Love Worth Finding

Psychologists have long known that every person has two great longings and inward needs.  The first is to be loved, and the second is to love.  But when pressures and heartaches come into our lives, many give up any hope of every finding love.

The tragedy is that we often look in the wrong places to fill this deep need and longing.  Some substitute lust for love.  Others pursue material things or superficial relationships -- all in the futile attempt to fill a God-shaped vacuum in the human heart.  But there is good news!  There is a love worth finding and a love worth sharing.  The Bible says, " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).  On the cross of Christ, God's mighty love was revealed and offered unconditionally to all who would be saved.

Do you long to know this mighty love?  Then I need to ask you the most important question you'll ever be asked:  Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves you, that your sins are forgiven, and that you are saved and on your way to heaven?

The great news is, you can know!  Let me share with you how to discover the greatest love worth finding.

Admit Your Sin

First, you must admit you are a sinner.  The Bible says, "None is righteous, no, not one . . . .For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10, 23).

It is our sin that separates us from God and from fulfilling our deepest needs and longings.  Sin is an offense against God that carries a serious penalty.  According to Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death [eternal separation from the love and mercy of God]."

Abandon Your Efforts

Second, you must abandon any efforts to save yourself.  If we could save ourselves, Jesus' death would have been unnecessary!  

Even "getting religion" cannot get you to heaven.  The Bible says it is "not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His mercy" that we are saved (Titus 3:5).  Salvation is by God's grace, "not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Acknowledge Christ's Payment

What you cannot do for yourself, Jesus Christ has done for you!  "But God shows His love towards us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).  He died on the cross for you and then rose from the dead to prove that His payment was acceptable to God but you must acknowledge and believe this fact.  "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).  

Accept Christ as Your Savior

Salvation is God's gift to you.  "The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).  When someone offers you a priceless gift, the wisest thing you can do is accept it.  This very moment, you can receive Christ's gift of salvation by sincerely praying this simple prayer from your heart:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I know that you love me and want to save me.  Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, who died on the cross to pay for my sins.  I believe God raised you from the dead.  I now turn from my sin and, by faith, receive you as my personal Lord and Savior.  Come into my heart, forgive my sins, and save me, Lord Jesus.  In your name I pray.

Amen.

--Dr. Adrian Rogers

Thirsty - For the Water of Life?

Family hardships.  Relationship tensions.  Indecision and restlessness . . . emptiness.  Are you overwhelmed with life -- drinking in self-help and worldly counsel to satisfy your craving for peace and fullness in life?  The living water of Jesus Christ is what you are really thirsty for.

One day Jesus was walking through Samaria.  He was weary, so he rested at Jacob's well.  In the heat of the day, a woman came to draw some water.  The Bible says:  "Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink.'. . . the Samaritan woman said to Him, 'How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?' . . . Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, give me a drink," you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.'  The woman said to Him, 'Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep.  Where do You get the living water?  Are you greater than our father, Jacob?  He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.'  Jesus said to her, 'everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will be become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" (John 4:7-14).

Jesus is the Living Water.  This is what all people need, whether they are in Africa, or India, or China, or the United States.  We all need the spiritual water Jesus gives.  The Bible says that we are prisoners of  "the waterless pit" (Zechariah 9:11).  Think of that -- prisoners in a pit with no water. 

How long do you think a person can live without drinking water?  Not very long.  You can live a long time without food, but not without water.  Have you ever been really thirsty?  So thirsty that you thought you were going to die.  I am told there is no feeling quite like it. 

The Apostle Peter talked about wells without water (II Peter 2:17).  Think of travelling across the desert and coming to a well where you believe there is water.  You are thirsty.  Your tongue is swollen.  Your cheeks and lips are parched but when you arrive at the well, there is no water.

"WATERLESS PITS"

Are you in a "waterless pit" right now?  In your family?  In your business?  Maybe you are a young person not knowing what vocation to follow, not knowing what to do about marriage, not knowing what to do about the problems you have gotten yourself into -- you are finding yourself in a pit without any water.  

Maybe you have tried everything to satisfy, to bring peace and joy to your life, to have a sense of forgiveness or a sense of belonging.  And you haven't found it.  Jesus said, "everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again" (John 4:13).

Drink of the water of drugs, and you will thirst again.  Drink of the water of fame, and you will thirst again.  Drink of the water of popularity, and you will thirst again.  Drink of all other waters being offered today, and you will thirst again.  

But drink of the living water that Jesus will give you, and you will never thirst.  Jesus said, "the water that I will give [you] will become in you a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14).

WHAT YOU THIRST FOR

The Bible says, "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money come, buy and eat" (Isaiah 55:1).  And "let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price" (Revelation 22:16-17).  Yes, come and buy; it's without price.  Some of you are thirsting for this -- a personal relationship with Christ.

Come to the water!  Drink of the living water!  Become excited about Christ!  "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3).  The wells of salvation are being offered to you.  Come and draw the water with joy!  

THE LIVING FOUNTAIN

When you come to the water, there's a satisfaction beyond anything words can describe.  Jesus said, "if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38).

The Samaritan woman had come to that well.  She had come be divine appointment.  Jesus was passing by, and He stopped to rest.  This woman came at that moment.  

This woman had an empty life.  Her expectations in life had faded, no longer expecting, no longer hoping for anything different, she was on the same old treadmill.  She had been married five times, and when Jesus spoke to her she was living with a man who was not her husband.  Having tried nearly everything, she was miserable, unhappy -- thirsty.

"Come to the water; drink of the living fountain," Jesus told her.

The woman said, "Sir, give me this water" (John 4:15).  Will you say that?  He offers the same living water to you.  Will you accept His offer today?  

Lord Jesus, give me that living water.  I want forgiveness of my sins.  I want to know that I am going to Heaven.  I want a new life.  I am tired of the old life I have been living.  I want something else in life.  I believe that You are the Living Water.  I believe that You died for my sins, and conquered death, so that I can drink of the Living Water and have eternal life and a personal relationship with you.  Amen.

--Billy Graham

Because of God's Great Love

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, their relationship with God was radically and tragically altered.  In an instant, they went from enjoying perfect fellowship with their Creator to being estranged from Him.  Because of Adam's sin, every person comes into the world with a sinful nature (Romans 5:12).

Sin affects every aspect of who we are as human beings -- our body, mind, and will are all tainted.  It's tempting to think we are born neutral with the ability to choose between being "good" or "bad" -- between following God or not.  But the Bible says this isn't the case.  Rather, our natural inclination is to sin (James 1:14-15).  And we love that sin too much to turn from it by our own power:  "no-one seeks for God . . . . No-one does good, not even one" (Romans 3:11-12); see also (John 6:44).  Unable to come to God or even to desire to do so, we are born spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1, 3) and are "by nature children of wrath."

Against this backdrop comes one of the most beautiful and remarkable phrases in all of Scripture:  "but God . . .  "

"But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -- by grace you have been saved."  (Ephesians 2:4-5)

While we were still living "in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, " (Ephesians 2:3) and absolutely deserving of eternal punishment -- God sought us out and saved us.  This was "not because of works done by us in righteousness but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:5-6).

Because we were dead in our sins, God had to first bring us to life before we could come to Christ for forgiveness.  When Paul says that God "made us alive," he refers to the regeneration -- or new birth -- that God gives us when we place our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is this new life that enables us to come to Christ in faith.  Thus, even faith itself -- trusting in Jesus to save us from our sins -- is a gift from God.

Our salvation is, from start to finish, all of grace (Ephesians 2:5, 8-9).  Though we have done nothing to deserve his mercy or love, God lavishes these things on us none the less, let us rejoice, then in the "immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7)!

If you would like to express your trust in Jesus for salvation and take a first step on your journey as a Christian, we encourage you to pray to God, perhaps using this prayer:

Heavenly Father, I believe that because of Your love for me, You sent your only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to save me from my sin. I believe that He rose again to life, and that He invites me to live forever with Him as part of Your family.  Because of what Jesus has done, I ask You to forgive me of my sin and enable me to receive eternal life.  Help me to live in a way that pleases and honours You.  Amen.

-- Erika Allen

The Only Solution to the Greatest Problem!

Sin is the Greatest Problem Facing Humanity

Sin has caused wars between nations, conflict between individuals and groups, fear and anxiety, illness and death, and all kinds of natural and human-influenced disasters.

In the Bible, the beginning chapters of the book of Genesis report that the curse of sin after the fall of Adam and Eve disrupted three basic relationships.  First, men and women were separated from God when they became subject to spiritual death (Genesis 3:6-13).  Second, they became at odds with nature.  From then on it would resist their efforts to cultivate and control it (Genesis 3:17-19).  Third, people were separated from each other as sin brought envy and conflict into the world.

Everyone who dies, no matter from what cause, dies as a victim of sin.  Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death."  Every human being is subject to the fearful power of sin.

The Definition and Characteristics of Sin

The definition of sin is simple:  "sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4).  Practicing sin is living as if there were no God and no law.  It is arrogantly living on one's own terms, not being bound by God's standards.  Sin is not only open disregard of God's Law, but also a defiling or polluting of the divine standard.  Sin makes a person's soul stained with guilt and unrighteousness.  

Sin is rebellion against God.  Scripture describes those who rebel as people who walk contrary to God and defy Him (Leviticus 26:27).  If sinners had their way, they would go as far as overthrowing God which is what Satan attempted to do (Isaiah 14:12-21).   

Sin causes a multitude of people to live each day in absolute ingratitude despite the fact that God created them to praise and glorify Him forever -- a loftier purpose than they could ever imagine on their own.  All people owe their very existence and all that they have to God.  Acts 17:28 says, "For 'in Him we live and move and have our being' . . . 'For we are indeed His offspring.'"

The Extent of Sin

The book of Romans clearly states that sin's extent is universal:  "'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one'" (Romans 3:10-12).

When we enter this world, we are already sinners.  Sin is in our natures, woven into the fabric of our lives.  That's because we are all descendants of Adam, and as such, we all bear his corruption.  

As if it weren't bad enough that humanity's fall into sin subjected the whole creation to many miseries and hardships (Genesis 3:8-24; Romans 8:18-22), the most devastating result of sin is that it has the power to condemn the soul to eternal punishment and separation from God in hell.  

With sin, humanity has a horrible, pervasive, incurable spiritual disease that cannot be defeated by human means (Jeremiah 13:23).  Men and women in their own strength cannot cure the sin that is within them because their minds and consciences are defiled and depraved.  There is simply no human remedy for the problem of sin.  It will not be cured by any acts of human will, any programs of moral reformation or educational renewal, no pieces of legislation, no efforts of man-made counselling, and consultation, nor any deeds of self righteousness.

Good News:  The Solution

But if humans can't cure themselves of sin, what can they do about it?  The answer is found in Romans 6:23:  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The apostle Paul expresses two absolute truths in that verse.  First, he reminds us that spiritual death results from sin.  It is the rightful destiny of every life that is lived apart from God.  Second, the verse tells in one concise statement the remedy for sins effects -- salvation freely granted through Jesus Christ.  Paul writes in the book of Ephesians:  "For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The gospel -- the good news of Jesus Christ -- offers the only solution to the stark reality of sin.  Because of God's immeasurable love for His creation, He provided a way for all humanity to experience the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  Jesus is "the way, and the truth, and the life."  Not one person will be rid of their sin except through believing in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  

Jesus was not just an ordinary person, prophet, or Jewish scholar.  He was the perfect, sinless Son of God -- God incarnate.  Jesus was the only one who could take our place on the cross, and He died the death that we deserve for our rebellion against God.  Because of Jesus's sacrifice, those who repent of their sin and trust in Him alone for salvation receive the good news:  Their sins are forever washed away, and they are adopted into God's family as beloved children. 

The darkness of sin is no match against the light of Jesus Christ and the good news of salvation that He offers.  Turn and repent of your sinful rebellion against God today, and receive new life and the promise of eternity with our loving Saviour.  

Heavenly  Father, I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that He died on the cross to save me from my sin.  I believe that He rose again to life, and that He invites me to live forever with Him as part of your family.  Because of what Jesus has done, I ask you to forgive me of my sin, and allow me to receive eternal life.  Help me to live in a way that pleases and honours You.  Amen.

If you would like more information about the good news that Jesus offers, we encourage you to meet with a Christian friend and begin attending a local Bible-believing church.  Find someone who is knowledgeable about the Bible and can help you learn more about God.

-- John MacArthur

Have You Been Born Again?

Have You Been Born Again?

A Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus once visited Jesus.  Like many people, Nicodemus expected that his good life would earn him a home in Heaven when he died.  Imagine how he felt when Jesus said to him, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

Jesus explained to Nicodemus that the new birth is a spiritual change that can only be brought about by God.  The moment a lost sinner repents of his sins and trusts Jesus as the only one who can save him from the eternal judgment of his sins, he is born again.  God gives him a spiritual nature through which he can understand and enjoy the things of God:  that person is spiritually born into God's family!  

What Jesus told Nicodemus 2000 years ago is just as true today.  We may try to live a good life, go to church, or engage in other commendable activities, but we still must be "born again" in order to be a member of God's family.

Have you been born again?  This is life's most important question, because your answer will affect all of your eternity.  

How Can You Know?

How can you know that you have been born again?  The Bible lists six characteristics of someone who has been "born again."  These are not requirements in order to be born again, but life changes that show God is at work in your life.  They are the evidence that you have truly been born spiritually into a new, life changing relationship with God!

1. Believing in Christ

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (1 John 5:1).

Someone who is born again believes that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.  That He was sent by God the Father to pay the penalty for man's sin by His death on the Cross.  His resurrection from the dead on the third day is proof that He is able to forgive us and bring us into fellowship with the Father.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6).

A born again Christian does not merely know the facts about Jesus Christ, but he has entrusted his life to Him as Saviour.  The child of God does not depend on his church, his good deeds, or his pastor to bring him eternal life.  The Bible says, "As many as received Him [Jesus Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).

2.  Practicing Righteousness

"Every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him" (1 John 2:29).

For the person who is born again, Christ is not only a Saviour but also an example.  Believers are to keep God's commandments (John 14:15, 15:14) to please God.  The true Christian lives to please his Heavenly Father and tries to avoid those things God hates.

3.  Loving Other Christians

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14).

Like Jesus, the child of God loves even his enemies; but he has a special love for those who are fellow believers.  They may be different from him in race, personality, and culture, but they are all members of the same family.  "This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another" (1 John 3:11).

4.  Overcoming the World

"Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world" (1 John 5:4).

Someone who is born again does not follow the world's ever-changing standard of right and wrong.  He does not mind opposing the world's ways, because he seeks God's praise more than man's and fears offending God more than offending man.

5.  Not Habitual Sinning

"No one born of God makes a practice of sinning" (1 John 3:9).

The true Christian does not habitually sin, because he wants to please God.  Although he is far from perfect, he knows that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).  If he does sin, he can confess it directly to God and "He is faithful and just to forgive" (1 John 1:9).

6.  Keeping Oneself Pure

"He that is begotten of God keepeth himself"  (1 John 5:18).

A person who is born again tries not only to avoid sin, but also to avoid anything that may lead to it.  He is like a soldier in enemy territory continually on guard.  He knows he can't keep temptation from coming, but by knowing God's word and through prayer he can resist it.

The Test

These are six characteristics of a "born again" Christian.  Each of these traits may not be equally obvious in your life.  But if you are born again, God is developing these traits in you.  Are you born again?

If you have never been born again or you are not sure, you can be sure right now.  Pray right now, asking God to forgive your sins, turn from sinning, and believe in Jesus Christ as your Saviour.  "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

-- J. C. Ryle

Heaven . . . You Can Know For Sure

You Can Know

There's no need to wonder if you will go to Heaven after death.

"These things have I written unto you . . . that ye may know that ye have eternal life . . . " 1 John 5:13

Can you say that you are 100 percent sure that you will go to Heaven when you die?

If not, you will find the following truths helpful in understanding this important subject.  These truths are taken from the Holy Bible.

We Have All Sinned

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

The word sin means to miss the mark, or come short of perfection, by disobeying God.  The Bible reminds us that one time or another we have all disobeyed God.  

Sin Has a Penalty

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

A wage is a payment.  The payment for your sin is death and separation from God in a place the Bible calls Hell.  

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:  but the righteous into life eternal." Matthew 25:46

Jesus Paid the Penalty

"But God commendeth (proved) His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

God proved His love for you by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and pay the penalty for your sin.  Jesus died in your place.  His death has provided the only way to Heaven.  

Believe on Jesus Today

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9

Believing on Jesus Christ as Saviour means to trust in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life (Heaven).  You must have faith that He died to pay the price for your sin, rose again three days later, and that He is the only way to Heaven.  You can express your belief on Jesus through prayer.

Pray Sincerely . . . 

"Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner and that I deserve Hell.  I believe You died on the cross, paid the penalty for my sin, and rose from the dead three days later.  I am placing my faith in You alone to forgive my sin and save me.  Thank you for giving me eternal life.  In Jesus' name,   Amen."

It is Good to Know

The assurance that you have eternal life is based on God's unchanging Word.  

The Bible provides this assurance to those who believe on Him.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

God does not lie.  He has promised everlasting life to those who believe on Him as Saviour.

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."  Titus 1:2

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:  and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."  John 3:36

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Romans 10:13

Not only does God provide the assurance of salvation (eternal life), but He also promises that He will never leave us.

Jesus Will Never Leave You

You can rest in the fact that Jesus Christ will never leave you.  

". . .  I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."  Hebrews 13:5

Once you have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you cannot lose eternal life.  It is forever settled and secure in the hand of God.

"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.  I and my Father are one."  John 10:28-30

-- Mark Manning

HOW CAN WE KNOW WE'LL GO TO HEAVEN?

A recent poll indicated that for every person who believes he or she is going to hell, there are 120 who believe they're going to heaven.

This optimism stands in stark contrast to Jesus Christ's words written in the Bible:  "Enter by the narrow gate.  For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14).

The truth is that according to the Bible we don't automatically go to heaven.  In fact, hell -- not heaven -- is our default destination.  Unless our sin problem is solved once and for all, we can't enter heaven.  That's the bad news.

But once that's straight in our minds we're ready to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.  Jesus took upon Himself, on the cross, the hell we deserve so that we could experience for eternity the heaven we don't deserve!

THE ONLY TWO OPTIONS

There are two possible destinations when we die:  heaven or hell.  Can we really know in advance where we'll go?  John, one of the writers of the Bible, said this:  "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life"  (1 John 5:13).

We can know for sure that we'll go to heaven when we die.  Do you?

To sin means to fall short of God's holy standards.  Sin is what ended paradise in the garden of Eden.  And all of us, like Adam and Eve, are all sinners.  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Sin separates us from a relationship with God (Isaiah 59:2)  and it deceives us and makes us think that wrong is right and right is wrong (Proverbs 14:12).  Sin has terrible consequences but God has provided a solution:  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, loved us so much that He left the riches of heaven to become a man and deliver us from our sin.  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).  He came to identify with us in our humanity and our weakness but He did so without being tainted by our sin, self-deception, and moral failings (Hebrews 4:15-16).  Jesus died on the cross as the only one worthy to pay the penalty for our sins demanded by the  Holiness of God: "For our sake He made Him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (II Corinthians 5:21).  But in victory over death, God raised Jesus from the grave, defeating the consequences of sin (I Corinthians 15:3-4, 54-57).

When Christ died on the cross for us, He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30).  In those times "It is finished" was commonly written across certificates of debt when they were canceled.  It meant "Paid in full."  Christ died so that the certificate of debt consisting of all our sins could once and for all be marked "Paid in full."

THE CRITICAL DECISION

Only when our sins are dealt with in Christ can we enter heaven.

We cannot pay our own way.  Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).  "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).  Because of Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on the cross on our behalf, God freely offers us forgiveness.

To be forgiven we must recognize and repent of our sins.  Forgiveness is not automatic.  It's conditioned upon confession: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).  Christ offers to everyone the gifts of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.  "Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price" (Revelation 22:17).

 There's no righteous deed we can do that will earn us a place in heaven (Titus 3:5).  We come to Christ empty-handed.  We can take no credit for salvation.  "For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).  This gift cannot be worked for, earned, or achieved.  It's dependent solely on Christ's generous sacrifice on our behalf.

Now is the time to make things right with God.  Confess your sinfulness and accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on your behalf.

You are made for a person and a place.  Jesus is the person and heaven is the place.  They are a package -- they come together.  You cannot get heaven without Jesus or Jesus without heaven.  "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:6).  For all eternity you'll be glad you did.

If you understand what God has done to make forgiveness and eternal life possible for you, you may want to express it in words like these:  "Dear Lord, I confess that I do not measure up to Your perfect standard.  Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins.  I now place my trust in Him as my Saviour.  Thank you for your forgiveness and the gift of eternal life."

--- Randy Alcorn