Salvation - The Gift of God!

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"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a hope and future." 

Have you accepted Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal Lord and savior? Maybe you grew up in church or even experienced religious traditions void of an authentic and personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Maybe you walked away from God because of some disappointment, some violation, or some deep pain caused by a misunderstanding. Perhaps you just never embraced the truth of the Bible which is the written Word of God. Quite possibly, you were never extended an invitation to accept Jesus Christ, the son of God into your heart. Too often we spend time condemning and judging as opposed to sharing the message of the unconditional love of God and His great mercy and grace towards us all. 

Friend, no matter how great life can seem or even how disappointing, the only way to a truly purpose driven life is to first go back to the one who purposed you before you were even born! Did you know you were created and uniquely designed by God for a great and wonderful purpose that is found only through relationship with Him? It is the will of God to be in a loving relationship with you whereby He can bring you into His great plans for you.   

"Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." 

It is true my friend, God has these plans for you. God is the creator of all life and every life was created for a purpose. In the beginning, when God created everything, He said it was good! So guess what? God started something really good when He formed you, and regardless of where it seems life has taken you, it is His desire to complete that good work in and through you.   

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved".

    
No matter whom you are, or what you've done, God loves you and desires to be in relationship with you. His love and desire for you is so great that He sent His only son, Jesus Christ to die for your sins to redeem you back to Him. This means everything that separates you from Him has been removed because of Jesus Christ and you can have access to God and walk in fellowship with Him, as He intended from the beginning of time. Jesus took responsibility for all of your sins and wrong doings and through His death, burial, and resurrection, you now have a right to this new, abundant, and eternal life in God. 

"That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation". 

It is simple. God doesn’t force anything on us. Although He lets us know clearly in John 14:6 that no man comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. He still gives us freewill to choose.   By faith do you believe these glorious truths in your heart? Are you ready to walk in new and eternal life in Jesus Christ? If so, pray this prayer out loud: 

   
Jesus, I’m a sinner and I want to be saved. I believe you are the son of God and that you died on the cross for my sins, and you were raised from the dead with all power. Come into my heart, save me, and fill me with Your Spirit. At this moment, I give you my life for the rest of my life. In the name of Jesus, Amen. 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them". 

There is nothing that we could ever do to earn our salvation. It is by His grace, a gift from God. Although it cost us nothing, it cost Him everything. As undeserving as we are, His great love and purposes release this unmerited grace to us in that if we believe in the son of God, we too are made children of God. Jesus has forgiven you and set you free from the bondage of sin. You are saved and free. No longer allow the enemy to hold you hostage because of your past. Your past has passed and now God is moving you into an eternal and glorious future that has many promises. Give Him genuine lordship over your mind, body, soul, and life and you'll never be the same again!  Walk in the liberty and new life that you have received through Christ Jesus.  

 "So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body". 

One day you will leave the earthly, but you will experience new life in eternity where you will fellowship with God daily. The remainder of your life is preparation for the quality of your eternity in God's heavenly kingdom where you will be both judged and rewarded for the work you did on earth in the name of the Father. 

The bible promises that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. Daily pray to Him, read His Word and obey it. Ask the Holy Spirit to both fill and lead you that you may walk in the ways and will of the Father.