Has anyone ever told you that God loves you and that He has a wonderful plan for your life?  

I will tell you my personal testimony growing up in church.  I sang the song “Jesus loves me” as a kid.  However, I did not really understand that God loves “ME” and He a had a wonderful plan for “ME”.  Maybe I am a bit slow, I thought the song was more of an in general thing.  How could He love me?  I lied as a kid.  I stole candy as a kid.  I would hit my brothers.  I wanted Him to love me, but I knew I did not deserve it.  

Since I grew up attending church, I thought that was what it meant to be a Christian.  I would go to church every week, attend Sunday School, help hand out bulletins and so on.  I thought I was doing all the right things to earn my slot.  However, when a I was a teenager, I had someone ask me if I was a Christian.  I remember my response, “Yes, I am a Presbyterian.”  However, after I made that response it did not deem right, it would just play over and over in my mind.  Some time later, I was attending a college event and a fellow student asked if I was a born-again Christian.  What?  I attended church every Sunday as a youth and I worked hard to serve.  I attended all of the membership classes and I made my profession that I wanted to be a member of the church.  However, this is new information to me.  

What I came to find out was that sitting in church or attending membership meetings did not make you a born-again Christian.  It was about a personal connection between you and God, through His son Jesus Christ.  It was not complicated.  You did not have to attend a class or take a test.  I met the only criteria which is stated in the Bible, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”.  Check.  All I needed was the desire to have a personal relationship with God.  

I did not know it, but the Apostle Paul had made everything crystal clear in the book of Romans 10: 9-10.  He said if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from dead, you will be saved.  This is a definite statement.  There is not maybe.  If you are confessing and believing, you are saved.  Halleluiah!   To this day, I cherish the man who was obedient to the Lord and was willing to step forward and tell me this truth.  I have everlasting life today because he was willing to be a bit uncomfortable and tell be the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

This might be you.  Either you desire to know the Lord or you know someone who should know the Lord.  Below, I have included a simple prayer of Salvation.  As I said it is simple.  When you have that desire, you simply believe it in your heart and confess it with your lips.  

Pray out loud.  

Jesus, I confess that you are my Lord and Savior.  I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead.  By faith in Your Word, I receive Salvation now.  Wash me and cleanse me.  Fill me with your Holy Spirit. I am forgiven.  Thank you for saving me.  

As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I tell you today that all of your sins are forgiven.  Always remember to run to God and not away from Him.  He loves you and He has a great plan for your life.