Wide Awake by Erwin McManus: Chapter 4 Highlights

In case you don't remember, a few weeks ago I made a post about an online "book club" idea (see the post here).  The following post is basically everything that I thought was interesting in the third chapter.  You can see my notes from Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 here. I will continue to make posts for each chapter as I read through the book.  I would love to hear what those of you reading this book thought after reading each chapter so definitely leave comments! Even if you aren't reading through the book, feel free to read the quotes and comment on any that might strike up some thoughts or emotions in you!

Expect: The Believer

• They have a leak when it comes to hope. They seem incapable of holding on to a positive view of life. (pg. 91)
• The optimistic never see failure as personal, permanent, or pervasive, but others are constricted, paralyzed, or controlled by failures. (pg. 92)
• One of the most important characteristics of people who achieve the extraordinary is they live a life of expectation--they expect the good to happen; they internalize optimism. (pg. 92)
• "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, 'In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.' And, 'But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.'" (pg. 94)
• Of all the things that may change about you when you connect to God, here is one that should fill you with confidence--if you have lived your life running away, this is not who you are any longer. Where once we ran from problems, failures, hardship, danger, and challenges, we are now among those who thrive in the midst of them. (pg. 95)
• You recognize that the greatness within you can only emerge if you are willing to face your greatest challenges. (pg. 95)
• If you are in a relationship with the God who created you, no matter who you've been or what you've done or how many times you've messed up or failed or quit, you are no longer that person, no longer a part of the tribe that shrinks back. (pg. 95)
• What we really want God to do is be the calming presence in our life. We want God to bring some peace and stability. But soon you're saying, "Wait a minute, nobody told me that a relationship with God is like skiing downhill in the Swiss Alps as a beginner with no lessons!" (pg. 96)
• The way God changes your life is by changing you. (pg. 97)
• Wherever you made your mess, that's where you get to start cleaning it up. (pg. 97)
• "Transformation is the ability to get up in the morning and look in the mirror and like the person you are becoming." (pg. 98)
• Failure can become a state of being, as can despair. (pg. 99)
• We are called to emulate the lives of women and men who kept leaning into their future. (pg. 99)
• When you begin to live a life that integrates faith and hope, you begin to internalize optimism. (pg. 100)
• Faith is not the Christian version of a wish. It is not about speaking something into reality. Faith is different. Faith is about substance. It's about knowing what has not happened will certainly happen. Not because you will make it happen but because God has promised it will be so. (pg. 100)
• Faith is about conviction, while hope is about confidence. Faith grounds us in the certainty of God's faithfulness, and hope pulls us into the mystery of God's future. (pg. 100)
•  People talk about faith as if it's a magical ingredient that impresses God and gives him a great idea of what he should do with our life. (pg.101)
• A lot of us think that faith is about impressing God with our ideas or coming up with these huge plans. (pg.102)
• God isn't lacking in vision. But there does seem to be a shortage of people willing to dream as big as God. Faith isn't about convincing God to go big but posturing ourselves to join God in a life bigger than we are and bigger than our dreams. (pg. 103)
• Faith is about confidence in God's character, that he is good and true and beautiful. (pg. 103)
• If nothing can stop God, then who can stop you when you are pursuing him and living for his purpose? (pg. 103)
• Faith pushes you to pursue a God-sized dream, and hope pulls and inspires you to never quit until it is a reality. (pg. 104)
• ...Abraham...had security and certainty, and God said, "I want you to give up everything you have, everything you know, and relinquish your security and certainty. I want you to expect more. And I want you to go with me on a journey to a place you have no idea where it is, no idea what it's going to be like, and I want you to move from being a settler to becoming a stranger and a wanderer." (pg. 105)
• I wonder if for many of us, the only thing stopping us from living the life God created us to live--the live of our dreams--is to let go of a life so good that it betrays the great. (pg. 106)
• We have confused comfort with peace, belief with faith, safety with wisdom, wealth with blessing, and existence with life. (pg. 106)
• The great challenge for many of us is that there will be times in our lives when God will say, "I  have done all of this for you. i have provided for you tremendously, but I want you now to give that up for the life you were created to live. There's more than this." It is very likely that the life God has given you as a gift today is the very thing he will ask of you as a sacrifice tomorrow. (pg. 108)
• Sometimes God does so much in our lives that when he wants to work in a new way we resist, ironically, because we have become so attached to all he has brought to us. What can happen is that the things God has blessed us with become an anchor that keeps us grounded ashore rather than launching us out into his dream for us. (pg. 109-110)
• The unknown with God is always better than the known without him. (pg. 110)
• He (God) never intended all of our lives to be the same. God's promise is not that everything will go well for us but that our lives will be well lived. (pg. 112)
• A life of expectation sometimes brings great public success, but sometimes God glorifies himself and finds the greatest honor from our lives when we are willing to fail in the eyes of others simply by doing what is right even if it means losing our perceived value to the world. (pg. 112)
• God is not limited to your success and failure. God is glorified when you simply live your life for the right things, whether you succeed or fail. (pg. 113)
• Are you a prisoner to the opinion of others, or are you willing to allow God to create the life of your dreams? Would you choose success in the eyes of others or failure that brings your life its greatest meaning? (pg. 113)
• A life of expectation isn't so much about what you expect out of life but what you put into it. The former is about feeling entitled; the latter about living fully engaged. (pg. 113)
• ...how long you live does not reflect how well you live. The real question is, were you alive when you died? (pg. 114)
• Abel was murdered, but Cain could not kill his dreams. It was Cain who, though he remained alive, was trapped in a nightmare. (pg. 115)
• To live wide awake is not about finding a way around the suffering or difficulties of life. It is stepping into the life God has for you. (pg. 115)
• Some of us need to move past looking to God for only the forgiveness of our sins, and begin to live lives that pursue God and to live in his pleasure. (pg. 115-116)
• Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more. God took him away. Be careful getting too close to God; you may not be here tomorrow. (pg. 116)
• Your faith, your religion or spirituality, is not supposed to serve as a way to get God off your back. It's not supposed to be a way to leverage your bets so that maybe you can get to heaven when you die. It's not supposed to be just about some way to relieve your guilt and shame. Dreaming with your eyes open is about living life to the fullest and enjoying God and having him enjoy you. It's about getting God into your soul, your heart, and your head, and letting him show you the dreams and plans he has for your life. When an infinite God comes to dwell in a finite being, dangerously beautiful things begin to happen. It is here where you become indomitable. The fire within you becomes an eternal flame that cannot be put out. (pg. 116-117)
• ...what can you do when your life is filled with expectation and you are delusional enough to believe that you have the power to change things? (pg. 118)
• ...research reveals that the people most rooted or grounded in reality are those who could be considered depressed. Reality is really overrated; it makes you a pessimist. To be an optimist you must be a dreamer. You must awaken the hero within you that sees beyond the problem to the promise. I call this hero the Believer. (pg. 118-119)
• Maybe our marriages would get better if we kept pursuing our spouses. (pg. 119)
• Little by little we begin to live in fear. We begin to be haunted by doubt. We begin to settle for less. (pg. 119)
• Others need to see to believe. You see because you believe. (pg. 119)

Sunday Summary 3/18/12

Matthew 26:37–38

 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

What an amazing set of sermons yesterday delivered by head pastor Jon Davis at Summit Church.  He Spoke on the power of God's touch and how Jesus knows our pain because He carried it for us!  The above verses really touched my soul and gave me a greater appreciation and understanding of the what Jesus went through for us on the cross! 

In the above verses, we see Jesus open up His heart to His disciples stating "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death."  What a powerful statement coming from our Almighty God!  Why was Jesus so overwhelmed with sorrow?  Because He had the weight of the world, the sin of the world, the hurt of the world on His shoulders!  He carried all of that and went through everything that He went through on the cross...for us!  He understands our pains!  He understands our sorrows!  He has been there, and through His death on the cross and His resurrection, He demolished any hold our hurts, wrongdoings, and sorrows could ever have on us. 

We have to stop falling for satan's lies.  The devil tells us that we are all alone, that nobody knows what we are dealing with, and that we have strayed too far for God to ever love/forgive us.  Those are all lies!  God wants to forgive us of our pasts!  He wants to join in an amazing relationship with each and every one of us!  Let's stop making excuses and accept God's amazing gift! .

--

God Bless

Jon Abercrombie
holybloggers.blogspot.com

An End to Habitual Sin by Charles Stanley

Thursday, December 02, 2010

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

Ephesians 6:10-11

Satan looks for weak spots in a believer’s life where he can set up a stronghold. Once his fortress is established, he knows that the person will justify it, defend it, and keep adding bricks to it, one sin at a time. The appeal can be so strong that we return to a habitual sin even after confessing before God. Satan whispers, “One more time won’t hurt,” and we fall to temptation again.

Just as in medieval times when armies warred over high rock fortresses, a sin stronghold is usually the ground for a skirmish. We might expect the fight to be primarily between God and Satan, but that’s not the case—the Lord can knock down the Devil’s walls instantly. Instead, the struggle goes on within our spirit: Do
we want God to break our habit or not?

Giving up habitual sin is hard. The sinner finds comfort, pleasure, and/or satisfaction in the practice. Hot on the heels of those emotions, however, are guilt, shame, and despair, which drive a person to plead for help. But holy God cannot cleanse unrighteousness until people genuinely repent. True repentance means that a believer sees a sin for the wickedness that it is and turns his back on it. And we turn away as often as it takes—one time, a hundred times, or every single day for the rest of our lives.

Just thinking about giving up a sinful habit brings some people to the brink of despair. They want to be free of a stronghold, but the thought of resisting temptation makes them feel weak. Here is good news: the Holy Spirit’s power is enough to enable any believer to walk away. That includes you.

Copyright 2010 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.

Why Wait? by Dr. Charles Stanley

Came across this post on Dr. Charles Stanley's website InTouch.org and wanted to share it!
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Read | Psalm 25:4-5

⁴ Show me your ways, LORD,
   teach me your paths.
⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are God my Savior,
   and my hope is in you all day long. 

On life’s road, crucial decisions are like intersections that call for a choice of direction. If we barrel through without seeking the mind of Christ, the road we pick may lead to regret and heartache. Although the Lord is ready and willing to offer clear direction, He doesn’t always give it quickly. Knowing that He has very good reasons for withholding immediate instruction can help us wait patiently at the intersection for His guidance.

At times God leaves us in our confusion because He wants to get our attention. When everything is running smoothly, we tend to forget the Lord. But uncertainty draws us back to Him like a magnet. By aligning our steps with His and walking in submission to the Spirit, we open our ears to hear His voice.

Our waiting time is God’s preparation time. In bringing about His sovereign purposes, He may put us on hold while He coordinates events to line up with His will. Sometimes the Lord has work to accomplish in us before we are ready to handle what He has planned for our future. If we instantly received His direction, we would never grow in faith. Spiritual maturity is evidenced in the ability to wait in peaceful confidence, trusting that in His time, we will know what to do.

If impatience tempts you to jump ahead of God’s timing at a crossroad of decision, you risk stepping outside of His will and missing His blessings. But by waiting until He gives clear direction, you will walk in His peace with certainty, instead of stumbling around in anxiety and confusion.

Click here for the original post from InTouch.org

Copyright 2010 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.

Post by Steven Furtick

Check out this post by Steven Furtick called Just Like Jesus Said.

We have to trust God when we feel Him telling us to do something.  He won't steer us in the wrong direction.

Week #64 The Words of Our Mouth

This week's post was taken from the InTouch Weekly Devotional Magazine. It was written by Dr. Charles Stanley. I think it is very good. A very good topic.

Check it out: Week #64 The Words of Our Mouth

Tell Friends...Leave Comments...Be Happy!

Week #49 Waiting on God

I decided to take a break this week and sneak this week's devotion away from Charles Stanley. This week's Bible study Week #49 Waiting on God came from the InTouch Ministries website.

I hope everyone enjoys this week's post and apply its message to your lives in some way. I am looking forward to reading some comments!

Week #49 Waiting on God

Check it out...tell a friend :)

Week # 38 Maintaining a Quiet Spirit

Used a devotional from Charles Stanley's InTouch Magazine this week. Check it out...leave a comment.

Week #38 Maintaining a Quiet Spirit

Fitness...

Hello All...

I decided not to type up a weekly Bible study this week...didn't study up and prepare like I should have (please forgive). I ran across this devotional though and thought it shined a light on a subject not always on the list of Biblical topics.

--------------------------

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

Are you shaping up or spreading out? Do you eat sensibly and exercise regularly, or do you spend most of your time on the couch with a [bag of cookies] in one hand and a clicker in the other? Are you choosing to treat your body like a temple or a trash heap? How you answer these questions will help determine how long you live and how well you live.

Physical fitness is a choice, a choice that requires discipline--it's as simple as that. So, do yourself this favor; treat your body like a one-of-a-kind gift from God...because that's precisely what your body is.You can't buy good health at a doctor's office--you've got to earn it for yourself.

Marie T. Freeman

It is important to set goals because if you do not have a plan, a goal, a direction, a purpose, and a focus, you are not going to accomplish anything for the glory of God.

Bill Bright

-A Prayer-

Lord, all that I am belongs to You. As I serve You with all that I am and all that I have, help me to honor You by caring for the body that You have given me. Amen.

Walking with Christ Every Day Devotional, 2007

Living Clean in a Contaminated World

READ: 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

When Satan was cast down from heaven, he was given dominion over earth for a period of time. Known as the father of lies (John 8:44), he opposes anything related to the Lord. Because we are all made in God's image, the Enemy seeks to thwart us. Under his rule, our world has become morally and spiritually contaminated.
We come into the world physically alive but spiritually dead and in rebellion against the Lord (Ephesians 2:1-2). Yet by trusting Jesus as our Savior, we receive a new nature and are adopted into God's family. Before salvation, man is enslaved to sin and unable to free himself. But through the Holy Spirit, believers have the power to say no to wrongdoing and yes to godliness (Titus 2:12).

Because of our new identity as children of God, we can't let ourselves become bound together intimately with unbelievers--we no longer share the same nature or purpose. Followers of Jesus are called to serve as His ambassadors, spreading knowledge of the Savior and living righteous lives. We're to put aside our own desires and instead embrace His. In addition, we must admit when we've sinned and then seek His forgiveness. And of course, we worship the heavenly Father through His Son. These concepts are foreign to someone who doesn't belong to Christ.

We are wise to choose as our most intimate friends and trusted advisers those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior. How beneficial it is to receive counsel based on Scripture and to have role models who point us toward the Son.

InTouch Magazine, January 2008 Issue.

READ: Romans 5:6-11

Jesus lived a perfect life...one which was sinless and fully pleasing to God. He had no unrighteousness that He owed payment (Romans 3:23). But we do. Until Jesus came, our destiny was fixed: we were headed for eternal separation from God. God cared so much for us that He willingly set aside His divinity and became a man to live among people whose hearts were far from Him. He came to die on behalf of a world that rejected Him.

The verses today describe the mystery of an innocent man dying in place of a guilty one. Would any of us volunteer to endure the deserved punishment of someone else? Maybe we would consider helping a person we considered good or righteous, but Jesus was willing to help the guilty! He voluntarily became our substitute--taking on our sin-debt and enduring the penalty we deserved. God's wrath was poured out on Him for all our sins.

The Savior died on the cross so that we might enter God's family and live with Him forever. because of Jesus' sacrifice, our status has been changed from outsider to child of God, from enemy to beloved, and from stranger to friend. No one could care about us more deeply than that. Jesus is truly our loving friend.

InTouch Magazine, February 2008, Vol. 31 No.2

White as Snow

Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.

Isaiah 1:18

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

Psalm 86:5

Forgiveness requires two parties--one to ask for it and the other to give it. Between you and God, you are always on the asking side and He is always on the giving side. Fortunately, if you are sincere, you are assured of God's forgiveness. No matter what mistakes you've made, God promises that He will take the stain of your sins and make it "white as snow."

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.

Psalm 103:3

The One Year Mini for Students

Good Friends

My friendships are really important to me. How can I make better friends?

READ: 1 Samuel 18:1-4

When David and Jonathan met, they became close friends at once. Their friendship is one of the deepest and closest recorded in the Bible, which is odd when you consider that Jonathan was the king's son (and in line for the throne) and David had been anointed to eventually become king. Jonathan knew this, but he and David were still best friends. They based their friendship on a common commitment to honor God; they let nothing come between them, they drew closer together when their friendship was tested, and they remained friends to the end. There are the marks of a true friend.

A friend is always loyal.

Proverbs 17:17

When Less Is More

If I want to be a good friend, what are some things I should avoid?

READ: Job 2:11; Job 16:1-3.

Job's friends were at their best when they showed up, sat with him, and listened without saying a word (see Job 2:12-13). Unfortunately, they then began to lecture Job on why they thought he was suffering and what they thought he should do about it. In the end, they even told Job that his suffering was his own fault. If only they knew the truth (read Job 1-2 for the real reason Job suffered)! A good friend is quick to listen and slow to judge. The words you speak to a friend can heal like a comforting balm or they can wound like an arrow. When your friend is hurting, the best thing you can do is to be there to listen and comfort.
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12

The One Year Mini for Students

A Fruitful Life

READ: Proverbs 3:5-12

God has created us with a longing to know that our presence in this world counts. He also designed us to find the fulfillment of that desire through His Son Jesus Christ.

Dependence on the Lord is central to an abundant life. Trusting Him with all our heart means giving Him control over our families, finances, jobs, and everything else. Today's passage emphasizes how essential trust is to a fruitful life: we are cautioned against being wise in our own eyes and warned twice not to lean on our own understanding (3:5,7). When faced with decisions, it is tempting to gather information and choose the answer we think is right. However, we can't know all the facts or predict with certainty how others will respond. But our Father is omniscient. He "reads" our hearts and perceives every thought (1 Chronicles 28:9). No aspect of our life escapes His notice (Psalm 11:4), and He cares about everyone. That's why He alone is certain which decision will be best for our circumstances.

The abundant life also involves acknowledging the Lord in all we do. Speaking about Him is just part of what it means to give Him recognition. As His children, we are to have a marked resemblance to our heavenly Father...in thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Our priorities are to reflect His, and our plans should fit with His purposes.

CLOSING: Life becomes fruitful as we surrender ourselves to God and carry out His will. By allowing His Spirit to live through us (Galatians 2:20), we will find our lives characterized by significance and satisfaction.

InTouch Magazine, January 2007.

Instructions

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Matthew 4:4

We are instructed to study the Bible and meditate upon its meaning for our lives, yet far too many Bibles are laid aside by well-intentioned believers who would like to study the Bible if they could "just find the time."

Warren Wiersbe observed, "When the child of God looks into the Word of God, he sees the Son of God. And, he is transformed by the Spirit of God to share in the glory of God." God's Holy Word is, indeed, a transforming, life-changing, one-of-a-kind treasure. And it's up to you...and only you...to use it that way.

The vigor of our spiritual lives will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our lives and in our thoughts.

George Mueller

--A Prayer--

Heavenly Father, You have given me the gift of Your Holy Word. Let me study it, and let me live according to its principles. Let me read Your Word, meditate upon it, and share its joyous message with the world, today and every day. Amen

Walking with Christ Every Day, 2007.

Obeying God

READ: Jeremiah 9:23-24

Peter was a professional fisherman. He knew how to gauge weather conditions, where to find the best places to fish, and when to end an unproductive night. Because of his expertise, he may have silently questioned the reasonableness of Jesus' instruction. Why let down the nets when an experienced team of fisherman hadn't caught anything all night?

Sometimes God asks His children to act in ways that appear unreasonable. His request might involve leaving a job or ministry that He provided only recently, taking on more responsibility when life already feels overloaded, or accepting an assignment that seems better suited for someone with a different skill set. Perhaps God's plan makes no sense in view of age, financial situation, or health condition. Yet, because of the One who asks, it will be the absolutely right thing to do. We have to decide whether to do what is sensible by human standards or to obey God.

The Bible talks about many people who had to make such a choice. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son Issac. Noah was told to build an ark on dry land becasue a flood was coming. Joshua was given a military strategy of marching around Jericho instead of attacking it (Joshua 6:2-5). Gideon, the inexperienced fighter, was told to send most of his warriors home before the battle (Judges 7:2-3). They all obeyed and experienced God's power released on their behalf.

CLOSING: Don't let human logic dictate whether you follow God's plan. Trust in Him as Peter and these other faithful believers did.

InTouch Magazine, January 2008, Vol. 31 No. 1

The Believer's Repentance

READ 2 Corinthians 12:20-21

Today many churches place a lot of emphasis on confession. This often happens at the expense of a proper understanding of repentance. Confession of sin is mentioned twice in the New Testament in James 5:16 and 1 John 1:9, but repentance is talked about a lot more. It is important for us to be careful not to confuse the two, because a believer can confess without repentance but can't repent without confession.
It is possible to feel sorry and confess our sins but change nothing. Repentance means taking responsibility for sin and committing to change a wrong action or attitude (work to stop committing that sin). This is essential for spiritual growth. True confession (when we agree with God's perspective about our transgression) goes hand in hand with repentance. If we know that God hates what we are doing, we will stop.

By confessing and repenting, the believer accepts responsibility for getting rid of his or her life of sin through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus' ready forgiveness shouldn't be treated like the Monopoly "get out of jail free" card! We have to do more than casually say, "Lord, I've messed up again...I'm sorry." To win over habitual sin, we have to resist temptation and obey God. Satan will continue to harass us, and we may fail again, but we should keep up sincere confession and repentance until God gives us victory over our sin.

Closing: Repentance isn't feeling sorry or claiming weakness in the face of temptation. It's a condition wherein our spirit understands the Lord's grief over sin, grieves with Him, and commits to changing behavior to please Him.

The Ultimate Rejection

READ: Matthew 7:21-23

According to Jesus, the gate to heaven is narrow. The easier route through life is the broad pathway of secular happiness, with all of its side roads to decadence and self-indulgence. But the way to eternal life is marked by self-sacrifice and humility.

The Lord warned His followers not to be deceived about their salvation. Those who find heaven's road have given their heart to Jesus and acknowledged that His sacrificial death paid their sin-deb in full. This is important because we meet many people who appear to be walking the narrow path though they have never actually made a decision for Christ. These people may be busy with church work, but they have placed performance before commitment. Their activities may be commendable--such as volunteering in ministries and supporting missions--and they may even hold some right beliefs. But actions and thoughts aren't always an accurate reflection of the spirit and heart.

Many churchgoers assume their works are so pleasing to God that heaven is a certainty; sadly, they will be stunned by the ultimate rejection. At the judgment, Jesus will tell them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23). Jesus will not accept anyone who has refused to be forgiven for his or her sins.

You don't want to be among those who think deeds earn admission to heaven. Receiving Christ as Savior is the only way (John 14:6). Then you can be sure that at the end of life's journey, you'll step off the narrow road and into God's presence forever (1 John 5:13).

InTouch Magazine, January 2008, Vol. 31 No. 1

The Key to Acceptance

READ: Luke 6:46-49
Many people that go to church are alarmed to find out that ministry work does not earn a place in heaven. Good deeds mean nothing to God unless they are the result of a relationship with Him. Only those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior will enter heaven, no matter how many acts of kindness or charity they have performed.

The definition of the word "believe" is what often confuses church members who lack genuine faith. They believe in God, Jesus, and heaven. But there's a difference between giving intellectual assent to an idea and spiritually acknowledging Christ as God's Son and one's own personal Savior. In the Bible, every time someone truly believes in Jesus, he or she changes. It is impossible to remain the same after realizing one's desperate need for Him.

An earnest desire for salvation begins with the recognition that we have sinned against God. We must also be aware that there is no hope of salvation apart from the Lord. Having understood these two facts, we need to trust in His sacrifice for the payment of our sin-debt. Some people use the terminology "ask Jesus to forgive your sin" or "ask Jesus into your heart." It doesn't matter how we describe the experience--if we repent of sin and make a decision to receive Christ, we are saved.

God promises to respond to a humble acknowledgment of His Son's sacrifice. If you desire to be in heaven with Him for eternity, ask yourself this question: Have I been saved? If not, now is the time.

In Touch Magazine, January 2008, Vol. 31 No. 1.