First things first: my testimony

I was raised in a Christian home. My dad has been a pastor since I was five years old. At that time I had seen a lot of people get saved and all I knew about it was that,
1.) Everyone ought to get saved.
2.) People getting saved made my mom and dad real happy!
3.) When people got saved they went to the front of the auditorium, prayed, and then they were saved!

I thought, "Hey! I can do that!" So I did. I went forward, prayed the prayer everyone prayed when they got saved, and then excitedly told my parents that "I got saved!" My mom and dad gave me a funny look and said, "oh, that's nice." and dropped it. That was very wise of them. They never told me, "Now you're saved!"

Years later, we went to a showing at a church nearby of some movies about the end times. The Bible tells us that Jesus is coming back, and that He will come like a thief. This knowledge convicted me because I knew that if I did not prepare for His coming, I would be left alone. This thought really gripped my imagination. I couldn't sleep. I knew some new things now.

1.) If I had to face God right then, He wouldn't let me into Heaven. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone..." Rev. 21:8
2.) When He came to get the saved, He wouldn't get me. "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Matt. 24:40

This is not a plesant prospect, but the Bible is very clear on this matter. Sin ends up in a place of judgement, and we are in our sins without Christ.

I had a problem, though. So much of the Bible is about God's wonderful provision for this need we all have, and I FORGOT ALL ABOUT IT! I spent night after night dreading the morning in case I was going to wake up to an empty house. I would check the beds every night, sometimes several times.

Then after one night of desparate bed-checking, I lay in my bed pondering my misery and the Lord began to speak to my heart.

The still small voice of God's Spirit asked me if I thought God wanted me to spend my life in this kind of despair. I knew that He didn't. Then it hit me like a load of bricks. "What! That's what Jesus came for!" Right then, I knew I had to get saved right away, and I knew the best thing of all.

3.) "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" Rom. 6:23 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." II Cor. 5:21--John 3:16 says it better than I ever could, "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."

I jumped out of bed and ran to my parents bedroom. They did not greet me enthusiastically this time either! In fact they were downright groggy and confused. I was not. I knew that I had to get saved before another moment passed. So I prayed and asked God to save me from my sins and from hell. I accepted His wonderful gift of eternal life. The relief and peace was amazing. The first thing I thought was, "finally! I can sleep!" How wonderful to be able to rest in peace in this life! "I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, oh Lord, only makest me dwell in safety."

Reader, God loves you so much that gave His own blood to pay for your salvation. If you are trying to get it by being a good person, please remember, it's a gift! Your sins will keep you from ever being good enough to have peace with God. You have to get rid of them! Jesus is how. When He died on the cross, His blood paid the price to remove all our sin. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgivness of sin." Col. 1:14 God says that if you turn from those sins and believe on Christ, you will be saved. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. 10:13