on the tree was pretty and looked good to eat. According to Satan, it would be beneficial in gaining knowledge, so in spite of her instructions from God, Eve took some. She ate it and offered it to her husband Adam and he ate it also. 

Their eyes were opened all right! For the first time they realized they were naked. They made makeshift clothing for themselves out of fig leaves and they tried to hide from God because they were ashamed.

Of course, no one is able to hide from God. He knew where they were hiding and He knew what they had done, but still He asked them; “Where are you?” Adam answered; “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” God questioned him further; “Who told you that you were naked?” He asked them; “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Adam blamed it on Eve and Eve blamed it on the serpent.

In the end God told Adam and Eve that life would no longer be easy for them. They would face heartache and pain and would have to work hard to make a living. He promised them; “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

God made clothes for Adam and Eve out of animal skins and banished them from the beautiful garden he had created for them. He did not want them to be tempted to eat from the “tree of life”. If that were to happen they would live forever in a body which would eventually get old, wear out and decay. God placed “Cherubim” with a “flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24) and prevent them from coming near it.

God punished Satan also through the promise of a Savior for His people. He said to Satan; “... I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” If this is difficult for you to understand, think of it this way – A crushed head would result in death. A bruised heel would cause a limp for awhile, but would eventually heal and be as good as new.

Dear friend, I am that “enmity”. I am Jesus, the true Son of God. I came willingly into this world to save sinners like Adam and Eve and all people since their time. Because of their (Adam and Eve’s) sin all people after them have inherited sin. All people are born spiritually dead. All people face physical death, but without My help they would not only die physically but eternally. Without My sacrifice their souls would go to Hell, the place God prepared for the devil and his fellow demons.

You see, My heavenly Father demands perfection. He is holy and demands that His people be holy also. Because He dearly loves the people He created, He sent Me, the second person of the deity and His only Son, to die in your place and in the place of all people. I came to earth as a man. I lived the holy and perfect life that humans are unable to do. Oh, it wasn’t easy. I faced the same temptations that you do. Satan tried to lead Me into sin just like he did Eve, but with the help of my Father, I overcame him.

I became the sacrifice which My Father demanded for sin. I suffered the punishment which Adam and Eve and all people deserve for their sin by dying on a cross and being forsaken by My Father. I was buried in a tomb, but I conquered death and Satan when I rose from the dead three days later.

Satan merely bruised my heel when I suffered on the cross and was forsaken by my Father, but I crushed his head destroying his power forever when I rose triumphant three days later. It is all recorded for you in My Father’s Word if you are interested in reading it for yourself. I appeared to many people after I rose so that there would be no doubt that I am alive. Those who have faith in Me are covered by My blood and washed clean of all sin. My Father no longer holds them accountable. They are holy and ready for heaven.

Dear friend I died for you too. I love you. I want you to live with Me in the mansions I have prepared for you in heaven. You are My own dear child. I am present with you here on earth, but this earth is not all there is. Someday you will die and when that day comes for you, I want to be able to send My holy angels to you to carry you home. I want you to be with Me and live with Me forever in my Father’s house.

You need to be ready for that day. In order for you to be ready for heaven you need to have faith and believe the promises offered in My Father’s Word.

It's up to you to reach out and take hold of My free gift. I have given you My Word to light your path so you won't get lost.Your wife and daughters each have a copy of that Word. Pick it up sometime and read it. Through the Word My Holy Spirit will give you faith in Me. You will be a forgiven child of God, perfect and ready for heaven. Make sure your garments are washed in My blood through faith.

The health issues you are facing now in this life are nothing compared to the glory which awaits all who trust in Me. I remind you to not fear those who kill the body (sickness, pain and disease) but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...(Matthew 11:28)

The spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life... Amen, Come Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:17,20)

Your loving friend,

Jesus

Gloria Dei – All glory to God!

By Kristeen