Many people have said to me, “Mandi, I have a lot of work to do before I can come to Jesus.” I always tell them, “You don’t have to clean yourself up before you come to the Lord.” Amen. It is God who cleans us up—we can never do it for ourselves. No matter how hard we try to do the right things, act the right way, be better, do better, or behave, we just can’t. We are sinful human beings, and only the Lord can transform us (Romans 12:2) and wash us clean. Amen.

Even after we come to Jesus, we still need the washing of His Word. We need Him to clean us up from time to time because this world does its best to make us dirty. We know when we start drifting away from Jesus and doing our own thing in life. We know when we need to find our place before the Lord, ask for His forgiveness, and ask Him to clean us and wash us to make us whiter than snow (Isaiah 1:18). Amen. We can’t help ourselves when it comes to the Lord, His forgiveness, and His healing over us and our lives. Only Jesus can do that for us. That’s why the Lord sent His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life (1 John 4:9, John 3:16). Amen.

For God says, “If you call upon His name, you will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Amen. The only way to the Father is through the Cross and accepting what He did for you and for me. Amen. Jesus is the only way, the truth, and our life (John 14:6). We can never truly live without Him. It is when we come to Him that we truly begin to live, for that is when Jesus comes into our hearts. He begins walking this pathway with us, leading and guiding us along the way, correcting and teaching us as we go. Amen.

The Holy Spirit of God is our teacher (John 14:26). He is our nearest and dearest friend, for the Lord says He teaches us everything we need to know. So never think that you have to get better, be better, act better, or even do better before you decide to follow Jesus and make Him Lord of your life.

As the song says, “Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come. Just as I am, though tossed about, With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fighting and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind, Sight, riches, healing of the mind, Yea, all I need, in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come! Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.” Amen.

The Lord wants us just as He wanted that thief on the cross. He wants us just as we are. Amen. He wants us to come to Him. He loves us, and He is always patiently waiting for us to come to Him and live forever with Him. Amen.

If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, today is the day that everything can change. The Bible says today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Never put it off, for this is the one thing we should never delay—giving our lives over to the Master, the Creator of all, Jesus. Amen. We want to live forever and for all eternity with Him, and He is the only way we can do that. Call upon Him today. Let Him know that you need Him and love Him. Ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart, and at that moment, He will.

He will start right there with you, holding your hand as you begin this journey of a lifetime with Jesus Christ our Lord. He will never leave you, and He will never forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). He will be your everything, so make Him your everything, and begin living the best life you can ever live today.

For it is in His name, Jesus’ name, that I ask and pray. Amen and Amen. Be blessed today, my dear sweet friends, and remember wherever you go and whatever you do, be a light for our Father. Much love to you all, Mandi