God Loves You

God loves you more than you know. He has a wonderful and incredible plan for your life. God wants to be there for you in times of happiness and even when you face difficulties. More importantly, God wants to have a personal relationship with you and offers you eternal life where you can be with him forever in heaven when you die.

Eternal life in heaven is free but cannot be earned or deserved. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “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.” This means that no one can earn a place in heaven by doing good works, having good conduct, going to church, being baptized or being a part of a religious group. No one can earn a relationship with God or save themselves by doing any or all of these things.

Why can no one earn a place in heaven or save themselves? Because of sin. Everyone is a sinner. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Sin is disobeying God and is committed in our thoughts, words and actions. Romans 6:23 tells us that sin is so serious that it leads to death, which is separation from God in hell for all eternity.

The good news is that God loves you so much that he sent his one and only son, Jesus Christ to pay the punishment for your sins. Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life and willingly suffered punishment for your sins in his death on the cross. Three days later, he was raised from the dead and is alive in heaven preparing a place for all who receive him. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” It is only by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior that we can have a personal relationship with God, receive his forgiveness and be with him forever in heaven.

Accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is very simple. It requires turning away from your sins (repenting) and trusting (having faith) in Christ alone for eternal life. All you have to do is admit to God that you are a sinner and agree that your sin is separating you from him. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the punishment for your sins and was raised from the dead. You must be willing to turn your life over to God and give him control of your life. If this is what you want to do, all you have to say is a simple prayer like this:

“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and cannot save myself. Today, I turn away from my sins and ask for forgiveness. I also place my complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross to pay the punishment for my sins and believe he rose from the dead. I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Dear God, take control of my life from this day forward and help me to follow your plan for my life. Thank you for saving me. It is in the name of Jesus that I pray. Amen.”

If you were serious in praying this prayer to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior God has heard you. You can be assured that you have eternal life and will be with him in Heaven. God welcomes you into a personal relationship with him. The Bible says in John 1:12, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”. The Bible also says in Romans 10:13, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

I’ve Prayed to Accept Christ… What’s Next?

• You agreed with God that you are a sinner and that your sin was separating you from him.
  Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
• God brought you to the realization that there was nothing that you could do (good conduct, good works or religious acts) to save yourself or earn a personal relationship with God.
  Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “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.”
• You accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and believe that God has raised him from the dead.
  Romans 10: 9-10, 13 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
• You turned away from your sins and accepted God’s forgiveness.
  Acts 3:19 says, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.”
  Psalm 103:12 says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”