If you are not 100% certain where you where you stand with Jesus, the next three to five minutes will be the most important minutes of your life. The Bible is the Word of God and it contains both Good News and bad news. But it's okay, the bad news is something about YOU – the Good News is something about GOD. Let’s uncover the bad news first:
B A D N E W S # 1
“We are all sinners and we fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23 NLT)
The word sin means to miss the mark. Whether big or small; whether in our words,
thoughts or actions, we have all failed to meet God’s standard of perfection.
“No one is righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10 NLT)
B A D N E W S # 2
Unfortunately for us, the bad news gets worse. Romans 6:23 informs us that the penalty for our sin is D E A T H and eternal separation from God. But don’t stop reading now, it's not all doom and gloom. This is where things start to turn around. You see, accepting that you are imperfect is simply the first step.
G O O D N E W S # 1
Although sin separates every human being from God the Father, “God’s free gift to mankind is eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ.” (Romans 6:23b NLT) In other words, Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He paid the penalty for our sins and made a way for us to have a right relationship with God the Father.
John 3:16 states: "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Think about that for a moment. The Holy and Perfect God of the universe loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die in your place so you could be right with Him if you believe.
How amazing is that?
G O O D N E W S # 2
Ephesians 2:8 says “we are saved by God’s grace when we believe. We cannot take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Notice the scripture again states that living eternal life with Jesus is a gift. We cannot earn it, we cannot be “good enough” for it, and none of us deserves it. All we can do with this gift is accept it or refuse it.
We accept this gift by believing in Jesus, asking Him into our hearts, and giving Him permission to be the Lord of our lives. If you are serious with God (since you are still reading this, I believe that you are), today is your day to accept the best gift you will ever receive.
**Pray this prayer from the depths of your heart if you want to be right with God and be sure about where you will spend eternity.
Dear Lord Jesus. I thank you for offering me the gift of eternal life. I realize that I did not earn this gift, but today I receive it. I no longer want to live for myself, but I want to live for you. I confess with my mouth that you are my Lord and King. I believe in my heart that you died for my sins and that God raised you from the dead. I receive you into my heart. I thank you for forgiving me of my sins and making me right with you. Teach me to be more like you and to live for you each day. In your name I pray. Amen.
The Bible goes on to say in 2 Corinthian 5:17 “if any man (or woman) is in Christ Jesus he (or she) is a new creation. Old things are passed away and everything has become new.” You are now a new creation. There is no longer anything blocking you from having a right relationship with God. You have just given God permission to form you fully into the person He wants you to be.