I will forever remember this date. may 20th, 2012. the day I was baptized into God’s family, now a daughter of christ. :)
my church family is amazing. so loving. :) I’m very thankful an grateful for them. :)
Anonymous
Truthfully, don’t feel too ashamed, stressed or guilty. I am positive there are thousands; if not millions of other Christians flirting with the very same mindset, issue and question…
Taking grace for granted is a very dangerous path to go down. God does not show forgiveness to those who willingly sin with the attitude of a quick fix of grace later on to cover it up. I liken it to a child who pulls out a pair of scissors and cuts their finger knowingly; as they are aware that a cut will always result in a bandaid, and a remedy for the problem.
The cut is painful, the cut takes time to heal, and the wound can be infected - the infection is like the continual addiction of sinning with the knowledge of “Oh well, I will be forgiven”… It becomes a vicious cycle, one that God would not be proud of in any way, shape or form.
If we are to love Christ, and have genuine faith and desire to follow Him and make Him proud, then our attitude should not be “How much can I get away with, and still be forgiven…” It should be “How thankful should I be that I have been offered this undeserving reward, if ever I happen to make an unwarranted mistake and feel guilt and shame and separation from God”.
Ephesians 2:3-5 — God’s mercy, is like going to court and being found guilty, but not receiving a punishment that is deserving… God’s grace is like going to court, being found guilty, being charged as guilty, and having no record written down — followed by receiving a ridiculous gift, like the sum of $10,000,000.00… after finding you guilty! - Grace is an undeserved, unwarranted and unfathomable gift.
Galatians 6:7 “Don’t be misled - you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant”…
Job 13:9 “Would it turn out well if He examined you? Could you deceive Him as you might deceive men?”…
The truth is, flirting with the idea of making a mockery of God’s grace is dangerous; as you will be held accountable for the decisions and directions you choose to take; and one thing that God does not take kindly to (amongst many) is being mocked. By sinning with the idea of “Sin now, ask forgiveness later” - that is mocking Christ, and mocking the sacrifice made on the cross.
When you have these thoughts, imagine yourself standing before the cross where Jesus hung, bloodied, bruised and torn to shreds.. and laughing. Because when you sin out of that mindset, you are laughing in the face of Christ and His eternal gift of Grace and salvation.
Hopefully this has helped you get a better ‘view’ of what seems ‘easy to do’… And you understand the consequences better, and thus perhaps it will be less likely that you will desire to do this ‘pattern of thinking/acting’.
Bless.
Jacinta.
Anonymous
Honestly, that’s not a bad thing. Most of the time it leads us back to God with an even stronger relationship with him. Praying! Blessings:)
-brittney
Anonymous
Don’t EVER give up. God has never given up on you and He never will. He will fight for you if you let Him. Give all your burdens to Him and He will carry them for you. Just got give up, you can’t do this on your own. Ask for help from your family and friends but most of all from God. We can do anything through Jesus but we need to let Him work through us. I’m praying for you anon<3
-Brittney
The most important thing in Tim Tebow’s life is not football.
Even so, the former Denver Broncos quarterback who was traded to the New York Jets last month told “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts that he’s looking forward to working and playing with his new teammates.
In the one-on-one interview on “GMA” today, Tebow talked about a range of topics, including the hopes he has for his career move, his outreach to others, family and the topic closest to his heart: his faith.
That deep Christian faith is paramount. Tebow, 24, prays openly on his knees at the end of every game — a move that is now so well-known that it’s become a verb: Tebow-ing.
“It’s pretty easy for me to say that the most important thing in my life is my relationship with Jesus Christ, followed by my relationship with family. And football’s later on down the line,” he told Roberts.
While Tebow loves the game and vows to give his “heart and soul” to every single play, it’s the moments off the field that matter more, such as the time he gets to spend with a sick child.
In addition to his missionary work with orphanages in the Philippines, which is where he was born to missionary parents, Tebow hosts a celebrity golf tournament for charity and regularly brings sick children to his games through his foundation.
On Football: ‘It’s Just a Game’
“Before a game you know, I can take off my helmet, run over there and spend a few moments with someone who is dealing with so much more than I’ve ever had to deal with and to love on them and care about them and in front of thousands and thousands of people, you know, let them know that they’re more important than all of this,” he told Roberts.
Tebow has been criticized for his open display of faith by those who say it has no place on the football field. He’s weathered criticism before, and was teased as a child. Having a strong foundation at home helped. And it helps him to know that he stands for something that is bigger than football.
It helps him put life in the limelight into perspective, he said.
“So many times in today’s society, we can put football No. 1. And I’ve done it in my life at certain times. You put football number one, this game is more important than anything else. Well, really, it’s not,” he said. “It’s just a game.”
People have said Tebow — and his wholesome image — may be too good to be true, but he is the first to admit his flaws.
“I’m not perfect,” he said. “And who knows how many times I’ve fallen short. We all fall short. That’s the amazing thing about the grace of God. …”
He also said that he was blessed to have great parents and a lot of support.
“That makes me look a lot better than I really am,” he said, laughing.
So, is Tebow ready to represent New York?
“That’s what so cool about it. … The fans are so passionate,” Tebow said. “And I’m so passionate. I feel like it’s going to be a great mix there.”
He noted that he was looking forward to building a relationship with his teammates and earning their respect, and doing “whatever it takes to win football games.”
Life After Football?
Tebow’s mother, Pam, was also part of the sit-down, and she told Roberts that her son — whom she calls “Timmy” — didn’t get into too much trouble when he was a child.
Tebow and her husband taught their youngest son to be modest about his achievements and to invest in the lives of others. For Tebow, that foundation was invaluable.
Tebow looks forward to a new chapter in his career. In his personal life, he’s been linked to several celebrities but said he doesn’t worry about rumors and speculation about who he might be dating.
“You deal with it as best you can. And it’s funny, because half the rumors, I’ve never even met the people. And I’m sure they would be lovely,” he said.
And as for life after Tebow’s football career ends?
“I don’t know what my future holds,” he said, adding that he would love to play football for as long as he can. “But I do know who holds my future. … And in that I know that I have peace and comfort.”
Source: ABC News
Anonymous
Do you know for certain that you have eternal life and that you will go to Heaven when you die? God wants you to be sure! The Bible says: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Suppose you were standing before God right now and He asked you, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” What would you say? You may not know what to reply. What you need to know is that God loves us and has provided a way that we can know for sure where we will spend eternity. The Bible states it this way: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
We have to first understand the problem that is keeping us from Heaven. The problem is this - our sinful nature keeps us from having a relationship with God. We are sinners by nature and by choice. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We cannot save ourselves. “For by grace are you saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves – it is the gift of God. Not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We deserve death and hell. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
God is holy and just and must punish sin, yet He loves us and has provided forgiveness for our sin. Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus died for us on the cross: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus was resurrected from the dead: “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25).
So, back to the original question – “How can I know for sure that I will go to Heaven when I die?” The answer is this – believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). “To all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). You can receive eternal life as a FREE gift. “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). You can live a full and meaningful life right now. Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). You can spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven, for He promised: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am” (John 14:3).
If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and receive forgiveness from God, here is prayer you can pray. Saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Jesus Christ that can provide forgiveness of sins. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your forgiveness. “God, I know that I have sinned against You and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness! Amen!
