Marco

Real, Honest, Bible-based Christians don't want your money or your allegiance to a church, they want you to talk to Jesus.It's real easy and simple - just talk to Him in your head. Do it honestly, genuinely and remember that your talking to God - so put on your manners and show some respect when speaking to Him. Because God outstretched his arm to become a man, Jesus, that's the person we're speaking to. This is that 'whoever believes on me will be saved...' part.You're being asked to accept that there is ONE God. Who has revealed Himself to us in THREE persons, Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. To wrap your head around that, remember that you have one face but you also have many faces. Get it?Now, we essentially suck, and we know that because no man has ever been able to live by God's perfect standards. We're broken because of that Adam and Eve, fall in the garden stuff that happened way back. We NEED God to fix us, or restore us to a state that can be with Him or else we are doomed to eternal separation from Him. God doesn't tolerate rebels forever.But the penalty for rebellion/sin is death. Atonement is made through the shedding of blood, or the taking away of life. Luckily, God allows atonement to be made through the sacrifice of innocent (animal) blood/life instead of ours. But we keep on sinning and requiring more and more sacrifices, a vicious circle of death and shedding of innocent blood.So, God, gives us this offer, He says to us, I'm going to be your sacrifice, I'm going to become a man, perfect and innocent and allow you (mankind) to sacrifice me once, for all.The conditions, REPENT (inward turn towards God) and have FAITH (believe in my Son, whom I sent). Your sins are forgiven and completely paid for, PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE. You're good to go! But he who denies the Son is doomed. Destined for the Lake of Fire with the rest of the wicked (rebels), Satan, the Antichrist and false prophet. Can you spare 5 lousy minutes of quite-time talking to Jesus so don't have to burn forever?There's no wrong way to do it... Just do it. Start out with. "Hi, Jesus? It's me (NAME). Umm... I'm not sure what to say to you but... I wanna be right by you..."Remember what John 3:16 said? God Loves you. Remember that.brThe Test Of Our Religion:br style="line-height: 18px;"Imagine that you are making application for heaven. What would you list as your qualifications?br style="line-height: 18px;"1. I have always believed in God.br style="line-height: 18px;"2. I am thought of as a religous person.br style="line-height: 18px;"3. I have tried to live a good life.br style="line-height: 18px;"4. I have been baptized.br style="line-height: 18px;"5. I go to church.br style="line-height: 18px;"6. I haven't done anything really bad.br style="line-height: 18px;"7. I have friends who will vouch for me.br style="line-height: 18px;"If you were to list any of those qualifications on an application for heaven, it would indicate that you don't understand the worthlessness of religion. The only application that would be accepted by heaven would be one on which you listed your qualifications as follows:br1. I can cite no merit of my own.br2. I have been a sinner from birth.br3. I am coming not in my name but in Christ's.br4. I believe Jesus is the Son of God and my Savior.br5. I have accepted His sacrifice for my sins.br6. I believe He rose from the dead.br7. I have put my trust in Jesus Christ to save me.brThis is the confidence of the apostle Paul who to distinguish between religion and Christ wrote, "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 should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10).br