What Should I Do Now I Am Born Again?

1. JOIN A CHURCH OF BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIANS

There are many Bible believing Christians all over the world. Not all churches believe that the Bible is the supernatural word of God, and do not interpret the Bible literally! Jesus did! Great care needs to be taken in choosing the right church!

This is very important, since you will rapidly find that, as a born again Christian, you are in a minority group! The Bible does encourage believers to meet together regularly (see Hebrews 10:25).

Please ask the Holy Spirit to help you, because your choice of church is extremely important. Also ask the advice of local believers.

Here are some things to look for in finding the right church for you.

A church that places the authority of the Bible above everything else

This is NOT an easy thing to discern! You do need help on this! A good test would be to try to discover where the proposed church stands doctrinally on:

- The Supernatural Inspiration of the Bible.
- The Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
- The existence of Satan.
- The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- The existence of Heaven and Hell.
- The Creation by God of the entire Universe.
- Jesus Christ's requirement for us to be born again.
- Believer's Baptism in water.
- The Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
- The Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
- Regular plans for evangelism.
- A desire to support the poor and needy in the world.
- The place of Israel in God's purposes.
- Sex outside marriage.
- Abortions.

The Bible is perfectly clear on all of these issues, but there are large number of churches that interpret the Bible in a different way. For example, the Bible is very clear about sex outside marriage, but many churches avoid discussing this, for fear of upsetting people.

Other excellent qualities, consistent with New Testament teachings, are:

- A welcoming church.
- A church that provides good Bible based teaching.
- A church that has a number of leaders, rather than one.
- A church that has absolute integrity in all financial matters, including the publication of annual accounts. You may be giving money to the church, so it will be helpful for you to know where this money is going to.

Here are some things that are much less important.

- The church building: The churches in the book of Acts met in homes! The church is the people, not the building. There is nothing wrong in nice buildings, but these are unimportant to God.
- Special clothing for leaders of the church. Of course it is respectful to God to be appropriately dressed, but special clothing is unimportant.

Here are some things to avoid at all costs:

- A church that does not believe in the absolute authority of the Bible.
- A church that teaches from anything other than the Bible, or Bible inspired texts.
- A church where leaders exert undue control of the lives of individuals within the church.
- Any lack of financial integrity within the church.

2. READ THE BIBLE EVERY DAY



This is one way God speaks to us. The Bible is not a simple book, and it will take you a lifetime to fully understand all the teachings within the Scriptures. However, regular Bible reading, or listening to the Bible, is essential. God will often highlight verses within the Bible to speak into your circumstances directly.

3. LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO YOUR CONSCIENCE

Your conscience is God guiding you every day, and is an extremely important part of your "guidance system". Your conscience is not a loud voice, but is usually a very gentle voice. This is why it is so important to spend time quietly every day. If you have doubts about a certain action, do not ignore your conscience. Our Heavenly Father is a loving Father, who is warning you not to go down a particular planned course of action.

4. PRAY REGULARLY, ASKING GOD'S GUIDANCE FOR ALL MATTERS IN YOUR LIFE

The Bible states, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil" Proverbs 3:6-7.

5. TRY NOT TO SIN IN ANY AREA OF YOUR LIFE

We live in such a sinful society that many things that the world considers completely normal, are actually very sinful. It will probably take some time before you have sorted your life out!

6. HAVE REGULAR BIBLE TEACHING

Regular Bible teaching is extremely important. Under Resources towards the end of this book we have given Bible teachers who have inspired us. Fortunately, there are many excellent Bible teachers, and you will probably quickly find your own favourites.

7. SEEK TO SPEAK TO OTHERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BECOMING A CHRISTIAN. 

You may have seen the film Schindler's List, the harrowing true story of how Oskar Schindler, a German businessman, who saved over a thousand Jews from almost certain death in concentration camps in World War 2.

It is important to realise that Salvation is a very precious gift, bought by Jesus Christ at enormous cost. Only those who are born again will go to Heaven (see John 3:3 and John 3:7). Everyone else will not, according to Jesus Christ.
Born again Christians are charged by Jesus Christ to 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,' (Matthew 28:19.)

You may like to have a look at our teaching EVANGELISM IS EASY, on this web site.

CONGRATULATIONS AT BECOMING A GENUINE BORN AGAIN BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST!

Congratulations on becoming a genuine born again Christian! 

The most important decision anyone can make in their lives is to become born again, and become a follower Jesus Christ.

If you have just prayed that prayer as a result of reading this book, why not contact us immediately! We would love to hear from you. Please e-mail or write. 

God bless you!
With warmest wishes,

Richard

God Loves Us, And Wants Us To Go To Heaven.

The Bible states: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," John 3:16.

God loved us so much that He sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die on the Cross. If we believe this, repent of our sins, forgive others, accept God's forgiveness, and follow Jesus Christ, then we are assured of eternal life in Heaven.

In 2 Peter 3:9, we read, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance". 

God does not want anyone to go to Hell, but sadly, according to Jesus Christ, multitudes do, simply by failing to take from God the free offer of eternal life in Heaven, on God's terms.

In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus said, "Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to Hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it" TLB.

What Exactly Is A Genuine Christian?

1. A Christian is not a "good person", but a reformed bad person

A Christian is not someone who tries to be good, attends church, reads the Bible, prays, or does good to others, although all of these are commendable. These things start to happen after someone has become a Christian, by being born again. Christians naturally want to be together, and spend time with each other, because other Christians are their new family in Jesus Christ.

2. We are saved by grace

This means that nobody can be good enough to "earn" a place in Heaven. 'For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,' Ephesians 2:8-9.

3. A Christian is someone who has the Holy Spirit living in them

When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit. At the Last Supper, Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you". John 14:16-17. Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit, who he would send to live in all believers.

After the Resurrection, Jesus appeared in the Upper Room, as recorded in John 20:19-22, "Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." Now when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit". 
Since then, all believers receive the Holy Spirit when they are born again. Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 'Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit Who is in you, whom you have from God,'

4. A Christian is someone who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus said, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him," John 14:21. The first thing that Jesus commands from all of His potential disciples is, 'You must be born again", John 3:7.

5. Why must I be born again? 

Because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, said so, in John 3:3. 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' To be born again is to receive the Holy Spirit, God Himself, Who comes to live in us as we pray something very similar to the "Sinner's prayer" in the next chapter.

6. When we are born again we are new people

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new", 2 Corinthians 5:17. The Bible says that when we are born again by the Holy Spirit, we become brand new people inside! We look the same on the outside, but the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. He makes us brand new on the inside, with new motivations, new desires, a new way of living, and a new perspective on life.

7. The Person of the Holy Spirit 

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. He is Holy, and He will not come and live in any of us until we are forgiven by God. The Holy Spirit is the creative power of the Trinity.

8. If I am not born again, whose kingdom am I in?

We are all born into the kingdom of Satan, according to the Bible. Jesus said to priests, in John 8:44, 'You are of your father, the devil.' 

9. What happens to those who are not born again?

Jesus Himself is perfectly clear on this subject. He said, "Unless a man is born again, he will not enter the kingdom of Heaven," John 3:3. The truth, according to Jesus Christ, is that most people do not go to Heaven. Jesus said, in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

10. Our ultimate destiny, Heaven or Hell, are decided in this life. 

Jesus Christ and the repentant thief are now in Paradise, and will be there for ever. The unrepentant thief is in Hell, and will be there forever too.

The main purpose of this book and web site is that you may end up in Heaven, and not Hell.

Only you can make this choice.

The Shroud Of Turin Actually Proves The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ.

The Shroud of Turin has been a mystery for many centuries, and is discussed in great detail in our teaching on THE SHROUD OF TURIN PROVES THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST on this web site.

We believe that the Image on the Shroud can be explained by the Bible, and an application of known laws of Theoretical Physics.

We believe that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is proved by the following:

1. We believe that the Image on the Shroud of Turin is fundamentally a scorch in photo-negative, caused by radiation, with the appearance of an X-ray, but with additional distance imaging properties.

2. We believe that the photo-negative Image on the Shroud of Turin was produced at the Resurrection by the emission of soft X-rays.

3. We believe that the Physics of the Resurrection was a phenomenon not dissimilar to the Physics of the Transfiguration, with the radiation of light as a major feature, as Jesus Christ assumed His Glorified Body on both occasions.

4. We believe that the soft X-rays were released at the Resurrection, caused by the intense radiation of light and subatomic particles, probably moving at the speed of light.

5. We believe that the intense emission of light and subatomic particles caused vaporisation of the molecules within the Shroud to the elements Nitrogen and Carbon.

6. We believe that the Nitrogen and Carbon were then converted to radioactive C-14, as happens every day in the atmosphere of Planet Earth.

7. We believe that the incorrect Carbon Dating of the Shroud (approximately 1325 A.D) is explained by an incorrect interpretation of the cause of the additional radioactive molecules of Carbon (C-14) present in the Shroud.

8. Additional C-14 is present in the Shroud of Turin, as demonstrated by the 1998 experiments on the Shroud.

9. We believe that rather than proving that the Shroud is dated 1325 A.D. approximately, it actually proves the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

10. As explained on our web site the additional radioactive C-14 molecules could be explained by either the Shroud being a 14th Century Shroud, or by the Shroud being a First Century Shroud which has been subjected to additional radiation.

11. As proved by Dr Accetta, the image on the Shroud was almost certainly caused by radiation.

12. Since there are 12 other scientific tests that indicate that the Shroud is a First Century Shroud, it does seem that the Shroud must have been subjected to radiation, causing the photo-negative Image.

13. The Image on the Shroud was therefore almost certainly caused by radiation released at the time of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

14. The scientists who interpreted the findings of the 1988 Carbon dating tests on the Shroud clearly did not take into consideration the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which released radiation, causing the photo-negative Image on the Shroud.

For full details of our teaching on THE SHROUD OF TURIN PROVES THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, please visit our charity web site at www.finalfrontier.org.uk

How To Be Born Again.

How can I be "born again" so that I go to Heaven when I die?

To be born again, we all must pray a simple prayer. In this prayer there are various simple things you must do, without leaving anything out.

- Acknowledge to God that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for you personally, and rose from the dead.

- Ask God's forgiveness for all of the sins that you have ever committed.

- Turn away from and stop any known sin. This is known as Repentance.

- Forgive anyone who has ever sinned against you, or any member of your family.

- Ask God's forgiveness because the Blood of Jesus Christ cleans you personally from sin.

- Ask God to send the Holy Spirit to come to live in you.

- Acknowledge to God that Jesus Christ is your Personal Saviour. 

Is there anything else I need to know before praying this prayer? 

Yes. It is essential to be aware of some Biblical concepts before this prayer is prayed. These are explained below. The Sinner's Prayer is in a following chapter.

What is Repentance? 

The Bible says we are all sinful. The Bible states: "All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God', Romans 3:23. We must stop anything sinful, and ask forgiveness from God Who is Holy, and will not allow sin in His presence. There are TWO parts to repentance! One part is to ask forgiveness for the sin, the other is to stop doing it. Half the job doesn't count! It is essential to repent properly, which means spending some time thinking about your life.

What in practical simple terms does this mean for each one of us?

In simple terms this means that we should obey the Ten Commandments. Here is a shortened version of the Ten Commandments:

Exodus 20:3 -17 (shortened, from The Living Bible)

1. You may worship no other god than Me.

2. You shall not make yourselves any idols, and you must never bow or worship idols in any way.

3. You shall not use the name of Jehovah your God irreverently.

4. Remember to observe the Sabbath as a holy day.

5. Honour your father and mother.

6. You must not murder.

7. You must not commit adultery.

8. You must not steal.

9. You must not lie.

10. You must not be envious of your neighbour's house, or anything else he has.



The first commandment is that we must only worship the God of the Bible. We must all remove any false idols in our lives, such our money, our careers, our homes, our appearance, alcohol, drugs, any addictions, or anything else that is more important to us than God Himself. We must stop completely any form of sin such as swearing, murder, any form of sexual immorality, theft, lying, and lust. We all have a conscience, which is God's voice within us (see below). God uses our conscience to show each one of us what He does not approve of.

Who is Jesus Christ?

The Bible is perfectly clear the Jesus Christ is God. According to John Chapter 1, Jesus was present right at the beginning of Creation, and He made everything. Life is in Him. To those who receive Him, Jesus gives the right to become a child of God. This is explained in the opening verses of the Gospel of John.

'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to his own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believed in His name.' (John 1:1-4, 10-12.)

Believe that Jesus is the Christ

The Bible is perfectly clear that Jesus Christ, and He alone, is the Messiah. We must acknowledge this to God the Father in prayer. Jesus clarified that He is the Messiah in the following text: 'The high priest asked him, saying unto Him, 'Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?' Jesus said, 'I am.' (Mark 14:61-62.)

True faith in Jesus Christ will give us eternal life in Him in Heaven, as stated in the following famous verse: 'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.' (John 3:16.)

The Greek word used here implies having faith in Jesus Christ. It is more than an intellectual acknowledgement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Many people vaguely believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. However, true faith in Jesus Christ is much more than this. It is a true faith in Jesus Christ, which can only come after a true conversion experience, and receiving the Holy Spirit.

We need to know and believe further facts about Jesus Christ, discussed in the next chapter.

The Resurrections In The Bible

There are many instances in the Bible of resurrection from the dead. Jesus said that there was definitely life after death. At the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus said to his sister Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die," John 11:25-26. 

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: 
1. Jesus raised the widow of Nain's son to life. 

2. Jesus raised Lazarus to life. 

3. Jesus raised Jairus' daughter to life. 

4. Paul was stoned to death, and came back to life. 

5. Peter raised Dorcas to life. 

6. Paul raised Eutychus to life. 

7. At the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, many Old Testament saints were resurrected. 

8. Jesus Christ Himself was famously resurrected. 

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:

1. Elijah raised a child to life. 

2. Elisha raised a child to life. 

THE RAISING OF THE WIDOW OF NAIN'S SON BY JESUS

Jesus stopped a funeral procession, and raised a young man to life. This is described in Luke 7:11-17 TLB:

"Not long afterwards Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, with the usual great crowd at his heels. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The boy who had died was the only son of his widowed mother, and many mourners from the village were with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with sympathy. "Don't cry!" he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. "Laddie," he said, "come back to life again." Then the boy sat up and began to talk to those around him! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. A great fear swept the crowd, and they exclaimed with praises to God, "A mighty prophet has risen among us," and, "We have seen the hand of God at work today." The report of what he did that day raced from end to end of Judea and even out across the borders." 

THE RAISING OF JAIRUS' DAUGHTER BY JESUS 

A 12 year old little girl died, and Jesus raised her back to life. This is described in Luke 8:41,42, 49-54 TLB: "A man named Jairus, a leader of a Jewish synagogue, came and fell down at Jesus' feet and begged him to come home with him, for his only child was dying, a little girl twelve years old. Jesus went with him, pushing through the crowds. A messenger arrived from the Jairus' home with the news that the little girl was dead. "She's gone," he told her father; "there's no use troubling the Teacher now." But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to the father, "Don't be afraid! Just trust me, and she'll be all right." When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn't let anyone into the room except Peter, James, John, and the little girl's father and mother. The home was filled with mourning people, but he said, "Stop the weeping! She isn't dead; she is only asleep!" This brought scoffing and laughter, for they all knew she was dead. Then he took her by the hand and called, "Get up, little girl!" And at that moment her life returned and she jumped up! "Give her something to eat!" he said. Her parents were overcome with happiness, but Jesus insisted that they did not tell anyone the details of what had happened." 

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS BY JESUS

The raising of Lazarus, after 4 days in the tomb, is perhaps one of Jesus' most famous miracles, so we have reproduced the entire story, from John 11:17-46 TLB: 

"When they arrived at Bethany, they were told that Lazarus had already been in his tomb for four days. Bethany was only a couple of miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish leaders had come to pay their respects and to console Martha and Mary on their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Sir, if you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died.

And even now it's not too late, for I know that God will bring my brother back to life again, if you will only ask him to." Jesus told her, "Your brother will come back to life again." "Yes," Martha said, "when everyone else does, on Resurrection Day." Jesus told her, "I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish. Do you believe this, Martha?"

"Yes, Master," she told him. "I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one we have so long awaited." Then she left him and returned to Mary and, calling her aside from the mourners, told her, "He is here and wants to see you." So Mary went to him at once.

Now Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the Jewish leaders who were at the house trying to console Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus' tomb to weep; so they followed her.

When Mary arrived where Jesus was, she fell down at his feet, saying, "Sir, if you had been here, my brother would still be alive." When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jewish leaders wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and deeply troubled. "Where is he buried?" he asked them. They told him, "Come and see." Tears came. "They were close friends," the Jewish leaders said. "See how much he loved him."

But some said, "This fellow healed a blind man-why couldn't he keep Lazarus from dying?"

And again Jesus was moved with deep anger. Then they came to the tomb. It was a cave with a heavy stone rolled across its door.

"Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man's sister, said, "By now the smell will be terrible, for he has been dead four days." "But didn't I tell you that you will see a wonderful miracle from God if you believe?" Jesus asked her. So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to Heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me. (You always hear me, of course, but I said it because of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.)" Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!"

And Lazarus came-bound up in the grave cloth, his face muffled in a head swath. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!" And so at last many of the Jewish leaders who were with Mary and saw it happen, finally believed on him. But some went away to the Pharisees and reported it to them." 

PETER RAISED DORCAS TO LIFE 

Peter had been present when Jesus raised Jairus' daughter to life. After the Resurrection of Jesus, Peter did the same for Dorcas, a believer in Joppa. This is described in Acts 9:36-42 TLB: "In the city of Joppa there was a woman named Dorcas ("Gazelle"), a believer who was always doing kind things for others, especially for the poor. About this time she became ill and died. Her friends prepared her for burial and laid her in an upstairs room. But when they learned that Peter was nearby at Lydda, they sent two men to beg him to return with them to Joppa. This he did; as soon as he arrived, they took him upstairs where Dorcas lay. The room was filled with weeping widows who were showing one another the coats and other garments Dorcas had made for them. But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, "Get up, Dorcas," and she opened her eyes! And when she saw Peter, she sat up! He gave her his hand and helped her up and called in the believers and widows, presenting her to them. The news raced through the town, and many believed in the Lord."

PAUL RAISED EUTYCHUS TO LIFE

Eutychus fell to his death during a long sermon given by Paul. Paul promptly raised him back to life, and carried on preaching! This is described in Acts 20:7-10 TLB: "On Sunday we gathered for a Communion service, with Paul preaching. And since he was leaving the next day, he talked until midnight! The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps; and as Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, went fast asleep and fell three stories to his death below. Paul went down and took him into his arms. "Don't worry," he said, "he's all right!" And he was! What a wave of awesome joy swept through the crowd! They all went back upstairs and ate the Lord's Supper together; then Paul preached another long sermon-so it was dawn when he finally left them!"

THE RESURRECTION OF OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS

After Jesus died, many Old Testament saints were resurrected, and later appeared to many people in Jerusalem. This is described in Matthew 27:50-53 TLB: "Then Jesus shouted out again, dismissed his spirit, and died. And look! The curtain secluding the Holiest Place in the Temple was split apart from top to bottom; and the Earth shook, and rocks broke, and tombs opened, and many godly men and women who had died came back to life again. After Jesus' resurrection, they left the cemetery and went into Jerusalem, and appeared to many people there." 

ELIJAH RAISED A CHILD TO LIFE

Elijah had been staying in the home of the widow of Zarephath, and her son. There had been a famine, and God had provided food for them through the prophet Elijah. However, one day the son died, and Elijah raised him back to life. This is described in Kings 17:17-18:1 TLB:

"One day the woman's son became sick and died. "Oh man of God," she cried, "what have you done to me? Have you come here to punish my sins by killing my son?" "Give him to me," Elijah replied. And he took the boy's body from her and carried it upstairs to the guest room where he lived, and laid the body on his bed, and then cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, why have you killed the son of this widow with whom I am staying?" And he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, please let this child's spirit return to him." And the Lord heard Elijah's prayer; and the spirit of the child returned, and he became alive again! Then Elijah took him downstairs and gave him to his mother. "See! He's alive!" he beamed. "Now I know for sure that you are a prophet," she told him afterward, "and that whatever you say is from the Lord!" 

ELISHA RAISED A CHILD TO LIFE

Elisha raised a dead child aged 12 to life, after he had died in his mother's arms, possibly of a brain haemorrhage. This is described in 2 Kings 4:31-37 TLB: "Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff upon the child's face, but nothing happened. There was no sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and told him, "The child is still dead." When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there upon the prophet's bed. He went in and shut the door behind him and prayed to the Lord. Then he lay upon the child's body, placing his mouth upon the child's mouth, and his eyes upon the child's eyes, and his hands upon the child's hands. And the child's body began to grow warm again! Then the prophet went down and walked back and forth in the house a few times; returning upstairs, he stretched himself again upon the child. This time the little boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes! Then the prophet summoned Gehazi. "Call her!" he said. And when she came in, he said, "Here's your son!" She fell to the floor at his feet and then picked up her son and went out".

In Order To Go To Heaven We Must Be 'Born Again'

There is only one way to make certain that Heaven is our destination when we die. We have to become a genuine born-again Christian, just like Jesus said in John 3:3 and John 3:7, and follow the ways and teachings of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus said we must be "born again" before we can see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus was a Jewish priest who went to see Jesus at night. This is described in the Gospel of John. 

"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no-one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again,'" John 3:1-7. 

Jesus said that none of us would see the Kingdom of God unless we are "born again" by the Holy Spirit. This is a spiritual birth, when the Holy Spirit comes to live in us after we have received Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. When we do this God adopts us into His family. 

If we reject God's plan of Salvation we will not end up in Heaven

If we reject the forgiveness that God offers us then we are turning away from Him, and we remain 'sinners'. The Bible tells us very clearly in John 3:36 that eternal separation from God will be the result of this action: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him", John 3:36.

Romans 3:23 says that we are all sinners in God's sight because we have broken His commandments. God is holy and pure and sin cannot exist in His presence. The only way to God is to say we are sorry for the wrong things in our life and accept the forgiveness offered to us, through the Blood of Jesus Christ. This is explained in the next chapters.

Many people in this book have met an angel in Heaven. According to Psalm 91, we all have a personal angel, if we are "born again" into God's Kingdom.