Weekly Devotional 10-7-19
Want to go to Heaven, Four Essential Truths
This Weekly Devotional is from the writings of Oscar Leske “Signs of our Times” a gifted brother in Christ.
Do you want the joy of a personal relationship with God? Do you want to be confident that one day He will take you home to heaven? Here are four essential truths you need to know.
Our Dilemma: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).” We are by nature sinners who stand guilty and condemned before our Creator and Judge. In our thoughts and actions, we have disobeyed His perfect standards.
Our Inability: “The wages of sin is (spiritual) death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).” We are helpless to save ourselves. Forgiveness is a gift to be received, not a reward that can be earned (like trying to be a good person or through our own efforts).
Our Saviour: “God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).” Because of His love for us, God provided salvation through His Son, Jesus. He became a member of the human family at Bethlehem, lived sinlessly, and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
Our Response: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God had raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). Salvation is an individual matter and requires a personal response on the part of anyone who wants to be saved. All who acknowledge that they are sinners and place their faith and trust in Christ are adopted as God’s children and their ticket to heaven is assured.
Do you believe this? If you want to begin a relationship with God, you can do so right now by asking Him to come into your heart and to be the Lord of your life. If you believe in your heart and want to make this commitment but you are not sure how to put it into words, this may help: Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank you for dying for the forgiveness of my sins and for offering me your righteousness and your resurrected life. I now accept by faith your gift of salvation and I ask you to come into my heart and to be my Lord and Saviour and my very best friend. Through your
Holy Spirit, teach me about your love and grace and about the new life that you have given me. Please begin the work of making me into the person you want me to be. Amen”
These words will not save you, there is nothing magical in them; anyone can repeat a sentence. It is when you believe with your heart and put your faith in Christ Jesus; that’s what saves you. There is no magic formula in what to say or how to say it but it’s your attitude and expression of your heart that really counts. If you truly believe in your heart and you prayed this prayer, the Spirit of God has come to dwell within you forever and you have begun the great adventure for which you were created as a child of God. You are now born-again with God’s spirit alive in you.
Now, you and I are brothers or sisters in Christ. Welcome to God’s family. Welcome to Christ’s body of believers. The true Church of Jesus Christ is not comprised of programs or buildings made with the hands of men, but of Christ Himself within the heart of every true believer. The Kingdom of God is inside of you and not just in buildings of wood and stone.
Bottom line: All who welcome Jesus into their lives as their Saviour are freely forgiven and brought into a personal relationship with God (John 1:12). They are now born-again of the spirit –born from above with God’s spirit now dwelling in them (John 3:8; 1Cor. 6:19). They are now called “Children of God” and their home is in heaven (John 1:12).
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