God's Invitation

Living Water at Christianity Oasis

John 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Quench your thirsty soul!

God's Invitation

Welcome to Christianity Oasis Purity Publications. This E-book is titled God's Invitation written by Author Kenneth M. Bee. Christianity Oasis in association with Purity Publications proudly presents you with this God's Invitation E-Book free of charge for your enjoyment.

Click the link below to learn more about God's invitation:

Table of Contents

Introduction
From the Time of God's Creation
We See the Fall of Man
Then Came the Activation of our Fathers Plan
God Brought Forth His Only Son, His Love the World to See
From the Lofty Heights of Heaven, God Came to Dwell With Men
Came in the Form of Jesus
Became the Sacrifice for Sin
On the Cross of Agony, Jesus Died for You and Me
Jesus Arose and Went to Heaven
--- And Went to Heaven
With a Promise to Return
To Take Us to Be With Him
A Trip We Cannot Earn, By Grace We Are Saved
Salvation Full and Free
Accept the Invitation
Next Step is Confession
Turn From a Life of Sin
Accept Him as Your Savior
Be Baptized, Born again
By Faith, Love and serve Him
The Light You Will See
Jesus Paid it All, Paid it All, On Calvary's Tree

Introduction

In Australia, the Aborigines write songs to guide them on their journey across the outback. They spot hills, valleys and different landmarks, to mark their path, and put them in their songs. Then those who do not know the way learn the song from those who have made the journey before. It would be like memorizing a road map. As they travel on, then each memorized word of the song, will lead them to the next point in their journey home.

With this in mind, I set down with Bible in hand, a computer in front of me, and Jesus in my heart, to write a song like this, to lead the lost into a saved relationship with our Lord. I found it hard to come up with the right words until one night; I was awakening from a deep sleep and these words were running through my mind. Therefore, as not to forget, I jumped up at three AM and wrote them down.

Feeling lead by God, I have put together a song that I feel, will lead the reader on a journey through the Bible. It will show the reader the true plan of redemption as God intended. It will show that we are all lost until we come to Jesus. I pray it will bring the lost into a saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then through Gods plan of redemption into a saved relationship with Him.

I pray that for the Christian, their Faith will be strengthened, that they will see more clearly, their next step as they journey home, and that they fine that peace that passes understanding. The freedom of knowing that everything is all right between them and our Savior.

There are really only two kinds of people in the world, the lost and those that are saved. God only, will make that decision. I pray as you read this you will find where you are in life's journey, and if you have not done so, please accept Gods Invitation.

He is a wonderful God who loves you dearly.

In Christian Love,

Kenneth M. Bee

From the Time of God's Creation

The Bible, being the inspired word of God, is an amazing book of books, 66 in all with 30 some different authors, written on three continents, over a period of 1500 years but all tell the one story - the scheme of redemption. This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. Christ is its grand object, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It is given you in life, will be opened in judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibilities, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

In II Timothy 3:16, we read that;

All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As we read and study the Bible we soon realize that it is one continues story of redemption that could only have come about by the inspiration of God.

Genesis 1:1-29, 2:1-25 In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth had no form. It was empty, covered with darkness and water. Then the Spirit of God hovered over the water, and God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good.

Then He divided the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Then God said, "Let there be a great expanse of air to divide the waters below from the waters above."

And God called the expanse "heaven." And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Then God said, "Let the water under the heaven be gathered together in one place, and let the dry land appear," and it happened.

And God called the dry land "earth"; and the gathering together of the waters He called "seas": and God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth produce grass, and herbs, and fruit trees, all yielding after their own kind," and it happened; And God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the heavens; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days, and years." God made two great lights; the sun to rule by day and the moon to rule by night. He also made the stars.

And He set them all in the heavens to give light upon the earth; And God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Then God said, "Let the waters abound with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth." So God created great whales and everything that moves in the water, and winged animals–all these producing after their kinds; and God saw that it was good. And He blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, and multiply." And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

Then God said, "Let the earth be filled with living creatures." So He made the animals on the earth, the cattle, and every thing that crawls upon the earth–all producing after their kinds; and God saw that it was good.

Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness." And the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

God created man in his own image; and He created them male and female. God named the first man; Adam; then later Adam called the woman, Eve.

And God said, "A man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed."

And God saw everything that He had made, and it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

The heavens and the earth were finished, so on the seventh day God ended his work. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.

We See the Fall of Man

We read of the fall in Genesis 3:1-19 In the beautiful new garden inhabited by Adam and Eve, Satan appeared to Eve in the form of a serpent.

Now this serpent was more crafty than any animal which the Lord God had made. And the serpent said unto the woman, "Are you sure God said, 'You should not eat from every tree of the garden?'"

The woman answered, "We may eat fruit from all of the trees in the garden, except for the fruit on one tree in the middle of the garden. About it God said, 'You must not eat from that tree. If you do, you will die.'"

Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die: God knows that in the day you eat this fruit, your eyes will be opened, and you will be as gods, knowing good and evil."

The Bible says Satan is The Father of Lies, so of course–he tried to deceive the woman, and he lied to her about God.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to look at, and that it could make her wise, she took the fruit, and ate it, and gave it to her husband who was with her; and he ate it also.

Instantly, their eyes were opened. They saw that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

Then, when they heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, Adam and his wife hid themselves from God's presence among the trees of the garden.

Then the Lord God called to Adam, saying, "Where are you?"

Adam answered, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; so I hid myself."

Then God asked, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the one tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" Adam answered, "The woman that you gave to me, she gave me the fruit, and I ate it."

And the Lord said to the woman, "What have you done?" The woman answered, "The serpent deceived me, so I ate the fruit."

Then the Lord said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed above every animal; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life: And I will put hatred between you and the woman, and her descendant will crush your head."

This curse against Satan is the first mention in God's book that one day He would send a Savior, born of a woman, to defeat Satan.

To the woman God said, "I will greatly increase your grief. Having children will bring you sorrow; and your husband will rule over you."

"The Land will produce thorns and weeds, and by the sweat of your brow you will eat bread until you return to the ground."

And to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to your wife and have eaten from the forbidden tree, the ground is cursed. Now every day of your life, only through difficulty, will you eat from the ground.

It will produce thorns and weeds, and by the sweat of your brow you will eat bread until you return to the ground; I made you from dust and you will return to dust."

Then Came the Activation of Our Fathers Plan

Then came many years of prophesies of Christ in the Old Testament. From the time of man's sin, the promises began to come of a Savior. First, it came to Abraham, and then through his family until as a nation they brought Christ into the world. The prophesies of Christ coming was first mentioned in Genesis 3:15, 12:3, 49:10, Numbers 24: 17-19, Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Job 19:25, Psalms 2:2, 6, 8, 12, 16:10, 110:1, 4, 118:22, plus many more books of the Old Testament. This is what Jesus meant when he said that in the Law of Moses, prophets, and Psalms it tells of me.

Zechariah prophesied;

"O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, your King comes to you: He is righteous and has salvation; humble, and riding on the foal of a donkey."

King David described how the Savior Himself would know in advance that one of His close friends, with whom He ate bread, would betray Him.

And Zechariah even recorded that the price of the betrayal would be thirty pieces of silver.

Through the prophet Isaiah, God foretold that the coming Savior would be tortured, by whipping, and that His face would be spat upon.

David described the method of execution as "piercing the Savior's hands and feet, yet not breaking any of His bones."

That the Savior would say, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", and that onlookers would laugh and ridicule the Savior, saying, "He believed that the Lord would deliver him."

The prophet Micah foretold the exact city where the Savior would be born and described His eternal nature saying, "Out of Bethlehem shall the one come who will rule in Israel, whose existence is from old, from everlasting."

God even revealed that the coming Savior would descend from the royal line of David. Through the writings of the prophet Malachi, the Lord described a special messenger who would announce the coming Savior and prepare the people to receive Him.

John 3:16 -17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

God set this plan in motion from the very beginning to give man a chance at eternal life. Through the acceptance of his son Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

God Brought Forth His Only Son, His Love the World To See

The New Testament starts with the Four Gospels telling the life of Jesus. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Christ Born of Mary

Matthew 1:18-21 "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

John 3:16 "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."

One of our favorite Christmas Scripture verses is;

1 John 4:9 "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."

The next verse explains that we have life through Him because God "sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).

Our heavenly Father gives us eternal life instead of the eternal hell that we deserve because His only begotten Son died in our place for our sins.

2 Corinthians 5:21 "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" .

From the Lofty Heights of Heaven, God Came to Dwell With Men

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

This is the key verse, assuring us that the man Jesus, who dwelt among us for a time, was also the eternal Word who was "in the beginning with God" and that He "was God" and that "all things were made by Him" (John 1:1-3).

He was God the Creator manifest in the flesh.

"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1:18).

The Father is omnipresent, and therefore invisible to mortal eyes, but as Jesus said: "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). Men have seen and heard the Father in the person of His only begotten Son. Whenever God has been seen by men, it has been through the Son who has revealed Him.

"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).

This verse, of course, is the most magnificent of all gospel verses; many would call it the greatest verse in the Bible. It assures us that, if we simply put our trust in our great Creator, who has become man in order to die for our sins, and then to defeat death and become our Savior, our sins will be forgiven, and we shall live forever with Him.

"He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18)

Other than the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

In view of all that our Creator/Savior has done for us, this verse gives clear warning that those who refuse or neglect to believe on the person and work of God's only begotten Son, will die in their sins, condemned forever by the Father whose Son they have spurned.

God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (I John 4:9)

Came in the Form of Jesus

I have been asked, how can this be that God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all God, three different forms of the same? Well here is an example I always like to use. Think of this, water, ice and steam, three different forms of the same thing. Remember God is Spirit, we think like mortals.

Here are many verses showing that Jesus allowed Himself to be worshipped, simply because He was God "manifest in the flesh":

Matthew 9:18 While he spoke these things to them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, my daughter is even now dead: but come and lay your hand upon her, and she shall live.

Matthew 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, of a truth you are the Son of God.

Matthew 15:25 Then she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Matthew 28:17 When they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

Colossians 1:15 He received their worship because He was ... the image of the invisible God ...

1 Timothy 3:16 ... God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory ...

Became the Sacrifice For Sin

By God's will we have been sanctified once and for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, the Messiah. (Hebrews 10:10)

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:51

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Hebrews 7:27)

So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)

But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:12)

How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:29)

Closing in with this so solemnly declared Will of God, that there is no name given under heaven among men, by which we can be saved, but Jesus the Christ, we believe in him, find redemption in his blood, and are sanctified unto God through the sacrificial offering of his body.

On the Cross of Agony, Jesus Died For You and Me
The Passion and Agony of the Cross

The suffering Jesus experienced on the cross is almost unbearable just to think about it.

For instance, prior to Jesus' trial he was flogged by the Roman guards. This process typically involved a whip with numerous leather thongs, 18-24 inches long, with bits of metal, bone or glass embedded in the leather.... Scourging was an extreme form of punishment. The skin on the victim's back was usually shredded, thus exposing the underlying muscle and skeletal structures. Severe blood loss and dehydration were the rule. Many victims died from such scourging.

After the scourging of Jesus, the Roman soldiers beat Him a second time with their hands and with a reed. Then they put on him a 'crown of thorns'.

Then came the crucifixion. "It is arguably the most painful death ever invented by man and is where we get our term 'excruciating.' It was reserved primarily for the most vicious of criminals."

Even though Pilate, the Roman Governor, said, "I find no fault in this man," he gave in to the jealous crowd and allowed Jesus to be crucified. With his arms stretched out Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross. "The nails, which were generally about 7-9 inches long, were placed between the bones of the forearm (the radius and ulna) and the small bones of the hands (the carpal bones)," permanently destroying the largest nerve in the hand "called the median nerve ... In addition to severe burning pain the destruction of this nerve causes permanent paralysis of the hand."

The positioning of the feet is probably the most critical part of the mechanics of crucifixion. First the knees were flexed about 45 degrees and the feet were flexed (bent downward) an additional 45 degrees until they were parallel to the vertical pole. An iron nail about 7-9 inches long was driven through the feet between the 2^nd and 3^rd metatarsal bones. In this position, the nail would sever the dorsal pedal artery of the foot, but the resulting bleeding would be insufficient to cause death.

"The resulting position on the cross sets up a horrific sequence of events which result in a slow, painful death. Having been pinned to the cross, the victim now has an impossible position to maintain ...

The result is that within a few minutes of being placed on the cross, the shoulders will become dislocated. Minutes later the elbows and wrists become dislocated.... As time goes on, the victim is less and less able to bear weight on the legs, causing further dislocation of the arms and further rising of the chest wall, making breathing more and more difficult. The result of this process is a series of catastrophic physiological effects."

Eventually the heart begins to fail, the lungs collapse, and the victim suffocates. He dies a slow, unbelievable excruciating painful death.

And all of this Jesus did for you and me gladly and willingly because he loves us with an everlasting love. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and mine so we could be totally forgiven and given the gift of eternal life with him in Heaven forever.

The good news is that Jesus, after three days, rose from the dead assuring us that we who believe in him will also rise from physical death to be alive forever with God.

If you've never thanked Jesus for dying on the cruel cross in your place, don't let this moment pass without doing this and asking him to come into your heart and life as personal Lord and Savior and accepting his full and free forgiveness.

Jesus Arose and Went to Heaven

I believe that Jesus died and on the third day, he rose again from his grave.

Let us check the historical evidence. When the risen Christ came to his disciples he appealed to their sense of hearing, "Jesus met them and said, 'Greetings!'" (Matthew 28:9).Dead men don't talk. Jesus did because he was not dead.

He appealed to their sense of seeing. "Go to Galilee,"he said, "there they will see me." (Matthew 28:10)

He appealed to their sense of touching. "Look at my hands and my feet,"he said, "see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (Luke 24:39)

Night seems to be the time for ghosts. Rarely do you hear of anyone seeing a spook in the light of day. Perhaps it is because evening shadows make us more susceptible to other-worldly phenomenon. That makes it even more amazing that when Jesus arose from the grave he met his disciples in broad daylight – and not once but several times. It is one thing to see a specter in dim twilight which might be the neighborhood cat and quite another to see a friend who died on Friday have breakfast with you a few days later. (John 21:1- 24)

It is one thing for a confused, excitable person to meet someone they thought was dead and quite another for 500 people to meet that person (1 Corinthians 15:6).Yet that is exactly what happened. And it happened over a forty-day period.

The book of Acts gives an account of nine sermons preached by the apostles during the first twenty-five years of church history. And every one was an Easter sermon. Every sermon was centered on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. At one point, the people in Athens got confused thinking Paul was preaching about two gods: Jesus and Anastasia (Acts 17:18).The name, Anastasia, is the Greek word for resurrection. It was constantly on Paul's lips: "Jesus and resurrection ... Jesus and resurrection."

The gospels do not explain the miracle of the resurrection. The miracle of the resurrection explains the gospels. Without the resurrection, there would be no believing apostles to write the gospels. As Paul said, "If Christ has not been raised from death we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe." (1 Corinthians 15:14 TEV)

Nothing short of the resurrection could have changed Peter from the fearful denier of Christ to the faithful pillar of the church.

Nothing short of the resurrection could have changed James, the unbelieving brother of Jesus into the pastor of the church at Jerusalem.

Nothing short of the resurrection could have changed Paul from a persecutor of the church to a promoter of the church. The proof of Christ's resurrection is the living church drawing life from him who overcame death.

I believe Jesus rose again from the dead not only because of the historical evidence, but also because of personal experience. Paul said, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection." (Philippians 3:10)Notice Paul did not say, "I want to know about Christ," but "I want to know Christ." Not information but association was his desire. In addition, mine too.

The resurrection of Jesus is also a future hope. It tells you that death is not the end of life. It is a comma not a period. There is more to follow. Specifically, there is a day fixed on the calendar of eternity when God will judge the world in righteousness. Are you ready for that day?

--- And Went to Heaven

Acts 1:2-3 (New King James Version) ... until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Colossians 1:15 ... God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory ...

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

Acts 1:9 (New King James Version) Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

With a Promise to Return

John 14:1-3 (King James Version) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

The second coming of Jesus Christ is the hope of believers that God is in control of all things, and is faithful to the promises and prophecies in His Word.

In His first coming, Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem, just as prophesied. Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Messiah during His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

However, there are some prophecies regarding the Messiah that Jesus has not yet fulfilled. The second coming of Christ will be the return of Christ to fulfill these remaining prophecies.

In His first coming, Jesus was the suffering Servant. In His second coming, Jesus will be the conquering King. In His first coming, Jesus arrived in the most humble of circumstances. In His second coming, Jesus will arrive with the armies of heaven at His side.

Matthew 24:36 (NIV) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Matthew 24:42-44 (NIV) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

To Take Us to Be With Him

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

I believe we are living in the last days, so be ready my friends, for that day is coming.

A Trip We Cannot Earn, By Grace We Are Saved

Saved by grace ...

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."

Romans 3:20, 28 "because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin...For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law."

Galatians 2:16 "... nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."

Salvation Full and Free

James 2:24 "You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone."

God does not want a faith that is empty and hypocritical. James 2 is talking about those who "say" that they have faith but have no works. Therefore, people cannot tell if they are true believers or not, because there is no fruit. That kind of a faith is useless and is not a saving faith. True faith results in true works.

In Matthew 19:16-17, Jesus was speaking to a Lawyer who was self-righteous since he wanted to put Jesus to the test (Luke 10:25). He asked what he must do in order to obtain eternal life and Jesus responded with the requirements of keeping the commandments. If a person keeps all of the commandments, it would seem that they could obtain eternal life. However, nobody can keep all of the commandments. Therefore, Jesus' comments to this man show this man that justification can only be by faith since no one can keep all of the commandments. This is why it says in Ephesians 2:8 that we are saved by grace through faith. Also, Romans 3:20, 28 and Galatians 2:16 tells us that no one is justified in the sight of God by the law; that is, by the works that he can do.

The Law cannot save us because we are incapable of keeping it (Matthew 19:16-17). Therefore, salvation is by grace through faith.

Accept the Invitation

... To accept his full pardon without charge;

Romans 3:21-25 ... but now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood–to be received by faith.

God's Word says, "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son Jesus Christ. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 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."

YES, I want to Know God and accept Jesus Christ's invitation to accept him into my heart and life as personal Lord and Savior and, in so doing, receive God's full and free pardon for all my sins. The following prayer prayed sincerely will help you do this:

"Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and am sorry for all the wrongs that I have done and the sins that I have committed. I believe that you're Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for my sins. Please forgive me and I invite you, Jesus, to come into my heart and life as my personal Lord and Savior. I commit and trust my life and way to you. Please forgive me, and give me the desire to be what you want me to be and to do what you want me to do. Thank for the greatest gift anyone could ever receive; that is for coming to earth and dying on the cross in my place to pay the just penalty for all my sins. Thank you, too, for your forgiveness and free pardon, for the gift of eternal life, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus name, Amen."

If you have prayed this prayer then "God bless you" on your decision. I want to farther enlighten you on the plan of redemption as outlined in the Bible. You are on your way to a saved relationship with our Lord.

The Bible teaches us that first comes the hearing of the word.

Romans 10:17 ... so then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Then believing,

John 11:27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

If you have heard and you believe as this scripture says the next step in the plan of salvation is repentance,

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

This is explained further in the section, "Turn From a Life of Sin."

Next Step is Confession

If you are attending Church somewhere, I would suggest you talk to the pastor and plan to go forward and confess that you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. Romans 10:9-10 that 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. 10 for with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.also in I Timothy 6:12we read, Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Confession is an act of faith on your part, to God and those around you.

Then there is the need for Baptism. The need for this, and how it is done, is explained in the section, "Be Baptized, Born again."

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Once you put this all together, the plan of salvation is, Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, and be Baptized. This is very little for God to ask when He went through so much to show his Love for us. God gave us a free choice to show our love for Him. Should we do less then what He asks of us?

Some preachers say all you need to do is pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and you are saved. I hope they are for their sake. I cannot and will not tell people that they can do less and be saved. It is all there in Gods Word. It is entirely up to God where He draws the line. I would search the scriptures and satisfied my own mind, as to what is needed, to be in a saved relationship with Jesus.

Matthew 7:22-24 (New King James Version) Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

In School, we were taught that proper English would be to say. I will be saved, I am saved, and I have been saved. With God it is just the opposite, I have been saved, I am saved, and when I stand before God, I will be saved, through Jesus whom I have accepted as Lord and Savior. Salvation is an on going process from the time we accept Jesus into our hearts until the day we die.

Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Turn From a Life of Sin

Luke 13:3 (King James Version) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Romans 6:23 (King James Version) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Luke 15:10 (New King James Version) Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Believing God, the person who is saved, has a change of heart that comes when they believe. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) By putting their faith in Jesus Christ, the person receives from God the spiritual birth and that changes them.

The key to understanding the matter is to understand what the word "repentance" means. The most common definition of repentance is that when one repents they stop and go in the opposite direction. In other words, they turn around. Turn from a life of sin and live every day trying to be better then the day before. Always striving to please God in all that they do.

Accept Him as Your Savior

Salvation is an appeal to God for cleansing from sin, forgiveness, and repentance so that we might not sin. This appeal is a heartfelt confession of our hopelessness before God and an acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. It is simultaneous with sincere repentance, which is a turning from sin, not to it.

To receive Jesus in our hearts means we have first acknowledged that we are sinners and that we are incapable of saving ourselves or of appeasing God in any way. We acknowledge before God that we are helpless and worthy of damnation. But with this, we also acknowledge that Jesus is the one who paid the penalty for our sins. We realize that there is no possible way that we can make things right with God by our own works. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are accepting the call to repentance from sin. God then calls us His children:

John 14: 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,"

Be Baptized, Born Again

Acts 2:38 (New King James Version) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Among our Lord's last words to his disciples was the charge to preach the saving gospel to all men. In Matthew, Chapter 28, Verse 19, He said;

"Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

The question before us is what was and is the action of that baptism commanded by Christ and his apostles. The Bible clearly describes the action of Christian baptism, as a burial in water, for baptism is a likeness to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

We are not saved by our own goodness, but by the goodness, the love, and the favor of God. We are not saved by our own merit, but by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus shed his precious blood in his death and as penitent believers in Christ; we contact his saving blood by going through a likeness to his death, his burial, and his resurrection.

Listen to the Apostle Paul's vivid description of baptism in Romans 6, Verses 3 through 5.

"Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection."

Here the Bible clearly describes the baptism which was taught and practiced in the early church and which puts one "into Jesus Christ" as a burial. Paul said, "We are buried with him by baptism into death". Again, in Colossians Chapter 2, Verse 12, we read that we are "buried with Him in baptism".

Nowhere in the Bible is the action of Christian baptism described as being anything other than "a burial", or an immersion in water.

In Mark Chapter 1, Verse 5, we find that John baptized in water. The passage reads;

"And there went out unto Him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan ..."

Again, in Mark Chapter 1, Verse 9, we find that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan. "And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan."

In John Chapter 3, Verse 23, we find John's reason for selecting the place where he baptized those who came to him.

"And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salem, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized."

Now let us notice carefully the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch by Philip the evangelist. The two men were riding in a chariot. Philip was preaching Jesus unto the eunuch. In Acts Chapter 8, beginning with Verse 36, we read,

"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, ' See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?' And Philip said, 'If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest'. And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God'. And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they went down both into the water, and both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."

From these verses of scripture, we find that baptism requires "much water" and a "going down into water". We see that it is a "burial" in water and a "resurrection". Also we see it requires a "coming up out of the water". Only immersion fits the New Testament description of Christian baptism.

A natural question would be, "does your age make a difference?" More specifically, you may ask whether infants or young children should be baptized. It may help if you understand where the idea and practice of baptizing infants came from. Around 400 AD, a man named Augustine came up with the idea of "original sin." This basically said that everyone inherits the sin of Adam at birth and is therefore separated from God from the beginning of their life. Of course, this caused parents to become concerned over the fate of their children, should they die before "getting right with God." Since only one of the four steps required to get right with God could be done by (or to) an infant, they decided to baptize them to "take care of the original sin." Since it is risky to immerse an infant, these people decided to sprinkle them with water instead. Thus, both baptizing infants and baptizing by sprinkling came from human ideas. They did not come from the Bible.

If we look in the Bible, we see that children are never seen to "accept Christ" (and therefore get right with God). It is also interesting that God never tells us what to do to keep a child safe. Did He just forget this important point, letting many children go to Hell and suffer eternally? No. A child is safe in the arms of God until they can understand how to be saved by accepting Jesus as their savior. (See 2 Samuel chapter 12, verses 22 and 23 along with Matthew chapter 18, verse 10.) Thus, only adults and older children (who can understand separation from God because of sin and so forth) are at the age when acceptance of Christ is possible.

One thing is clear, the Bible always places believing in Christ for salvation and baptism together. Acts Chapter 2, Verse 41 (Acts 2:41) - 3,000 people were baptized after believing on the first day of the Christian church. Verses 38 and 39 make it clear that this is the way that it will always be done. That is, all people who accept Christ as their savior will come to Him in this way.

If you believe in Jesus and want to receive the remission of your sins; as a penitent person, be buried with Christ in baptism to "wash away your sins". Romans Chapter 6, Verses 3, 4, and Acts Chapter 22, Verse 16.

Jesus boldly stated in John 3:3,

"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

We also read the frightening words of 2nd Thessalonians 1:8,

"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I am talking about being Biblically born-again by the Seed of the Word of God. You need to have your SINS forgiven. You are the SINNER, and Jesus is the SAVIOR. It is that simple!

This is Gods word on baptism. I did not write it, this is Gods teaching through reading the scripture. We have God saying, do it this way, and it is perfect in my opinion. We have man saying that it is not necessary. Once man starts making the rules then he never stops. He opens the door for satin to enter in. Then comes their opinion, this is not necessary, that is not necessary, etc. etc. Would you hire a carpenter that cuts corners, to build your house?

Wouldn't it be simpler to accept Gods word for what it says and do it, then insert mans opinion and not be sure? If you have come to know Jesus, have accepted Him into your heart. Have repented of your sins, then go and confess that you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and get baptized by immersion. Do not leave it to chance or mans opinion. We are talking about your eternal life.

Matthew 15:14 They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."

Matthew 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way, which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

My ONLY desire in this writing is to lead you to a saved relationship with our Lord. I fear many are being miss lead. I pray not, but I fear that it is true.

By Faith, Love and Serve Him

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Luke 10:25-28 ... and, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, what is written in the law? How readiest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do and thou shalt live.

Matthew 22:35-37 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

To serve God is to serve others and is the greatest form of charity: the pure love of Christ. Jesus Christ said;

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

To serve God starts with serving in our families. Daily we work, clean, love, support, listen to, teach, and endlessly give of ourselves to the members of our family. We may often feel overwhelmed with all that we must do.

This also includes helping those in the Church family with the giving of tithes and offerings for the spreading of Gods word. Also helping by serving in all other functions of the Church where possible.

The key ... is to know and understand your own capabilities and limitations and then to pace yourself, allocating and prioritizing your time, your attention, and your resources to wisely help others.

The Light You Will See

John 3:16-21 (New King James Version) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

Jesus Paid it All, Paid it All, On Calvary's Tree

To receive Jesus in our hearts means we have first acknowledged that we are sinners and that we are incapable of saving ourselves or of appeasing God in any way. We acknowledge before God that we are helpless and worthy of damnation. However, with this, we also acknowledge that Jesus is the one who paid the penalty for our sins. We realize that there is no possible way that we can make things right with God by our own works. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are accepting the call to repentance from sin. God then calls us His children:

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name ..."

Therefore, everything depends on what you do with Jesus. Maybe you have been on a spiritual bridge trying to find a relationship with God but it has been a bridge to nowhere. However, right now, God, who loves you so very much, is pointing you to the bridge He built to bring you to Him. It is the cross where His one and only Son paid for you. The bridge God has provided cost Him what mattered most to Him. It cost Him His Son.

May God Bless you on your journey,

Kenneth M. Bee

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