Barb's Christian Webpage
God's
Free Gift to YOU
Jesus made it very clear for us.
Jesus said: "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God." The kingdom of God is heaven, you know. In other words,
unless you are born again, you cannot see heaven.
Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the
life; no one comes to the Father, but through me."
He also said: "He who believes in the Son has
eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the
wrath of God abides on him."
And now these are some of the things that Jesus did NOT say:
He did NOT say
being a nice person is all that's necessary. If that were true, we
wouldn't need a Savior.
But God says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
All of us have failed to live up to God's law and we therefore stand guilty
before Him.
He did NOT say being religious and going to the right church is what really
counts. Remember, the need to be "born again" was not
originally presented to a criminal off the streets; but to Nicodemus who was a
sincere and respected religious leader of his day. He was a man who
prayed and kept the commandments. To that kind of a man Jesus said:
"You must be born again." And He says the same thing to you and to
me.
He did NOT say that if you live by the Golden Rule you'll make it to
heaven. God DOES expect us to LIVE by the Golden Rule, but good works are
never the basis of salvation. The Bible says of born again Christians,
"You have been saved through faith ... not as a result of works."
Jesus made everything so simple, and we've made it so complicated.
He spoke to the people in everyday words, telling His message with
stories that the people could understand. That's what I've tried to do
this morning. By telling you the stories of my own life, perhaps you can
see something differently now than you did before. Perhaps you can apply
some of it to your own life. You could begin by accepting Christ into
your heart. When the Philippian jailer asked Paul what he should do to be
saved, Paul said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be
saved."
It's so simple that it's often overlooked. You know ... the Gospel
message is heard on radio stations, on television, it's presented from pulpits,
and explained in books and magazines ... and yet millions still overlook
it. All you have to do to be born again is to repent of your sins and
believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.
People don't realize that we can come to Christ JUST AS WE ARE. We CAN
have our life changed by Christ. I had my life changed. So can
you. Maybe you're not sure if you're going to go to heaven when you
die. You can make certain that you will by receiving Christ as your
Savior and Lord.
DO YOU know Christ? Have you received Him yet? God is waiting for you.
Christ died for you. He rose again. He IS alive. He's waiting
for you, and His arms are outstretched for you. He'll listen to you, and
He'll be closer than any friend you have ever known.
HERE IS HOW TO BE BORN AGAIN:
If you'd like to open your heart to Jesus, or if you'd like to just renew
your commitment to Him, here's what to do. It is SO easy! Honestly tell
Him that you realize you need forgiveness and that you want to turn away from
your sins and turn to Him. Tell Him that from this moment on, you will
trust Him. Then thank Him for forgiving you and giving you eternal
life. Eternal life is God's free gift to us.
Remember that God DOES answer prayer, and if you'd like to be born again, or if
you'd like to renew your commitment...
just bow your head and repeat this prayer this
right now, as you're sitting in front of your computer. Just repeat
... "Lord Jesus ... I know that I have sinned against you ... I'm
sorry for my sins ... and I ask Your forgiveness. I receive You as my
personal Savior ... and invite you to manage my life from this day
forward. Thank You Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen."
Now remember ... God DOES answer prayer. Praying that prayer, and meaning
it with all my heart is what changed me in 1985. If you have just
received Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior, then you have become a child
of God in whom Jesus Christ now dwells. You don't need to measure the
certainty of your salvation by your feelings. Believe God. He keeps
His word. God DOES answer prayer!
I pray that you will be richly blessed by God.
You can contact me at this email address.
I'd love to hear from you.