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Are You Sure? Things can get pretty hectic sometimes...there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. But have you ever just stopped for a moment and asked yourself if the same old routine we all find ourselves in is all there is to life? Or have you ever stopped and thought...really thought...about God? Even for just a second or two? Well, maybe for a second or two... ...okay. I have. It's pretty hard not to. In fact, you may think about God more than you realize. Know why? It's because he's thinking about you. Every day, in fact. Oh great. Now you're gonna start with the church-thing... Nope. God isn't a church. You know, why don't we just take a moment and talk about Christianity. Sounds like church to me... Probably because nobody's ever really told you about Jesus Christ before. You see, Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Oh now I get it. Yah, I've heard of him. Have you really? And what does he mean to you? What do you mean 'what does he mean to me?' I thought you told me you've heard of him? If that were so, you'd know that he is the living Son of God. I thought he died on the cross. That's what I heard. Well you haven't heard the rest. Do you know why he died on the cross? Something about Heaven, I guess... It is something about Heaven. You see, first we have to understand that we're all sinners. You and me both. Everyone. In fact, it says in Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Hey, I'm a pretty good person. Most of us are. But being a good person...it's just not enough to get us into Heaven. It says in the bible, “Our good deeds are like filthy rags before God.” (Isaiah 64:6); “There is not one who does any good, not even one.” (Psalms 14:3) So nothing I do does any good? I didn't say that...it's important that we try our best to be good. But the most important thing of all is that you believe in Jesus Christ, and that he is the living Son of God. You know, the Bible says in Luke 9:35, "This is my beloved Son. Hear Him!" It also says, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36) ...Believe? That's right. And it's like you said earlier...Jesus did die on the cross. But he did it so we wouldn't have to die for our sins—that's all those things we do wrong each and every day. Now, that doesn't mean we won't physically die. It means, if we believe...if we believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified on the cross, shedding his blood for our sins, and then He rose again three days later to be our living Savior...if we believe that He, now, is seated at the right hand of God in Heaven just like the Bible says He is in Hebrews 12:2, we can be saved. I don't know Hebrews twelve two... Wait a sec... you said 'saved' - what does that mean? That's when you BELIEVE! It's when you accept Jesus into your heart...that means into your life...to be your Lord and Savior. And this is the only way I can get in to Heaven? Yes. We can't just count on ourselves, or how much good we feel we've done in our lives. We're just people. We fail each other and we fail ourselves. But Jesus loves us more than you can know. He died for you, me...everyone. All you have to do is just pray to him, right now. Have you ever really done that before? Look, I want to be saved too ...I really do... but you just don't know some of the things that I've done in my life. Listen...it doesn't matter. Not one bit. Besides, Jesus already knows and He still calls out to you. In John 3:18, Jesus said, "He who believes in me is not condemned;" Jesus knows every little thing you'll do tomorrow, and the next day, and He still wants you to pray to Him today. Most people find that hard to believe. Even I did once. But it's the absolute truth, and once you decide to give that truth a chance, you'll find, as I have, that things just seem to look a lot better. You feel a lot better too...about yourself...about a lot of things. And if you've read this far, then you have the strength to go on—you really do! You’re invited to pray this prayer with me today. You don't have to close your eyes, just read...and believe with all the love in your heart that Jesus loves you so very much today. And if you just let him right now, he can and will be a constant presence, a constant comfort, a constant strength in your life. You'll never be alone again, and you'll have absolute 100% assurance from this moment on, that after you die, you'll live forever with Jesus in Heaven. Okay... pray with me now... God, I need you so much today. I admit that I am a sinner, and I ask you to please forgive me. I believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is today our living Savior. Please, Jesus...please enter my heart today. Stay in my life with me forever. I ask this in Jesus name, Amen. Know what? God is now your Heavenly Father - you're a member of God's family now, and that's forever. Never doubt that. You've been given a wonderful gift today...the gift of eternal Salvation...and it's the best gift ever! “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) "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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16, 17)
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