What Do I Have To Do To Be Saved?

John 3:3 says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

To be saved you must turn away from sin, believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and receive Him by confessing Him as Lord and Savior of your life.

Here is the step-by-step process. First, you must consider your life and then turn away from everything in it that is contrary to what God wants. This turning away from selfishness and toward God is called repentance, (Mathew 3:7; Acts 3:19).

Second, you must acknowledge, and believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross to forgive you of sin. You take Him as your Savior to cleanse you from sin- as the substitute who paid the price due for your sin, (Romans 5:9-10; Titus 2:14).

Believing means to trust in, have faith in, and to be fully convinced of, fully relying on what you are acknowledging. It expresses reliance upon and a personal trust that produces obedience.

Third, you must ask Him to be Lord of your life, acknowledging openly and verbally that Jesus is not only your Savior, but your Lord, (1 John 2:23).

The Bible says that as many as received Him were given the power to become the sons of God, (John 1:12). So when you open your heart and receive Him, He comes into your heart- your inner person- through His Holy Spirit, and begins to live His life in you. From that point on, it is your privilege and call to confess what God has done, (Romans 10:9).

The power is now established at the beginning of every Christian's life in Christ, through this process. His continuing working in our lives is advanced by the same means through faith, the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things unseen.

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What Sin Particularly Blocks The Flow Of Kingdom Power!

Please read the passage of Scriptures in Mathew 18: 21-35 concerning the parable of the unforgiving servant.

Lack of Forgiveness blocks access to the kingdom and to its marvelous power. (See also Mathew 6:5-15; and also Mark 11:22-26)

The first person you probably have not forgiven is yourself. More people lack forgiveness toward themselves than anybody else. They are unwilling to forgive themselves and recognize that God says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). If you are a believer, He has already cleansed your conscience from dead works so that you might serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). God cleanses us for service in order not to leave us with the guilt of past sin. That should all be dead, buried, gone, and forgotten.

"If our heart does not condemn us," the Bible says, "we have confidence toward God" (1 John 3:21). Obviously, we cannot have continuing sin in our lives and expect forgiveness. We have to be free from ongoing conscious sin and rebellion against God. But if we are walking in the light, and walking in forgiveness, then the blood of Jesus Christ is continuously cleansing us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

The second person we have to "forgive," if we have bitterness, is God Himself. There are people who blame God because a child died, because a husband ran away, because they have been sick, because the have not had enough money. Consciously or unconsciously they think all of these things are God's fault. There is a deep-seated resentment; yet you cannot be resentful toward God and experience kingdom power flowing in your life: you have to rid yourself of any bitterness toward God. That may take some soul searching. You must ask yourself, "Am I blaming God for my situation, or circumstance?"

The third person you may have to forgive is a member of your family. You have to get rid of resentments, especially toward those closest to you. The husbands, the wives, the children, and the parents- All must be forgiven when slights and resentments have built up in family situations. Many people say, "Well, I didn't think that counted. I thought it was just a family matter." All lack of forgiveness has to be eliminated, especially toward family members.

Finally, there has to be forgiveness for anybody else who has ever done anything against you. It may be that your resentment is justified. The person may have done a very evil, or terrible thing against you. You may have every legal and intellectual right to hold a grudge and to hate that person. But if you want to see kingdom life and power flow in your life, it is absolutely imperative that you forgive.

Forgive them to the point where you actually feel yourself cleansed of resentment and bitterness and are actually praying for them. If you do not, the lack of forgiveness will make it impossible for God's power to be released to you, in you, and through you. The miracle of life depends completely on your relationship to God the Father. That relationship is built strictly on the strength of His forgiveness of your sin.

The bottom line is that forgiveness is the key. Other sins can be present, and if your heart condemns you for something else, then of course you do not have confidence before God. But it is a lack of forgiveness that most often comes between people and God.
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Easter - Resurrection Day!

.....Romans 6: 4 says, "As Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

.....In my line of work I have often had the privilege of meeting those who are at the bottom of their life, feeling lost, abandoned, and helpless, consumed in addiction and other life-controlling issues. And through our ministry's Christian Discipleship Program, I have been blessed and able to see God's miracles everyday as these people have their lives turned completely around and transformed right before my eyes, through the power of God. Like a caterpillar coming out of a cocoon and standing before me as a beautiful butterfly, these people experience liberation from their addictions, leaving behind lifestyles of hatred, and violence, experiencing grace, embracing the faith of a better future, hope, love, joy, peace, and forgiveness, for God, themselves, and others. They have truly become a "new creation" in Christ.

How is this possible?

.....The key to their transformation is the empty tomb on Easter morning. Paul spells out the impact of that empty grave when he writes in Romans 6:4, " We were buried with Christ through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead (This is the power that was unleashed) through the glory of the Father, we too may walk and live a new life." This faith, in choosing to boldly and unswervingly believe what God has said about them, and what He has said has happened to them, frees them to live as never before, for the good of God, and others. This is why the faith of a mustard seed has the ability to move mountains out of our own lives today.

.....Easter is obviously a big deal in the life of Jesus. But it is also a big deal for you and me also. The power of the risen Lord breaks addictions, melts hatred, and gives each of us a sense of purpose to live as resurrection people, experiencing all that God has for us, heaven on earth.

.....The expression "live a new life" literally means "walk a new life." The God we serve loves to take walks. He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden according to Genesis 3: 8. He walked with the Old Testament people through the wilderness into the promise land in Exodus 40: 36-38. In Christ, He walked the dusty streets of Palestine, and then walked out of the tomb on Easter morning. Why? So we could see the victory that took place for us, and could personally walk with Him as He led the way into a fresh new life for us to experience all that God has for us as never before.

.....I would only ask the Lord to show you the power of the victory that took place over 2000 years ago, on this Easter Sunday. Upon seeing that, I know that your life will be truly changed forever, experiencing it daily in your life, leading you and guiding you into a life of resurrection, hope and power, unlike anything you have ever experienced before.
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The Riches Of God Through Christ!

.....Mathew 13:44 says, " The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for the joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

.....Mathew 13:45-46 says, " The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

.....I wish to discuss these 2 small parables today, but first let's ask ourselves, What is the kingdom of heaven?

.....The "kingdom of heaven" or "kingdom of God" in New Testament terminology and concept stands for and is indicative of the blessings of God according to Mark 10:25-26. Heaven is that which is over this earth, and through Jesus' Lordship and rule, is now available to bring life to every human experience today. A new power and presence of a new world of potential and hope to mankind, with respect to experiencing heaven on earth.

.....The kingdom of heaven. The term "kingdom" which means the king's domain is used about 137 times in the New Testament. "Kingdom of heaven" or its equivalent is found about 100 times in regards to Jesus' Ministry, and preaching about the kingdom. John the Baptist came preaching the kingdom of God and indicated it was then imminent in Mathew 3:2.

.....These 2 short parables were given to us to better understand the things concerning the kingdom of God that are far beyond anything that we could ever think or imagine. Spiritual truths always have preeminence over the physical, or the natural. This is why Jesus had to speak to us in parables, so we could get the bigger picture.

.....The treasure hid in the field, or the pearl found represent things of great value and worth, which we may make our own. Jesus Christ is the true Treasure; in Him there is an abundance of all that which is rich and useful, and will be a portion for us: all fullness (Col. 1:19; John 1:16): treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3), of righteousness, grace, and peace; these are laid up for us in Christ; and, if we have an interest in Him, it is all our own.

.....The gospel is the field in which this treasure is hid: it is hid in the word of the Old Testament and the New Testament. In gospel ordinances it is hid as the milk in the breast, the marrow in the bone, the manna in the dew, the water in the well (Isa. 12:3), and the honey in the honey-comb. It is hid, not in a garden enclosed, or a spring shut up, but in a field, an open field; whoever will, let him come, and search the scriptures; let him dig in this field according to Proverbs 2:4; and whatever royal mines we find, they are all our own, if we take the right course. It is a great thing to discover the treasure hid in this field, and the unspeakable value of it. The reason why so many slight the gospel, and will not be at the expense, and run the hazard, of entertaining it, is because they look only upon the surface of the field, and judge by that. The richest mines are often in grounds that appear most barren; and therefore people in general will not so much as bid for the field, much less come up to the price.

.....Those who discern this treasure in the field, and value it, will never be easy till they have made it their own upon any terms. They that have found this treasure, sometimes hide it, which denotes a holy jealousy, rejoicing in it, though as yet the bargain be not made; they are glad there is such a bargain to be had. They are the ones whose resolve is to buy this field, making it their own, for the sake of the unseen treasure in it. It is Christ in the gospel that we are to have an eye to; we need not go up to heaven, but can experience the kingdom of heaven on this earth if and when we truly find Christ. Christ is the key that opens up the kingdom to us. But in finding that key, we must be willing to part with all, counting every thing but loss, that we may win Christ, and be found in Him.

.....Today, many of us are busy, seeking our own treasures and pearls: ones that would make us rich, other things that would bring us power or honor, and take up with counterfeits for pearls. Jesus Christ is a Pearl of great price, a Jewel of inestimable value, which will make those who have it rich, truly rich, rich toward God. And in having Him, we have enough to make us happy here and forever. This is truly what opens the eyes of our understanding to see all the treasures and pearls which He has placed around us upon this earth. A true experience of heaven on earth through the all the wonderful people that He places in our path to have fellowship, and relationships with. I have found Christ, and that spiritual treasure or pearl of great worth today. And because of that, I am truly blessed and able to see all of the physical treasures and pearls of great worth in my life today. I would only hope to show them, as God has shown me through truth and love, by having the privilege of experiencing the kingdom of heaven on this earth with them today with Christ. Isn't that why we are here?
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