John 3:16 Christian Ministries

A Life Changing Church

Reaching The World With The Word Of God

How To Become a Child of God

(Printable Version - Click Here)

Did you know that all the people in the world are not God’s children? People are not children of God simply because they are human beings. The Bible says that Jesus Christ once told some people that their father was the devil (John 8:44). Certainly then, these people were not God’s children.

Did you know that you are not a child of God just because you learn how to behave in a moral manner? A parrot can learn to say human words, but a parrot is not a human being. A monkey can learn to do things like a human being, but a monkey is not a human being. Similarly, you can learn to behave like a child of God, but doing good things does not make anyone a child of God. You can only become a child of God through Jesus Christ. The Bible says that "...as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them He gave the right to become
children of God..." (John 1:12). And Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6).

God loves you and He wants you to become His child by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. But God will not force you to do this. He leaves the decision up to you. God is waiting for you to tell Him that you want to become His child. The Bible teaches that you can do so by sincerely praying a prayer like the one that follows below. Look it over. Think about it. Then pray it if you wish to become a child of God.

Dear God, I want to become Your child. I’m sorry for all of my past deeds which were not pleasing to You. I now want to live with Your help as You want me to live. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I acknowledge that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ into this world, and that He died for me so that my sins would be forgiven. I believe that after He was buried, He was raised from the dead and is now seated at Your right hand. I believe that the death of Jesus Christ alone makes me right with You. Thank You for accepting
me as Your child because of what Jesus Christ did for me.


Dear Jesus Christ, I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for dying for me so that I would have the right to become a child of God. I now want to live as You want me to live. Thank You for giving me the help to do so.

If you sincerely prayed the above prayer, then you actually have become a child of God through Jesus Christ, and now God truly is your heavenly Father.

CONGRATULATIONS! You now have eternal life because God freely gives eternal life to anyone who receives His Son, Jesus Christ (I John 5:11-13). Also, God now counts the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ as the only required punishment for your sins. All of your sins have been completely forgiven and taken away by the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:28). You are now a new creation in God’s sight (II Corinthians 5:17).
You will be with God in heaven someday only because you have received Jesus Christ and what He did for you.

You can find out more about the teachings of Jesus Christ to help you to live better by reading the Bible. Start with the New Testament since it tells about Jesus Christ and His teachings. Read a little every day. Ask God to help you to understand the Bible and He will. He wants you to understand the Bible because your life will be better when you live it as He planned it for you.

If you recited this prayer, for the first time and/or if you have any questions contact us at John 3:16 Christian Ministries,
email: mail@john316cc.org or call (845) 546-6365.

Copyright 1988-2024 Up Word Ministries, Inc.
All rights reserved. Copies may be obtained by writing to:
Up Word Ministries, Inc.
P. O. Box 657
Lebanon, NJ 08833-0657

YOU ARE INVITED

This invitation is extended to you to make sure that you weren’t missed. God is giving a banquet in heaven for His Son, Jesus Christ, and He wants you to come. However, you must respond to His invitation; otherwise, there won’t be a place for you. Also, proper clothing is absolutely required. No one shall be admitted without it.

In case you’re having difficulty believing that you won’t be admitted without the right clothes, Jesus Christ said, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for nis son...and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and
cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (See the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 22, verses 2 and 1 Ob-13.) It would seem then that one of the lessons that Jesus wanted everyone to learn from this teaching is to make sure that they are properly clothed when they go to God’s banquet.

The Bible speaks about the proper clothes. In Psalm 132:9 it talks about being “clothed with righteousness.” “Righteousness” is the proper clothing for God’s banquet. Righteousness means right standing with God, or in other words, God isn’t holding anything against you. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that all of man’s good deeds are as filthy rags to God. If this is so, then how can you get clothed with righteousness for the banquet? What needs to happen is an exchange. That’s why your response is necessary. Jesus Christ wants you to exchange with Him the value of your deeds (which are filthy rags in God’s sight) for the value of His good
deeds. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we could obtain God’s righteousness (the proper clothes). It says that anyone that believes in Jesus Christ shall not be ashamed before God. Also, Jesus said, “...whoever comes to Me, I will never cast out” (John 6:37), so it doesn’t matter how bad your previous deeds were. Jesus Christ wants to give you eternal life (John 10:28), if only you will receive it from Him. Perhaps you thought that the king in Jesus’ teaching was cruel for casting out the man who wasn’t properly clothed. However, the king wasn’t to be blamed. The custom of that time was that wedding garments were supplied by the king to anyone who didn’t have them, so the man had no excuse for the way he was dressed. Apparently he chose to not accept the king’s garments, but to enter the banquet with his own clothes. Therefore, he received the consequences of his own choice when he found out too late that his own clothes weren’t acceptable to the king. Like the king, God has provided for you the proper clothing for His banquet in heaven. This is the clothing of righteousness, found only in Jesus Christ. Will you now choose to accept it from Him?

You can respond by praying the following prayer.

God, I’m sorry for all of my past deeds which were not pleasing to You. I now want to live with Your help as You want me to live. I acknowledge that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to this world, and that He died for me in my place as my substitute. I believe that after He was buried, He was raised from the dead and is now seated at Your right hand. I receive Your clothing of righteousness by trusting that Jesus Christ alone makes me right with You. Jesus Christ, I acknowledge that You are my Lord and Savior. I give You my sins and receive from you in exchange Your right standing in God’s sight. I now want to live as You want me to live. Thank You for giving me the help to do so.

If you prayed the above prayer and meant it in your heart, then you’re going to be at God’s heavenly banquet for Jesus Christ (mentioned in Revelation 19:7-9). In the meantime, you can find out more about the teachings of Jesus Christ to help you live now by reading the Bible. Start with the New Testament since it tells us about Jesus Christ and His teachings. Read a little every day. Ask God to help you to understand it and He will. He wants you to understand the Bible because your life will be better when you live it as He planned it for you. We care about you. Contact us if you acknowledged Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior as a result of reading this. Jesus Christ said, “Whoever therefore shall confess (acknowledge openly) Me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).

Contact us if you have any questions,
John 3:16 Christian Ministries, 
email: mail@john316cc.org or call (845) 546-6365.

Copyright 1987-2024 Up Word Ministries, Inc
All rights reserved.
Copies may be obtained by writing to:
Up Word Ministries, Inc.
P.O.Box 657
Lebanon,NJ 08833-0657 U.S.A.

A PRAYER FOR HEALING

Dear God, I acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Your Son and My Lord and Savior. I believe that You sent Him into this world, and that He died for me in my place as my substitute. I believe that after He was buried, He was raised from the dead and is now seated at Your right hand. I’m sorry for all of my past deeds which were not pleasing to You. I now want to live with Your help as You want me to live. I believe that Jesus Christ alone makes me right with You. I receive Your complete forgiveness of all of my sins because of what lord Jesus Christ did for me. I likewise forgive everybody anything that I may have against them and I ask that You forgive them and have mercy on them.

Dear God, You have chosen to adopt me as Your child. You have become my heavenly Father. I come to You now as the child You love, knowing that You don’t withhold from me any good thing. I ask You in the name of Lord Jesus Christ to heal this body, to strengthen it, and to restore it to good health. Heavenly Father, You said that this body is a temple of Your Holy Spirit, so it is. It’s not my own, but it’s been bought with a price, not with silver nor gold, but with the precious blood of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.This body shall be made whole that You may be glorified. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead
dwells in this mortal body. He’s able to do infinitely more than I can ask or think. He quickens this body and causes it to walk in Your health and function as You have created and intended it to function. Sickness, disease, infirmity, or evil spirit shall not prosper against this body and shall not be able to remain within it. Jesus Christ is Lord of everything, including this body. Therefore, any sickness, disease, infirmity or evil spirit oppressing this body, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ depart from this body and go; by the power of Lord Jesus Christ be bound, be removed, and be cast out. Body, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ be made whole that God may be glorified. And the Spirit of God causes that which has been declared to come to pass. Heavenly Father, I thank You that it’s by Jesus’ stripes that I’ve been healed; that the law of the Spirit of abundant life in Lord Jesus Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death; that because He lives I live
also and overcome in this life. Father God, I live my life now by faith in Your Son Who gave Himself up for me and bore my sins so that I wouldn’t have to bear them. Jesus Christ took every infirmity and bore every sickness and disease so that I would be healed. Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that You are my Healer and that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. I freely receive Your healing in Lord Jesus Christ and I give You all the glory, honor, and praise, now and forevermore.
Amen.

The Following Scriptures form the basis of this prayer:
Matthew 17:5                 John 9:3
2 Peter 1:11                    Romans 8:11
John 3:16                      Ephesians 3:20
John 10:11                      Exodus 23:25
1 Corinthians 15:3-4      Mark 11:22-24
Ephesians 1:20              Job 22:28
John 14:6                       Isaiah 53:4-5
Acts 4:12                       Romans 8:2
Matthew 26:28              John 14:19
Mark 11:25-26                1 John 4:4
1 Peter 3:7                     1 John 5:4-5
Ephesians 1:5                Galatians 2:20
Galatians 3:26               1 Peter 2:24
Psalm 84:11                   Matthew 8:17
John 15:16                    Exodus 15:26
1 Corinthians 6:19-20   Hebrews 13:8
1 Peter 1:18-19              Colossians 3:17

We care about you. Contact us if you have any questions. 
John 3:16 Christian Ministries, email: mail@john316cc.org or call (845) 546-6365.

Copyright 1988-2024 Up Word Ministries, Inc
All rights reserved.
Copies may be obtained by writing to:
Up Word Ministries, Inc.
P.O.Box 657
Lebanon,NJ 08833-0657 U.S.A.

This Prayer Can Get You To Heaven

The Bible teaches that if you pray a prayer like the one that follows, and mean it in your heart, you'll be with God in heaven someday. Read it. Think about it. Believe it. Then pray it and mean it. And, we'll see you in heaven someday.

Dear God, I desire to be at peace with You and to become Your child. I'm sorry for all of my past deeds which were not pleasing to You. I now want to live with Your help as You want me to live. I acknowledge that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ into this world, and that He died for the complete forgiveness of my sins. I believe that after He was buried, He was raised from the dead and is now seated at Your right hand. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I believe that the death of Jesus Christ alone makes me right with You. Thank You for accepting me as Your child because of what Jesus Christ did for me.

Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that You welcome me to Yourself and that You won't cast me out no matter how much I have sinned before. I now want to live as You want me to live. I place my entire life into Your hands. I believe that You give me eternal life. You are able to keep me forever. No one is able to take me out of Your hands. You now acknowledge openly before God in heaven that I belong to You because I acknowledge openly before man on earth that You are my Lord.

I believe in my heart what I have said with my mouth, and so I have become God's adopted child. Now God truly is my heavenly Father. Therefore, I'm going to be with God in heaven someday. You can find out more about the teachings of Jesus Christ to help you to live better by reading the Bible. Start with the New Testament since it tells about Jesus Christ and His teachings. Read a little every day. Ask God to help you to understand the Bible and He will. He wants you to understand the Bible because your life will be better when you live it as He planned it for you.

Bible References for the Prayer

Jesus said, "My blood is shed for the remission (complete forgiveness) of sin." (Matthew 26:28)

John the Apostle said, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to them that believe in His name." (John 1:12)

Jesus said, "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me and whoever comes to Me I will certainly not cast out." (John 6:37)

Jesus said, "I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:28)

Jesus said, "Whoever therefore shall confess (acknowledge openly) Me before men, I also will confess him before My Father Who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32)

Paul the Apostle said, "If you confess (acknowledge openly) with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)

We care about you. If you would like to discuss your above prayer, or becoming a child of God, please contact us.

John 3:16 Christian Ministries
P. O. Box 44 Suncook, New Hampshire 03275
(845) 546-6365
mail@john316cc.org
Copyright © 1988 by Up Word Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. Email: Steve.UWMI@AOL.com

QUICK QUIZ FOR PEOPLE
WHO WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN
(ONE QUESTION WITH ANSWER)

INTRODUCTION

This pamphlet is for those who believe that there is a God who will judge us someday to determine whether we spend eternity in heaven with Him or in torment with the devil. This pamphlet is to give ideas for growth. You need not continue reading this if you already know everything. However, we believe that God has arranged for you to be reading this because He loves you so very much and He wants you to be with Him forever.

THE QUIZ

Why do you think you’ll someday go to heaven? STOP!!! Don’t read further for a minimum of 30 seconds. Tell yourself in that time why you’ll go to heaven. Say it out loud so that you’ll hear with your own ears. Listen to what you say. Your own words reveal your belief. Now tell yourself.

DISCUSSION

Many people will answer, I'll go to heaven because I try to live a good life. I do unto others as I would have them do unto me. I go to Church every Sunday, or at least on Christmas and Easter. I try my best to obey the Ten Commandments and all Church teachings, even though I don’t always succeed. Do you realize, however, that this would not get anyone to heaven? Think for a moment. If doing this got anyone to heaven, then Jesus Christ would not have had to come and die. He could have come, taught us and then left again. Do you get it? Somehow, the death of Jesus Christ has to be related to how we get to heaven.
That’s the point! Are you related to Jesus Christ, His death, burial and resurrection?

ANSWER TO THE QUIZ

Being related or united to Jesus Christ gets you to heaven. Trying to keep God’s commandments without being united to Jesus Christ is NOT ENOUGH to get you to heaven. Otherwise, Jesus Christ need not have come and died. You wall find, however, that once you are united to Him you will want to keep God’s commandments more than you ever did before.

You might be thinking, "I know that. I believe in Jesus Christ, that He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man, that He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, that He suffered, died, and was buried, and that on the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures." Well why didn’t you answer the question that way? Did you say, "I going to heaven because Jesus Christ died for my sins"? What you yourself answered is what you really believe will get you to heaven. Note something else. The devil "believes" those same things about Jesus Christ. They are facts which can’t be denied. Yet the devil is not united to Jesus Christ and will not
be in heaven with God. The devil will be in eternal torment. Similarly, you can "believe about" Jesus Christ, but not be united to and depending on Him and what He did to allow you to be with God forever. If this was the case, you would find out after you had died that like the devil, you would be eternally without God. Then it would be too late to change your destiny.

WHY YOU NEED TO BE UNITED TO JESUS CHRIST

Your soul is dead in God’s eyes because like everyone else you have sinned. It doesn’t matter what kind of sin or how many-just as it did to Adam and Eve, one sin puts up a wall between God and you. If you were to physically die, your soul would begin an eternal death sentence, unless it was restored to life before you had died. Only Jesus Christ can do this for you. He said, "I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." Jesus also said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me." Notice that Jesus said that He Himself is the life. Jesus Christ never sinned. Therefore, His life is totally acceptable in God’s sight, as proved by God raising Him from the dead. Jesus Christ came as a man so that He could represent all of mankind, just as Adam did. That’s why you need to be united to Him-so that you would the benefits of His good standing in God’s sight. It’s like getting married and being entitled to share everything that your spouse has. Since Jesus Christ died on a cross as payment for sin, His death would pay for all of your sins. Since He was raised from the dead, your soul also would be restored to life. But you must be united to Him in order to share the benefits of His life. be entitled to share all

JESUS CHRIST MUST BECOME YOUR LORD

You must accept Jesus Christ as your "Lord" in order to be united to Him. This means that you want to not sin any more and to live with His help the way He wants you to live, trusting that He knows what’s best for you. Imagine that you’re trying to land an airplane and you run into a terrible thunderstorm. Your instruments have stopped working properly because of the storm’s interference. They no longer can be trusted. You can, however, call the control tower by radio. The controller gladly wants to guide you to a safe landing, but you must believe and do what the controller tells you in order to land the plane safely. Otherwise, you’d crash and die because of the blinding, downpouring rain. Similarly, you must place your life into the hands of Jesus Christ and allow Him to be your "Controller" (Lord). Don’t be afraid to do this. Jesus Christ is worthy of your trust. He’s proved this already by gi ving up His life so that you could have life. Will you now entrust yourself to Him?

IT’S YOUR CHOICE

You now have a choice to make: Become united to Jesus Christ and have eternal life in Him, or do nothing and be judged with sin when it is judged. However, if there was any other way of removing sin from you, then Jesus Christ certainly would not have had to come and die. The fact is, however, that there’s no other satisfactory payment for sin but the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said that His blood was shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. Recall your answer to the quiz. Did you answer something like, "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior; He died for me and I have eternal life in Him"? If your answer was not centered on Jesus Christ and what He’s done for you, then you’re actually depending on something else instead of Jesus Christ to get you to heaven. You now know the right answer if you didn’t before. Choose eternal life in Jesus Christ.

HOW TO BECOME UNITED TO JESUS CHRIST

It’s simple. You probably know all about it, but you’ve never done it for yourself. Here’s how to do it. Simply pray the following prayer, and mean it in your heart.
Dear God, I’m sorry for everything I’ve ever done wrong. I want to not sin any more. I choose to live with Your help as You want me to live. I believe that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ and that He died for my sins. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I receive Your forgiveness of all of my sins because of what He did for me. Thank You for adopting me as Your child and becoming my heavenly Father.
Dear Jesus Christ, I come to You and I want to be united to You. I accept You as my Lord and Savior. I place my entire life into Your care. Thank You for dying for me and taking away all of my sins. Thank You for giving me eternal life. I want to not sin any more. I choose to live with Your help as You want me to live and as You teach me by the Holy Spirit. I receive the Holy Spirit within me right now. (Picture yourself drinking pure, sparkling, refreshing water from a heavenly well. "Drink in" the Holy Spirit so that you are not thirsty any more. Picture the Holy Spirit pouring out of you like a river overflowing its banks after a much needed heavy rain. Praise God and give Him thanks for what He’s done for you. Let the Holy Spirit Who is now inside you help you to pray.)

OUTCOME

If you said the above prayer and really meant it, you became united to Jesus Christ. Because you accepted Him as your Lord, He gives you a share in all the benefits of His life, the greatest benefit being eternal life.
Jesus said, 'The sheep that belong to Me listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life." You also received the Holy Spirit to be with you forever. The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Blessed Trinity, now actually dwells in you. As your Helper, the Holy Spirit gives you the power to stop sinning and to grow in Christian character. The Holy Spirit also gives you power to do what God wants done on this
earth, thereby bringing God glory and helping others to receive eternal life in Jesus Christ.
As your Savior, Jesus Christ saved you from the punishment of sin. God counted Jesus Christ as your legal substitute when you acknowledged to God that Jesus Christ died for your sins. God now counts Jesus Christ as having taken your place and having borne the punishment of sin for you so that you will not have to bear it. Your sins have been paid or already by Jesus Christ. The shed blood of Jesus Christ removes from your soul
the stain of all sin-past, present, and future. Your soul is no longer dead in God’s eyes because of sin. When God looks at you now, He sees you united to His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Since Jesus Christ died as your substitute and was raised from the dead, your soul also was raised from death to life. God has adopted you as His child because sin no longer separates you from Him.

Jesus Christ has been waiting for you to come to Him and receive eternal life. He would not force His life and His will on you. God gave you a free will and neither He nor Jesus Christ would violate it. You had to choose whether or not to give up sin, come to Jesus Christ, accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and receive eternal life in Him. It was your choice. Nobody else could do it for you.

BELIEVING VS. FEELING

You may or may not "feel" different than before you prayed. However, eternal life comes from Jesus Christ, not your feelings. He said, "I give them (My sheep) eternal life," and, "Whoever (that means you) comes to Me I shall not turn him away." Jesus Christ is not a liar. Continue to trust Him (not how you feel) for eternal life. What Jesus Christ has spoken comes to pass. He said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

The Holy Spirit confirms to you that what has been said in this pamphlet is true. You once were dead because of sin, but now you are alive in Jesus Christ. You’re a new creation because you are united to Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit living within you. Nobody can take this away from you. Jesus said, "I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand."

WHAT TO DO NOW

Continually thank your heavenly Father for sending His Son Jesus Christ to restore your soul to life and for sending the Holy Spirit to be in you forever. Thank Lord Jesus Christ always for paying for your sins with His blood and giving you eternal life. Read what Jesus Christ taught His disciples. This is found in the New Testament of the Bible. Read the Gospels according to Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Start at your own pace. Start by reading for as little as 5 minutes or one chapter a day-whatever is best for you. But start
reading. Don’t be afraid that you might not be smart enough to read and understand the Bible. Jesus once said, "I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever, and revealing them to mere children." The Apostles were not college graduates. Yet Peter the fisherman recognized that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said to Peter that His Father in heaven revealed this to him. Your heavenly Father loves you the same as He loves Peter. God’s interested
in your heart, not your background. God reveals Himself to any heart sincerely seeking Him and wanting to know Him better. Jesus also said, "The Holy Spirit Whom the Father would send in My name will teach you everything and shall remind you of all I have said to you." You too have received that same Holy Spirit. Trust Him. Before you start reading, ask your Father in heaven for wisdom, understanding and knowledge and then thank Him for giving these to you. He will give these to you because He wants you to know Him better as your
heavenly Father.

Please contact us if you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior because you read this or if you have any questions. 
John 3:16 Christian Ministries,
email: mail@john316cc.org
or call (845) 546-6365.

Share  this with someone else so that they too might accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and have eternal life in Him. Have your friends take the quiz too, just in case (hat they really don’t know the right answer. Don’t presume that they know. You might be surprised at the results.

Copyright 1984-2024 Up Word Ministries, Inc
All rights reserved.
Copies may be obtained by writing to:
Up Word Ministries, Inc.
P.O.Box 657
Lebanon,NJ 08833-0657 U.S.A.

© Copyright 2025 John 3:16 Christian Ministries Inc.- All Rights Reserved