"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
In order to get right with God, we need to do four things: CONFESS, REPENT, BELIEVE, and RECEIVE
1. Confess that you had not given God
first place in your life in the past, and tell other people that you
have made him Lord of your life. In Romans 10:9, the
Apostle Paul says...
"If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved"
2. Repent of your sins. That means to change your mind about who is the boss, the CEO, the Lord of your life.
3. Believe that Jesus died to pay for your sins, that He rose again, that He is God, and alive today. Accept God's free gift of salvation. Don't try to earn it. Our relationship to God is not restored by anything we do, but on the basis of what Jesus already did for us! In Acts 4:12, we find that...
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9...
"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. "
4. Receive the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to come into your life and be the director ("Lord") of your life. In the gospel of John (John 1:12-13), we learn that...
"...to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:20...
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (or her) and he (or she) with me."
How do I do all that? Simply Pray a prayer of commitment to God:
"Father God, thank you for making me and loving me, even when I've ignored you and gone my own way. I realize I need you in my life and I'm sorry for my sins. I ask you to forgive me. Thank you for sending your son to die on the cross for me. Please help me to understand it more. As much as I know how, I want to follow you from now on. Send your Holy Spirit into my life right now, and make me a new person inside. I accept your gift of salvation, and make you my Lord. Help me to grow as a Christian."
Paul tells us in Romans 10:13 that...
"...for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"
Do not make this decision lightly. Consider the cost: Jesus tells us that we must put Him above all else. We must love Him so much, that our love for our own family, even ourselves, pales in comparison. In Luke 14:28, 31, 33, Jesus tells us...
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he (or she) not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he (or she) has enough money to complete it?...Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?...In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he (or she) has cannot be my disciple."
That's pretty heavy, what does Jesus mean? He does mean that God should have the pre-eminence in our lives. If we become so caught up or involved with everything and everyone else, then it means that we would be denying God His rightful place in our hearts and lives. Consider what this means to your life:
Jesus says in Luke 9:23...
"...If anyone would come after me, he (or she) must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
The Next Step
If you have accepted Christ as Lord today or would
like to know more about how you can know God, or walk in His power, please
let us know.
Speak with Pastor Clancy at the worship service or to contact him:
Phone: (703) 726-0777
Email: Clancy@minister.com
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Ashburn, VA (703) 726-0777
