This is the “chief of sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me.

The much-anticipated film starring Russell Crowe as “Noah” is now in theatres. The story, of course, is based on the account of the Great Flood which is recorded in the book of Genesis in the Bible. A popular song titled “It’s Gonna Rain” captured the story as well. The song says:

It’s gonna rain
It’s gonna rain
You better get ready and bear this in mind
God showed Noah the rainbow sign
He said it won’t be water but fire next time.

Way back in the Bible days,
Noah told the people it’s gonna rain
but when he told them they paid him no mind
and when it happen they were left behind.

They tell me when the water began to pour
they knocked on the windows
they knocked on the doors.
They didn’t know exactly what to do
now you don’t want this to happen to you

Noah told people, I’m sorry my friends
God’s got the keys and you can’t get in
if something don’t happen to the hearts of man
the same thing is gonna happen again.

It’s gonna rain
It’s gonna rain
You better get ready and bear this in mind
God showed Noah, the rainbow sign
He said it won’t be water but fire next time.

Many years after God created the earth, humanity had become extremely wicked. The Bible says the “whole earth was filled with violence.” Men and women were fighting each other, killing each other, robbing each other, having illicit sexual relationships, and ruining the beautiful world that God had made.

God was grieved by how His creation was acting. He decided that He would not tolerate their evil ways anymore and that He would wipe out the earth’s population and start all over with the only man who was living righteously. That man was Noah.

God came to Noah one day and told him that, for the first time in history, it was going to rain. The water pouring down from the sky, and the release of the water under the earth’s surface, would cause a great flood that would destroy the earth and every living thing on the earth. God also gave Noah instructions to build a huge vessel — an ark — in order to save his family and save the animals.

Noah and his family got busy building the ark, and for many years, Noah warned the people of earth that destruction was coming because of their sins. Unfortunately, the people didn’t listen to Noah. They didn’t believe that rain was going to come because nobody had seen rain before. So they continued to live as they pleased, ignoring Noah’s warning.

However, just as God promised, the rain came causing all of the earth’s surface to be covered in water. Only Noah, his family, and the animals with them in the ark were saved. All of those outside the ark perished in the flood.

After the flood, Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives, left the ark and were commanded by God to repopulate the earth. They did that — that is why you and I are here today. Unfortunately, though, mankind has not learned its lesson from the Great Flood. Today, people are sinning more than ever. Lying, cheating, stealing, adultery, murder, kidnappings, and wrongdoings that are too numerous to name happen every hour of the day. Just as it did in Noah’s day, the wicked condition of humanity saddens and grieves God’s heart. Because God is holy and just, He has to do something about the problem of sin. God promised that He would not destroy the entire world with a flood again, however, He tells us in His Word that each of us must receive the consequences of our sinful actions.

What are those consequences? Romans 3:23 says, “the wages of sin is death.” Ezekiel 18:20 says, “The soul that sinneth it shall die.” Not only will we die because of our sins, but Revelation 21:8 tells us that we will suffer for eternity in a place called hell or the lake of fire. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Even though God hates sin, He loves His creation. He does not want to see us die and go to hell. Because of His love for us, He decided to make a way for us to be saved from the consequences of our sins. John 3:16 tells us how He did this: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God sent His son Jesus Christ to take our death and our punishment upon Himself. First Peter 3:18 says, “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened [made alive] by the Spirit.”

Because Jesus Christ took our place by dying for us, we do not have to die and go to Hell for our sins. We can avoid that punishment if we do as John 3:16 says and believe in Jesus Christ so that we will not perish and so that we can have everlasting life. Just like Noah gave people fair warning of the rain that was coming, God has given us fair warning of what will happen to us if we reject Jesus Christ and continue in our sins. I encourage you to not be like the people of Noah’s day and ignore the only way that you can be saved for that is a decision that you will regret for eternity.

Would you like to place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ today? If so, here’s how:

First, accept what God says about you and admit that you are a sinner. Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” When it comes to being a sinner, we are all in the same boat — all of us have sinned.

Second, understand that the punishment for sinning (breaking even one of God’s laws) is death and eternal separation from God in Hell. God sent Jesus to save us from this death.

Third, believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, shed His blood in our place, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God. First Corinthians 15:3-4 says, “…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Fourth, accept Jesus’ invitation to be forgiven of your sins and receive eternal life by inviting Him into your life by faith as your Savior from sin’s consequences. Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “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 whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you trust Jesus Christ for salvation, you will be saved from sin, spiritual death, and hell, and you will be guaranteed eternal life in Heaven with God. If this is your heart’s desire, you can pray a short prayer to let God know that you are making this decision today:

Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today and forever. Amen.

If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! I want to congratulate you on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”.

Believe by faith. Share the faith. And keep the faith! God Bless You!