The Gift of Salvation

Many people do not know that the gift of salvation is a gift from God. There are some who believe that you must earn your way to heaven but the truth is that the only way to heaven is through our belief in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the bible, it says that “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) God sent Jesus our Lord and Savior to save the world from its own sins. He came to this earth two thousand years ago so we could be reconciled with our Heavenly Father.  If we believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to atone for humankind’s sins and that he defeated death through his resurrection on Easter Sunday, we too can have eternal life through him.

Jesus made it clear to his disciples that we need to forgive each other in order to receive forgiveness of our own sins. When we hold grudges against one another or are angry with one another, how can God forgive us if we cannot forgive others?  There are angry people who pass away who never receive the gift of salvation because they could not forgive others of their wrongdoings when they were still alive. God’s love is unconditional and He understands that when others wrong us, we are hurt; but God wants us to forgive others no matter what they have done to us. He expects us to be merciful as He is also merciful with us. For the gift of salvation is for everyone; and he wants us to receive it and to share it openly with others.

For those who have received the gift of salvation, God expects us to share the good news with others. We are all part of the Great Commission that Jesus Christ started when he was here on earth. He wants every person to share this gift of salvation with other people. While no one knows exactly when Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior will return to this earth, we can still all help in the Great Commission.  If you know of someone who has yet to come to Christ, then share this gift of salvation with them. They will be happy you did. For this gift is to be shared because God so loved this world that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

If you know of someone who is ready to receive Christ, then have them pray this prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I believe that Jesus Christ died to atone for my sins and was resurrected from the dead so that I may have life through him. I receive Jesus Christ today as my Lord and Savior.

I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Why God Is Important In Our Lives

Today many people are focused on money, fame, and power yet don’t see anything wrong with it. However, it is only when something drastic happens in their lives that they see that these things don’t matter because life is more important. When we encounter hardships and no one is able to help us, we cry out to God. God is our last resort. If you ever recall a time in your life when you thought that there was no way out of a situation, or there was no cure for your sickness, God does hear us and helps us. God doesn’t want us to rely on Him only when we are in trouble but He wants us to have a relationship with Him.

When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are inviting the Lord into our lives. God sends the Holy Spirit to help guide us and to teach us what we need to know in order to do the work God purposed us to do. When we seek God’s kingdom first and are righteous in our deeds, God blesses us abundantly. Blessings can be good health, healthy relationships with those around us, or feeling fulfilled when we do God’s work. When we put God first, he makes things go smoothly in our lives because God is in control. 

While many people continue to believe that their lives will be better with material wealth, they eventually realize that money does not buy happiness. Happiness comes from having the peace of God inside of you. When you have a relationship with God, you will feel His peace. No matter what difficulties you might be experiencing in your life, you are calm because you know God is with you.  Jesus’ birth name was Immanuel which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23, NIV). When you have Jesus in your heart, God is with you. This is God’s peace.

There are Christians whose spiritual walk with God are at a standstill. They do not realize that faith alone is not enough; they need to step up to do God’s work and to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Whether this means helping out at your local church, doing outreach in the community or going on a missions trip, these are all examples of God working through us to share His love. When we do God’s work, we do it to glorify God. He enables us to do the things that He purposed us to do through Christ no matter what our limitations are.