God is ready and waiting to forgive anyone who asks. It's in the Bible, Psalm 86:5, NKJV. "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You"
God will always be waiting for us to return. It's in the Bible, Isaiah 44:22, ESV. "I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you."
King David based his hope of forgiveness on God's compassion and unfailing love. It's in the Bible, Psalm 51:1, NKJV. "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions."
How great is God's mercy? It's in the Bible, Psalm 103:11-12, NKJV. "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Even when we have been unfaithful, God is faithful to forgive us if we confess. It's in the Bible, I John 1:9, NKJV. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
What if I am having trouble with forgiving someone else? It's in the Bible, Matthew 6:14-15, TLB. "Your heavenly Father will forgive you if you forgive those who sin against you; but if you refuse to forgive them, He will not forgive you."
Don't accumulate grudges and keep track of them. It's in the Bible, Matthew 18:21-22, NKJV. "Then Peter came to Him and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."
God forgives us many times a day, we should do the same. It's in the Bible, Luke 17:4, NKJV. "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
Just like Jesus forgave others while being crucified, we are to forgive, whether or not others confess their faults. It’s in the Bible, Luke 23:33-34, NKJV. “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”And they divided His garments and cast lots.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean you excuse people’s sins. It’s in the Bible, Luke 17:3, NKJV. “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him."
We are to forgive others as God has forgiven us. It's in the Bible, Ephesians 4:32, NKJV. "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
There is no possibility that Jesus will turn anyone away who seeks forgiveness. It's in the Bible, John 6:37, NKJV. "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."
Through forgiveness, Christ provides complete deliverance from the penalty of sin. It's in the Bible, Colossians 2:13-14, ESV. "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."
Faithfulness
Reliability is a part of God's character. For the bible said in Psalm 33:4, NIV. "For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. and in" Hebrews 13:5, says, "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
Christians can be relied on to follow the truth at all times. It's in the Bible in Ephesians 4:15-16, TLB. "Instead, we will lovingly follow the truth at all times—speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly—and so become more and more in every way like Christ who is the Head of His body, (the church)
Salvation is promised to the faithful. It's in the Bible in Matthew 10:22, NIV. "All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
The Lord is looking for faithful and reliable servants that will carry gospel to every part of the earth. Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Are you carrying the task out the task which you were sent here on earth for? Are you faithful to works? Are you faithful in your tithe and offerings? For God has promises strength to be faithful even unto death. For Revelation 2:10 says, fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer: behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried: and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, for i will give thee a crown of life.
Be faithful to the end for thou not knoweth when the lord shall come.
may he gives us the grace, to be faithful him. Even at the face of death.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
2 Peter 3:9
Like many of you, I also have received numerous emails saying: "Where was God on September 11, 2001?" They alluded to the fact that even though the four planes that crashed could have held as many as 1,000 passengers, and yet only 266 were aboard. Thereby saying that God was trying to discourage people from taking these flights. Also, He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade Center. After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit. Since the buildings held over 50,000 workers, this was a miracle in itself. Many of the people who were employed at the World Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or they had traffic delays. These are examples of what God was or could have been doing on September 11, 2001. And if these statements are indeed true, then I say "Praise the Lord!".
But then there were the statements made that at the time the buildings fell that GOD had picked up almost 6,000 of his children and carried them home with him. While God is a God of love, he is also a "just" God, and that He has written in His Word just exactly who will be received into His Heaven when they die and exactly why they will be among the chosen.
There were many "good" people who died in this act of terror, and we naturally think that God would not turn away from those people. But Titus 3:5 says: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us..." Romans 3:23 tells us that "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". And that "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23. You may ask, "If I can't be good enough to go to Heaven, then how can I get there?" Well, the good news is that God HAS already provided a way!!! 2000 years ago, He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come into the world to become a man and die in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:1, 14. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12
Have you personally done this? Have you personally received His gift of love? "That 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 whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10: 9, 10, 13 Unlike the many who died instantly when the plane crashed, it is my prayer that many of those who still perished from this terrorist act, in fact call upon the Lord Jesus Christ to save them or had already done this prior to this time. I just "Praise the Lord" that probably most of these people did have an opportunity to do this before the collapse of the buildings. And if they did so, God says in His Word that they ARE with Him in Heaven.
Then my thoughts are on those who called upon the Lord to save them and survived this horrible thing. Our President has called upon us to get back to our normal lives. But for those who were saved by the Lord Jesus that day, their lives are now become anything but "business as usual". For the Bible tells us: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: Old things are passed away; Behold, all things are become new."
II Corinthians 5:17
Have you experienced God's salvation in your life?
Have you turned from your sin and decided to follow Jesus?
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life;
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
Jesus is the only hope for YOU
and the whole world!!!
For he said come unto me all ye that labour and heavy ladden, for i will give you rest.... Matt. 11:28
THE ABC OF REPENTANCE
Please don't wait until it is too late!!
You may not have the extra opportunity or a few minutes to make a decision for the Lord like many who perished in the attack. Knowing that your sins are forgiven and that you are ready for heaven is as simple, just take the following steps:
ADMIT YOU ARE A SINNER
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
1 John 1:8
BELIEVE IN JESUS
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 3:16
CONFESS AND FORSAKE YOUR SIN
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9
1. You need to be saved. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
2. You cannot save yourself. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9
3. God loves you enough to provide salvation. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
4. By faith, we believe Jesus and accept Him. "And when you , Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved and thy house" Acts 16:31. "That 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." Romans 10:9
Invite Jesus in now! Pray this prayer:
Dear Jesus,
I believe that I am a sinner and that I need a Savior.
Please come into my life.
I ask you to forgive my sins and make me a new person.
I want to serve you and live for you.
Amen
I am praying for you to make a decision!!!
As you have prayed this prayer, you have been forgiven of all your sins. and a new chapter has been open for you today. Continue to enjoy God's blessings. Welcome to the Family of God.
