God’s Plan to Bring You to Heaven
By Rick Warren
“God says he will accept and acquit us — declare us ‘not guilty’ — if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like” (Romans 3:22 TLB).
The Bible says, “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life’” (Romans 1:17 NLT). God’s Word also says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).
The Good News is that the death and Resurrection of Jesus give us access to God. In other words, we can only get to Heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ.
How do we express faith in Christ? Here’s a simple, biblical guide:
Admit you need a Savior
You can’t get to God on your own. You’re a sinner. You’ve blown it. Heaven is perfect and you’re not.
But the Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV). And the apostle Paul tells us, “God says he will accept and acquit us — declare us ‘not guilty’ — if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like” (Romans 3:22 TLB).
Believe in Jesus
The Bible says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31 NLT). That means we believe Jesus is who the Bible says he is, and we trust him for our future with everything we have. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).
And our belief must be specific in Christ: “If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved. . . . Everyone who calls out to the Lord for help will be saved” (Romans 10:9-10, 13 GNT).
Confess your commitment to Jesus
Tell Jesus you trust him with your life. Confess that you believe in him and his promises. Jesus said, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark” (John 12:44-46 NLT).
Depend on God’s promises
You can rely upon God’s promise in John 3:16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (NLT). No matter what you’ve done or how long you’ve done it, God promises that everyone who believes in Jesus will live with him in Heaven forever.
Prayer of Commitment to Christ
If you haven’t trusted in Jesus and committed to following him, why wait any longer? Pray this prayer:
“Dear Jesus, you have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in Heaven one day.
“I confess my sin, and I believe that you are God, my Savior. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today I’m turning over every part of my life to your management. You have the right to call the shots in my life.
“Jesus, I want to relax in your love. Thank you that I don’t have to earn it or deserve it or work for it. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I humbly commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen."
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God's Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible by Rick Warren
Limited time offer ends April 3
Share God’s Word with a child – and give them the keys to a good life!
“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” -Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)
One of the greatest ways to fulfill the Great Commission is to share Jesus and God’s Word with the children in your life.
And there’s now a great tool to help do that—Pastor Rick Warren’s brand-new book, God’s Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible.
This 223-page, full-color hardcover children’s version of God’s Word shares key Bible stories along with the 40 foundational principles of the #1 New York Times bestseller, The Purpose Driven Life. And it’s written in a way that’s easy for even the youngest readers to understand.
The God’s Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible will help the children in your life…
• Experience Bible stories coming to life with child-friendly language
• Connect deeply with Scripture through engaging illustrations
• Grow to love Jesus through lessons targeted specifically for them
• Discover God’s plans and purposes for their life
God’s Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible is available as our thanks for your gift below—but only for a limited time. This offer ends April 3.
So when you give today, be sure to request your copy of God’s Big Plans for Me Storybook Bible to bless a child in your life, or to give to a neighbor, coworker or friend.
And thank you for giving today to help more people learn, love, and live the Word through Daily Hope!
This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.