AM I REALLY SAVED? HOW DO I KNOW
1 John 1:9
I’m going to ask you to do something here in a moment. So get ready.
I hear about being saved, what does it mean?
How do I know I have a personal relationship with the Lord?
Why should I ?
What does it benefit me?
I am not saved because my Dad was a preacher. I’m not saved because my Dad prayed for me.
I am not saved because I stand before you and preach.
I’m not saved because I was born in America, or say I’m a Christian.
I am not saved because I go to church, or sung in a choir, or attend Bible Study.
I am not saved by doing good things for others.
I am not saved because I volunteer at the Billy Graham phone center
I am not saved because I think/know there is a God
I am not saved because I am a nice person, or I help others, or I haven’t killed anyone or hurt anyone.
I am not saved because I think there is a heaven
I am not saved because I think God loves me
I am not saved because there is nothing I could do of myself that would save me.
God loves me and wants me to have life with Him, after this life. God doesn’t want me to perish, He created me. How could a Creator who loves me want me to not be with Him.
He loves me so much that He made a way for me to be saved.
God loves me so much that He created an out.
God loves me so much that he sent his son in the Flesh to live here to show us how to live.
God loves me so much that he sent his son to live here and to carry my sin, my hatred, sickness, temptations, lusts, bad and evil desires with him…to the cross.
God loves me so much that he sent his son to suffer for my sin
God loves me so much that he sent his son to shed his blood for my sin
God loves me so much that he sent his son to die for my sin
God loves me so much that he sent Jesus the Christ, the very Lamb of God in the Flesh, to be the final living sacrifice for our sins, once and for all.
I am not saved by any other means than this…
I had to realize that I was a sinner.
I had to realize that I needed a savior.
I realized that I could not do it on my own. I went to God, I prayed, I asked Him to forgive me. I accepted Jesus, to be my personal Lord and Savior. I asked Jesus to come into my heart, to come into my soul, to come into my spirit, to save me, to forgive me, to cleanse me, to make me whole in the sight of the Lord God Almighty.
I asked Jesus into my heart…That I might be SAVED.
I asked Jesus to make me right with God.
I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins, so I could spend eternity with Him, rather than in Hell.
I asked Jesus into my life.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, that I might have life beyond this place and time.
I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Through Him I have eternal Life.
All through what we call Biblical times, people had to sacrifice a lamb for their salvation. Again, and again, and again.
God sent Jesus and changed all that. Jesus was the lamb that was slain on a cross for the once and for all last time.
His Blood is the covenant of our eternal life
His Blood is the covenant of our fellowship with our creator
Accepting his Blood upon us is accepting God’s plan of salvation.
This is the only way.
Jesus said, I am the Way, the truth and the life, no one comes unto the Father except by me.
In order to be saved, We must accept this Gift of God.
In order to be saved, We must accept Jesus
In order to be saved, we need to ask Jesus into our heart, into our life
In order to be saved, we must repent of our sins, be sorry for them, and have the desire to walk and live in the way that God wants for us to live.
In being saved, we must fellowship with God, in prayer and by reading His word.
In being saved, we must live for God, trust in God, worship God, be faithful to God
You’ve all heard the question, If you were to die tonight would you be in heaven.
I always thought that I would have time while I was dying, to get right with God.
My Dad, dropped dead. In the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of His Maker.
God the Judge, deciding, Heaven, or Hell
Dad knew Jesus, Dad asked Jesus into his heart, Dad asked for his forgiveness, Dad asked God to save him.
I ask you
If you were to drop dead right now…are you ready for what happens in that next moment.
Have you asked Jesus to Save you?
Have you asked God to Forgive you for your sins.
God can not look upon our sin, you see, He is Holy.
We must be forgiven.
Without Jesus, God will say he never knew us.
When we are forgiven, we are saved because Jesus takes our place.
When we are saved, and standing before our Creator, Jesus stands with us.
If you think you are going to heaven, but have never personally asked God to forgive you and believed in Jesus and asked Him to save you…
Jesus said to confess our sins to him, and he would forgive us.
Jesus said to confess his salvation before others.
Jesus wants you to be forgiven. That’s why he came here. That is why he walked this earth.
Won’t you do it know.
Don’t you want to know, that you know, beyond any shadow of doubt?
If you truly want to know that you will live with God in heaven for eternity.
If you truly want to know that you are saved from your sins and forgiven.
If you truly want to know that you can have peace about your life after this one.
I want you to say this little prayer with me
I want you to ask Jesus into your life.
I want you to do it now.
As I look out at this congregation, week after week after week. I take it for granted that all of you know the Lord and are saved.
I can not
I can not think that you know him.
I want to KNOW that you know him, and understand how important it is for you to have His forgiveness.
I want to know that I have done my part. In telling you about Christ and how you can have his promise of eternal life.
God forbid that any one of you that are sitting here before me, should perish, and die, and hear the words of God saying, I never knew you.
God forbid that any of you end up in Hell
I want to know that when you die, you will stand before God, and he will say…well done.
I want to know that when you die, you will hear, your sins were forgiven, enter into the Kingdom of God.
I want to know that I have done my part. And that you understand it.
And that you made your choice, and that you made the RIGHT choice.
Yeah…It’s THAT IMPORTANT.
I want you to, right now, where you are, even if you have done so before, to ask God to forgive you. Accept Jesus into your heart as the Savior. Ask him to change your life, and make your whole in God’s Eyes. I want you to do it before you take another breath.
Pray with me now.
Dear Lord God, I am a sinful person. I need your forgiveness. I accept your plan of salvation. I accept your love. I accept your son Jesus as my savior. I accept his sacrifice for me. I ask that you forgive me of my sin. I ask that you change me. I ask that you accept me into your kingdom. I thank you for saving me. I thank you for forgiving me. Help me to be a better person. Help me to live my life for you.
And I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
Alternate:
“Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I receive You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me now. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, and truly believe it with all your heart, you are saved. Someday, you will live in paradise with him.
Confess it with your mouth.
