Decision Time...
...Will You Surrender?
The surrender of your life to Jesus is the MOST IMPORTANT decision of your life...
...it surpasses...
...by far...
...all others you will ever make.
There are a few monumental decisions...
...or choices...
...you and I can make in this life...
...that affect the ultimate outcome of our existence.
For example...
...the choice of whether or not to get married and...
...if you decide to do so...
...to which individual of the millions "available?"
Or...
...how about your career, or...
...whether or not to continue your education beyond high school?
Perhaps...even...
...the decision to stay in high school...
...rather than drop out.
Lifestyle choices...as well...
...will not only be a factor in the outcome of your life...
...but, can dramatically affect the quality of your life.
Examples of some of these lifestyle choices include...
...but are not limited to...
...food, drink, exercise, sexual activity, leisure activities...
...and so on.
These are some of the most "critical" choices you have to make...
...early on in your life.
They tend to point you in a particular direction...
...that can ultimately become the road...
...to your final destination...
...your destiny.
OR not...
You CAN Change Your Mind
These decisions are not necessarily "set in stone"...right?
I mean, there's some that should be...like marriage.
Marriage is supposed to be a life-long commitment...
...but take a look around...
...that's just not the case for far too many.
But, even the decision to divorce becomes just another choice...
...in the midst of a myriad of other decisions that must be made.
For the most part...
...every decision you make...
...(that doesn't end in death)...
...is not necessarily permanent.
If you want to...
...you can change your mind...
...and pick another option.
You can decide to change careers...or...
...decide to start eating right and exercising...etc.
Some of those new decisions...
...can turn your life in a completely different direction...
...can't they?
It's my personal opinion...
...that those kinds of decisions...
...(the ones that bring significant change your life)...
...are the most profound.
They can keep life fresh...
...exciting...
...and challenging.
Change Can Be Good...Sometimes, VERY Good.
The interesting thing is...though...
...you don't always know...
...which options are going to be life-changing.
Quite often...
...you just step out in faith...
...and take it all "as it comes."
I would have to say that...
...more often than not...
...it's those decisions...
...(where you're not sure of the outcome)...
...that become the "life-changers."
However...
...I would have to say...
...that you and I would normally prefer...
...to know the initial outcome of our choices...
...before we make them.
So...
...we tend to "weigh" our options...
...and predict the most likely outcome of each...
...and make our decision based upon desired results.
Quite often it's just a guess...
...but it can be an intelligent guess.
So...
...what...exactly...is the intended outcome...
...of almost all of your decisions?
More often than not...
...the desired outcome is your happiness...
...right?
I Just Want To Be Happy
Whenever you come to a "fork in the road"...
...where you have a personal decision to make...
...(even if it's choosing to do nothing)...
...the main criteria for making the decision is most often...
..."What do I want...
....what's going to make me happy?"
That's not always the case...I know...
...there are some individuals...
....who base their choices on other people's happiness.
But...
...even those folks...
...receive personal satisfaction and joy in the process.
So...for the most part...
..."I just want to be happy"...
...rules the day.
OK...now...
...think back to some of the most important decisions...
...you've ever had to make.
What guidelines did you use to make your selections?
What did you choose to do...
...and why?
How did it turn out?
Was it everything you hoped it would be...
...perhaps more?
Or...was it a disappointment...
...maybe even something you regretted?
Life Goes On
No matter how it turned out...
...here you are.
For better or for worse...
...you are still here...
...ready to take on more options!
Life goes on...my friend.
Till the day you die...
...you will have decisions to make.
And...
....the outcome of your life is a product of them all.
What Are You Getting At?
What I am trying to convey to you here...is...
...there will come a day when you and I die...my friend.
And...
...we don't know when that time will be.
It could be in an instant.
Who knows?
But...
...once you're dead...
...your decision making days are over.
Do not be misled...
..."It is appointed unto man...once to die...
...and then the resurrection."
Every single human being...
...that ever lived...
...will be resurrected to live forever.
You see...
...death is only a door to eternity...
...your destiny...
...and mine.
We all have a date with destiny.
However...
...there are two ways to spend eternity.
This is extremely important...friend.
It's YOUR Decision
When God came to earth in the form of a man...
...Jesus......he lived a perfect life...
...and died a cruel death at the hands of wicked men...
...(more choices).
He paid the penalty of death...
...(as required by God,s holiness)...
for all humankind...
...so you and I could be with Him...
...in His kingdom
(see "Jesus: The Son of God).
After He died...
...He came back to life three days later...
...He was resurrected!
Jesus is alive...my friend...
...and He is your only choice...
...if you want to live forever in His kingdom.
Your only other option...
...is to refuse to acknowledge Him as Lord of your life...
...(at which point you will still be alive forever)...
...but NOT in the kingdom of heaven...
...God's kingdom.
You must understand...my friend...
...there is another place...
...(that has been prepared by God)...
...that is not meant for you and I.
There are several different names for it...
...but, the name you will most likely recognize is...
...hell.
It is designed to "contain" the evil...
...that has positioned itself against God.
Hell...
...and the "lake of fire"...
...has been prepared for satan and his demons.
NOT humankind.
However...
...if you or I...refuse God's gift of eternal life...
...through the death of His Son...Jesus...
...it is a personal decision to not enter heaven.
And...
...there is only ONE other option.
You see...
...the choice is yours...
...and mine.
We can choose the kingdom of God...
...(on His terms)...
...or...
...we choose the only other option.
Whether by refusal...or by default...
...(indecision is a choice)...
...the decision is yours...
...and mine...
...to make.
All who go to this place of torment...
...(Jesus describes it as place where...
...there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth")...
...will go there by their own decision.
THIS DECISION IS PERMANENT...
...ETERNAL...
...EVERLASTING...
...NEVER ENDING...
...FOREVER.
My dear friend...
...this is the ONLY decision...
...YOU MUST GET RIGHT...
...because in the end...
...nothing else matters.
ARE YOU READY?
At first...
...I was going to apologize...
...for the bluntness of my communication regarding this matter...
...but I can't.
I care about you...friend.
I don't want you to miss it.
Don't pass up this...perhaps...
...once in a lifetime opportunity.
You see...
...you may never come this way again.
You have come to a crossroads...here.
You have a decision to make...
...right now.
This goes...
...infinitely beyond...
...any other difficult decision you will ever have to make.
It all comes down to a child-like step of faith.
However...
...if you're needing more information...
...regarding anything I have said...
...I have a "Resource" page...
...where I have put together information from the Word of God...
...regarding critical points.
Go to "Saved" Resource Page
There are also many wonderful churches...
...where you could search for answers...
...from pastors, teachers, parishioners, and so on.
Just make sure they are a God-fearing...
...Bible-believing church...so you won't be mislead.
If you are uncomfortable with that...
...begin a quest for the truth...
...and don't stop until you find it.
If you have questions...
...you can also correspond with me...
...I will help you any way I can.
(See contact info below.)
But...
...if you're ready...
...RIGHT NOW...
...to surrender your life to Jesus, the Son of God...
...to gain entrance into His kingdom...
...and receive ALL of His wonderful blessings...
...and promises...
...I want you to pray with me.
The following prayer must be prayed from the heart...
...from deep within you...
...you must mean every word you say.
THE PRAYER
Before we start...
...Jesus said that when we pray...
...we should pray to the Father...
...through the son...
...so...
...when you pray...
...focus your thoughts on God the Father...
...but pray to Him...
...in the name of Jesus...
...(it was through His death that you will be heard by God).
Don't get hung up on this...
...I'm just explaining why I've worded the prayer as I have...
...it is intentional.
OK...ready?
It's decision-time.
:)
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Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to you in Jesus' name...knowing that He died for me.
In Your great love...You gave Your life for me...
...and now I am ready to give my life to You.
I know I'm not perfect...
...and I'm sorry for the things I've done wrong.
I know I can't make it to heaven on my own...
...so I'm asking You...
...in Jesus' name...
...to adopt me as Your child.
Please come into my heart...
...and live inside me by Your Holy Spirit...
...and make me more and more like you everyday.
I AM YOURS.
I surrender my life to You.
In Jesus' name I pray...
...Amen.
****************************************
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WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!
My friend...
...if you prayed that prayer...
...and meant every word of it...
...you have been forgiven by God...
...and He welcomes you to His family!
The Bible says that the angels in heaven rejoice...
...(they have a celebration)...
...every time a lost child comes home.
"I once was lost...
...but now I'm found."
You've come...
...HOME.
Now...
...this is just the beginning...
...of a fantastic journey of amazing discoveries...
...and challenges.
Remember...
..."The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
You have taken that first step.
Right now...
...you are just a "baby" in the family of God...
...and you need nourishment.
You get that nourishment in several different ways.
First...
...it's important to read the Bible...
...everyday...
...even if it's for fifteen minutes.
Read it.
This is the Word of God.
Jesus said...
..."Man cannot live by bread alone...
...but by every Word out of the mouth of God."
Begin in the New Testament and start with the "book" of John.
While you're reading...
...ask God to help you understand what it is you're reading...
...He WILL help you
through the Holy Spirit who now lives in you.
This is real...my friend.
The Bible says that you become the "temple" of His Spirit.
He comes to live inside you!
(Read the page at the link above.)
Also...
...it is very important...
...to get involved with a "community" of believers...
...(people who have given their life to God...just like you).
These communities are called churches...
...as I'm sure you well know.
Make sure it is a "Christian" church.
A good place to start might be a non-denominational church.
A non-denominational church...
...will have a more relaxed atmosphere...
...and be more "comfortable" for a new believer...
...like yourself.
Get Involved!
Get involved in a Bible study as soon as possible.
This can help you get a good start.
You need continuous nourishment.
Pray every day.
Talk to God about everything.
He LOVES to hear from you!
Talk to him like you would your most trusted friend...
...because that's what He is.
There May Be Days
You may have some days...
...when you struggle with the reality...
...of what you just did today.
That is normal...but...
...you must REFUSE DOUBT.
My friend...
...it is by FAITH...
...that you have been adopted into God's family.
It is God's gift to you...
...don't let ANYTHING take that gift away from you.
Let Me Tell You A Story
There is a "story" in the Bible...
...told by Jesus...
...called the "Parable of the Sower."
I've put it on "The Seed" page.
I would like you to read it...
...and then...
...ask yourself where you believe you are in this story.
It will make you think...
...as it should.
So...
...go there now...
...and...
...as always...
...blessings to you...
...my friend!
-- Pilgrim
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Go to "The Seed"
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TALK TO ME!
If you prayed this prayer...
...please...
...let me know.
Or...
...if you would like to comment on anything on this Web site...
...please use the form below to correspond with me.
Perhaps...
...you just have a question...
....or would like some help locating a good church.
I'll do what I can to help!
By using the form below...
...you agree to allowing me to use any of your comments...
...or questions...
...on this Web site or The Overcomer e-zine... ...(newsletter)...
...so others might benefit from your input.
*******************************************************
Be sure to go to "The Seed" to start "growing" right away!
Blessings, blessings...and more blessings to you...
...my friend...
(and family member?)
Go to "the Seed"
Go to "Saved" Reference Page
Leave " Surrender Is a Decision" and return to Home Page
Go to "Jesus: The Son of God"
Go to the "Holy Spirit: The Breath of God"
Subscribe To The Overcomer E-zine Here
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