There are many people in this world who see themselves as good people. They don’t hurt anyone, they are charitable, they are kind, and they do their best to live an exemplary life, but is that good enough for God’s standard? Is being a good person who does good things enough to be accepted by God and enter into heaven? The simple answer is no. This message is going to be focused on one good man who did many good works and because he did, God sought to save him, not because he was worthy, but because God is gracious and merciful and wishes that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the realization that they need Christ to be saved, redeemed and accepted by God. I hope this message will minister to those who see themselves as good people, but don’t know the risen Christ as their Lord and Savior. This message is written to encourage you to see that Jesus Christ loves you, died for you and wishes for you to spend Eternity with Him in heaven. I pray this story will speak to your heart as it did mine. (2 Peter 3:9) (Psalm 103:8-14)

In Acts chapter 10 the Bible tells the story of Cornelius. In Acts 10:1-4 we read “In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. One afternoon about three o'clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. ‘Cornelius!’ the angel said. Cornelius stared at him in terror. ‘What is it, sir?’ he asked the angel. And the angel replied, ‘Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering!’” The Angel then proceeded to give Cornelius instructions on what to do next and that was to send for the apostle Peter so that he could proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to Cornelius and everyone in his household. (Matthew 10:19-20) (Luke 19:9-10) (Acts 10:5-48)

Cornelius was a good man, he was a prayerful man, he was a giving man, but he still lacked salvation through Jesus Christ. God saw his goodness, God saw his good works, God heard his prayers and because he was a good man, God sought to save him. How does God seek to save people from their sins? He does so by sending people to minister to them, to encourage them, to witness the saving grace of Jesus Christ to them and show them that all people no matter their good works, no matter their uprightness, no matter their prayers, they still need Jesus in order to see heaven. Continuing with the story, four days later, the apostle Peter and six of his friends accompanied him and they shared the gospel with Cornelius and everyone in his house and they all received salvation through Jesus Christ. They received the Holy Spirit and they were baptized and Peter stayed with them for a few days. (Isaiah 64:6) (Luke 15:4-10)

When the other apostles heard that a Gentile and his entire family had been saved and received the Holy Ghost just as they had at the beginning they declared in Acts 11:18 “…We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” It is amazing to me how they called repenting of their sins a privilege. To me that shows that it is a gift that should not be taken lightly to be able to call upon the Lord and ask for forgiveness. It is a privilege to ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior because the sacrifice that He went through to redeem mankind was not down lightly. He was beaten, bruised, crucified and died a painful death so that in the fullness of time you and I could have the privilege of calling upon the Lord and receiving eternal life, not because we are worthy or because we are good, but because Jesus was good for us. (Isaiah 53:4-12) (Ephesians 2:4-10) (Acts 11:1-18)

The amazing thing about Cornelius being sought by God was that the apostles had only preached to the Jews and not to the Gentiles. But God is an inclusive God and when one seeks the Lord with their whole heart, God sees their actions and He makes Himself available to them so that they might be forgiven of their sins and saved by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. If God can save a Gentile named Cornelius, He can also save a liar, a cheater and even a murderer if they call upon the Lord with your whole heart seeking to be forgiven and saved from their sins. (Ezekiel 18:30-32) (1 Peter 4:1-11)

My friend don’t go through life justifying to yourself or others that you are a good person and in right standing with God because without Christ we are all lost. We have no hope of having eternal life because without Jesus there is no life, but only death, but with Jesus we not only receive forgiveness of our sins, but we receive eternal life with God in heaven. Every mistake, every shortfall, every setback that we think is beyond redemption can be forgiven and wiped clean from our record if only we call upon the Lord Jesus Christ repenting of our sins and asking to be forgiven and set free. The Lord God Almighty will fill the void in our hearts, He will save us, redeem us and write our names in the Lambs Book of Life. With Jesus we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. (Acts 26:16-18) (Romans 5:6-11) (Revelation 20:11-15)

Call upon the Lord and be saved. It will be the best decision that you will ever make in your life.


Read and meditate on these scriptures:

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For 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.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Romans 10:9-11 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”

Revelation 3:20 Jesus declares “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

Philippians 2:9-11 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Luke 15:10 Jesus declares “I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. 


Today's Selected Poem: HE IS...
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem44.htm

Today's Selected Testimony: DON'T DOUBT GOD'S POWER
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony148.htm


In Christ’s Service,

Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry