My extreme thanks to the Living Waters website for the majority of the information contained below. You guys are great! Keep up the excellent work. :)
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Of all the questions you will ask yourself in life, probably the most important is, Am I good enough to go to Heaven? The way to find this out is to ask yourself if you have obeyed the Ten Commandments. Most would answer the question, "Well, I've broken one or two, but nothing too serious, like murder, etc."
Before we say we have obeyed the Commandments, this is what someone would be like if he kept the Law—he will always love God with "all of his heart, mind, soul, and strength," and love his neighbor as much as he has loved himself. He has never made a god to suit himself (either with his hands or in his mind). He has always given God's name reverence, kept the Sabbath holy, honored his parents implicitly, and never once has he been "angry without cause." He has never hated anyone, had lust in his heart, or had illicit sex. He has never stolen even a paper clip or ball point pen, or told as much as a "white" lie, and not once desired anything that belongs to someone else. He is, and always has been "pure in heart," perfect in thought, word, and deed.
THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH
The truth is, we are not like that. We have all "sinned" many times, and therefore we have stored up God's wrath, which will be revealed on Judgment Day. The proof that we have sinned will be our death, and after death we must face God in judgment. Think of it—if He has seen our every thought, word, and deed, and if He is going to bring all our sins out as evidence of our guilt on the Day of Judgment, we will all be found to be guilty. Our conscience has shown us right from wrong; we will be without excuse. God will give us justice, and Hell will be the place of our eternal punishment. "For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known."
You might say, “But there are plenty of good people in this world, and I am one of them!"
What would you say if you were asked, "By whose standard. . . yours or God's?"
Interesting question. Do you consider yourself to be a good person? Do you think you are good enough to go to Heaven when you die? Do you ever think about the issues of life and death? Think about it for a moment: everything you hold dear to you is going to be torn from your hands by death. Whether we like it or not, we are all part of the ultimate statistic: Ten out of ten die. No doubt you have wondered why death separates us from our loved ones. This happens because we have broken an eternal Law.
So, in the interest of seeing where you stand in regards to God’s standards, let's go through the Ten Commandments and see how you do:
1. "You shall have no other gods before Me."
Is God first in your life? Do you love God above all else? Here’s a story for you. Many years ago, a man purchased a T.V. for his children, but the first evening they had it, he arrived home from work and found that they didn't even bother to greet him. They were too busy watching television. The man turned it off and explained to them that if they ignored him because they preferred to watch T.V. they were setting their love on the gift rather then the giver, a wrong order of affections. In the same way, if we love anything—husband, wife, children or even our own lives—more than we love God, we are setting our affection on the gift rather than the Giver, which is a transgression of the First Commandment.
Have you loved God with all your heart? Have you loved humanity as much as you love yourself? You be the judge. Will you be innocent or guilty on Judgment Day of breaking that Commandment? I'm not judging you—I'm asking you to judge yourself before the Day of Judgment. The sentence for breaking this Commandment is death.
2. "You shall not make for yourself any graven image."
This means that we shouldn't make a god to suit ourselves, either with our hands or our mind. I was guilty of this. I made a god to suit myself. My god didn't mind a "white" lie or a fib here and there—in fact, he didn't exist. He was a figment of my imagination, an "image" which I shaped to suit myself. Is your God the One revealed in Holy Scripture? If not, then you have made your own god to suit yourself—you have committed the oldest sin in the Book. Scripture warns that no idolater will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain."
Have you ever taken God's name in vain—instead of using a four-letter word to express disgust, you've used His name? Hitler's name wasn't despised enough to use as a curse word. If you have used His holy name in that manner, you are a blasphemer and will not enter the Kingdom of God.
4. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy."
I ignored this command for several years. Even though God gave me the gift of life, never once did I ask what He required of me. I was guilty of breaking this Commandment.
5. "Honor your father and your mother."
Have you always honored your parents in a way that's pleasing in the sight of God? Have you always respected and obeyed them? Ask Him to remind you of the sins of your youth. You may have forgotten them, but God hasn't.
6. "You shall not murder."
Jesus warned that if we get angry without cause we are in danger of judgment. If we hate our brother, God calls us a murderer. We can violate God's Law by attitude and intent.
7. "You shall not commit adultery."
Who of us can say that we are pure of heart? Jesus warned, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Do you treat your spouse as your best friend or do you have a friend of the opposite sex that you are closer to? That is a form of emotional adultery which can lead to physical adultery. Remember that God has seen every thought you have had and every sin you have ever committed. The day will come when you have to face His Law, and we are told that the impure, fornicators (those who have sex before marriage) and adulterers will not enter the Kingdom of God. Punishment for transgression of this Commandment is the death penalty.
8. "You shall not steal."
Have you ever taken something that belonged to someone else (irrespective of its value)? Then you are a thief—you cannot enter God's Kingdom.
9. "You shall not bear false witness."
Have you ever told a lie? Then you are a liar. How many lies do you have to tell to be a liar? Just one. The Bible warns that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire. You may not think deceitfulness is a serious sin. God does!
10. "You shall not covet."
That means we shouldn't desire anything that belongs to another person. The covetous will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Who of us can say we are not guilty of breaking these Commandments? All of us have sinned, and just as with civil law, you don't have to break ten laws to be a lawbreaker, so the Bible warns, "For whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."
I'm sure there are many out there who do not believe in God or believe that they need God, but what if God is real? What if heaven and hell are real? Which one would you rather go to?
To find out if you need God, you must ask yourself some very important questions.
• Are you a good person... not by your standards but by God's standards?
• And if so... are you good enough to go to heaven?
Here is a quick test you can take to find the answers...
QUICK 8-QUESTION TEST
This test is designed to answer 2 questions:
Are you a good person according to God's standards?
And if so, are you good enough to go to heaven?
1. Have you ever told a lie?
___YES, I have told at least one lie in my life.
___NO, I have never told a lie in my life.
2. Have you given money to charity?
___YES, I have given money to charity.
___NO, I have never given money to charity.
3. Have you gone to church regularly?
___YES, I have gone to church regularly.
___NO, I have not gone to church regularly.
4. Have you ever stolen anything (no matter how small)?
___YES, I have stolen at least once in my life.
___NO, I have never stolen anything in my life.
5. Have you ever used "God," "Jesus," or "Christ," as a curse word? (Example: "Oh my G-d!")
___YES, I have used God's name in vain at least once in my life.
___NO, I have never, even once, used God's name in vain.
6. Have you made it a practice to read the Bible regularly?
___YES, I read the Bible regularly.
___NO, I do not read the Bible regularly.
7. Have you ever looked at someone and had lustful thoughts?
___YES, I have lusted at least once in my life.
___NO, I have never lusted in my life.
8. Have you ever broken the first Commandment? (You shall have no other gods before me)
___YES, I have broken the first commandment.
___NO, I have not broken the first commandment.
YOUR SCORE
NOTE: Some questions are scored as a group, and others are scored separately. The questions may appear out of numerical order.
1. Have you ever told a lie?
YOUR SCORE ON QUESTION #1:
The Ninth of the Ten Commandments is "You shall not lie." Telling just one lie, according to God's standards, makes you a "liar." In Revelation 21:8, God says, "...all liars, shall have their part in the lake of fire..."
7. Have you ever looked at someone and had lustful thoughts?
YOUR SCORE ON QUESTION #7:
The Seventh of the Ten Commandments is "You shall not commit adultery." If you've ever looked at another person with lustful thoughts, according to God's standards, that makes you an "adulterer." Jesus said, "You have heard it said, You shall not commit adultery: But I say to you, that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, God says that no adulterers "...shall inherit the kingdom of God."
5. Have you ever used "God," "Jesus," or "Christ," as a curse word? (Example: "Oh my G-d!")
YOUR SCORE ON QUESTION #5:
The Third of the Ten Commandments is "You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain." If you've ever used the name "God," "Jesus," or "Christ" as a curse word, what you've done is take the name of the God who gave you life, and you've used it as if it were a "four-letter" filth word to express disgust. That offense is called "blasphemy," and according to God's standards, you are a "blasphemer." In Leviticus 24:16, God says, "he that blasphemes the name of the LORD, shall surely be put to death..."
4. Have you ever stolen anything (no matter how small)?
YOUR SCORE ON QUESTION #4:
The Eighth of the Ten Commandments is "You shall not steal." Stealing just one thing (regardless of its size or monetary value), according to God's standards, makes you a "thief." In 1 Corinthians 6:10, God says, "No thieves... ...shall inherit the kingdom of God."
8. Have you ever broken the first Commandment?
YOUR SCORE ON QUESTION #8:
The First of the Ten Commandments is "You shall have no other gods before me." That means that we should love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. The Bible tells us that no one has kept this commandment (see Psalm 14:2-3) -- if you said you had, you have also broken the 9th Commandment by lying.
2. Have you given money to charity?
3. Have you gone to church regularly?
6. Have you made it a practice to read the Bible regularly?
YOUR SCORE ON QUESTIONS #2, #3, and #6:
Giving money to charity, going to church, and reading the Bible are all good activities--but none of them impress God. The Bible says, "and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." (Isaiah 64:6) That means, all our "righteous acts" -- these "good deeds" that questions 2, 3 and 6 asked about -- can never make up for the fact that we've broken God's Holy Commandments. Think of it this way. If a person was guilty of a serious crime... such as murder... but he gave money to charity, does that make up for his crime? No. The person's crime hasn't been paid for because he gave money to charity. This "good deed" will mean nothing to the judge when he passes sentence. The murder must still be punished.
RESULT:
This test showed you how you stand up when judged by just five of God's Ten Commandments. So, if God judges you by that standard would you be innocent or guilty of breaking His Commandments?
It has already been established that you would be guilty of breaking His commandments. Even if you were able to perfectly keep 9 of the commandments for your entire life -- you have broken the first commandment (Question #8). The First of the Ten Commandments is "You shall have no other gods before me." That means that we should love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. The Bible tells us that no one has kept this commandment (see Psalm 14:2-3).
Knowing that you are guilty of breaking God's commandments, do you think you would go to Heaven or Hell?
While it may seem that God's goodness will cause Him to overlook your sins, the opposite is actually true. Perhaps the following illustration will add some clarity: Imagine you're standing before a judge, guilty of multiple crimes. The judge is about to pass sentence when he asks, "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" You stand up, look the judge in the eye and say, "Yes Your Honor, I believe that you're a good man... and because you're good, you will let me go." The judge will probably say something like, "Well, you're right about one thing... I am a good man. And it's because I'm good that I'm going to see that you are punished for your crimes."
Another example is, say that there is a man who killed someone dear to you and had been on the run for many years, but during those many years he had changed and now considered himself to be a "good" person. Then one day he is captured and brought to trial. Do the good things he has done over the past years and being a "good" person now make up for the life that he took? Should he not be brought to justice b/c he is now changed from the person he had been? Of course not, he will still be punished and put in prison for that murder, regardless of the change in his life now, because that judge is just and good and knows that that person must be punished for that crime.
When we compare ourselves to man's standard we may look pretty clean, but when we compare ourselves to the pure snow-white righteousness of God's standard—His Law, we can see ourselves in truth, that we are unclean in His sight. That Law is the holy standard by which humanity will be judged on Judgment Day.
This may sound strange, but the worst thing you could do at this point of time is to try and clean up your lifestyle—you realize that you have sinned, so from now on you will keep the Ten Commandments, do good deeds, say the right things and think only pure thoughts. But should a judge let a murderer go because he says he will now live a good life? No, he's in debt to justice and therefore must be punished.
The Law of God, the Ten Commandments, is merely like a mirror—all a mirror does is show you the truth. If you see dirt on your face, you don't try and wash yourself with the mirror, its purpose should be to send you to water for cleansing. Neither should you try and wash yourself with the mirror of God's Law...that's not its purpose.
The sight in the mirror is not a pretty one, but if you don't face it and acknowledge that you are unclean, then all that "dirt" will be presented on Judgment Day as evidence of your guilt, and then it will be too late to be cleansed.
GOD IS HOLY AND JUST
In civil law, a good judge must punish crime. If he turns a blind eye to injustice, then he is corrupt and he himself should be punished.
"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before your face" (Psalm 89:14).
In one ten year period in the United States, 63,000 murderers were never brought to justice. These were unsolved crimes. If God turns a blind eye to those murderers and to injustice, then He is corrupt by nature. It makes sense that if He is good and just, He should be angry with those who have taken the lives of others, and He should punish murderers, rapists, etc.
This is the teaching of the Bible—that God will "by no means clear the guilty." He "will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil," "God is angry with the wicked every day."
The Bible says that the Law is perfect. It commands you to be perfect (Matthew 5:48). Are you perfect (in thought, word, and deed)? Will you make it to Heaven? You may say that you are still good, but God says you're not (see Psalm 14:2-3). So one of you is lying, and the Scriptures tell us that it is impossible for God to lie. Remember that all liars will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8).
Perhaps you think that God is good and will therefore overlook your sins. The very thing you are counting on to save you on the Day of Judgment -- namely God's goodness -- is going to be the very thing that will see to it that justice is done. God’s Law demands justice. Because God is so good He will make sure that every murderer, rapist and thief receives justice... but He won't stop there. He will even judge our words and thoughts and make sure every liar, blasphemer, and adulterer is punished. While this is something that is extremely tragic and far from God's ultimate desire for any person, the Bible is clear that the place of punishment for those who do not turn from their sins is Hell.
What a terrible place Hell must be. If you read in the newspaper that a man received a $5 fine for a crime, you could conclude that his crime was insignificant. But if a man received multiple life sentences, you could conclude that his crime was heinous. In the same way, we can catch a glimpse of how terrible sin must be in the sight of God by looking to the punishment given for it—eternal punishment. Ungrateful humanity never bothers to thank God for His wonderful blessings of color, light, food, joy, beauty, love, and laughter, so He will take those blessings away from them. Instead of proving their gratitude by obedience to His will, they use His name to curse. Their punishment will be just but severe to the uttermost. Take the time to read what Jesus said Hell was like in Mark 9:43-48 and other verses.
Perhaps you feel safe because you don't believe in Hell. This can be likened to standing in the middle of a busy highway and shouting, "I don't believe in trucks!" Your belief or disbelief in trucks will not change reality. The same applies in this situation. Your disbelief in Hell will not cause it to cease to exist. God has given us HIS WORD on the existence and purpose of Hell...
The Bible Describes Hell
There are three words translated “Hell” in Scripture:
Gehenna (Greek): The place of punishment (Matthew 5:22,29; 10:28; and James 3:6)
Hades (Greek): The abode of the dead (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27)
Sheol (Hebrew): The grave (Psalm 9:17; 16:10)
There are those who accept that Hell is a place of punishment, but believe that the punishment is to be annihilated—to cease conscious existence. They can’t conceive that the punishment of the wicked will be conscious and eternal. If they are correct, then a man like Adolph Hitler, who was responsible for the deaths of millions, is being “punished” merely with eternal sleep. His fate is simply to return to the non-existent state he was in before he was born, where he doesn’t even know that he is being punished.
However, Scripture paints a different story. The rich man who found himself in Hell (Luke 16:19-31) was conscious. He was able to feel pain, to thirst, and to experience remorse. He wasn’t asleep in the grave; he was in a place of “torment.” If Hell is a place of knowing nothing or a reference to the grave into which we go at death, Jesus’ statements about Hell make no sense. He said that if your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin, it would be better to remove it than to “go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-48).
The Bible refers to the fate of the unsaved with such fearful words as the following:
• “Shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2)
• “Everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46)
• “Weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:51)
• “Fire unquenchable” (Luke 3:17)
• “Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish” (Romans 2:8,9)
• “Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
• “Eternal fire...the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 7,13)
Revelation 14:10,11 tells us the final, eternal destiny of the sinner: “He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone...the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night."
We do not enjoy speaking in detail about the torments of Hell. It is, however, a real place and God in his love and mercy does not want you to go there.
If you don't believe what I am saying about the reality of Hell, it means you think God is corrupt (that He hasn't the moral backbone to seek justice), that Jesus was a liar, that the Apostles were false witnesses, that God's promises are nothing but prefabricated lies, and there is no greater insult to God than to call Him a liar. By doing so, you are adding to your transgressions. Imagine if you reject the Savior, die in your sins and find that what I have told is the Gospel truth? Then it will be too late, you will be judged for you sins. If that happens, and your eyes meet my eyes on the Day of Judgment, I'm free from your blood. I have told you the truth, but if you choose to ignore it your blood will be upon your own head...you will have no one to blame but yourself.
Can you see your predicament? You are guilty of sinning against God Himself, and, because you have a conscience, you have sinned "with knowledge." Isn't it true that every time you lied, stole, lusted, etc., you did it with knowledge that it was wrong?
Does the fact that you have sinned against God scare you? It should. You have actually angered Him by your sin. The Bible says His wrath abides on you, that you are an "enemy of God in your mind through wicked works." But let fear work for your good in the same way that a fear of jumping out of a plane at a great height would make you put on a parachute. Let your will to live open your heart to the Gospel of salvation.
GOD IS RICH IN MERCY TO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us..." (Ephesians 2:4).
We have all broken the Law a multitude of times, but God came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ, and paid the fine for us—"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." The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Christ Jesus our Lord."
Jesus satisfied Eternal Justice, then rose from the dead, so that God can grant us eternal life. But just as we cannot earn a gift, so we cannot earn eternal life by our good works—"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 boast."
You may still think that you can (from now on) keep the Ten Commandments. But isn't it true that the best of us have lied, stolen, lusted, hated, failed to love God above all else, and failed to love our neighbor as ourselves? How can we then, live a "good" life if we have already sinned against God? At best we are reformed liars and thieves . . . but still Lawbreakers. If we trust in our own “goodness” to enter Heaven, we are saying to God, "I should enter Heaven because I have done good - I have earned my way in." You cannot earn a gift.
I am not the only one who doesn't want you to end up in Hell. God Himself is not willing that you perish. To make clear what an incredible thing He has done for you in the Gospel, let's look again to civil law: You are standing in front of a judge, guilty of very serious crimes. All the evidence has been presented and there is no doubt about your guilt. The fine for your crime is $250,000 or imprisonment, but you haven't two pennies to rub together. The judge is about to pass sentence...he lifts his gavel, when someone you don't even know steps in and pays the fine for you. The moment you accept that payment, you are free to go. Justice has been served, the law has been satisfied, and what's more, the stranger who paid your fine showed how much he cares for you. His payment was evidence of his love.
So that you wouldn't have to go to Hell, God sent his only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross -- suffering the punishment that justice demands. Then He rose from the grave, forever defeating death! The Bible tells us, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) If you will repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus, God says he will forgive all your sins and grant you the gift of everlasting life. Just like the court case we just talked about, if you repent (that means to confess and forsake your sins) and put your trust in Jesus, then you will not have to suffer God's justice in Hell because the payment for your crimes was made by Jesus on the cross.
That's what God did for you, in the person of Jesus Christ. You are guilty, He paid the fine 2,000 years ago. It is that simple. The Bible puts it this way: "he was bruised for our iniquities . . . Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us...God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
It was no small thing for Jesus to die for us. The only thing that would satisfy the demands of Eternal Law was the suffering death of the sinless Son of God. What love God must have for you! He suffered unspeakable agony, so that you wouldn't have to be punished for your sins. His sacrificial death and resurrection mean that you need no longer be in debt to the Law, and God can now grant you everlasting life if you obey Him -- death no longer has a legal hold upon those who belong to Jesus Christ.
When Jesus said to "believe" on Him, He was saying we should have faith in Him, in the same way you would trust a parachute to save you when you jump from a plane. You don't merely believe in the parachute - you put it on. Please don't "jump" without Jesus. If you die in your sins there is no second chance. God will give you justice, and you will end up in Hell forever. Any troubles you have at present are dwarfed by the trouble you are in with your Creator.
The reason you should "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" shouldn't be to find peace, joy, true happiness, to have your marriage healed or your problems fixed, etc. (to have your flight improved), but it should be to escape the jump to come—because of the fact that you have to pass through the door of death. Then, when the flight gets bumpy (when problems come) you won't fall away from the faith.
What should you then do? Simply repent and put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Don't put it off until tomorrow.
Would you sell an eye for a million dollars? How about both for $20 million? No one in his right mind would. Your eyes are priceless to you, yet they are merely the windows of your soul. Your life (your soul) is of such value, Jesus said that you should despise the value of your eye compared to it. He said that if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you, for it is better to enter Heaven blind than to go to Hell seeing. In other words, of all the things you should prioritize in your life, it's not your health, your vocation, etc., it's your eternal salvation.
Think of a man who has committed adultery. His faithful wife is more than willing to take him back, so what is the attitude in which he should approach her? It should be one of tremendous humility, asking for forgiveness, and determining in his heart never to even think of committing adultery again. That's how you should approach God.
ETERNAL LIFE IS IN JESUS CHRIST
"He who hears My word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).
Life's greatest mystery, death, was destroyed by the One who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." The Bible says, "He who has the Son, has life..."
To find the way to God, to understand the truth of God's Word, and to received the gift of eternal life, begin by repentance and faith through a prayer like this:
"Dear God, I understand that I have broken Your Law and sinned against You. I repent of all my sins and ask Your forgiveness for them (name them so that those sins that stand between you and God can be forgiven). Thank You that Jesus suffered on the cross in my place. I now place my trust in Him as My Savior and Lord (to say Jesus is your Lord means you are now making Jesus the master over your life). Forgive me and grant me your gift of everlasting life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."
If you are not sure how to pray or aren’t comfortable praying that prayer, read Psalm 51 and make it your prayer. The words are not "magical," what God cares about is the attitude of your heart. Then put your faith in Jesus Christ in the same way you would put your faith in a parachute. You don't just "believe" it will benefit you, you actually trust yourself to it by putting it on.
If you have repented and trusted in Jesus, then you can now partake of the blessings of "the New Covenant." Here are just ten of God's exceedingly great and precious promises:
1. You have passed from death into life.
2. God will supply all of your needs according to His riches.
3. Jesus will be with you in trials, promising never to leave nor forsake you.
4. The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth, and give you the power to live a holy life.
5. You are cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ—God has removed your sins as far as the east is from the west.
6. As you abide in Christ, you will see the "fruits" of His Spirit begin to manifest in your life.
7. As you read the Bible daily, it will come alive to you and cause you to grown in your faith.
8. When you pray, God will hear you and answer your prayers.
9. The cross will be continual evidence of God's love for you.
10. God will "keep you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy."
Read your Bible daily, obey what you read and see what God has in store for those who love Him; find yourself a Jesus-centered, Bible-teaching church and commit yourself to it. God will never let you down.
Not sure what should you read or where you should start? I suggest that you start in the book named "John," and then read the one named "Romans." Whatever you decide to read, make sure you read every day. Then, once you have made peace with God, read the Bible daily and obey what you read.
May God continue to bless you as you obey Him.
6 comments:
Nic. Thank you for your enchouragement over my unemployment situation. Also, I have a story in my blog that my interest you. It is about 3 Christian schoolgirls beheaded in Indonesia by practitioners of the "religion of peace".
Good post, Nic, well written.
Great post! Very important to be reminded of these truths.
Nic: My CPA is 79 and also a Pastor who officiated the funeral of one of my best friends. At that service, the top CEO's of the city were assembled on the front lawn of my friends modest home in a poor neighborhood. He ran a limousine service and carried CEO's to and from the airport before dying of Cancer. My Pastor reminded everyone that Jesus always made it a point to be a friend to those he helped. BTW: Steve McQueen accepted Christ before he died. His favorite verse? John 3:16. Steve McQueen!
Very cool.
excellent post----well written..
While Raging Bull was a tough film, I admired the closing frame from John:9:24:25
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