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Receive Christ
Do
you feel good when you know you've made a good decision? There is a sense of
satisfaction and confidence that can give you a boost.
Will you make the best, most important
decision you'll ever make in your life…Will you ask Jesus into your
heart? When you take this step, you will have a sense of satisfaction and
confidence like no other you've ever experienced.
God loves you
"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 NIV
Can you imagine willingly sacrificing
your child – your one and only child – for people who don’t
even know you? That is exactly what God did for us. He sent his son, Jesus, to
come live on earth and suffer a horrible death so that we can live a life that
will last forever, beyond our own death. God loves you so much and he wants to
give you a life of hope and blessings if only you believe in him.
We are each sinners
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans
3:23 NIV
Ever think "he is such a hypocrite" or say of
yourself "I am only human"? We all make mistakes. We are all sinners.
We often feel we are not good enough for God and separate ourselves from his
love.
Sin comes with consequences
"For
the wages of sin is death." Romans
6:23 NIV
When someone commits a crime, they are responsible to pay
the penalties associated with their crime. The same is true for sinners. The
penalty for sin is eternal death in hell and separation from God.
Christ paid for your sins
"But
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us." Romans
5:8 NIV
Jesus, Son of God, is the only person
to have lived a life without sin. When He died on the cross, He took our sins
with Him. He paid the price for our sins so we that we can spend eternity in
heaven.
Salvation is a free gift to you
"For
it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is
the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can
boast."Ephesians
2:8-9 NIV
Some think that being "a good man" or being "a giving woman" or going to church will
reserve a place in heaven. It is not through the things you do because we
cannot "earn" our way into heaven. Instead, God gives you salvation as
a free gift – all you have to do is believe in Jesus Christ, ask him for
forgiveness of your sins, and receive the life in Christ that is awaiting you.
You must receive Christ into your life
"Yet
to all who receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to
become children of God." John
1:12 NIV
When you receive Christ into your life, you become a member
of the family of God. God has no grandchildren. You are his child.
How do I receive Christ?
quot;If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek
my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will
forgive their sin and will heal their land."
II
Chronicles 7:14 NIV
Pray the simple prayer below. Prayer is simple communication with our Savior.
You must acknowledge that you are a
sinner and must be willing to turn from sin and allow God to change your life.
By believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave, you
can invite Him to come into your heart. Let Him take control of your life as
your Savior.
Pray this prayer to receive Christ into your life:
Dear Jesus,
I am a sinner and need you in my life. Please forgive me of my sins. I believe
that You died on the cross and rose from the grave.
Please come into my heart and life. Thank you for helping me turn
from my sins and follow you.
Amen.
Why Pray?
Prayer is simple communication with our Savior.
In what we call the "Sermon on the Mount" found in
Matthew
5-7
, Jesus teaches us how to pray and what to pray in
Matthew
6:5-15
, stating in verse 12 (NIV), "Forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors."
The Greek translation for the word "debt" means "offense
or sin". He goes on to explain in verses 14-
15
, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you,
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do
not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."
What now?
If you received Jesus into your heart, you are now part of the family of God! The
following will help you deepen your relationship with Christ:
- Prayer is simply talking to God. Take time to pray every day. It doesn’t
matter where you are or what you are doing, God hears you.
- Reading the Bible is God’s way of teaching you about Him. Read the Bible
everyday to learn about Jesus and the way to live for Him.
Perhaps start with the book of John.
- An important part of helping your relationship with Christ grow is to tell
others about Him. Demonstrate God’s love and be active in telling others
about Jesus.
- Surrounding yourself with other Christians will help your faith grow. Find
a church that teaches the Bible and become active in worship, service and
fellowship with other Christians.
If you prayed to receive Christ, would you let us know by calling us at 610-967-6861
or e-mail Scott A. Hoffman
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