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Roman Road
"All roads lead to Rome."
But only one road leads to heaven.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
--John 14:6
When you think of yourself, does "black with sin" come to mind? For most of us, we use our earthly standards and think we're mostly okay. We try to be good to our friends and family and help others when we can. We've never done anything "really bad," right? What about God's standards? The Lord is "Holy, Holy, Holy." By his very nature, he cannot stand sin in his presence.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
--Romans 3:23
All have sinned. All have sinned. All have sinned. Could that really include me? Could that really include you? We're good people! (See above.)
We could argue by human standards and compare ourselves to one another all day long without getting to the point. God is the standard, and we can never live up to that. Never.
Understanding this can be very discouraging. None of us can measure up. So what now? The situation sounds hopeless. God is holy, so we can never hope to enter his presence in our black as sin state. What can save us from this doom?
God can. The same Lord who is "Holy, Holy, Holy," is also a God of Love. He made us, his children, on the sixth day of creation, but he didn't make us to just abandon us to Satan. The Lord has always had a plan.
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.
--John 3:16
Jesus Christ. God in the flesh. What thoughts must Mary have had as she cared for this baby boy and watched him grow into a man? Was it easy for her to forget who he really was? Was she shocked when he started his ministry? Did she feel abandoned by her oldest son? Jewish custom mandated that he care for her in her old age. (Jesus didn't shrug this off. While on the cross, he charged John to take over the duties as oldest son for Mary. See John 19:25-27.)
Jesus came as the spotless lamb. He never sinned. Not once. He never felt separation from the Father until he hung from the cross and suddenly felt the weight of the world's sin come upon his shoulders. Can you imagine how Christ must have felt at that moment he cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Despair. He had never felt separated from the Father until that moment.
I had a dream once about the crown of thorns that Jesus had shoved down mercilessly upon his brow. He didn't just feel that once. His mind's eye saw every one of us individually. It was thorns for every man, woman, and child to ever live and die in this world. That moment could have lasted a seeming eternity to our Lord as every face he hoped to save came before his eyes. In my dream I only saw a few of my own friends and family members who I knew didn't have Jesus, but the Lord knew us all. He knew me. He knew you. He wanted to save me. He wanted to save you.
It's hard to breathe if you think about it very deeply. It's hard to comprehend a love like that. Jesus is desparate to save you before it's too late!
There is only one way to Heaven. We can't work our way there. We will never be "good enough."
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
--Ephesians 2:8-9
The Lord has grace sufficient enough for you. You can be saved right now. You don't have to wait to "get your life straightened out first." You don't have to say, "You don't know what I've done." It's not up to me. The Lord wants to save you. What I know or think about you doesn't matter. Jesus Christ did not say, "Once you quit drinking, I will save you," or "Once you tame that two-edged sword tongue, I will save you." He doesn't make those kinds of statements. I had a pastor who was a slave to alcohol for forty years, but his mother kept praying for him. Finally, her prayers were answered, and that man entered into a relationship with Christ. With the help of God, he finally had a strong enough desire to get rid of his addictions. Jesus can save you right where you are at. He can save you, and if you will let him, he will begin changing your life for the better. How wonderfully sweet will that be?
You can pray right where you are. You can pray out loud or in your head. God hears our thoughts. You can get on your knees or just bow your head. You can even pray with your eyes wide open while you're driving down the road. The prayer is simple. I have an example here, but it doesn't have to be these exact words. It needs to come from your heart.
Lord,
I have sinned. I have done more things than I can count that go against your word. Lord, please forgive me. I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I want to have a relationship with you. I want to be your child.
I know you are faithful and just to forgive me of my sins. Help me to follow you. Show me your will, Lord.
Thank you for Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour!
Amen
As you pray you may have many specific sins come to mind. Confess each one and ask for forgiveness for each one. Ask for strength to not follow the path of those sins again. You may start thinking of so many people that also need the Lord. Pray for their salvation. This prayer may take a few moments or you may find yourself continuing to pray for much longer. You may be doing dishes and find yourself talking to God. You may be commuting to work and realize you're not alone. God goes with you everywhere.
If you have prayed this prayer of salvation, please, please, tell someone. Find other Christians to support you. It does not matter what denomination as long as the beliefs they profess are grounded in the Bible. Find a good church that you are comfortable in. You can email me to share your good news or to find help and resources. I would love to hear from you. Start reading God's word. Be careful of the Bible translation you choose. Talk to other Christians about it. I prefer the KJV (King James Version), but many find that hard to read. I don't simply because I'm used to it. The first Bible I started reading regularly was the Bible my parents were given for a wedding gift. It was KJV, and when I read a different translation, I notice that things aren't worded the same. It distracts me.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and even if you haven't "prayed the prayer," I pray that you will think about it and that God will work a miracle in you heart.
God bless!
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by they name, O Lord God of hosts.
--Jeremiah 15:16
Contact the Editor
Email Rebecca Burgener!
Or Write:
Rebecca Burgener, editor
Pond Ripples
P. O. Box 12308
Knoxville, TN 37912
