Matthew 11:28 tells us: “Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest”.
 
In this verse, which was spoken by JESUS, we see two pictures. 

One picture is of a person who is extremely weary and tired. This is the person who has gone as far as he can; he can go no farther, he cannot take another step.  The other picture is a person under extreme pressure.  This is the person who is  about to explode, he cannot take anymore and he knows he will soon explode like a volcano under pressure. 

Jesus offers an invitation: ”Come unto Me.”   Did you know that this invitational phrase, “Come unto Me“  is used nearly 3,000 times in the Bible and nearly always refers to a simple invitation with no stipulations, no one left out.  An invitation stating that ANYONE can Come.  ANYONE includes; the wealthy, the poor, the famous, the peasant.  ANYONE- without limitations!  The important inference is that when we come to Christ we are promised rest and freedom from all the cares of the world.
 
Several years ago, the Wall Street Journal carried a story about a young girl named Sally.  She was an overly conscientious youngster who made herself miserable over the smallest failures and setbacks.  Early one fall, while the leaves were still on the trees, there was an exceptionally heavy snowstorm.  Sally’s grandfather took her for a drive and said : “Notice those elms, the branches are so badly broken that the trees may die.  But look at those pines and evergreens.  They are completely undamaged by the storm.  My child, he said, there are two kinds of trees in this world, the foolish and the wise.  An elm holds its branches rigid.  As it becomes weighted down it reaches its limit and eventually its limbs break.  But when an evergreen is loaded, it simply releases its branches and lets the burden slip away.  Be like a pine tree, granddaughter.”
 
Christians who give up all their cares to the Lord can face life’s burdens much better than those who try to bear the weight themselves.  Charles Spurgeon, a 19th century evangelist said “The message of our gospel is the gentle word, ”Come”.  Our Lord says “Come unto Me and I will give you rest.  But the law says, “Go and do.”  The law says “Go and take heed to the path in which you walk.  Break the commandments and perish; keep them and live.”  The law drives men with a whip; but God draws men with cords of love.  The law repels; but the gospel attracts.  Christ is the good Shepherd who goes before His sheep and says “Come. I will give you rest.”
 
In a third-century debate on Christianity, Celsus said to Origen. “When most teachers go forth to teach they cry, Come to me, you who are clean and worthy, and they are followed by the highest caliber of people available.  But your silly master-Jesus cries; “Come to Me, you who are down and beaten by life” and so He accumulates around Him: ”A group  of rag, tag and bobtail of humanity."   Yes that is true BUT Jesus does not leave them that way.  Out of material you would have thrown away as useless, he fashions men and women giving them back their self-respect, enabling them to stand on their feet and look God in the eye.  They were cringing, broken things but God’s Son Jesus has set them free.”
 
So today, if you are heavy burdened come to Jesus.  Respond to His invitation.  Do you realize how special that statement is? It speaks to anyone….anyone in this earthly world who wants  to hear.  It invites people of all colors, all beliefs, all tribes, all nations, all situations.  It speaks to those addicted to drugs, alcohol, pornography to gambling, even to those addicted to their careers and it even speaks to those who go to church every Sunday.  That word “Come”  speaks to each one, quietly and individually.  COME and He will give you peace of mind and rest of heart.
 
The invitation has been sent will you accept HIS invitation?   If you are still not sure, be sure to check out the information on the "SALVATION" tab above.   We pray that your RSVP to HIS invitation is AFFIRMATIVE!

Ephesians 2:4-7:   But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Man has been working on creating a living cell from the bottom up for the past many years. He says he’s always been fascinated by the question, “What distinguishes life from non-living matter?”  For more than twenty years, researchers have been trying to create artificial cells, piecing together biomolecules in just the right context to approximate different aspects of life.
 
What modern science is attempting is the old story of Frankenstein. Victor Frankenstein is a Swiss science student who seeks to create an artificial man from pieces of human corpses. He runs around stealing pieces of vital organs from mortuaries and even trapping animals for parts to put his artificial man together. Eventually, he brings the artificial 8-foot man to life. The monster seeks affection but he’s so creepy that everyone runs from him.

In John 3:1-15, we are told of a conversation that Jesus had with a religious teacher in which HE tells him  that you must be given spiritual life in order to have eternal life.  No human effort can create a spiritual Frankenstein.  Spiritual life is only created and given by God Himself.   Let's take a look at John 3:1-15: 
 
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life”.

This is the most complete, the most comprehensive definition of what it means to be born again in the Bible.  (I know from personal experience that many of you reading this will be laughing at that born-again experience.  Over the years, I have heard a lot of people say: "Oh yes, you are one of those Born Againers").

Nicodemus is a religious insider who is like a Kennedy, a Bush, or a Roosevelt in Jerusalem.  There is good evidence outside of the Bible that Nicodemus belonged to one of the three largest landowning families of the time. He is an elite in every way conceivable. He’s the Micky Mantle of the New York Yankees or the Frank Hamer of the famed Texas Rangers who took down Bonnie and Clyde. Nicodemus is the religious insider of religious insiders.

Jesus is still a newcomer at this point. The two gather for a nighttime conversation that still makes us talk over 2,000 years later!

“Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit’” (John 3:5-6).

Nicodemus is confused. Jesus says three times, “Unless you are born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (See verses three, five and seven)

• “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (John 3:3).
• “Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God’” (John 3:5).
• “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:7).

Remember, God will enable your will, but God will not coerce your will. If God coerces your will—if your relationship with Him is forced—then you’re no longer a man, you’re a machine or you are a puppet  and God can have no fellowship with a machine or puppet. If you want to come to Christ, you may. But if you don’t want to come to Christ, He’ll not force you. The Bible says “whoever believes” may come (John 3:16). If you’ve not yet given your heart to Jesus Christ, I invite you to be made whole.

If you don’t want to come, there are not enough angels in Heaven that God would allow one of them to drag you down the aisle. But if you want to come, there are not enough demons in Hell or out of Hell or wherever they may be to keep you from coming to God. God has given you a will. And He asks you, “Will you be made whole?” Do you see the brokenness in your life that needs to be redeemed by Him? Are you sick and tired of being blind in your sin? You can be made whole.

Of all the people, Jesus could be telling this to, HE tells it to Nicodemus, a Pharisee.  History tells us that there were only 6,000 Pharisees at any given time. Plus, as a “a ruler of the Jews,” he was 1 of 70 members who were part of The Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of Israel. The Pharisees weren’t just religious; they were religious on steroids. They went by the book, and they kept all the rules. They never missed temple services. They were the Eagle Scouts of religion.

Here was a superstar of religion before Jesus. The last person you would have thought needed the born-again experience was this man, Nicodemus, who now sat in front of Jesus.  Maybe we could understand this better Jesus were talking to a felon, a prisoner, a child molester, a murderer, the worst of the worst.  But Nicodemus was one of the best of the best...and even he needed to be "born-again".  Jesus very clearly drops the hammer, “You, Nicodemus, judge Nicodemus, chief justice Nicodemus, ruler Nicodemus, Pharisee Nicodemus, Dr. Righteous Nicodemus - you must be born again.”
 
That same message is the same thing that JESUS is saying to you today.   Now matter how good or bad we are, you matter what we have done, we all need that born-again experience.   WE ALL MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

Take a moment today and be sure that you are BORN AGAIN!  It is one decision you will rejoice over for all eternity!

In Roman 10:13 it says: “Whosoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved”.

God loves the whole world and every person in the world.  His love is not limited to any one nation or people or type of person.  The gospel is universal; it is for the world.  That means that the Lord treats all people (men and women) the same.  Since all men are saved by the promise that the world cannot be saved apart from the Gospel; even Israel’s disobedience proves to us that the Gospel is Universal and Truth.
 
In Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
 
The Bible tells us that God is not willing that any person should perish.  He wants every person to be saved (2 Peter 3:9) and all we have to do is to call upon the name of the Lord in humility and repent-ask Christ to forgive us.
 
That word whosoever means that any person can be saved, no matter who he or she is. No matter how terrible a person and his circumstances may be, he can be saved.
 
Now you may ask: What does that word saved or salvation mean?????
 

• Salvation means deliverance, being made whole and preserved
• Salvation means deliverance from being lost
• Salvation means deliverance from sin
• Salvation means deliverance in the future from all evil and corruption, from aging and wasting away, deterioration and decay, death and hell
• Salvation means deliverance from enemies and dangers
• Salvation means to be made well, to heal, to restore to health: physically, mentally and even spiritually.

Christ is concerned with our suffering.  Christ takes a man who suffers and makes him whole. That is what salvation is all about!
 
I saw this inspiration piece recently and I want to pass it along to you.  Many times we Christians get focused on things that have to be done in a certain way (“This is the way we have always done it”), but Christ is creative and can handle all things and He knows each soul and what we need.

Now what about the inspirational piece I saw:  “SO……How does the thief on the cross fit into your theology? 

No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trips, no volunteerism, and no church clothes. 
He could not even bend his knees to pray. 
He did not say the sinner’s prayer and among other things, he was a thief. 
Jesus did not take away his pain, heal his body or smite the scoffers.  Yet, it was a thief who walked into heaven the same hour as Jesus simply by believing.  He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who He said He was. 
No spin from brilliant theologians. 
No ego or arrogance. 
No shiny lights, no skinny jeans, or crafty words.  No haze machines, donuts or coffee in the entrance,  just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray”.

The thief was not redeemed or saved merely because he “believed.” The Bible tells us that even demons “believe that Jesus was who he said he was.” The difference here is that the thief believed AND repented.

Now I know some people will say: “ Hey, I will wait until it is almost my time to die.”  that is sometimes referred to as the eleventh hour acceptance of Christ into their lives to save them.  This is also referred to as a Deathbed Confession. My question to you is: How do you know when it is your last breath that you are taking?  Remember, there were two thieves on the cross and the other one cursed Jesus and never made it to heaven.  So stop putting off your decision to serve the Lord.

As a word of warning; in your theology, please don’t place too much emphasis on the thief on the cross. (Yes, there was the one who was saved and went to heaven- the other one did not).  The thief who accepted Christ as Savior may be the standard for some but he is not the standard for most. And he will most likely not be your standard. While it is true that God saves some repentant sinners at the end of their lives (before they are able to be baptized, exercise their gifts, and bear fruit) this is not the norm. Nor should it be set as an ideal.

God saves most sinners long before He takes them into paradise.  He saves them while they still have time: time to live; time to grow in their faith, in their holiness, in their usefulness. He invites them to identify themselves with Jesus’ death through baptism. He invites them to join a body of believers to be built up and build others up. He invites them to remember the finished work of Jesus by regularly eating the Lord’s Supper. He invites them to learn to pray: to adore, to confess, to thank, to petition, to intercede. He invites them to validate their faith by their works. He invites them to endure trials. He invites them to resist the sinful patterns that used to trip them up. He invites them to share the gospel with their neighbors. He invites them to love their friends and their enemies. He invites them to this and so much more.

If you are hoping that your one-time profession of faith (or your potential deathbed confession) will get you into heaven, you may be pleasantly surprised. But you will have missed out on all the good (though often challenging) things the Lord had for you in this life. 

Please don’t use God’s offer of salvation just as a ticket out of hell. Treat it like a job offer with amazing retirement benefits.

As we celebrate Easter Sunday, I thought it would be good to share this interesting article which I happened to come across on the internet.  YES, on the Internet.  The article asked some well thought out questions for all to read especially for Christians who get all caught up in laws and rules and formulas instead of allowing people to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior wherever they meet Him.   There was no name attached to the article so it is anonymous.  Please read it carefully:
 
“How does the thief on the cross fit into your theology?
 
No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trips, no volunteerism, and no church clothes. 
 
He couldn’t even bend his knees to pray.  He didn’t say the sinner’s prayer and among other things, he was a thief. 
 
Jesus didn’t take away his pain, heal his body, or smite the scoffers.  Yet, it was a thief who walked into heaven the same hour as Jesus simply by believing . 
 
He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who He said He was. 
 
No spin from brilliant theologians.  No ego or arrogance.  No shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words. 
 
No haze machines, donuts or coffee in the entrance.  Just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray.”
                                                *******
So I have to ask, does this fit your image of what is means to be a Christian?  Remember, that Christianity is NOT A RELIGION.  All religion is man made.  Yes, Judaism is a religion, Islam is a religion, Buddhism is religion, even atheism and communism are religions. Even the people who call themselves the Green people who worship and adore the earth-theirs is a religion.  BUT Christianity is NOT A RELIGION.  Christianity is a RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. 
 
In the Gospels;  Matthew. Mark, Luke and John, it is clear from the teachings of Jesus and we read how He lived His life, that the most important thing is our relationship with God.  I know you will all list things like: our health, our finances, our careers, our relationships with others ,etc. they are  most important.  BUT everything literally finds its meaning in our relationship with Jesus Christ
 
John 3:16 says: “ For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son so that whosoever believed in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.”

In the Gospels we find over and over again the Good News that God wants us to have a full life; an abundant life because He loves us so much.  This full life is a gift and it really is a possibility. When you accept Christ into your life you can become a full, creative, unique, and beautiful person God created you to be.
 
I am quite sure many of you have heard over the years that giving is so important.  That is true, however, we rarely ever hear about the spirit of receiving.  Very few of us know how to receive gifts graciously and freely.  You see what typically happens is that our pride and our arrogance get in the way.  We don’t want to be obligated to the person who is giving to us. 
 
With Jesus all you have to do is to receive His gift of salvation, it is a free gift.  He paid the price already for us.  Faith is accepting the free gift.  Faith is receiving the free gift. He is offering it to you will you freely.   That is what the Cross reminds us of - that JESUS freely gave HIS life to redeem our lives!   Salvation is a free gift.

This Easter, as we celebrate the RESURRECTION of our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST, be sure to take accept this free gift if you haven't already.   If you have already accepted salvation, take some time to thank HIM and celebrate HIM today!

​Every Christian should know the gospel and be able to explain the gospel. Sadly, some Christians struggle with knowing what passages or truths to reference when sharing the gospel, or they know a few basic truths like, “Jesus died for your sins,” or “God loves you.” As believers, we ought to “…..and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks you a reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

But how can we do this effectively? The Romans Road can be a fantastic tool for learning, retaining, practicing, and then sharing the gospel. This “journey” through the gospel message comes straight from the letter of Romans and allows a believer to easily turn to passages of Scripture if sitting with someone who needs to hear the gospel, or to remember passages that highlight the foundational elements of the gospel.

Here are the 5 “stops” you should make as you journey along the Romans Road:

Stop #1 | Romans 3:23“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
The word “gospel” literally means good news! The reason it’s good news is that there is bad news. Why would anyone ever believe they need to hear the gospel or believe the gospel unless they understood their need for the gospel? That’s where this passage comes in. Romans 3:23 is a foundational reminder that we are all sinners. No one is righteous (Romans 3:10-12), no one is good, and no one keeps the Ten Commandments perfectly. God is holy, and every single human being who has ever lived does not perfectly live up to God’s standard. Whether you’ve sinned once, or are serving a life sentence in prison for murder, whoever fails to keep the whole law in one point is accountable for all of it according to God’s standard (James 2:10).

Sin is a reality that needs to be presented if we are going to understand the gospel. Everybody is a sinner. Being a sinner separates us from having a relationship with a holy God.  We all need a solution.


Stop #2 | Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The second stop on the Romans Road emphasizes the unconditional love of God towards the sinner whom He is willing to save. We were unlovable, but He loved us. We were hopeless, but He gives hope. We couldn’t save ourselves, but Christ could. In our spiritually dead and sinful condition (Ephesians 2:1), God chose to show mercy, love, and kindness to us.

This passage brings Christ into the forefront and provides an opportunity to integrate Him into the good news.  JESUS IS THE SOLUTION to the separation from GOD that we all face!   If it wasn’t for God sending His Son to deal with sin, we could never be saved from the penalty of sin. That is where the new stop on our journey comes in.


Stop #3 | Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
After stops 1 and 2, a person might readily accept that everyone is a sinner, that God loves us, and that Jesus died for us. But stop number 3 takes us deeper into the bad news, before highlighting more of the good news.

Upon hearing that “the wages of sin is death,” someone might ask, what does that mean? This stop provides you with the opportunity to highlight God’s wrath towards sin, His dealings with the unrighteous, and the reality of a literal heaven and a literal hell (Romans 1:18-32; Matthew 13:42; Revelation 21:8). The earned payment for sin — all sin — is death. Much like a human court system has a standard of law that if not kept leads to punishment, God has a law and there is punishment for not keeping it. More than that, as human beings who readily admit that we are sinners, we must also admit that we cannot keep God’s law faithfully. Therefore, we all are condemned in God’s court and deserve the wages for our sin: DEATH.

But Romans 6:23 also includes good news! In contrast to our inability to keep the law of God and our wages earned by sin, God gives the gracious gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. This aspect of the gospel provides you with the opportunity to know and share what Jesus did on the cross. He died in the sinner’s place. He paid the penalty for sin so the sinner wouldn’t have to. He gave His life so you could live. By “eternal life,” the Bible means that you don’t need to die and end up in hell forever. You don’t have to experience the judgment of God upon sin for all eternity. You can live in heaven with Him for all eternity after this life ends. The Bible teaches that everyone will die (everyone knows this is true) and that after death in this life comes a moment of judgment (Hebrews 9:27). That moment of judgment does not need to end badly.
God has given us a gift. His name is Jesus Christ.


Stop #4 | Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ…”
This is really good news! If you are “in Christ”, that means you’ve put your faith in Him, believing that He died for you and rose again from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:4).  Anyone in Christ is not going to be condemned for their sin and will not go to hell. If that’s you, then you don’t need to walk around feeling guilty or shameful over your sin once you’ve believed in Christ because your sin is washed away (1 John 1:7).


Stop #5 | Romans 10:9 “…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…”
The final stop is where the rubber meets the road! 
     Do you believe that Jesus is Lord?
     Do you believe He was the Son of God who died for your sin and rose from the dead?
     Are you willing to confess your sin, accepting the bad news that you are spiritually bankrupt without God’s help?
     Are you willing to accept the good news that God has made a way for you to have a relationship with Him and be saved from the penalty of sin, which is His wrath?

Through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s power can change you!   You don’t have to live a life of brokenness and bondage, you don’t have to be hopeless. Jesus can set you free.  Jesus can give you hope that we ALL need!

The question is often asked, how do I know if I’m saved? The simple answer is that if you have truly believed in Jesus Christ and put your faith in Him, God will transform you.  The old ways of sin that you used to enjoy are going to fade, and the new life you live in Christ will dominate your passions (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In a world looking for solutions to the brokenness of human sin, the gospel declares that Jesus is the ONLY answer.   Trust HIM as your Lord and Savior today!

•  - Two questions we often here are, "​If I die today will I go to Heaven?" and "What do I need to do to go to heaven?".

In this day and age, each of us seems to have our own belief system.  Things we may have learned at home or things we may have learned as we grew older and started asking questions and did some reading.  Most religions of the world have some form of belief system of what happens when we die:

• Islam- Muslims believe that after our physical death on Earth, our soul lives on and goes to the Angel of Death to wait for Judgment Day. The Qur’an teaches that on the day of judgment, the righteous will go to J (Paradise) and the sinners will go to Jahannam (Hell).
• Judaism - Judaism is ambiguous about what happens when we die. While Jews tend to focus more on their life on Earth, most Jewish people believe in an afterlife, and it can come in many forms. Some Jews believe in reincarnation, while others believe in the World to Come, which is similar to Heaven. They also believe that their lives are put on a scale and the “good” should out weigh the bad things.

Similar to Muslims and Christians, Jews also recite a special confession prayer for someone who is                dying. They also wash and cleanse the body to prepare for burial. After the burial, close relatives may            observe Shiva, a period of seven days of mourning, in the deceased’s home.

• Buddhism - Buddhists believe that when they die, they are reincarnated into another body. After death and before rebirth, each person passes through the state called Bardo, which can be a time of great insight and liberation. For Buddhists, the ultimate goal is to break out of the cycle of reincarnation by attaining Nirvana, which is an end to suffering. In order to reach such a state of enlightenment, Buddhists believe they must meditate and purify their minds. 

Since Buddhists believe that death is the beginning of a new reincarnated life, end-of-life rituals can be an important way to send off the person to the next realm. The patient may refuse pain medication in order to remain mindful of the death process, and family and friends may chant to calm the patient’s mind.

• Hinduism - Hindus share similar beliefs with Buddhists when it comes to death and the afterlife. They also believe in reincarnation, and believe that they can be reborn not only into humans, but also into animals, plants, or even insects. 

A Hindu may wish to die at home surrounded by family and friends as they sing their hymns, pray, read  verses or chant. These rituals are meant to keep the patient’s focus on Brahman, or the “Supreme Spirit.” After death, a Hindu’s body will be cremated, and the ashes may be scattered in the sea to transport them to the next life. 

• Atheism - Those who do not have a belief system or do not believe in the afterlife may have a number of different views about death and dying.  Unfortunately, an atheist believes that they have no religious belief but atheism is a religion in the true sense of the definition of religion.  Atheism is a religious worldview.  Their assurance is rooted in faith rather than in proven facts.  Atheists claim to know something fundamental about reality that has not been or cannot be proven.  People like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens are leaders in this belief system.
• Christianity - Most Christians believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the existence of an afterlife. Most believe that the decision to be what is referred to as that  “Born-Again” experience in which we accept Jesus as the Savior of the World, the Messiah, who was God and Man and who died for man’s sin at the Cross at Calvary, that is what determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell. 

 
So where are you, and what do you believe?
 
Why would anyone put off the most important decision they could ever make in their lives, concerning eternal life?  WE SOMETIMES FORGET THAT WE ARE ALL TERMINAL.   What is all this that I hear from my Christian friends about salvation.? Getting saved from going to hell when we die, what is this gift from God, this eternal life in heaven?  What does this mean to be born-again

A B C’S OF GETTING SAVED AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN

This is what you do to get saved from hell and have eternal life in heaven

The classic passage from the Bible that answers this question is John 3:1-21. The Lord Jesus Christ is talking to Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (the ruling body of the Jews). Nicodemus had come to Jesus at night with some questions.
As Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He said, “‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. (Oh Jesus is telling him that Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit). You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

The phrase "born again" literally means "born from above." Nicodemus had a real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation. This New Birth makes us new creations. Being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4, 18). John 1:12, 13 indicates that being "born again" also carries the idea of "becoming children of God" through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.

The question logically comes, "Why does a person need to be born again?"  The problem goes all the way back to Genesis 3 when man sinned in the Garden of Eden and from then on we were born with a sin nature.  Yes, even the best of us, we are all separated from God from sin.
 
The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:1:   "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (NKJV).
To the Romans he wrote, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Sinners are spiritually “dead”; and when they receive spiritual life through faith in Christ, the Bible likens it to a rebirth. Only those who are born again, have their sins forgiven and can have a relationship with God.
 
So what do I have to do? It's really as simple as "A, B, C":

ADMIT THAT YOU’RE A SINNER. Most people do not want to believe that they are sinners.  We spend so much time comparing ourselves to others.  We think we are good but this is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against the righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and rejuvenates us from the inside out.
 
BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS ON THE CROSS, WAS BURIED, AND THAT GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD. Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who He said he was-the Son of God.
 
CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who He said He was. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.

I am including a simple prayer but this is only a thought or an example.  You do not have to pray this exact prayer to be saved - you only need to Admit, Believe and Call upon the name of the Lord.
Simple prayer:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen.”
 
  
How does that come to be? Ephesians 2:8-9 states,   "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."
 
When one is saved, he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth and a new creation. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the Cross, is the means to be "born again." "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Getting saved requires only faith in the Cross and what Jesus did for each one of us on that cross.  He took our sins and all we need to do is have faith, to trust in God, to believe that Jesus died for all our sins.
 
We forget that God loves us and has a plan for each of our lives. But we have been separated from God because of our sin.  God sent His Son to die for our sins.  In today’s English we would say He took the bullet for us. Yes, I know there are many who think we aren’t so bad but the Bible says that people are sinful and they have been separated from a Holy, Pure God.  So in love God sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins and in this way we could have a relationship with God and when we die we will be with Him forever and ever.
 
Well, are there any other ways to God? No!   The Bible tells us that accepting Jesus in faith is the only way to God.  Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6)

We can’t earn salvation; we can’t buy salvation, but we are saved by God’s grace when we have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is believe you are a sinner, that Christ died for your sins, and ask His forgiveness.

Once you have done this, then turn from your sins—that’s called repentance. Jesus Christ knows you and loves you. What matters to Him is the honest attitude of your heart.

If you have ever asked yourself "where will I spend eternity", take that step of faith today and determine your eternal destination.   Don't put off your eternal reservation even one day longer.   Remember ETERNITY IS A REALLY LONG TIME, so be sure you know where you are spending it!