Own merits

I met Jose at a children’s playground, as we watched our kids run around.

Started the conversation with the natural: her daughters, his job, etc; and then handed out an Obama Million.

Suddenly his daughters came to him and said trey wanted to leave because they were hungry. Timing?

So I quickly swang to the spiritual… “This is the million dollar question,” I said, “what will happen after we die?”

The question was interesting for him, he stopped grabbing the jackets and preparing to leave to answer back. He said there is a Heaven and that he was a Christian. He had been going to an evangelical church for a while.

He then explained that he hoped to go to Heaven, since he was doing merits. But his wife was better, he said, she is much more into church things.

I took the time to calmly explain the message of the gospel, that apparently hasn’t been preached from his church’s pulpit. He listened as I explained that no merits can purchase our salvation, that we stand condemned as guilty criminals unless Someone intervenes with the Judge. I encouraged him to reflect in our conversation and share it with his wife (who was working at that moment).

“By grace you have been saved through faith… “I was saying when he interrupted me by quoting the rest of the verse. “So that is what it means!”

He knew the verse but didn’t know grace.

His eyes brightened.

Amazing how many church goers don’t fully understand God’s grace in Jesus sacrificial death and resurrection. How many sit and fill up churches without knowing the true gospel message. How many have the hope of gaining Heaven… (Mat 7:22)

Please pray for Jose, as well as for many other church goers, that they will be soon exposed to the real gospel.

Thanks for reading.

Encouragement

A couple of days ago, I shared the law and the gospel with a lady in a clothing store, while my wife tried a dress on. Our conversation lasted about 5 minutes but the consequences have remained until now. And I pray they will continue for eternity…

This post is a word of encouragement, so that you share the true gospel with people around you, in every and all occasions. Just plant the seed, then pray.

The lovely lady I witnesses to, met somebody else that I know and she told this person about our 5 minutes encounter:

She said that before talking with me, she was very sure that she was gonna go to heaven because she was a good person and because of her good church (Evangelical-Christian) going history.

But that our conversation impacted her so much that she realized she wasn’t as good as she thought and in fact not everybody who thinks will go to heaven, will actually go there. She said, with goosebumps in her arms, that her eyes had been opened to true salvation!

She grasped the true gospel.

She said that she hasn’t stopped thinking about our conversation since then!

She also said that nobody, in her more than 50 years of age, had shared the gospel like that and that Christians should share the same message with others.

Please continue keeping her in your prayers.

Go, share the everlasting gospel with someone today.

Food For Thought

This is an example of how we don’t need to build long relationships with people, hoping to one day share the gospel with them…

I waited while my wife tried a dress in the fitting room. After exchanging short dialogues with the lady in charge, I offered her a tract, “did you get one of these?” I asked.

I explained it was a gospel tract and as she started to read the back (Million Dollar Question), I asked if she knew where she was going. “I am going with Jesus,” she replied.

I pressed it a bit harder and asked if that was because she was a good person and she said, “yes.”

I explained that if I compare myself to Adolf Hitler, I am pretty good but if the standard is God’s perfection reflected in the Ten Commandments, then I am not good at all. She nodded so I took her thru 3 commandments and she acknowledged that she had broken “all the Law,” she said quoting the book of James.

“You see,” I explained, “we ain’t good people and if we die like this, God will give us a very deserved punishment. But this is when Jesus comes in!”

Her face brightened as I explained the courtroom example and the fact that God can legally dismiss our case because Jesus paid our fine in his life’s blood.

We aren’t good but God imputed us Christ’s perfection. Then I explained repentance and asked her to transfer that trust she had in her own goodness to the person of Jesus.

“Very interesting, thank you. You’ve given me food for thought,” she said.

My wife came out from the fitting room, we shook hands and we left.

All this took like 5 minutes… I didn’t have to spend months getting to know this lady and being friends to then share Jesus with her. I might never see her again, this was my only chance.

Please pray for this lovely lady, that she will come to total repentance and surrender trust in Christ.

Thanks for reading.

I understand now

The Gas Technician showed up today in our business to change the meter.

When he finished, I said, “Can I ask you something?” He said yes, so I asked “What do you think happens after we die?” He was of course surprised by the question but he replied very confident, “There is a Paradise and Hell,” I replied “Where will you go?”

So he said he wasn’t sure but that his religion said he had to meet certain requirements. He said he was a good person and tries to do good all the time and even prays five times a day… he is a Muslim.

“You know the Ten Commandments that the prophet Moses gave you”, I said, “Have you kept them?” He thought for a few seconds and said that he tries. I exposed him to the 9th and he accepted (hardly) that he is a liar. He has also hated and lusted, he agreed that he is a murderer and adulterer at heart.

“Will the Judge find you innocent or guilty?”, I asked. He said that it is exactly why he prays five times a day and fasts once a year, to atone for his sins. Then I used the example of the judge in the city: If I am guilty of kidnapping and killing, the judge will find me guilty and if I say that I give money to the Red Cross and help my neighbor, the judge will still find me guilty and will punish me.

But Jesus came to suffer and die taking the punishment that I deserved. He paid the fine for the crimes that we’ve committed. He was really paying attention. I said that if the city’s judge finds me guilty but someone pays my fine, I can be free. “That is what happened with Jesus!” I said.

After few more minutes of conversation he smiled and said, “Oh I understand now. In Christianity you don’t need to work to go to Paradise because Jesus already atoned for your sins!”

My spirit screamed EXACTLY!

The Technician asked “Are you sure you will go to Paradise?” To what I answered “Yes… not because I am good or because I deserve it, but because of God’s grace and free gift of Jesus paying my fine.” He said, “We even sacrifice a lamb once a year.” I told him about Jesus being the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world!

It was a very nice conversation. Praise God for this opportunity!

He smiled and sincerely said “I understand now… thank you for telling me.”

Please pray for him, that he will come to repentance and faith in the Savior.

The Million Dollar Question

The million dollar question: Are you going to go to Heaven ?

Here is a simple test. Have you ever told a lie, stolen anyting or used God’s name in vain? Have you ever looked at someone with lust? It is considered adultery in the heart before God. Will you be guilty on the day of judgement?

If you have done these things, God sees you like a lier, thief, blasphemous and adulterer at heart. The Bible warns that if you are guilty, you would go to Hell. The same way that a criminal goes to prison, the sinner goes to Hell.

That is not God’s will. He sent his Son to suffer and die on the cross for you. Jesus took your punishment in himself. « For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. »

You have broken God’s Law (the 10 Commandments) but Jesus paid your fine. Then, He rose and conquered death.

Please, repent (turn from your sins) today and put your trust in Jesus and He will give you everlasting life. Read your Bible and obey what you read.

Justified?

Why do we need to be justified?

Because we broke God’s Law: Have you ever told a lie? Have you stolen anything? Have you looked with lust? Have you hated someone?

Then God sees you as a thief, lier, adulterer and murderer at heart! If He judges you by the 10 Commandments, you’ll be guilty.

What we need is someone who can pay our fine… we need to be justified before the Judge of the universe…

Justice can be served only in two ways: Either we receive our punishment, or we pay our fine. The Bible makes it clear that there is a place of eternal torment called Hell, that God reserved to punish humanity. As a criminal would go to prison, if you die in your sins, you would go to hell.

Our good actions cannot bribe the Judge of the Universe. If a rapists writes children’s stories while in prison, he will still be guilty of rape and would have to receive justice for what he has done. Our “good works” won’t save us in the day of judgement!

Do you know what God did more than 2000 years ago, so that you wouldn’t go to Hell? He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay your fine with his life’s blood! That’s right… the Bible says that he was pierced and bruised for our transgressions and iniquities so that we could be free from our punishment. He took it upon himself because “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

What you need to do is to REPENT from your sins, turn and despise them; and put your TRUST in Jesus as the only one that can save you and JUSTIFY you before God.

Get a Bible, read it and obey what you read.

Heaven

How can we get there?

Do you have to be a good person?

Are you a good person?

If yes, are you good enough to go to heaven?

Here is a quick test:
Have you ever told a lie?
Have you ever stolen anything (regardless size or value)?
Have you looked with lust at somebody else?

If you answered YES, you have already broken God’s Law.

If God is going to judge you by the Ten Commandments…

Would you be innocent or guilty?

You would be guilty! So would you go to Heaven or Hell?

The same way that a criminal goes to prison, a sinner goes to Hell.

That is not God’s will for anybody.

Do you know what did he do so that you won’t go to Hell?

God sent his Son, Jesus, to suffer and die in the cross- he took the punishment that justice demanded! Then He rose from the death and conquered it! You have broken God’s Law but Jesus paid your fine!

How can we get to heaven?

You have to REPENT of your sins, turn and despise them. Put your TRUST in Jesus as the only one that can JUSTIFY you before God.

Please, read your Bible.

Parachute

Everyday 150’000 people die.

This means that everyday, 150’000 people jump from the plane of life, into eternity. Many of those who jumped yesterday, never gave a thought about afterlife, but anyway; they jumped. Maybe they didn’t expect to jump at an early age or in good health, but they jumped. Maybe their success or plans took their attention and never considered the jump to come. The family members and loved ones of those who will jump today, might not be prepared to receive the news. In the last few seconds, since you started reading this blog, many people have already jumped.

The fact is that we all belong to the statistic: out of a 100 people, 100 die.

If we jump from a plane without a parachute, the Law of Gravity will make sure that we are destroyed. In the same way, if we jump into eternity without « a parachute », the Law of God will turn us into pieces.

Why? because he has given us 10 Commandments to follow and we haven’t. We will be guilty in the day of judgement:

1.- Have you loved God with all of your heart? Is He the priority in your life?
2.- Have you created a god that you feel comfortable with? Do you have something or someone that rules your life such as money, friends, relationships or work?
3.- Have you always used the name of God with respect?
4.- Have you always kept a day for God?
5.- Have you always respected your mother and father?
6.- Have you ever murdered? Did you know that Jesus equates hatred with murder? So, have you ever hated someone?
7.- Have you committed adultery? Meaning to have sexual relationships with someone outside of marriage or with someone else besides your spouse? Did you know that Jesus said that if you look with lust, you have already committed adultery in your heart? So, have you ever looked at someone with lust?
8.- Have you ever stolen anything? Regardless its size or value.
9.- Have you ever told a lie?
10.- Have you ever desired to have somebody else’s profession, wife, house, car, job, salary, looks? This is to covet.

It is clear now that the Law of God will destroy you if you jump from the plane of life into eternity!!

But God has provided « a parachute » to save you : Jesus Christ. God’s son lived a sinless life (kept all the Commandments) and died in the cross as the punishment that we all deserved. This is the great exchange: He took our sins/punishment and gave us his righteousness!

What you have to do is to REPENT from your sins; from every deed and thought you had against God and His Law. Then, TRUST in Jesus; put your FAITH in Him, as the only way to survive the jump to come. You broke God’s Law but Jesus paid your fine: you can be JUSTIFIED before God but you have to embrace the free gift of Jesus’ sacrifice on your behalf.

Everyday 150’000 people die… don’t wait another minute!