Are you Ready?

 

Are you Ready?

We are often asked "Are you all ready for Christmas?" At this time of year there is much preparation, buying gifts, getting our homes ready and filling our shopping trollies with goodies.  We love the lights and decorations that brighten up the long winter nights, the joyful Christmas music filling the air.

When our children are small, it is easier to be prepared, and filled with excitement and joy.  For some it is about spending time with friends and family, or just a time of peace and rest from work.

I am that person who is never ready for Christmas, today is the 7th of December and I haven't even started shopping or planning.

But this morning I woke, thinking about preparing for another Day.  As things in the world seem to be getting more crazy by the day, and so much fear and uncertainty about the future.  I realised that for many of God's people there is something filling the air - a heart felt excitement and a renewed sense of expectancy.

There's a urgent call for preparation.  There's a joyful song in our hearts.  No-one knows the day or the hour, but Jesus told us clearly, we would know the signs of the times and we would know that He is coming Soon.

ARE YOU READY?

Are you ready, either to take your last breath here on this earth or to be caught up into heaven when he comes at the trumpet call?

I wrote this little song last week, and my question to you is "Can you sing this with me?"  "Can you say you are ready to go?"

Just like Christmas is much about giving and receiving gifts, so God has given the gift of Salvation unto all men.  No-one can save themselves, you cannot earn this gift, you cannot buy it, no religious activity or denomination can save you.  But this gift of salvation must be accepted and received by Grace through faith.  That simply means that God gives it by his Grace - and you receive it by faith.  That is why true Christian faith is a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ his Son.  It is not a religion.

Many people say they believe that Jesus was God's son, but mostly what they mean is 'I think it could be true, I wouldn't say it's not true'.  But that isn't how you receive any gift.  That would be like someone giving you a Christmas gift and you put it into a cupboard without even opening it.

We are told clearly how to receive and experience this wonderful gift of salvation.

When we believe in our heart that Jesus is the Son of God and we confess with our mouth that God has raised him from the dead we shall be saved.  When we can say out loud, Jesus is my Lord and my Saviour, and we choose to sincerely believe it with all our hearts, then we receive and enter into this amazing gift of Eternal life.

Most people are trying to understand it first, before they will accept it.  But that would be like getting a gift of something we haven't had before and saying I'm not going to open that until I find out how to work it.  When all the time, you have to open it first to find the instructions hidden safe inside.

Likewise, we first must accept Jesus and receive his gift of Salvation, then the understanding comes as we begin to experience freedom from the guilt of the past and the fear of the future.  Our understanding will be opened to the benefits and promises of being a Child of God, as we learn more about him.

If you have never prayed, but you are ready to make the decision to receive this gift of salvation, you can do so by sincerely saying

 "Father God in heaven, I choose to believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that you sent him to die in my place, and that you raised him from the dead.  I don't understand how, but I want to thank you and receive your gift of salvation today.  Because Jesus, took my place on the cross and paid for the penalty of my sin, I ask you to forgive me and cleanse me from my sin.  Lord Jesus, come and help me to believe and to receive the Father's love and forgiveness.  Fill me with your Holy Spirit and teach me your truth.  I confess now that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and my Lord.  I am now your child.  You said that anyone who would call upon your name, you would not turn them away.  So according to your promise, you have accepted me and now I can say with confidence "I am ready to go when you call my name".  Amen

Now don't keep this good news to yourself, tell others, that you have received the greatest gift of all, the gift of Eternal Life with Jesus.  This is your thanks unto God.  Ask him to lead you to a bible believing and bible teaching church where you can discover the wonderful benefits and promises that now belong to you as a Child of God.