Good News

Hi, my name is John Prince, and I have some good news for you.  

Last week, I read in the USA Today that most people believe there is a God.  The article also said most people pray to Him.  What the article did not talk about is God’s good news to you.

As human beings, we have a problem.  The Bible says that the problem is  “all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and that the “wages of those sins are death”.  What in the world does that mean?  It means that every single one of us have done things wrong and deserve to spend eternity apart from God.  God hates sin because it goes against His very nature.  When the Bible says that the punishment for sin is death, it is saying that the punishment for sin is that we will have to spend eternity apart from God because He is unable to be in the presence of sin. 

If all of us have sinned and broken God’s rules and the punishment for our breaking His laws is forever being apart from Him, is there any way for us to spend forever with Him?  If you stood before God right now and He asked, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” what would you say?  Most people I ask say, “Because I am a good person.  I try to help people and I am way better than a lot of people I know.”  Unfortunately, if you have told even one little lie or swiped one little thing in your life, you have broken God’s rules.  He loves you, but He CAN NOT be in the presence of sin. How can He allow you to spend forever with Him?

Here is where the “Good News” is!!!  The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish (spend forever apart from God) but will have everlasting life (get to spend forever with God).  The “Good News” is that God’s one and only Son, Jesus Christ, came to this earth and lived a perfect, sinless life.  He then paid the penalty for our sins (which is death) by dying on the cross and rising again and defeating death. 

 I hope you understand now that you will never be “good” enough to spend eternity with God in heaven.  The only way to spend eternity with God is to accept God’s gift to you, which is His Son, Jesus Christ.  The way you accept this gift is to confess your sins to God and turn away from them (repent).   Then you must put your trust (faith) in Jesus and what He has done for you.  God has promised that if you do that, you will get to spend forever with Him.  

If you would like to accept His gift to you, then I ask that you pray something like this: 

Dear God, today I come before you knowing I have sinned and done many things wrong in my life.  I am so sorry, and I ask your forgiveness for my sins.  I turn away from these sins, and I accept the gift of your Son, Jesus.  Right now I put my trust in Jesus Christ alone as my Lord and Savior.  Jesus please come into my heart, change my life and grant me the gift of forever with You.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 

If you have just prayed the above prayer, I have some good news for you.  Your sins have already been forgiven and you are going to spend eternity with God.  Please tell someone what you did, start reading the Bible and find a good church to help you grow!

I would love to hear from you if you have accepted God’s gift or have any questions. Please email me at jprince@nwc1.net.  The Bible says that when a person accepts the good news of Jesus and receives eternal life, all of heaven rejoices.  Drop me a line so I can rejoice, too!  Thank you and may God bless you as you start your new journey!