When I was a child I had a number of attacks that looking back were likely demons that tried to take my life through people.
One was a neighborhood sodomite named Russell C.
I was walking home from a friend's house as a small child. He and his sodomite family member were walking in the same direction past our house when I got to my yard he threw me over a hill headlong into a gas meter for no known reason.
He slit my scalp open and gave me a concussion. As a young adult I wanted nothing to do with the sodomites in business or school because they were a violent and immoral people.
I left off mentioning a my initiation into Transcendental Meditation aka TM. I was around 8 or 9 years old when I asked a family member why she had a sign on her door, do not disturb, meditating. She told me she had a mantra she repeated endlessly, but was forbidden to tell anyone what it was. I was led to my first meeting that cost me my weekly allowance for each class. After many weeks taught that it was a scientifically "proven" technique to bring peace, relaxation, enlightenment and other buzz words, came the last class. This was the class where I would be given a sacred word and become one of their cult.
I was led into a forbidden room where nobody but the teachers were allowed. It was dark and I could barely see. There was a counter surrounding the room with candles and incense burning. Once my eyes adjusted, I saw the images next to the candles and burning incense. They were hideous statues with the faces of devils. I was told to kneel down in front of one and chant the new word over and over to it.
It was a terrorizing experience!
I'm glad it was so creepy and frightening because I never went back again. I gave up TM, but was curious what the secret word meant. Eventually I found a publication with the list of mantras written in Sanskrit. The word was not just an ancient word. It was the name of a false God, a demon! The teachers, disciples of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi deceived us into calling upon/summoning demons and using the official technique, meditation to invite them to possess us. after that, my Mom's second husband nearly killed me and came // close to blowing my head of with a shotgun.
I went to a lot of different churches growing up and was wondering what is required to go to Heaven when I die. I had already had many close calls by the time I was a teenager.
Perhaps you have that question too.
Every church I recall told us we had to do good works to get to Heaven. Living a life of good certainly improves our lives in so many ways. That's why the Lord gave His people instructions on how to please Him and appropriate behavior that makes life much better. However, those good works must be differentiated from His requirement for salvation.
One day a man knocked on my door and cared enough to ask me if I were to die today, if I was 100% sure if I would go to Heaven?
Considering the many close calls I had growing up, some which I have not mentioned, I thought it was something that was important to learn. He was from an independent/non-denominational Baptist church.
I was of the opinion that God had scales in Heaven weighing our good and bad.
I'm glad that he showed me from the Bible where I had been mistaken.
We all know that Jesus paid for ALL of our sins, past present and future. He suffered crucifixion on the cross, was buried in the tomb and arose the third day.
The part that I was confused about was my part. What did I have to do to be saved?
Some churches led me to believe that I had to do good works, sacraments, turning from/ quit sinning, clean up my life, get baptized, etc. Those are all good works.
The verse God made extra clear to me was where I was wrong. I was trusting in my good works.
Ephesians 2:8
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Grace is God's kindness that we do not earn or deserve.
Faith is a trust spoken about in
John 3:16 KJV and uses the word believe. Jesus is the sole Object of that trust and it's not in ourselves.
Salvation is the gift from God.
God the Father so loved the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son.
The Son gave His life in atonement for our sins, not we ourselves.
We receive it by His grace through faith in Jesus.
Salvation is not earned by any of our works.
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
I am so very grateful that he shared that important fact with me. I had the cart before the horse. I was misled to think growing up that all the commands in the Bible applied to salvation when in fact we all have broken many commands.
Revelation 21:8 KJV lists sins like fear and lying as those who shall go to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone.
I've certainly told lies before, been fearful and unbelieving in Christ. Have you ever done any of those? According to God's word, where do we deserve to go, Heaven or Hell?
That's a humbling thing, but before anyone can be saved, they need to acknowledge this fact.
The way I was wrongly taught growing up a Catholic and some protestant churches, was that my good works had to be added to what Jesus already did, as if His sacrifice was not enough. It's the pride of man that exalts his own good works as we know that when it comes to getting saved,
"all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."
Isaiah
That means we are already condemned to Hell.
John 3:18,
36
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
People trust in their own ways to be saved and as sincere as they are, they are sincerely wrong. That goes for many ministers too.
But notice that Salvation from sins and the consequences of going to Hell/condemnation has been paid in full. How do we receive that gift that Jesus paid for when He suffered in our place, died and arose the third day?
It is told to us exactly 100 times in the gospel of John.
Believe is the word. This word does not just mean to know about Him, it means to trust because we are saved by His grace through faith.
The object of that is Who?
Jesus Christ Who is absolute perfect God and Man.
He is the only One qualified to pay for sins. As man He could suffer and die in our place to save us from death in Hell. As God, He is the One Who brings us peace and life with the Father.
We must acknowledge the fact that He is able and WILL do what He promises by imparting to us His gift of everlasting life.
The gift has been paid in full and we add nothing to it at all.
He offers it to you now and I will lead you in a simple prayer to Him, asking for that.
Dear Jesus,
I am a sinner in need of salvation. I deserve the punishment of Hell, but thank You for suffering torture and dying for me. I know that You were buried in a tomb and arose the third day.
I know that my good works can Not save or add anything to that.
I'm deciding right now to trust You alone to save me and take me to Heaven whenever I die.
Thank You for Your promise and gift of Everlasting Life.
Amen
11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
I John 5
