Hi!
Thanks for dropping by this page. I’ve worked really hard to provide you with a lot of value through this blog. I hope it really serves you well on your songwriting journey. But there’s a problem.
Sure, I can help you find and develop better song ideas and write them in a market-smart way. I can give you ways to finish more songs. But, at the end of the day, that’s not the most valuable thing I have to tell you.
What good does it do to help you find some missed opportunity in your second verse if I don’t tell you about the greatest opportunity you’ll ever have?
It would not only be irresponsible for me not to tell you… it would be hateful. So, however you found your way to this page, I’m glad you’re here.
God loves you. It doesn’t matter if you’re the leader of a nation or a starving child in a poor country. It doesn’t matter. God’s love is for everyone, including you.
God is a holy and righteous God. But we are not holy or righteous. Each of us, myself included, is sinful. Each of us has rebelled against our God. He cannot allow sin into His holy presence. And His righteousness demands that He punish sin. If God doesn’t punish sin, it would go against His nature. If He doesn’t punish sin, He wouldn’t be holy, and He wouldn’t be righteous.
So what happens when our sin puts God’s love in conflict with God’s justice? Thankfully, God made a way for both His love and His justice to be satisfied. He would punish sin as much as it deserves, and He would also make a way for His children to be with Him.
Jesus was not just a good man. Jesus Christ is God. He is part of the Holy Trinity along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus, who is fully God, would be born as a baby – now both fully God and fully human. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life. Then, on the cross, Jesus took on the sins of the world (including my sin and your sin), and God poured out His judgement and punishment on that sin- just as it deserves. Jesus died to pay the price for you and for me. Of course, He didn’t stay dead! He rose again, conquering death itself. He appeared to hundreds of people, including his close friends, before returning to Heaven.
Jesus, in the Bible, makes it clear that anyone who trusts in Him will be saved. Basically, God will look at you and see “Paid in full by Jesus.” So, what does it mean to trust Jesus? First, you must realize that you NEED saving. You have to admit that you are a sinner, and that you aren’t right with God. You must also admit that you cannot save yourself. You cannot be “good enough.” You cannot do enough good deeds on your own to make yourself worthy. It is ONLY the grace (undeserved favor) of God that can make you right with Him.
And you must repent of your sins. “Repent” means to turn away. Admit that you have rebelled and sinned against God. Admit that only Jesus can save you, and turn away from your sins and follow Jesus.
“Getting saved” is not about repeating some magic words and then going back to your old life. It’s not about following rules (“Go to church.” “Read the Bible.” “Don’t curse.” “Don’t get drunk.”). Again, this is not about how “good” you are. It’s about trusting Christ and Christ ALONE for your salvation. You don’t do good things and not do bad things so you can get right with God. You trust ONLY in the work of Jesus to make you right with God. And then you WANT to live a holy life because you are already right with God, through Jesus. And the Holy Spirit comes into your heart and helps you live a holy life. You don’t (and you can’t) do it on your own. So God sends help!
If you’re ready to commit your life to Jesus, to trust in Him and only Him for your eternal salvation, I urge you to pray a simple prayer and: 1) admit to God that you’re a sinner in need of saving 2) ask God to save you, trusting that your salvation comes only through the work of Jesus and nothing that you have done or will do, and 3) commit your life to following Jesus.
Let me be clear. Following Jesus will change you in every area of your life. You won’t be perfect, but the Bible promises that, over time, God will make you like Jesus. And God doesn’t promise that all your problems will disappear and that life will be easy if you just have enough faith. In fact, Jesus says, “In this world, you WILL have trouble. But fear not, for I have overcome the world.”
Following Jesus will not magically solve your earthly problems (or mine), but it will solve our BIGGEST problem. It will change us from being enemies of God to being forgiven by God! It will mean that the Holy Spirit will come into our hearts to transform us into who God wants us to be. And it means that we get to be with Jesus forever in Heaven.
Thank you for reading this far. I’ve shared this with you because I want the very best for you. I know this will turn some people off. I know I’m likely to lose readers for this. But that’s a very, very small price to pay compared to the price that was paid for us.
Songwriting Pro isn’t just for Christians or Christian songwriters. People of all faiths or no faith are welcome to read, comment, attend workshops, etc. Everyone is welcome here.
If you have decided to trust Jesus for your eternal salvation, I would be so thrilled to hear from you! Or if you have honest questions, I may not have the answers, but you’re welcome to email me at…
brent@songwritingpro.com
May God bless you and your songwriting journey,
Brent
