Life: Learn to celebrate the little things

"Life is a celebration of many splendid things. You only have to look to find just a few...birthdays...happy music...a cup of hot cocoa...best friends...a picnic in the park...puffy clouds...love!...spring rain...flying a kite on a windy day...cuddly dogs...curious cats...a double scoop ice cream cone...a surprise party...colorful fish...a bright, sunny day...chirping birds...weddings...a carousel ride...holidays...a crazy quilt...peace and harmony..." Author Unknown 

When was the last time that you let your hair down, kicked your shoes off, jumped for joy, threw a party for one and really, I mean really, celebrated something? If it's been awhile or if you never have, then you're missing out on one of the greatest gifts known to humankind --- the ability to express joy through celebration. In her article, "The Importance of Celebration," author Kristine Pallette says celebrations give meaning to life:

There are many important things in life. Learning, growing, loving, and exploring are all things that each person should take time for. Celebration is another thing that everyone should take time for. Celebration adds an excitement and a lot of fun to life.

Life can be hard, a daily grind at times. A 60-80 hour work week, working 2-3 jobs, managing a business, raising kids, taking care of sick children or elderly parents, relationship troubles, being unemployed, homeless, or incarcerated, battling a terminal health condition or mental illness, --- these are just a few of life's pressing realities that can leave little time or desire for celebration. And yet, never taking time to celebrate even the small joyful moments along life's journey could make you miserable and your life less than fulfilling. "Let go of your cares and worries," says author Bruce F. Rosen. He writes:

Take your cares and worries seriously, but be kind and gentle enough with yourself to let them go. Accept that you are human, fallible and that ultimately you need to be kind to yourself. All things will pass, including your life. You are here for a short time, so try to find more joy in your journey.

Finding joy in the journey, as Rosen suggests, has proven psychological as well as health benefits. Thousands of years ago, King Solomon saw the wisdom of cultivating a life-long habit of joyful celebration and recorded it in Proverbs 17:22 AMP:

 A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

In discussing the "Nature of Joy," noted Alternative Medicine practitioner and author, Dr. Deepak Chopra offers this viewpoint:

The conditions of your life don't necessarily affect your ability to experience joy. This has more to do with your mindset: do you see the glass half full or half-empty. This mindset can be influenced through meditation or cognitive therapy. Making other people happy is another way of achieving joy.

Life on earth is far from being perfect. Nevertheless, your view of life determines how much joy you will derive from it. Are you that person who dwells on life's negatives or that person who sees the proverbial silver lining behind every dark cloud? And if you are one of nearly 30 million Americans diagnosed with some degree of depression, the way out may not be easy but it is possible. Authors John Van Sickel and Dr.Walli Carranza offer practical advice for overcoming depression in their respective articles, "6 Practical and Powerful Ways to Overcome Depression" and "How to Overcome Depression Naturally." Both authors agree that changing the way you think and serving others can add to your sense of contentment and joy in life.

After all, life is what you make it. You may not be able to do much about your circumstances (at least for now) but you can do something about your attitude. In spite of life's uncontrollable events and sometimes disappointing experiences, learn to filter out the garbage and savage what really matters. The power to choose is in your hands. Choose to celebrate the little things. Begin by thanking God for the gift of another day...

"This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s celebrate and be glad today." Psalm 118:24 CEV

 Have questions about life? Find answers at www.peacewithgod.net

Get in the boat: A tale of redemption

"For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New life has begun." 1 Corinthians 5:17 NLV


One morning a man woke up and found himself all alone on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere with no idea how he got there. As he looked over his surroundings, he saw an old wooden marker lying face down in the sand. He picked it up, turned it over, and brushed away the sand to reveal these words painted on one side, "Island of Despair." The man had a sinking feeling that he was not in a good place. And that if he didn't find a way off this island, he would surely die there. But the island was surrounded by shark infested water. And he had no weapon to fight them off. From all he could see, his situation appeared to be hopeless.

It wasn't long before the man heard the sound of an airplane approaching. When the plane came near, the man started waving frantically hoping the plane's pilot would see him. As the plane flew over the island, the man watched a wooden crate fall from the plane's open cargo door and land in the sand a few feet from him. He ran over to retrieve it. Using a large rock, the man broke the crate open to reveal its contents. Inside he found several bottles of water, a hot meal and a Bible. Attached to the Bible was an unsigned note, which read: "This plane makes a food drop on this island every Friday at noon. We are praying for you." For now, the man was just grateful for a hot meal.

A week went by and the man realized that it was time for his next food drop. As he searched the sky for the plane, he could hear the sound of the plane's engines at a distance. Like clockwork, Friday at noon the plane flew over the island and dropped another wooden crate filled with water and a hot meal. Attached to a water bottle inside was an unsigned note, which read: "We're still praying for you."

The plane continued to drop food on the island every Friday at noon for as long as the man remained there, along with a note letting him know that someone was praying for him. But as long as the man got his weekly food drop, he seemed content to stay on the island. If he wanted to be rescued, he didn't act like it and did nothing to help his situation.

One Friday morning, the man awoke to darkening skies and the sound of thunder in the distance. A storm was coming. Thick dark clouds rolled in, and strong winds swirled over the island. The sea waves rose higher and higher and threatened to flood the tiny island. The man feared for his life. His eyes searched the sky anxiously for the plane; hoping the pilot would see the danger he was in and send help his way. With no place to hide from the storm, the man dug a deep hole in the sand with his hands and laid down in it. As the storm raged on around him, he remembered the words of a prayer he'd heard as a child and cried out, "Jesus, please help me."

At that exact moment, the man lifted his head and looked toward the sea. On the horizon he could just barely make out the shape of a tiny boat. It appeared to be aiming straight for the island. "Who'd be crazy enough to be out boating in this storm," the man thought to himself. It was the only boat he'd seen since being stranded on the island. The man kept his eyes on the boat as it came closer and closer.

Finally, the boat came close enough for the man to see that it was a small row boat with the word, "GRACE" painted on its side. The lone man inside the boat was steering it with a single oar. Under these conditions, it was a miracle the boat made it to the island at all. Thanks to the storm, the sharks were gone, but the huge rock formations that engulfed the island, kept the row boat from reaching land. This meant that if the man wanted to be rescued, he would have to get in the water and swim a short distance to reach the boat. The man knew this was his only chance, but looking at the high waves and choppy sea, he was afraid he wouldn't make it to the boat alive.

As he stood there staring toward the boat, the man in the boat called out to him, "I've come to save you. Don't be afraid. Trust me and get in the boat." (To be continued)...

The meaning of this story

The man in the story represents anyone who is facing a difficult time in their life. You may even feel there's no way out or that you have no one you can turn to for help. On the outside, you look like you're doing OK, but on the inside, you're empty and hurting. Something's not right and you know it. You wonder if you're going to make it. 

The island represents separation from God. You may be on that island right now. The sharks represent sin. When we disobey or do things that go against God, God calls it sin. Sin messes up your life. It traps you, trips you up and you find yourself all alone in a mess of your own making. Because of Adam, everyone is born in sin; but then, like Cain, we commit sins of our own that need God's forgiveness.

The plane represents God's mercy and the crate, God's provision. God still loves us no matter what we may have done. He's not out to condemn us. The Bible says that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NIV).

The man in the boat represents Jesus. Jesus was sent by God to rescue humankind from its sins. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16 NIV)." Jesus is God's provision for our sins. Jesus risked his own life by dying on the Cross so that our past, present and future sins could be forgiven by God.

The rocks surrounding the island represent the things that keep us from coming to Jesus and accepting the salvation that God wants so freely to give to us. We let lustful desires and the sinful pleasures of this world keep us from coming to Christ. Other hindrances may include pride, anger at God, guilt, fear, or low self-esteem (not feeling you're worthy enough). You would be wrong on all counts. The Bible says that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21 NIV)." It doesn't matter who you are, or what country you live in; what language you speak or even your family's religion. It's a choice you must make for yourself, which God you will serve.

How does the story end

When we paused the story earlier, the man on the island was trying to decide if he was going to risk everything, get in the water and swim to the boat; or remain on the island and wait for a more convenient time to be rescued. The question is how does he know if he will ever have another chance to be rescued? The answer is, he doesn't know. That's the risk (the risk of doing nothing) he is taking by putting his decision off. 

If this were your story, how would it end? You have a choice between  accepting the salvation God offers through Jesus Christ or rejecting it. The Bible says "Today if you hear his [God's] voice, do not harden your hearts...(Hebrews 3:15 NIV)." What are you waiting for? Jesus is waiting to rescue you. There may never be a better time in your life than right now. 

The soon return of Jesus Christ: Fact or fiction?

Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil

Easter, as celebrated by Christians the world over, marks the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion on Good Friday. According to biblical accounts, after he was resurrected from the dead, Jesus ate, talked and met with his disciples. He was also seen by about 500 others during the 40-days before he ascended into heaven. But the story doesn't end there. The Bible foretells a second coming of Christ to earth at a future yet undetermined date. The Easter observance  serves to bring this prediction into even sharper focus at this time of the year.

Over the years, many people have claimed to know the exact date of Christ's return only to look foolish when their predictions proved wrong. This is not surprising since even Jesus himself doesn't know the exact date of his return, only God knows. Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt 24:36-37). Nevertheless, there are still some people who try to trump the Creator by claiming to know the date of Christ's return.

A more recent and perhaps the most widely publicized example is Christian radio broadcaster, Harold Camping. After suffering a minor stroke, Camping later apologized for his heresy. Likewise, doomsday predictors have made predictions through the years about when the world would come to an end, again only to be proven wrong. Whether you believe that the world will end or in Christ's return is irrelevant. Ultimately, what happens and when it happens rests solely with God, notwithstanding your belief in him or lack thereof. Like in Fantasy Football , there will be winners and losers when Jesus returns. But until then, you get to decide on which team you will end up.

                                        The Resurrection Will Not Wait*

You won't be able to sit at home, brothers and sisters. You won't be able to tune in to CNN, NBC, BBC or CBS. You won't be able to make a run to the store real quick, or finish baking a cake for the Sunday school picnic because the Resurrection will not wait.

Let me say that again in case you missed it, "THE RESURRECTION WILL NOT WAIT!" The Resurrection will not wait for you to go to the drive-thru at McDonald's for a breakfast sandwich to go. There will be no delay until Shaq and Kobe win another championship.

The Resurrection will not make its worldwide comeback on Broadway or bring in the New Millennium at Paris' Folies Bergere. The Resurrection will not be shown on OWN.

Nor will there be no Lifetime movie starring Matt Damon or Kevin Hart as Jesus. The Resurrection will not be rebroadcast on cable in three parts. Or "On Demand," tivoed, or DVR'd for viewing at a later date because the Resurrection will not wait.

When the Resurrection comes, you will not be able to sign up for a crash course in Bible. The fact that you watched "The Passion of the Christ" on DVD won't count as righteous living. Serving on the church Usher Board, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School is your reasonable service, but won't earn you bonus points for the trip home when the Resurrection comes.

When the Resurrection comes, it won't be enough to have that old time religion. You must be born-again. The fact that you've belonged to the same church for umpteen years won't matter. You must be born-again. What part of "all have sinned" don't you understand? You must be born again when the Resurrection comes.

Make no mistake, the Resurrection is coming. No man knows the hour, day or year when Jesus will appear. So keep your lamp burning bright 'cause it could be tonight. Keep watch at all times and pray 'cause it could be today. Think you've got plenty of time? Think again or you'll be left behind when the Resurrection comes.

Make no mistake, Jesus is coming back. With the voice of the archangel and trump of God, Jesus will call the faithful up from their graves. Next, the redeemed who remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the sky. Everyone singing worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, riches, wisdom and might; honor, glory and blessings.

Every eye will see it, everywhere. Every eye everywhere will see Jesus when the Resurrection comes. When the Resurrection comes, it will not wait, will NOT wait for you to get ready. When the Resurrection comes, it will be too late.

*Copyright Carolyn K. Erwin

A new year, a new life

At exactly 12:00 am every January 1, fireworks light up the night sky, champagne corks pop, horns and whistles blow, hugs and kisses are exchanged and well wishes for a Happy New Year are on the lips of  people all over the world. Behind this annual celebration is the hope that the new year will bring about a change of fortune, as well as, a chance to wipe the past year's slate clean and start over. But 364 days down the road, the unfortunate reality is that human will and human effort alone are not enough to transform our lives or make them any better.

Human efforts at self-improvement are only superficial and external at best. We believe change is just a matter of exercising our willpower. If we will ourselves to stop doing this or start doing that, it will produce the change we desire. But if willpower alone was all you needed, you would have succeeded with the first diet you tried or the first time you tried to stop smoking, drinking, using drugs or whatever else you may have tried to stop or start doing. Instead, it's the end of another year, and you find yourself back at the exact same place vowing to make many of the same changes you promised to make the year before.

And why is that? The answer lies in the simple fact that you were created by God. Therefore, you cannot recreate yourself---for that to happen, you need the Creator. In Psalm 51, King David recognizes his inability to change himself and prays: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10 KJV). King David acknowledges that without God's help his efforts to change himself are fruitless. Paul, an Apostle of Christ, explains the dilemma we all face as human beings: "I have discovered this principle of life---that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh what a miserable person I am. Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God. The answer is in Jesus Christ, our Lord!" (Romans 7:21-25 NLT)

The key to becoming a new you in this new year is surrendering your life to Christ. He alone has the power to change you. After all the Bible says that God created everything that exists and that  includes you. To the sinner, God promises that if you confess your sins, he will forgive your sins and set you on a new path --- the path of right living. To the Christian who has turned away from God to his own way, if you repent, he will forgive your sins and restore you to his family. No sin is so great that it cannot be forgiven if you come to God in a spirit of true repentance. You don't have to wait until the clock strikes midnight on January 1, you can begin your New Year with Christ right now. The Bible declares that "anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)  What a way to begin the New Year with your sins forgiven and a chance to start your life over. It doesn't get any better than that. Happy New You!

Dear God,

I turn my back on the past life I've lived. I am sorry for the sins I committed
 that have separated me from you. I believe Jesus died for my sins.

And I ask you, Jesus to come into my heart

and help me to live the rest of my life for you.

Did you pray this prayer and mean it? Congratulations, you have been born again into the family of God. Celebrate your new life. To help you understand and learn more about your new life in Christ, find a local Christ believing church in your area or contact Peace with God. 



Gun control: What the world needs now is love

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of." Songwriter, Hal David

At the core of every man, woman and child, no matter who they are or where they were born is a need to be loved. Love is a fundamental need of human existence much like food, water and shelter. God wired us that way. If there was more love in the world, many of the horrid things we see happening now --- despicable, disgusting, degrading things---would not be happening.

 

The Newtown school shooting is the latest in a string of mind numbing  violent incidents of unspeakable horror that have gripped America's heart in 2012. Before Newtown, there was the Oregon Mall shooting...before that the UPS shooting in Minneapolis...before that the shooting at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin...before that the shooting at a Colorado movie theater ..before that the campus shooting in Oikos and now Newtown. Mercifully, the death toll from all these incidents stands at 56 lives lost, not counting the gunmen who took their own lives.

 

America once again finds itself in a state of shock, grief and denial. Shock at such a senseless act of violence; grief over the deaths of 20 innocent children and 6 adults; and denial about how much we ourselves are to blame. While we grieve with those who grieve, much of what is happening in this country is of our own making. As President Obama correctly observed during a vigil for those slain in the Newtown massacre, "We [as a nation] will have to change."

 

Unlike the "change you can believe in" that this President promised we'd see four years ago, our collective national outrage demands swifter action if America is to change for the better. What would a changed America look like?

 

This may be a radical idea but returning prayer to the schools would signal real change in America. When prayer was outlawed in the classroom in the 50's, the downward spiral of our education system began. Too many classrooms today resemble battlefields marked by undisciplined and disruptive students, poor academic achievement and high dropout rates. Ask any teacher, parent, or even student, allowing prayer back might help change the atmosphere.

 

We are a nation that has lost its way. Our moral compass is broken. We have shifted from the biblical principles and ideals upon which this nation was founded. Do we even know what we stand for anymore? For America to change for the better, our government will have to set the example starting at the very top. President Obama and Congress must lead the way. Putting politics aside, they must become the peacemakers to bring us together. The Bible says, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." And neither will this nation unless we put our differences aside and come together as "one nation under God."

 

We must limit those freedoms that are being exploited and used to undermine our society. The right to bear arms is one. Many are calling for stricter gun control laws but guns are not the problem ---people are. Back in the day when America was a vast uncharted wasteland and the settlers were easy prey, it made sense for every household to have guns. Today, we are more advanced and have military and police forces to assume the burden of protecting us. Nowadays, there is less reason for individuals to stockpile an arsenal of military grade weapons; less reason for such weapons to be available to ordinary citizens; and no reason for them to wind up in the hands of criminals and mentally challenged individuals as easily as they did in Newtown and in other situations.

 

Speech is another freedom being exploited, particularly by the writers, producers and performers of  "entertainment." These purveyers of our culture expose our children to unwholesome images of sex, violence, pornography and other forms of human depravity. And we wonder why bad things are happening to us? Where do we draw the line at freedom of speech? Our enemies are watching us. Russian dictator Josef Stalin once said of America: "America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within." 

 

Clearly, if we are to survive as a nation, it cannot be business as usual in America going forward. We cannot continue as we have been and risk losing future generations to violence. We must return to the former things that got us to where we are today --- faith, family and freedom. More important, we must turn back to God: "If my people will humble themselves...I will heal their land." 

The battle over Halloween

"Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new."
2 Corinthians 5:17

The battle between the world’s observance of Halloween and the Christian church’s stand against it rears its controversial head every year at this time when store shelves overflow with ghoulish replicas of witches, monsters, devils, ghosts, goblins and the like.

When I was a child growing up in the 1950’s, we never heard much public objection about Halloween being something evil. My parents sent me out with a shopping bag to go door-to-door “trick or treating” in my neighborhood. Hours later I’d come home loaded down with all kinds of goodies courtesy of kind and generous neighbors.

For us kids, it was the next best holiday, after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Oddly enough back then none of us really knew about or bothered to look into Halloween's origins. We dressed in costumes and did what everybody else did because it seemed harmless and it was fun.

Fast forward to a more enlightened age, Evangelical Christians today have brought the whole question of the observance of Halloween to the forefront of our collective conscious. Many churches have begun teaching its members about the dark and sinister meanings behind the observance of Halloween and what’s really behind it.

Here’s what some in Christian circles are saying about Halloween.

Elliott Watson in his article, “Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?” says:
“The origins of Halloween are Celtic in tradition and have to do with observing the end of summer sacrifices to gods in Druidic tradition. In what is now Britain and France, it was the beginning of the Celtic year, and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks. Believe it or not, most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to these old pagan rites and superstitions.

“Shock” is the only word to describe what I found. Halloween is a real, sacred day for those who follow Wicca. In fact, it is one of two high and holy days for them. The Celtic belief of spirits being released is current, along with the worship of Samhain (the lord of death) – both are promoted as something to embrace on that day. There is no question in my mind that to those who believe and follow the practices of witchcraft, Halloween represents an opportunity to embrace the evil, devilish, dark side of the spiritual world.”

Weighing in with another viewpoint William J. Schnoebelen says:
“If you are a Christian parent, God has given you a precious responsibility in your children. Remember, their ability to resist spiritual wickedness is much less than yours. If you allow your children to participate in Halloween (Trick or Treating, costume parties, etc.) you are allowing them to play on "the devil's turf," and Satan will definitely press his home court advantage. You are opening up doorways into their young lives for evil by bringing them into a kind of "fellowship" with these ancient "gods."

We are commanded not to become involved with the unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:11). Both from my experience as a witch, and since getting saved, as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have seen far too many examples of how breaking this command works out in lives. Remember, while we have God's promise of protection for ourselves and our children, that promise may not hold if we allow our children to celebrate this dark holiday. Case after case has come to us of children in rebellion. In many of these families, the problem can be traced back to the children being exposed to Halloween at a young age. It is hard enough to raise children these days in a Godly way without exposing them to Satan's realm. “

Others say Christians should simply turn this “hollow” day back on itself and emphasize the good that can come out of it.

Grace Communion International church suggests another approach to Halloween:
“The issue of whether to celebrate Halloween in any way is usually only a question for parents who have small children. Retailers advertise Halloween as a time of great fun for kids, so they naturally want to participate in trick-or-treat walkabouts, don spooky clothing and visit local “haunted house” stations provided by some merchants or involve themselves in other related activities.

For parents who don’t want their children involved in such things, they might consider having a home party with other parents and children that don’t involve Halloween-type festivities. Some churches offer an evening get-together for children and parents, with fun Bible-centered games and party snacks.”

The Care Ministry of Christ’s Journey Church offers another alternative viewpoint:
“Jesus teaches that evil is a personal matter rising from within a person’s heart, not ingested through participation in a practice deemed demonic. Without doubt, for those who believe in witchcraft and follow evil practices, Halloween represents a day to celebrate the demonic and dark spiritual forces, which scripture teaches are in the world and also in people’s hearts. Because of Christ, those dark spiritual forces are not alive in my heart, which is why I see no problem in participating in an alternate Halloween celebration of pure, innocent fun. Why ignore a major holiday that exists around us? Let’s take the perspective of Joseph in Genesis 50: What Satan intends to harm, we will “use for good to accomplish the saving of many lives.”

We can counter the evil influences of Halloween by joining together in an alternative environment to celebrate the joyous, fearless life we live in Christ. As Bill taught this month, “the company of the committed” can mount an offensive strategy, intentionally using Halloween to invite others who may not be in a personal relationship with Jesus to UBC’s Block Party or a Neighborhood Block Party you host. In summary, I believe Christians are free to use Halloween as an opportunity to promote relationships with those inside and outside of our faith, while modeling the abundant life Jesus came to give us.”

Regardless of which position you hold on the subject, this truth is certain --- Jesus stood up to evil and won. The Bible tells every Christian to overcome evil by doing good. When we stand our ground against Satan, he will flee from us. As Christians, we have the authority and the power to overcome whatever Satan throws at us. Halloween and all it represents is no exception. Instead of shunning it, why not transform October 31^st, into a day where Jesus Christ is the center of attention. Let’s lead by example by honoring Jesus in all we do every day.

Who wants to be a millionaire?

 

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil

Like the popular American TV show, the answer to this question is... nearly everybody.  Who hasn’t had dreams of striking it rich some day?  Such dreams entice millions of Americans to spend an estimated $160 billion a year in casinos and on state lotteries.  Sadly, for the majority of gamblers who throw hard earned money at games of chance, their big payday never comes.  And as for the fortunate few who beat the “millions to 1 odds” to win mega jackpots, winning may change their life, but not always for the better.

Money is no guarantee of happiness.  In fact, the Bible warns against what it calls “the lure of riches,” which can blind you to the things in life that really matter. The story is told of a rich man who was so wealthy that he kept building bigger barns to hold all of his wealth. One day, while he was admiring his possessions, he remarked to himself, “Friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” When God heard him, God said to the rich man, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?”

What profit is there in gaining the whole world if you lose your soul? In light of eternity, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. God desires to have a personal relationship with you. He promises that if you put him first, he will supply everything else you need.

It’s a sure bet that no one will leave this life alive. Everyone living at this moment in time will one day face death. But it doesn’t have to end there. God’s gift to the world is eternal life (Romans 6:23). But you must be willing to turn your life over to Jesus and let him call all the shots. Salvation is not a gamble. It's a free gift from God to anyone who wants it. Through faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you can receive your free gift right now by praying this simple prayer:

 Dear God, I accept your gift of salvation through Jesus Christ as the pardon for my sins.  I have sinned against you and I am truly sorry. By faith, I ask Jesus to come into my heart and help me to live the rest of my life for you.

If you said this prayer from your heart, your odds of winning at life have just increased. God has accepted you into his family. Contact a Christian ministry in your area or online for the next step toward your new life in Christ.