“Every man knows the plague of his own heart.” (1 Kings 8:38). Plagues were common in Bible days. Leprosy was the worst, since it excluded from society every person who caught that terrible skin disease that ate away at the extremities.
In Bible days, leprosy was common and came to picture the spiritual ‘disease’ which afflicted the human race and excluded everyone from Temple worship and having the relationship with God that it allowed.
Jesus died on the Cross for everyone, bearing in his body the sins of humanity. God’s forgiveness of the sins of those who trust in Jesus as their Saviour (the one who saved them) is available to everyone, irrespective of their race, colour, or creed.
God is a Spirit, and animal sacrifices had to be offered to Him repeatedly; however, they were short-term measures. Then Jesus offered himself as the one and only sin-free sacrifice: “The Lamb of God” who would “take away the sins of the world”. God accepted the sacrificial blood of His beloved Son and forgives all who place their trust in Jesus as the surety of their salvation. No matter what sin plagues the heart of each person.
To be “saved” is to be “made safe” from God’s certain judgment on all those who have sinned. God’s forgiveness is available to every person on Planet Earth. Faith in Jesus Christ is the one and only remedy for sin. God’s guarantee that all who bow their knees to Jesus — who submit their lives to him — will be made safe, both now and forever.
However, belief is one thing; acceptance another. Before my first ministry mission to the Philippines, the Lord gave me a “word of wisdom”. He said, “Turn believers into receivers.” I realised that most people in the Philippines are nominal Roman Catholics, that is, they are ‘born into’ that Faith. (“Catholic” means “Universal”.) So, when calling for people to commit themselves to Jesus, I asked them if they believed in the Virgin Birth; that Jesus was the Son of God, and other scriptural, Catholic beliefs.
“Oh, yes!” they responded. “So then, since you believe in the Lord, have you received him as your personal Saviour?” Invariably, they looked puzzled. Then I said, “John, chapter One, verse 12 informs us that ‘As Many as received him, to them he gave the right to become the sons of God…’, and since you have told me that you believe, you will have no problem in receiving him.” Seeing the logic in this, they did, very willingly. “Walang problema.” No problem. I was there to lead them to the Jesus they knew about from birth but had not known personally.
You know the plague of your own heart: the sin that troubles you the most, and only you can rid yourself of it. You can do so right now, wherever you may be, no matter how bad your sin or how long you’ve suffered from it, as one would from leprosy.
Place your hand on your heart and do so now. You will be so glad you did! No regrets! But only you can do it: no one can do it for you. Pray these words: “God, please forgive my sins and come into my heart and cleanse it now from the plague of sin! I do believe that Jesus shed his blood on the Cross and that he died for me. So, I now receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour! Amen.”
Now say, “Thank you, God, my Father, for saving me!” This is the most important decision you’ve ever made!