1) Admit your
spiritual need.
We are all sinners...people don't always like that title. The one word that
defines all sin is the Greek word harmatia, which means "to miss the mark."
What is God's mark? Jesus said, "Be perfect as My Father in heaven is
perfect." Unless a person is perfect, he has missed the mark; therefore, he
is a sinner. Romans 3:23 states, "All have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God."
2) What is the result of sin?
In Romans 6:23 we read "The wages of sin is death..." Every one of us has
missed God's mark. Every one of us falls short of being perfect. We are
getting only what we deserve, and we are bringing judgment upon ourselves.
One thing we need to remember is that God never sends anyone to hell. We
send ourselves there by rejecting His truth.
3) Since we can never measure up
to God's standards on our own, God has reached out to humankind. We cannot
solve the problem of sin, but God, who is perfect, can and has. He has
become a bridge for us. John 3:16-17 states, "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 to condemn
the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." In Romans 5:8 we
read, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
4) If a person acknowledges that he or she is a
sinner, repents from his or her sins, and accepts the promise
that Christ is the solution, that person is at a crossroads. Either the
person must reject God's solution and accept the consequences, or that
person must accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. What must a person do to
accept this gift? Simply receive it! Matthew 11:28-30 states, "Come to Me,
all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My
yoke upon you and learn from Me...for My yoke is easy and My burden is
light."
5) His invitation is clear.
We must come to Him. All that remains is a response. In
Romans 6:23 we read, "...the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord." What do we have to do to receive that gift? Take it! Revelation 3:20
states, "Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and
opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me."
Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks, seeking entrance into our
lives. John 1:12 states, "For as many as received Him, to them He gave the
right to become the children of God." If you would like to receive Jesus
Christ into your heart and life right now, pray a prayer something like this
from the sincerity of your heart...
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, I confess all
of my sins before you. I believe you
died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my
heart and life. I receive you as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for
drawing close to me and I pray that you continue to lead and guide me into
the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.
If you just prayed that prayer and really meant it, not only have you taken
a huge step towards God, He in fact is taking steps towards you! Jesus
Christ has now ministered personally to your heart! Not only that, but he
has forgiven you of all your sin. The Bible tells us, "If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). God also promises, "As far as the east is
from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalms
103:12).
Contact us today and let us know that you are discovering God! There
is so much more and we want to help