MY PRAYER for YOU
Reader, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for you is that you might be saved. “Saved from what?” you ask. Truly, I hope that in this life you might be saved from disappointments, diseases, and tragedies. However, my greater concern is that you will be saved from sin and its penalty so that you can go to heaven one day. Even though I may not know you, I care. I would not want anyone to go to hell.
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SIN?
Sin is universal. God’s word tells us that “…all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Whether in the Americas or Europe or Asia or Africa, all have sinned. Within the world, all the people groups, tribes, and families are sinners. There is no perfect or supreme race of man.
Sin is generational. God’s word reveals that “…by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” Every generation inherits sin from its parents and passes sin on to its children. You and I are part of the first generation to live in the twenty-first century. We are advanced in technology and medicine, but we are still sinful.
Sin is individual. Each person commits his own sins. The Bible tells us that “…there is none righteous, no, not one.” Another verse says that “…there is not a just man…that sinneth not.” I am a sinner. I haved sinned. I have done that which displeases God and hurts others.
Sin is effectual. This means that sin produces an effect, and that effect is death. Scripture tells us that “The wages of sin is death…” and “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men…” Included in the passing on of sin is the passing on of death because death is the effect of sin. Every generation sins. Every generation dies. One day, our generation will die. More importantly, one day you will die. What will happen then?
Sin is terminal. God’s word shows us that “…your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you…” The individual sin of any person causes an offense and a separation between him and God. God is holy and perfect, separated from man by man’s sins and iniquities. Because of this, every sinner is condemned to death in hell, because “…he that believeth not is condemned already…”
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SAVIOUR?
The Saviour is the Lord Jesus Christ. Many religious leaders and philosophers live in our world, but only one Saviour lives. This world claims many prophets and teachers, but only one Saviour is known. World cultures have thousands of gods, but only Jesus Christ is known as the Saviour. Speaking of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Peter declared, “For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
Jesus Christ is God. When the woman at Jacob’s well asked Jesus about the Messiah, he said, “I that speak unto thee am he.” He also told his hearers, “I am from above…I am not of this world.”
Jesus Christ is man. Paul the apostle wrote that Jesus “…took on him the seed of Abraham”…, “…was made in the likeness of men…,” and was “…made of a woman…” Even though our Saviour is God, he is also man. He is the God-man, “…the mediator between God and men…”
Jesus Christ loves sinners. Perhaps the most famous of all Bible verses says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus Christ), that whosoever beileveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In writing about God, Paul spoke of “…his great love wherewith he loved us.” How wonderful this is! It is easy to love lovely people, but God loves sinners.
Jesus Christ died and shed his blood to pay the price of sin. On the cross, Jesus Christ substituted himself for you and me. We deserve death because of our sins, but Jesus Christ “…bare our sins in his own body on the tree…” By a miraculous exchange, God “…laid on him the iniquity of us all.” No sacrifice that you or I could make would earn heaven, but “…we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” No good works or law-keeping could pay the price for sin, but “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…” and “…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Jesus Christ arose from the dead. After he died, Jesus “…rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Apostle Peter spoke of “…Jesus Christ of Nazareth…whom God raised from the dead…” and the Apostle Paul “…preached Jesus, and the resurrection.”
Jesus Christ lives forever. “…This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Because the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ is God, he will live throughout eternity, “…now no more to return to corruption.” We can trust in the eternal life of Jesus Christ, “knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” Jesus himself said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen…”
Jesus Christ is able to save. Because he conquered death and is alive today, he can save you. A dead man cannot save anyone, but Jesus is alive. “…He is able…to save them…that come unto God by him…”
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SOLUTION?
The solution is based on two conditions: repentance and faith. The solution to your sin is that you receive Jesus Christ, because the Apostle John wrote that “…as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
Repentance is a change. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance,” a change of mind that produces a change in actions. The Scripture tells us “…God…will…give… repentance to the acknowledging of the truth…” and “…God hath granted repentance unto life…” This is not a sorrow for getting caught but a sorrow for doing wrong. God can give repentance to any sinner who is truly sorry for his sins and is honestly seeking forgiveness.
Faith is a belief in what God has said. God’s word has said that you are a sinner and that your sin condemns you. God has also said in his Scripture that Jesus Christ took your place and died so you can have eternal life.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
“…if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Do you believe you are a sinner separated from God by your sins? Do you believe that your sins condemn you? Do you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins in your place? Do you believe he is alive and able to save you if you call? If you sincerely answered “yes” to these four questions, simply place your faith in Jesus Christ by praying this prayer out loud.
“Oh God, I am a poor sinner with nothing I can do to save myself. I have sinned and my sins separate me from you. I have been wrong to sin against you, and I am sorry. I repent of my sins. Oh God, I believe Jesus Christ sacrificed his life and shed his blood to pay for my sins. I am trusting his blood to wash my sins away. Because Jesus is alive, I now call upon him. Oh Lord Jesus, please save me. Please forgive me. I now receive you as my Saviour and Lord and will live for you from today on. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, I would like to rejoice with you. Please call me at (260) 463-2348 to tell me you have trusted Jesus Christ who “loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”