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           In the book of Exodus we read that God tells us,

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

                                                            Exodus 20:3.

Here is one of the absolute values of Christianity. Christians are to have no other god’s except the Lord God Almighty.
Sadly however to many people especially here in North America have many other gods. Gods that they put ahead of the One True God. These gods range from the god of materialism, to the gods of politics, to their love of self and much more.
As Christians we must be careful that we don’t let other gods into our lives. Just because you have said the sinners prayer doesn’t mean you will necessarily get to heaven.
Leonard Ravenhill an English/American evangelist has said,

“The sinner's prayer has sent more people to hell 

than all the taverns in America.” 

                                                   Leonard Ravenhill

“I doubt if 5% of professing Christians in America are born again

and that's true of England!” 

                                  Leonard Ravenhill 

To be a Christian you have to truly believe the teachings of Christ and to put those teachings in your day to day life. You have to be willing to give up everything. As someone has said,

F. A. I.T. H. 

Forsaking 

All             

I               

Take Him. 

That means putting aside the gods of this world, materialism, money, politics, self. It means being willing to follow Christ to the grave if necessary.
So my question to anyone reading this who claims to be a Christian is, Are you willing to
Forsake all and follow him?
Please think about it.

2 quotes

2 Quotes
Leonard Ravenhill the English/American evangelist said,

“The sinner's prayer has sent more people to hell 

than all the taverns in America.” 

                                                     Leonard Ravenhill

He also noted,

I doubt if 5% of professing Christians in America are born again

and that's true of England! 

                                       Leonard Ravenhill

Jesus said,
“Many will say to me  on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22,23.
Sadly I believe Ravenhill’s statements. There are many who may think they are going to heaven that are not. They believe because they have said the “sinners prayer” it is if you will their ticket to heaven.
The sinners prayer is not found in Scripture and some Christian scholars and Pastors have questioned it’s effectiveness. Some see it as giving a false sense of security.
The bottom line is that Christian’s believe you are saved by your faith in God and the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul stating,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.
Saying a prayer of any kind does not guarantee you getting to heaven. The only guarantee of getting to heaven is as I said above truly having faith in God and the Salvation that comes through Christ Jesus.
No one can tell if you are truly saved. Salvation is a deeply personal thing between the individual and God.
Part of the problem in North America and particularly in the United States is going to church is part of the culture. You go to church because your family has always gone. Your friends go so you go.
A pastor I knew who’d come to Canada from the mid west states, the so called Bible Belt, in the United States to set up a church was quite shocked.
He’d lived all of his life in the United States and always thought Canada was like the States. To make matters more confusing for him at first, was the fact that he had decided to start the church in one of the most ethnically diverse areas of Canada.
As he told me where he came from even if individuals only go to church only at Easter and Christmas they considered themselves good church goers. And most have Bibles in their homes. Christianity in the area he came from in the States was very much cultural. Not so in Canada.
It is when Christianity and belief in God becomes part of the culture that people may think they are going to heaven when they are not.
I believe it is therefor the duty of those who truly believe in God. To look around them in there church congregations in particular and see if there are any lost souls. People who know all the right things to say and do in church but are not truly saved.
Thus my questions become
If you attend church are you personally absolutely certain that should you pass into eternity to day that you will get to heaven?
Please think about it. 

Many will say

Many will say
Jesus said,
“Many will say to me  on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22,23.
The English, American evangelist Leonard Ravenhill said,
"I doubt if 5% of professing Christians in America are born again--and that's true of England!” Leonard Ravenhill.
I think he may be right especially among those who claim to be Evangelical Christians.
I think part of the problem is Christianity in America in particular has become part of the culture. American and to a lesser degree Canadian evangelicals have slipped into the false belief that their countries are, or at least once were Christian. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Christianity is a part of the culture of America and Canada but only a part. The majority of people in North America do not go to church once a month, or even once a year, let alone participate in a church congregation.
Even among those who go to Church one has to ask the question are they truly Christians. As someone has said
“Going to church and reading the Bible does not make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage and reading an auto repair manual makes you a car.”
I hear constantly from evangelicals in particular who say, “I read my Bible everyday.” But to quote Ravenhill again,

“People say, "I read my Bible everyday", 

but when was time last time they studied it?” 

                                             Leonard Ravenhill

Within Christianity today there is a dire need to turn back to the Bible and study it. To read the Bible and understand what it is to be a Christian.
We need to get away from this foolish notion that any nation on the face of the earth is Christian. The apostle Peter said Christians were a Holy nation. He did not say not an earthly nation. Peter said,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.
I firmly believe that if Christians want to reach the world for Christ they first need to turn back to the Bible and study what it means to be Christian. Otherwise they will never reach anyone.
Please think about it.