وجبـــــــة روحيـــــ(†)ــــــــــة يوميـــــــــة

[Mary Naeem]

المجد لك يا أبي القدير الكريم






لقد اعطيتني أمل عندما لم يكن هناك اي امل.
اعطيتني قوة عندما تلاشت حلولي.

لقد باركتني بالنعمة وسكبت محبتك في قلبي من خلال روحك القدوس ،

هبتك التي منحتني اياها من فوق.

من أجل محبتك، و نعمتك، و غفرانك، و خلاصك، وروحك أمجدك.
في اسم يسوع. آمين.

[Mary Naeem]

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ بُطْرُسُ :

«تُوبُوا وَلْيَعْتَمِدْ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى اسْمِ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ

لِغُفْرَانِ الْخَطَايَا، فَتَقْبَلُوا عَطِيَّةَ الرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ.
أعمال الرسل 38:2










هناك وعد لجميع الناس في كل مكان:

الذين يرفعون قلوبهم إلى الله ويثقون في يسوع كاله لهم ومخلصهم،
سوف يمتلئون بروح الله وتغفر لهم خطاياهم

بسبب اسم يسوع المسيح القدير و عمله الكريم .
لذا فمثل التلاميذ الاوائل، فلنشارك هذه النعمة
لكي يعرف العالم ان يسوع ليس رب فقط،

بل هو أيضاً المخلص والملك لكل من يسمع نداء الله ويثق به.

[Mary Naeem]

لأن ليس لنا رئيس كهنة غير قادر أن يرثي لضعفاتنا
بل مجرب في كل شيء مثلنا, بلا خطية
عب ظ¤ : ظ،ظ¥


طالما يقودنا روح الله فنحن غالبين

قال الرب يسوع له المجد : ( ثقوا انا قد غلبت العالم )

- وهكذا يعظم انتصارنا بالذي احبنا
الله يريدنا ان نحيا فى اطهاره ومحبه ورحمه

[Mary Naeem]

" لا أخاف شراً لأنكَ أنتَ معى ،
عصاك وعكازك هما يعزياننى "
(يوئيل 4:23)

[Mary Naeem]

القديس غابريال لسيّدة الأوجاع

وُلد في 1 آذار 1838، في أسيزي- إيطاليا، بلدة القديس الكبير “فرنسيس الأسيزي”، فسُمّي على اسمه “فرنشيسكو”. نال معموديّته في اليوم نفسه، في الكنيسة نفسها التي اعتمد فيها هذا القديس.
عَرف غايرياليه الألم منذ نعومة أظافره، إذ شهد على وفاة أختين له وأمّه اللواتي توفّين تباعاً، وما لبثت أن توفّيت أختٌ ثالثة بعد فترةٍ وجيزةٍ، وهو لا يزال في الرابعة من عمره. ثمّ توفّي أخوَين آخرَين بعد بضع سنوات. (إثنين من إخوته ترّهبا ونالوا سرّ الكهنوت)

ترك مشهد أمّه المنازعة تأثّرًا عميقًا في حياته، وصورةً لأمّ الأوجاع “مريم العذراء” تحت الصليب. فحمل في قلبه منذ الصغر، إكرامًا وحبًا فريديَن للعذراء مريم…

لم تكن طفولته ملائكيّة عجائيبّة، بل مرحةً ولا تخلو من النواقصَ والهفوات. في عمر الثالثة عشر، أُصيب فجأةً بمرضٍ خطير كالذي أَودى بحياة إخوته، حتّى لامس الموت. فوعد الرب بدخول الدير في حال أنعمَ عليه بنعمة الشفاء، فنال مَطلبه وشُفي.

لكنّ حبّه للعالم وأباطيله أخمدا في قلبه هذا الوعد ! فأخذ يقرأ الكُتب والأشعار الرومانسيّة بإسراف، حتّى الإدمان، بالإضافة الى الفن المسرحيّ والرقص، ليعترف مُتحسّرًا فيما بعد:
‘‘ أيُّ عمًى كنتُ فيه ! لم أعش إلّا مِن أجل الدّخان … إنّ الله- الكليّ القُدرة- كان يَنتظرني مُنذ زمنٍ بعيد، غير أنّي لم أعِره أيّ انتباه، بل بقيت تائهًا، أُهُينُه في العالم’’.

بعد ثلاث سنوات، أُصيب بالتهابٍ في الرّئتين، ومرّةً جديدة أشرف على الموت. فتوسّل نعمة الشفاء، واعدًا الربّ بدخول الدير إن شفي… وبعد أن حَصلت الأعجوبة الثانية في اليوم التالي، نسي وعده مِن جديد.

في صيف 1856، أقام سكّان “سبوليتو” (التي ترعرع وكبُر فيها) مسيرةً بأيقونة بيزنطيّة عجائبيّة لوالدة الإله، طالبين منها التدخّل لتضع حدًّا لمرض “الكوليرا” الذي فتك بالمدينة… شفت العذراء بعد هذه التضرّعات، كل الذين بُليوا بهذا المرض. ولم تُسجَّل بعدها أيّة إصابة جديدة !
بعد ثمانية أيّام، تحديدًا يوم 22 آب (الذي صار لاحقًا “عيد قلب مريم الطاهر” في الكنيسة) شارك “فرنشيسكو” بالمسيرة الثانية التي أُقيمت لِشُكر العذراء، وعندما اقتربت الأيقونة نحوه، دبّت الحياة فيها، ونظرت إليه العذراء وقالت له بصوتٍ داخليٍّ في قلبه: فرنشيسكو”، العالمُ ليس لكَ (…) أسرِع وترهّب!’’

بعد هذه الحادثة دخل دير الإبتداء، ولبس الثوب الرهبان، في عيد سيّدة الأوجاع 1856 واتّخذ اسم “غابرياليه لسيّدة الأوجاع -أو- للعذراء المتألّمة

منذ بداية حياته الرهبانيّة، أظهر “غابريال” تَصميمًا زاخِمًا في العمل على تحسين ذاته، واكتساب الفضائل فقهر رذائله وشهواته. وقد شهد معلّمه الأب نوربرتو (الذي كان مرشده خلال كلّ مسيرته الرّهبانية حتّى وفاته) أنّه: “لم يكن ليؤخّره أيّ شيءٍ في مسيرته نحو الكمال … وإذا حُرِم مِن التعزيات الحسيّة، مَلأ واجباته بالحرارة ذاتها وبسخاء القلب نفسه، من دون أن يستسلم أبدًا لتهاونٍ إراديٍّ (…) سألت نفسي مرّاتٍ عديدة، إن كان هناك من فضيلةٍ واحدةٍ لم تتألّق فيه، أو إن كان بإمكانه أن يمارس هذه الفضائل بكمالٍ أكبر، وكنتُ دومًا مضطرًا على الإيجابة بالنّفي !(…) “

وهذا ما يؤكّده ملف طلب تقديسه الذي رُفِع الى الفاتيكان، أنّ كلّ مُمارسته للفضيلة كانت بطوليّةً بالفعل، حتى يوم وفاته.

لطالما شعر “غابريال” أنّه سيموت شابًا. وإنّ إتّحاده العميق بالله واضطرام محبّته له، جعلاه يطلب منه نعمة الموت بمرض السّل، حتّى يتمكّن من أن يرفع تنهّداتٍ حبٍّ له، حتّى النفس الأخير، وكي لا يرتكب أيّ خطيئة صغيرة تجاه عزّته !
كان الأب نوربرتو، يأمره بأن يزيد على صلاته: “إن كان ذلك لمجدك يا ربّ، ولخير نفسي.”
وبعد أربع سنواتٍ من حياةٍ خدمةٍ ديريّة ودراسيّة مليئةٍ بالنشاط وبينما هو يحلم وينتظرُ بشوقٍ بأن يصير كاهنًا على مذبح الرّب، استجاب الرّب صلاته وأصيب بمرض السلّ في السنة الخامسة.
عندما طلب منه الاب نوربرتو أن يسأل الله نعمة الشفاء، قال له:
“إسمح لي أن أطلبَ ميتةً صالحة، لأنّ أخطار إهانته في هذه الحياة كثيرة …” تكبّد “غابرياليه” آلامًا شديدةً، غير أنها لم تستطع أن تُعكرّ صفو سلامه وفرحه، وأعلن في هذه المرحلة أنّ ألمه الوحيد كان انتظاره المُمِلّ (للموت) ! وعندما أُعلِم بضرورة مناولة القربان الأخيرة ونيله مسحة المرضى، إستنار وجهه بفرحٍ عجيبٍ، نصحه مُرشده بأن يعتدل بإظهاره.

أعلن ذات مرّةً بشجاعةٍ قائلًا:
“أتريدون أن تعلموا ما هو شعوري؟ إنّني أؤكّد لكم أنّ الموت لا يخيفني البتّة، بل إنّ السرور الذي أشعر به عندما أفكر به، هو ما يقلقني لكونه قد يحتوي على بعضٍ من حبّ الذات.”
في عشية 26 شباط 1862، ألمّت به تجارب الشيطان الأخيرة، فصرخ على فراش الألم ثلاثةً: “جراحُكَ يا رب، هي استحقاقاتي”.
في صباح اليوم التالي ضمّ على قلبه صورةً تمثّل المصلوب مع سلطانة الشهداء، وقبّلها وبلّلها بدموعه، مُتطلّعا الى العلى قائلًا: ” آه يا أمّي أسرعي” …
ثمّ أسلم “غالبريال الروح، في صباح 27 شباط 1862، عن عمرٍ الـ 24 سنة، وعلى وجهه ترتسمُ معالم الفرح والورع، مُحدّقًا نحو الأعالي، كأنّه يرى رؤيا سماوية… تمامًا كالقديسة تريزيا الطفل يسوع.
بعد وفاته بأعوامٍ قليلةٍ، انتشرت أخبار فضائله بسرعةٍ كبيرة في إيطاليا، وصارت الجموع تحتشد بالآلاف حول ضريحه في Isola Del Gran Sasso لأخذ البركة والصلاة وطلب النّعم. وحتّى الساعة، لا تزال تُسجّل عجائب وشفاءات لا تُحصى حول العالم بشفاعته.
أعلن البابا بيوس ال9 تطويبه في 31 أيار 1908، والبابا بنيدكتوس ال15 قداسته، يوم 13 أيار 1920، مع إعلان قداسة مارغريت ماري ألاكوك، فأي عنايةٍ إلهيّة هذه، أن يُعلن قديسًا مع رسولة القلب الأقدس، في عيد سيّدة فاطيما، التي في ذاك الظهور (13 أيار 1917) طلبت التكرّس لقلبها الطاهر، هي التي كلّمته يوم عيد قلبها؛ 22 آب 1856 ! هو الذي حمل اسم آلام قلبها، وعزّاه وتأمّل بفضائله ونِعمه، واتّحد به، ليتّحد بربّه يسوع وبآلامه الخلاصيّة ؟ عام 1926، أُعلن ” القديس غابريال” شفيع الشبيبة الكاثوليكيّة الإيطاليّة.

[Mary Naeem]

"Do you have eternal life?"

Answer: The Bible presents a clear path to eternal life. First, we must recognize that we have sinned against God: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We have all done things that are displeasing to God, which makes us deserving of punishment. Since all our sins are ultimately against an eternal God, only an eternal punishment is sufficient. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

However, Jesus Christ, the sinless (1 Peter 2:22), eternal Son of God became a man (John 1:1,14) and died to pay our penalty. "God demonstrates His love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ died on the cross (John 19:31-42), taking the punishment that we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21). Three days later He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), proving His victory over sin and death. "In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3).

By faith, we must change our mindset regarding Christ - who He is, what He did, and why - for salvation (Acts 3:19). If we place our faith in Him, trusting His death on the cross to pay for our sins, we will be forgiven and receive the promise of eternal life in heaven. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that anyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "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" (Romans 10:9). Faith alone in the finished work of Christ on the cross is the only true path to eternal life! "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, here is a sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. "God, I know that I have sinned against you and deserve punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness - the gift of eternal life! Amen!"

Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have read here? If so, please click on the "I have accepted Christ today" button below.

[Mary Naeem]

Got Forgiveness? How do I receive forgiveness from God?"

Answer: Acts 13:38 declares, "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you."

What is forgiveness and why do I need it?

The word "forgive" means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt. When we wrong someone, we seek their forgiveness in order for the relationship to be restored. Forgiveness is not granted because a person deserves to be forgiven. No one deserves to be forgiven. Forgiveness is an act of love, mercy, and grace. Forgiveness is a decision to not hold something against another person, despite what they have done to you.

The Bible tells us that we are all in need of forgiveness from God. We have all committed sin. Ecclesiastes 7:20 proclaims, "There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." First John 1:8 says, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." All sin is ultimately an act of rebellion against God (Psalm 51:4). As a result, we desperately need God’s forgiveness. If our sins are not forgiven, we will spend eternity suffering the consequences of our sins (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36).

Forgiveness – How do I get it?

Thankfully, God is loving and merciful – eager to forgive us of our sins! 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, "…He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God desires to forgive us, so He provided for our forgiveness.

The only just penalty for our sins is death. The first half of Romans 6:23 declares, "For the wages of sin is death…" Eternal death is what we have earned for our sins. God, in His perfect plan, became a human being – Jesus Christ (John 1:1,14). Jesus died on the cross, taking the penalty that we deserve – death. Second Corinthians 5:21 teaches us, "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment that we deserve! As God, Jesus’ death provided forgiveness for the sins of the entire world. 1 John 2:2 proclaims, "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." Jesus rose from the dead, proclaiming His victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:1-28). Praise God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the second half of Romans 6:23 is true, "…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Do you want to have your sins forgiven? Do you have a nagging feeling of guilt that you can’t seem to get to go away? Forgiveness of your sins is available if you will place your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior. Ephesians 1:7 says, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace." Jesus paid our debt for us, so we could be forgiven. All you have to do is ask God to forgive you through Jesus, believing that Jesus died to pay for your forgiveness – and He will forgive you! John 3:16-17 contains this wonderful message, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."

Forgiveness – is it really that easy?

Yes it is that easy! You can’t earn forgiveness from God. You can’t pay for your forgiveness from God. You can only receive it, by faith, through the grace and mercy of God. If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and receive forgiveness from God, here is a prayer you can pray. Saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Jesus Christ that can provide forgiveness of sins. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and to thank Him for providing for your forgiveness. "God, I know that I have sinned against You and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness! Amen!"

[Mary Naeem]

"I am a Muslim. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?"

Answer: People often follow the religion of their parents or culture, whether Muslim, Buddhist, or Catholic. But when we stand before God on Judgment Day, each person must give account for himself—whether he believed in God’s truth. But among so many religions, what is the truth? “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6).

True Christians are followers of Jesus. How could Jesus claim to be the one and only way to God the Father? Let’s find out in the Scripture, the Bible.

Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection

The Bible records how Jesus fulfilled prophecy when He was born to the virgin Mary. He grew up unique from any other human because He never sinned (1 Peter 2:22). Crowds flocked to hear His teaching and marvel at His miracles. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, and walked on water.

Of all people, Jesus did not deserve to die. Yet Jesus prophesied that He would be crucified and raised from the dead (Matthew 20:18-19). His words came to pass. Soldiers beat Jesus and put a crown of thorns on His head; people mocked and spit on Him; nails pierced His hands and feet into a wooden cross. Jesus had the power to save Himself, but He gave Himself, willingly dying on the cross (John 19:30). Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave!

Why the cross?
As a Muslim, you may ask, “Why would Allah allow His Prophet Isa to be mistreated and killed?” Jesus’ death was essential because . . .

• Every person is a sinner: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Whether dishonoring parents, telling a lie, failing to love God best, or disbelieving God’s Word, we each have sinned against the holy God.

• The punishment for sin is death: “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). God pours out His wrath against unbelieving sinners by separating them forever in hell (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9). As the just Judge, God will not overlook sin.

• We cannot save ourselves by good works: “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). This is a key difference between Christianity and Islam. Islam teaches that a person can earn paradise by keeping the Five Pillars. Even if possible to outweigh bad deeds with good deeds, the Bible teaches that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6b). Even one single sin makes a person guilty of breaking all God’s law (James 2:10). Sinful humans can do nothing to merit heaven.

• God sacrificed His Son for sinners: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God knew mankind’s sin kept them from heaven. God knew the only way the sin debt could be paid was by a perfect One paying the price of death. God knew He alone could pay such an infinite price. So God’s eternal plan was to send His Son Jesus to die in the believing sinner’s place.

Becoming a Christian
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31b).

As a Muslim, you may say, “Oh, I believe in Jesus. I believe Isa was a true teacher, a great prophet, and a good man.”

But you cannot say Jesus was a true teacher and yet deny His teaching that He is the only way, truth, and life (John 14:6). You cannot believe Jesus was a great prophet and yet reject His prophecy that He would die and rise again in three days (Luke 18:31-33). You cannot admit Jesus is a good man yet disbelieve His claim to be the Son of God (Luke 22:70; John 5:18-47).

You cannot consider becoming a Christian without realizing that Christianity excludes all other religions (Acts 4:12). The inescapable conclusion of Christianity is this: either Jesus bears your sin on the cross or you bear your sin in hell. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).

As you search the Bible, may God awaken your heart to turn from your sin and trust in Jesus. You may respond with a prayer like the one below. Remember, the prayer does not save you. God alone can save! But the prayer may be your expression of the faith God gives you in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Dear God, I grieve that I have sinned against You. As a sinner, I’m worthy of death in hell. But I believe You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for sin and rise from the dead in victory. I now turn from following my own sinful desires and from trying to reach heaven through my own works. I trust in the Lord Jesus alone as my Savior from sin. I love You, Lord, and submit myself to follow You by Your Word, the Bible. Amen!”

[Mary Naeem]

What are the four spiritual laws?"

Answer: The Four Spiritual Laws are a way of sharing the good news of the salvation that is available through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a simple way of organizing the important information in the Gospel into four points.

The first of the Four Spiritual Laws is, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 10:10 gives us the reason that Jesus came, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." What is blocking us from God’s love? What is preventing us from having an abundant life?

The second of the Four Spiritual Laws is, "Humanity is tainted by sin and is therefore separated from God. As a result, we cannot know God’s wonderful plan for our lives." Romans 3:23 affirms this information, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 gives us the consequences of sin, "the wages of sin is death." God created us to have fellowship with Him. However, humanity brought sin into the world, and is therefore separated from God. We have ruined the relationship with Him that God intended us to have. What is the solution?

The third of the Four Spiritual Laws is, "Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin. Through Jesus Christ, we can have our sins forgiven and restore a right relationship with God." Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 informs us of what we need to know and believe in order to be saved, "...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..." Jesus Himself declares that He is the only way of salvation in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." How can I receive this wonderful gift of salvation?

The Fourth of the Four Spiritual Laws is, "We must place our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to receive the gift of salvation and know God’s wonderful plan for our lives." John 1:12 describes this for us, "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." Acts 16:31 says it very clearly, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved!" We can be saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).

If you want to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior, say the following words to God. Saying these words will not save you, but trusting in Christ will! This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. "God, I know that I have sinned against you and deserve punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness - the gift of eternal life! Amen!"

[Mary Naeem]

"How do I get right with God?"

Answer: In order to get “right” with God, we must first understand what is “wrong.” The answer is sin. “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:3). We have rebelled against God’s commands; we “like sheep, have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6).

The bad news is that the penalty for sin is death. “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). The good news is that a loving God has pursued us in order to bring us salvation. Jesus declared His purpose was “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10), and He pronounced His purpose accomplished when He died on the cross with the words, “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

Having a right relationship with God begins with acknowledging your sin. Next comes a humble confession of your sin to God (Isaiah 57:15). “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:10).

This repentance must be accompanied by faith – specifically, faith that Jesus’ sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection qualify Him to be your Savior. “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” (Romans 10:9). Many other passages speak of the necessity of faith, such as John 20:27; Acts 16:31; Galatians 2:16; 3:11, 26; and Ephesians 2:8.

Being right with God is a matter of your response to what God has done on your behalf. He sent the Savior, He provided the sacrifice to take away your sin (John 1:29), and He offers you the promise: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

A beautiful illustration of repentance and forgiveness is the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). The younger son wasted his father’s gift in shameful sin (verse 13). When he acknowledged his wrongdoing, he decided to return home (verse 18). He assumed he would no longer be considered a son (verse 19), but he was wrong. The father loved the returned rebel as much as ever (verse 20). All was forgiven, and a celebration ensued (verse 24). God is good to keep His promises, including the promise to forgive. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

If you want to get right with God, here is a sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. "God, I know that I have sinned against You and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness – the gift of eternal life! Amen!"