Saved!

Matthew came to me with a tract in his hand, he came closer to my side and said, "I need to get saved." Since Jeff was out of town I took him to my bedroom, out of the hussle and bussle, so we could have a heart to heart talk. I asked him what it meant to be saved. "Saved from hell when I die." Why do you need to be saved? "Because I've sinned alot!" What do you have to do to be saved? "Pray this prayer." And he showed me the tract. I explained to him that this prayer was just an example of what we should really feel in our hearts as we talk to God. That we can say a prayer, but if we don't truly have a desire to turn from our sins and walk in obedience to His Word, then a prayer doesn't mean much to God or anybody else. He quoted me some verses that he had been learning: Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 10:9-13 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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." I asked him if he was ready to make such a decision and that it would change his whole life. He knealt beside my bed and prayed the sweetest prayer. He started out praying for Dad being out of town, so I thought, maybe he's too young yet, then he continuted to repent of his sins, asking to be saved from hell, and change his heart to be more like Jesus. Then I prayed for him and as we stood up he wiped his eyes and said, "I was almost crying!" Simple child like faith. So easy to understand, so easy to believe, so easily rejected by most. One of our favorite verses is 3 John 4 "There is no greater joy than to know that our children walk in truth."