Let me ask you a question. If you were to die in the next 5 minutes, do you know where you would go? Would you go to heaven or would you go to hell? The bible tells us hell is reserved for the wicked, for the evildoers, for sinners.
Here are some more questions:
Have you ever lied? I know I have and that makes me a liar.
Have you ever taken anything that didn’t belong to you? I know I have and that makes me a thief.
Have you ever made anything or anyone more important than God? I have and that makes me an idolater.
What I’m trying to say is I have sinned. I am a sinner. God is a righteous judge and I would be judged for my sins. Because of my sinful nature, I would go to hell.
But the Father in His great compassion and love for me sent his son, Jesus, who never sinned, to take my place and pay the price for my sins. His death on the cross was a sacrifice so that I would not have to spend eternity separated from the presence of the Father.
I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I am now born again, spiritually. Since the price has been paid, God no longer holds my sins against me.
When I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ I didn’t hear any bells or whistles. I didn’t see heaven open up and a dove hover above me, but I knew in my heart that I was different. I had changed. I had become a child of God. Satan will never have power over me ever again.
I no longer have the stain of sin on me. The blood that Jesus shed on the cross has made me pure in the eyes of the Father. I am now spotless, holy and righteous. I now have the nature of God.
You can have this too. You have a choice. You can make the most important decision you will ever make right now. You can accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The bible tells us in Romans 10:9, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (NLT)
There is no other way into the Kingdom of heaven but through Jesus. You too can have the peace of knowing where you’re going when you leave this world.
“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.” (John 3:16 NLT)
The following devotional by Bob Gass is so powerful I just had to add it here. I hope it will bless you as it did me.
He Chose To Save You "He saved others; Himself He cannot save..." Matthew 27:42
A popular tale tells of a church pastor introducing a visiting elderly minister before inviting him to speak. The visitor shares: "A father, his son, and his son's friend were sailing off the Pacific coast when a storm overturned their boat sweeping all of them into the ocean. Grabbing a rescue line, in a split second the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life - which boy to throw the other end to and which one to sacrifice. He knew his son had accepted Christ and his friend hadn't. Anguished, the father yelled, 'I love you son,' and threw the rope to his son's friend. By the time he'd pulled the boy back to the capsized boat his son had disappeared beneath the waves. His body was never recovered. The father knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and couldn't bear the thought of his friend facing eternity without Christ." At the end of the service a teenage boy approached the old man and said, "That's a nice story, but what father in his right mind would sacrifice his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian?" "You've got the point," the old preacher replied, "It's not realistic. But I'm standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse into what it must have been like for God to sacrifice His only Son for us. You see...I was that father, and your pastor was my son's friend."
This story beautifully illustrates the point - The Pharisees who watched Christ die said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.' And they were right; He couldn't do both, so He chose to save you. Today will you accept His offer of salvation?
This following devotional by Bob Gass let's us know that it's never too late to become a child of God.
Eleventh Hour Grace "'...I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.'" Matthew 20:14 NKJV
Jesus told the story of a farmer who hired day laborers: some at 6 am, some at 9 am, some at 12 noon, some at 3 pm and some at 5 pm, one hour before quitting time. Amazingly, he paid them all the same wage. When the complaints started flying, the farmer said, 'I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.' You say, 'Nobody pays a day's wage to one-hour workers.' God does. Deathbed converts and lifelong saints enter heaven by the same gate. They don't enjoy the same reward, but they're saved by the same grace. A last minute confessor receives the same grace as a lifetime servant? It doesn't seem fair. The workers in Jesus' story complained too. So the farmer explained the prerogative of ownership: 'Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me...' (Matthew 20:15 RSV) The thief on the cross proves that when you request grace with your dying breath, God answers your prayer. The Prodigal Son '...wasted his possessions...' (Luke 15:13 NKJV) The Greek word for 'wasted' pictures a farmer throwing handfuls of seed into the ground. Imagine the Prodigal Son spurning his father's kindness, going out and 'throwing it all away.' But he returned. And when he did '....his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.' (Luke 15:20 NKJV) The Father was saving the son's place. And He's saving yours too. Eleventh hour grace means that if you're able to read these words and respond, it's not too late.
If you want to say this simple prayer or a prayer of your own, you too, can become a child of God and spend eternity in His presence.
“Father, I know that I am a sinner. I confess my sins to you and thank you for your forgiveness. I acknowledge that Jesus Christ is your son. That He died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. I ask Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Father, I will follow you from now on. I put my life into Your hands. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.”
If you have prayed this prayer, you are now a child of the living God. You are no longer a slave to sin or satan.
I recommend you find a church that teaches from God’s Word - the Holy Bible. Find a church where you can be baptized and grow in your knowledge of Jesus Christ, your savior. Discipleship is very important at this stage.
God bless you and welcome to the family of God.
“....may you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (Col 1:11-14 NLT)
YOUR ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me. (NLT)
John 5:24 I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. (NLT)
1 John 5:13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. (NLT)
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (NLT)
Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (NLT)
WATCH THIS POWERFUL VIDEO THAT DEMONSTRATES OUR FATHER'S LOVE
