Lifeguard

I write so many times about giving your life to God. One of my baby brothers came to me while I was at my dad's house and sat down next to me. That was a flag in itself. 1) He normally never sits down. 2) He normally has nothing to do with me because of the age difference. I'm 23 and he is 12. 3) He was quiet, but looking at me. I finally asked him what was on his mind. His answer shocked me to my seat. "How do you get saved?"

Link

I starred at him for the longest. This is the kid that annoyed me for so long. One that tried to defy me many times a  few months. I asked him why. "Your blog." At that response I was completely rooted. I did not know he reads my blog. I asked him why he hadn't asked our dad. Our dad being a preacher should have been able to help him more, or so I would think. "You make more sense than dad. You don't scare me." I sat there thinking about how I felt at his age. Same way only in France, but the same feelings. Except I didn't have someone looking after me, like I do him.

God is to be feared. His wrath is the mightiest. However, many preachers (including my dad at times) seem to forget to preach about how God is forgiving and gentle. As I have said before can you think of a friend that after you put their name in the mud, lie, cheat, take advantage of, and forget about them, would still open their arms and say, "It is ok. I forgive you." I cannot think of many people, much less friends that would do that. But God, well, he loves us.

Chris will tell you that getting saved is rebooting your heart and life. Your programs and junk might still be stored, but you are starting a clean new energy charge. You have been saved now it's time to let God put up his Firewall and virus scanners. That guilty feeling becomes twice as strong, thing is the devil comes up with new viruses to try to implore your system.

If you haven't already given your life to Jesus you can do it right now. You don't have to have a preacher standing over you.  It doesn't mean your problems suddenly disappear or you won't have any more struggles. Just the opposite. But it does mean you have a new best friend who will never leave you. He doesn't have phone that can die or a car that doesn't have much gas. He is right beside you. He'll wipe away all your sins and guide you through all the dark places in your life.

All you need to do is admit your sins to Jesus daily. No not write down everything you do wrong that day. Just yeah tell Him, "You know the sin I did today, and in my past please cleanse me." Ask him to forgive you (actually mean it or it does no good). The next part is what so many have issues with, give everything to him. Quit worrying about things and let God handle the person that betrayed you. Let God worry about the test from the doctor that came back positive.

It is easier said than done. Again let me ask you, how does it feel when a friend comes to you with a problem of theirs and asked for your help or guidance. You feel good and please that they trust you that much. Now how do you feel when you spent so much time making them feel better and have a solution for them only to solve the problem their way? You feel worthless. God's way is going to be done. You can try and keep doing things your way but eventually you can't do anything anymore. Doing God's will means that you will spend eternity with him in Heaven. By doing God's will, that means doing and believing what it says in the Bible.

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. We believe with our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we declare with our mouths that we believe, and so we are saved.  - Acts 10: 9-10

John Dyer once said, "A person may go to heaven without health, without riches, without honors, without learning, without friends, but he can never go there without Christ."


If you want to get closer to God here are some things to do:

• Get involved in a church. See if they have a group of interest either in age or hobby.
• Read the Bible. I suggest starting with the Book of Mark.
• Talk to God every day.
• Tell a friend you trust about your decision.
• Dedicate the rest of your life to following God.

Plan of Salvation

1. Understand that God loves you, and He demonstrated that love by sending His only begotten Son in order that you might have abundance and eternal life.

"...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." - John 10:10

2. Admit that you, like all human beings , have sinned. Sin separates you from God. A spiritual rebirth takes place when you turn your life over to Jesus Christ.

"For all that have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." - Romans 3:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23

3. Believe that salvation is made possible by Chris's death and resurrection.

"For Chris also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." - 1 Peter 3:18

4.Invite Christ to rule over your heart and your life. When you do, you be "born again."

 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift- from works, so that no one can boast.

The Lord doesn’t want us to dwell on what has happened before – our lives as Christians are about who we are now and in the future, walking in forgiveness and love.

When I began this post I had no idea that a friend of mine in a different part of the state was about to dedicate her life to God. I really hope this helps her. She knows who she is.

And for my baby brother, I am so glad you are dedicated your life to the Lord. I know you will serve him well.