Salvation Through Christ: A Matter of FAITH

What do you think it takes for someone to get to heaven? Is it luck? Good deeds? Nothing at all? Or is there something more? The Bible has the real answer to this question. It's a matter of FAITH.

F stands for FORGIVENESS. We cannot have eternal life without God's forgiveness. Ephesians 1:7a says, "In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins."

A is for AVAILABLE. Forgiveness is available for all. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." But forgiveness is not automatic. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven," says Matthew 7:21a.

I is for IMPOSSIBLE. It is impossible for God to allow sin into heaven because of who He is and because of who we are. God is loving and just, but His judgment is against sin. James 2:13a says, "Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful." We are sinful people. Romans 3:23 tells us, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

T is for TURN. To turn means to repent. We can repent - or turn - from our sin and from ourselves. "But unless you repent, you too will all perish," Luke 13:3b says. We can also turn to Someone. Trust Christ alone. Romans 10:9 tells us how: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

H is for HEAVEN. Heaven is eternal life. Here, that means life "to the full:" "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b)." In the hereafter, it means the promise of heaven: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:3)."

So how can a person have God's forgiveness, heaven and eternal life, and Jesus as personal Savior and Lord? By trusting in Christ and asking Him for forgiveness. Take the step of faith described by another meaning of FAITH: Forsaking All I Trust Him.

You do this through a simple prayer reflecting your desire for Christ to change your life. You don't need fancy words - only an honest heart. You can pray something like this:

Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and have displeased You in many ways. I believe You died for my sin, and only through faith in Your death and resurrection can I be forgiven. I want to turn from my sin and ask You to come into my life as my Savior and Lord. From this day on, I will follow You by living a life that pleases You. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen.

Accepting Christ is just the beginning of a wonderful adventure with God! Get to know Him better in a number of ways:

• Follow Christ's example in baptism.
• Join a church where you can worship God and grow in your faith.
• In your church, get involved in Sunday School and Bible study.
• Begin a daily personal worship experience with God where you study the Bible and pray.

Taken from Lifeway Christian Website!!

When Bad Things Happen To Good People!!!!!

   I have a couple of thoughts that are on my mind and I wanted to share! Thoughts about people that I will forever call my friend. Not to long ago, I can remember crying away and feeling like I was about to drown in my own tears. Yet, I had 2 friends that never would let that happen. 2 friends that I can honestly say we have fought together, disagreed, laughed together, shopped together, and even gone through deployments together and I hope they dont mind me mentioning them here. I will not tell you who they are but they know who they are. One, I have known for a good 3 years. We scrapbooked together, we have went to concerts, and you name it we have done it. Yet one night, we are scrapbooking and she shows me a huge lump that I didnt even have to touch. I just saw it and said GO and get that checked out. I knew but prayed that it wasnt what I was thinking and sadly a month later, it was cancer. My other friend, she is a wonderful mother, a good person as well and has a heart of Gold for others. She would do anything to help anyone. But this past month, she went to bed feeling her unborn daughter wiggle and stretch. and go to bed thinking...will this be the night she comes and i finally get to hold her. Instead, she wakes up and finding that she and the baby are in trouble and is rushed to the hospital where soon she wakes up after a c section and finds that her daughter has died. How unfair is that!!! Why do bad things happen to good people? I have been asking God this here lately. Why God? Why do we have to suffer, what are we gaining from loss or just being sick? Then he takes me to think about Job!

     Job in the bible was a very rich man. He had so many farm animals, lands, servants, and a lot of kids. He was healthy and most of all. HE LOVED GOD and never seeked evil. Yet, one day God allows the devil to test just how devoted Job was to God. As I think about it, i think how excited the devil must have been and God gave him permission. That smirk he probably gave and the ugly plans that were about to unfold. Yet, God said, you may test Job BUT: yes the Lord added a but in there and says BUT do not harm him physically. Then all in one night, the devil killed all of Jobs Animals and farm hands, his servants and sadly all his children. Only 1 person out of each group lived to tell Job about it. Yet, when Job heard the news he tore his robe off, shaved his hair and still praised God. He never asked Why!!!!

     Later on in Job chapter 2, you will read that the devil was a little upset that Job didnt curse God. So, the devil comes back to God. Says let me do it again. Let me take his health and then I can tell you then, he will curse you and God again puts a but and says ok, test Job again BUT: do not take his life!!! Then we find that the devil strikes Job with horrible boils on his skin. I imagine that Job was in a lot of pain with those. A lot of itching and scratching. A lot of sores! And even Job's wife was a little upset at God because she even says to Job curse God and just go ahead and die. Its not worth all this!!! yet still Job never said anything bad about God. But a few days later, Job's friends heard what all had happened and they came to be with Job. When they got there, they barely could reconize Job. So his friends, tear off their robes and throws dust into the air to show their grief. and it decribes that his friends stay with him for 7 days and nights and no one said a word because the suffereing was to great for words.

     First of all, If I had been Job. I would have cried why? Its not fair!! What have I done to you? Yet, through it all Job still praised God. after the testing, and you see that God blesses Job soon after with the love of friendship. Friends that cared for each other. It does not say that but I see it. They had to have cared or they would not have shown up. So, what is my point? My point is this: that with each trial or storm we find who is our true friends and the reasoning in God's plan later. First of all, Job was already being blessed after the horrible things that happened. He was being blessed with friends. Friends that no matter how horrible the boils were or how broke Job was, they were there and I can only imagine them sitting there for seven days and nights. They didnt say anything but it was just that comfort that Job probably had by them being there and that is where I am taking this. Friends may come and go but there is always the ones that still stop their life and sit with you. They may not know what to say. They may not know how to help deal with losses or sickness but the comfort of them being a phone call away or just sitting right next to you is always a blessing from the Lord. Friends is something that I like to always call, angels in human skin! Where ever you are in lifes path. You never know when God may call you to be a friend for someone or even when God may call a friend to be at your side. Just praise God for those friends and be sure that when you are even having your good days, to thank God for that good day.

Wrote By: M.E.