THE SINNER'S PRAYER


 

THE SINNER’S PRAYER

 

I once knew an elderly lady who was very hardened… blunt and gruff.

Having spent most of her life in and around the rough newspaper business with her father, she had no great trust in anyone or anything.

Something had happened and she was placed in a hospice care facility… not expected to last long.

Figuring this was my last opportunity to “get her born again” I dropped in for a visit.

I pulled out all the familiar witnessing approaches… which were brushed off with all the polite language of an old sailor.

When the conversation was turned to “a loving Heavenly Father”, she countered with how stern and unyielding her own father was and the harshness of her upbringing in the Catholic Church...

…and she had no use for a God always watching for us to step out of line.

She finally stated that she had done so much evil in her life that it was hopeless to think God would ever forgive, let alone receive HER.

 

At the end of all my arsenal, I simply blurted out, “Do you believe God raised Jesus from the dead?”

She replied, “Of course I do!”

 

Can you say, “Jesus Christ is Lord”?

“Well, of course I can!”

 

“Well… go ahead… say it!”

“Jesus Christ is Lord… Oh, my God… what just happened?”

Broken, she began to sob.

 

I gently explained, “It says, ‘that if you CONFESS with your mouth the LORD JESUS

…and BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART that God has raised Him from the dead…

…you will be saved.’” (Rom10:9)

“…What you are feeling right now is the love of your Heavenly Father”

 

I quietly excused myself to let her experience the deep love of her Father she had never before encountered.

 

She passed away a week or so later… at peace.

 

Acts16:30-31 “…Sirs, what must I do to BE SAVED? And they said,

BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,

AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED,

and thy house.”

“WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED. (Rom10:13KJV)

 

The Lord makes it so simple.

                  We are the ones who complicate it.

He bypasses our mind and goes straight for the heart…

                  …often while we are still trying to figure it out.

 

There is no formula… no confessing ALL your sins… or stopping them

…no SINNER’S PRAYER…

 

But, rather…

…a simple cry of your heart reaching to the LORD

 

Because, as He said in Isa65:24NKJV

"…before they call, I will answer;

…And while they are still speaking, I will hear.”


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