The Good News
Today, You will be with me in Paradise!
Pretty bold words, aren't they? They are the words that Jesus Christ spoke on the cross as He hung there bleeding and in agony. He said this to a convicted criminal who was being crucified next to Him. More on that in a minute...



Let me ask you something. If you were to die tonight, before you awoke in the morning, are you 100% sure you would go to Heaven? Or do you actually have any idea where you would go?

Well, the Bible teaches us that we (you and me and every other human being on this planet) are born separated from God and have a chronic disease that we can't do anything about. It's called sin and it will eventually eradicate our body and bring death to us.

To illustrate let me ask you a couple of questions. Have you ever told a lie before? Well, if you're anything like me, then yes, you have. Well, the Ten Commandments, God's Law forbids that with the 9th commandment: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. - Exodus 20:16.

Have you ever looked upon a woman or man that you were not married to with lust before? Well, according to Jesus in Matthew 5:28, "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Adultery is a clear violation of commandment number 7: You shall not commit adultery. - Exodus 20:14

Have you ever stolen something of any value at all? Or let me ask you, have you ever goofed off at the job when you should have been working? Chances are that you have in some way. Stealing violates commandment number 8: You shall not steal. - Exodus 20:15

Well, we have only looked at three commandments so far, but if you have broken these, then what does that make you? By your own admission, you are a liar, adulterer, and thief.

According to God's Word, the Bible, if you break one of the commandments, then you've broken them all. James 2:10: For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

So, if you were guessing where you would go now after you died where do you think you would end up? According to the Bible the only other place for you to go after you die is Hell.

If you are counting on God to overlook your transgressions without some sort of payment for your sin debt, then you should re-think your position.

God can't stand sin. It is an abomination to Him. He can't allow it into Heaven. God is holy and righteous. According to 1 Samuel 2:2 There is no one Holy like the Lord;

Proverbs 16:25 says: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Isaiah 53:6 says: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.

In Luke 13:3, Jesus says: "But unless you repent, you too, will all perish."

To repent means to change your mind or your heart. When you repent you turn - turn from the way you are going in life and turn to God. When we repent we come into agreement with God that we are sinners and that we recognize that we have fallen short of His holy standard for our life.

When we ask God to forgive our sins and ask Jesus to become Lord of our lives, then we are forgiven for all the sins that we have committed, and receive a blank slate in life and a new way of living.

See, John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever (insert your name here) believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1st Corinthians 15:3-4 says: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

Romans 10:9 says: If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Now back to the subject of Paradise: Jesus alone has the ability to guarantee that you will one day spend eternity in Paradise. The criminal who was crucified next to Jesus knew this and recognized that he was a sinner as he hung on the cross next to Christ. He admitted his guilt to Jesus and recognized that he deserved the punishment that he was getting. He asked Jesus to "remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:42-43.



Do you know where you will spend eternity?

If not, you can be sure today by asking Jesus to be Lord of your life and accepting the pardon that He purchased for you on the Cross when He died for your sins.

To make sure of your eternal destiny pray a prayer like this and mean it with all your heart:
Lord, God, I know I am a sinner. I am sorry for the sins I have committed against you. I freely accept the forgiveness that Jesus secured for me when He died on the cross for my sins. I thank you Lord Jesus for dying in my place. I ask you to become Lord of my life and to make me the man/woman you want me to be. Take control of my life and give me a new start. Please give me the courage to admit you are my savior to others. Thank you Father, for forgiving me and loving me. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
Congratulations! If you have prayed that prayer and meant it, then you have become a child of God. You are born again and have received the gift of eternal life in Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Some suggested steps for you to take now: Read your Bible every day, beginning with the Gospel of John and pray every day as well. Look for a Bible believing Church and seek out a good fellowship of Believers to share experiences with.

Also, please email me at greg@lamp-light.com to let me know your decision so that I can pray for you and answer any questions that you may have.