When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.  -Matt 12:43-45 NIV

This scripture is a picture of the person who has just been set free from a demon but they are still spiritually empty (without Christ). We need the Holy Spirit to dwell with us to help us remain free from evil spirits. To do this, we must be saved, or born again.

If you are not already saved, (having accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour) it is highly recommended that you turn to God and ask Him to save you.

Most people believe in heaven. Fewer believe in hell. Yet Jesus spoke more about hell than he did about heaven, in the Scriptures.

Given the choice, most people want to go to heaven when they die. When asked why they deserve to go to heaven, most answer in a similar way: "I'm a good person. I live by the golden rule. I'm not perfect, but I do my best."

There are many people in churches who will not enter heaven. Why? Because they rely on their church membership and attendance as their way to heaven. Many rely on a particular religion as their ticket to heaven, but it just doesn't work. Millions are attempting to enter heaven by their own rules. But God has made the way very clear. It's His way or no way!

So, what is God's way?

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." -John 3:3

It's that simple! You must be born again! So how do we get "born again?" What does it all mean?

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." -Romans 10:8-11

As I've already stated, many people make up their own rules for entering heaven, and they all think they can get there by their own good works. See what the Scripture says:

For 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

It can't be made any clearer than that! We are saved (or born again) through faith, not good works. We talk about "self-righteous" people, but offering God our own good works as our means of entering His heaven, is to present Him with our own self-righteousness. And the Bible tells us that our righteousness is like filthy rags! (Isaiah 64:6) So if you want to stand before Him on Judgment Day and toss a pile of filthy rags in His face, go ahead - tell Him how good you are and see what happens.

Nowhere in the Bible will you find it that obedience to the law (Ten Commandments) will get you into heaven. See what the Scriptures say:

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." -Gal 3:10-13

By now it should be perfectly clear that we are saved through faith, not by works. God has declared that all people are sinners. If we say we are not sinners, we make God out to be a liar.

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." -Romans 3:10, 23

You see, it's sin that keeps us out of heaven. No matter how good you are, you will be a sinner until the day you die. By that time, it's too late to do anything to have God accept you. So where do we go from here?

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -Romans 5:8

There it is! Jesus Christ has paid for all sin by shedding His own blood for us! Somebody had to pay the price for sin, because God demands it. We cannot pay the price ourselves, and God does not ask us to. So salvation through faith, comes from believing that Jesus died for our sins and that the Father resurrected Him from the dead. Just like the Scripture said earlier, if we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths (to God) we will be saved! All God is asking of us, is to believe that He has done all that is necessary for our salvation. We can add nothing to what God has done. That's why it's so offensive to God when we quote our own righteous deeds and try to add them to what He has already done.

So where do we get all this information, and why should we believe it?

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. -2 Tim 3:16-17

"God-breathed" means that Scripture was given us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Bible was written by men, but under God's supervision.

Take away the Bible, and what do you have left? You are left to guess whether or not you will make it to heaven, and that is precisely where most people are at right now. They hope that when they die, they will make it into heaven. But see what the Scripture says:

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. -1st John 5:13

God has not left us guessing about our salvation. I underlined a portion of the above Scripture to emphasize the fact that we may know, not guess, we have eternal life.

Why are so many people relying on obeying the Ten Commandments for their salvation, when it won't work? It's because of their ignorance of God's Word, the Bible.

The Ten Commandments are known as "the law." They were given to us so that we would know what we are doing wrong. God calls us "sinners" and we may ask "Why? What have I done wrong?" So God has given us a list of our wrong-doings, but He never told us to obey them for our salvation. In truth, He knows we cannot obey them all the time, and it only takes one sin to make us a sinner.

See what Scripture says about the law:

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. -Rom 3:19-28

If you now want to be saved

Pray this simple prayer: "Lord God, I confess that I am a sinner. I believe that you sent your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins. I believe that you resurrected Him from the dead. I repent of my sins and ask you to forgive me and come into my heart, and live in me. Please save me, for your sake. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen."

Is that it? Is that all I had to do to gain eternal life? Yes! Now, through Christ, you have a relationship with God the Father. You see, God loves you unconditionally and wants to save you, not stomp on you for every little thing you do wrong. God is a God of love and mercy, not hatred and vengeance.

At the moment you finished praying the sinner's prayer, God sealed you with the Holy Spirit until the day you die. You now belong to Him, and nobody can snatch you from His hand. This is where you begin your walk with God.

The Bible tells us that our name is now written down in the Book of Life. On Judgment Day, whoever's name was not found in the Book of Life, was cast into the Lake of Fire. -Revelation 20:12, 15

If you prayed the sinner's prayer, see what is happening in heaven, right now.

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. -Luke 15:7

Can you imagine a party going on in heaven, over little ol' you? Great stuff, ain't it?

You don't want to make your decision right now?

We are given only a short time on earth to make our decision for Christ. All we need to do to end up in hell, is........ nothing!

It's up to you. If death suddenly takes you (auto accident, heart attack, etc.), you will have to face the consequences for ever. It's too late to make a decision after your death. Tomorrow comes with no guarantee.

Why so many religions? And why is Christianity the only right one? 

Satan, the devil, likes it that people have many religions because they think religion will save them. Many people are relying on being a Baptist or a Catholic or some other religion to get them to heaven. Denominations often cause division, not unity. In fact, a denomination is a division! Wars have been fought over religion (such as the Crusades), but none of this is from God.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, dying for our sins, there was a thief next to him on another cross. This thief was a criminal, not a church-goer. He had never been a religious man and had not been baptized. It seems a little late to "get right with God," but he turned to Jesus and said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." In reply, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:42, 43). Religion? Good works? Church membership? No, God took that thief into heaven because of his faith in what Jesus was doing.

The Bible tells us that there is no other name (other than "Jesus") by which we will be saved (Acts 4:12). So, Mohammed, Allah, Buddha, Krishna....... none of these beings can save anyone. God said, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end its ways lead to death." -Proverbs 14:2

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6

What about loved ones who have died?

Nobody but God can know the spiritual condition of a person. If a person believes in their heart that Christ died for them, but has never made a show of it, he/she still has salvation. It is their faith by which they are saved, not the showing of their faith.

If a loved one has died without Christ, and gone to hell, surely he/she would want their friends and relatives on earth to know about salvation through Christ, so that they won't also go to hell. They would not want you to join them in such torment, therefore you need Jesus.

If the loved one has gone to heaven, he/she would want you to join them there, so you need Jesus.

Do we become angels when we die?

Absolutely not! There is no justification for this teaching. The Bible tells us that we are created a little lower than the angels, yet we shall judge them. Angels are God's messengers, not spirits of dead people.

Indeed, the Bible makes it clear that we shall receive new bodies. We will still be who we are, but with a brand-new, indestructible body - free of pain and suffering for ever. We will know our loved ones in heaven.

The mysteries of life and death

There is no mystery to life and death. But there is ignorance. The Scriptures tell us:

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." -1st Thessalonians 4:13,14)

The majority of people are ignorant of what will happen to them at death. It's something we don't really want to think about, and often times we live as though we will live forever. We hope we will make it into heaven, but hopes often go unfulfilled. But the hope of heaven will not go unfulfilled for the person who has received Jesus Christ as their Saviour. It's guaranteed!

"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" -1st Corinthians 15:54,55

There is no fear of death (or of being dead) for the person who trusts in Christ. Martin Luther, a Catholic monk (1483 -1546) from whom came the Reformation, wrote those words, above, in his famous hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is our God." Luther discovered for himself that salvation is a free gift of God, and that it cannot be obtained through our good works

There are so many wonderful things to know about God and how much He loves you, that it would take many volumes to tell. But you can discover them for yourself in Bible reading and prayer. You'll even find yourself wondering how you managed to live so long without Him. In truth, you didn't. He has always been there, waiting for you to come to Him.