Deal or No Deal? 
This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24

“Deal or no deal?”  That is the question contestants are asked weekly on NBC’s Deal or No Deal game show.  Contestants have a one in twenty-five chance of winning a million dollars by choosing a numbered suitcase with a dollar amount written inside.  From there, they begin to eliminate other numbered suitcases worth different amounts of money.  All along the way, the banker is making counter-offers in the hopes of getting them to accept a lower amount of money and walk away before they end up with the coveted million dollar prize.  After each offer from the banker, the host asks, “Deal or no deal?”  The contestant can either walk away with the money offered or continue to play in the hopes that the deal will increase.

God sent His one and only Son to be the sacrifice for the world.  Jesus came as God in flesh and lived a sinless life.  After completing His ministry, Jesus was killed.  He was sentenced to death on a cross.  In this death He died, He carried the weight of the world’s sin, so that you and I can have eternal life.  Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death.  He promised to send His Spirit to walk with us and to guide us.  He asks us simply this: Hear the word, believe and repent. 

In some ways, it seems simple.  Believe.  For when you do, Jesus sends His Spirit to dwell in you and to guide you.  Deal or no deal?  Do you believe in who Jesus is, and what He did for us?  Yes or no?  What is your answer?  You either accept it or you don’t.  Deal or no deal? 

When we say yes, when we look to God and surrender our lives and believe with all our hearts, Heaven rejoices.  When we say “Deal” we cross over from death to life.  When we accept the offer the Lord has given us, it is never a bad deal.  It is a great deal:  eternal life with no condemnation.  

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GOING DEEPER:

1. Have you accepted the offer the Lord has given you?  Do you believe?

2. If you never have accepted Jesus as your personal Savior or want to understand more, please contact a local pastor or HomeWord for more information.

FURTHER READING:
John 3:16; Galatians 2:20; 1 John 5:11-12

Kelly McFadden currently works at Mariners Church Southern California. She and her husband Michael are the new parents of Campbell McFadden


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