Do You know about God,or Do You have a relationship with God!
We try everything the world has to offer, looking for meaning in life, but nothing seems to fill the emptiness. But we find success is fleeting and happiness is short-lived. We know things about God, but can we say we know him in a personal way.... A relationship with God is the source of true meaning and joy! Many think that "being saved" is some sort of "after-life" real estate opportunity (or time share)! God doesn't offer us real-estate, he offers us eternal life with Him. Since the Garden of Eden, this is the ONLY WAY man's life was meant to be! But how can man, separated from God by our sin, ever have an intimate relationship with a holy, sinless, all-powerful God?
#1 - by recognizing that the sinfulness in us separates us from God. We can do nothing on our own (works) to remove the sin or atone for the consequences that accompanies sin. No person has ever, or will ever "earn" their way into a relationship with God!
#2 - We are incapable of removing our sinfulness; in other words, we cannot save ourselves. God deals with our sin by paying for the sin through His Son Jesus Christ. We are incapable of removing our sin! Christ removes our sin by paying the penalty for our sin himself. How? He sacrificed himself in our place on the cross! God permanently removes our sin and makes us his child. Christ's perfect, once-for-all sacrifice makes our salvation eternally secure! Through Jesus Christ the broken relationship between God and man is restored! We're back to what we were made to do, enjoying life with God!
#3 - BUT, we do not establish a relationship with God on our terms. IF we are to have a relationship with God, it must be on HIS terms. What are God's terms? A - God's exclusive terms: Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life, NO MAN comes to the Father but by me, John 14:6 B - God's inclusive terms: Salvation is for everyone: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD, shall be saved, Rom 10:13
On our own, without God, we are sinners eternally separated from God! But through Christ we are made Children of God, saved by the precious, sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
A Real Relationship with God... 1. Realize you are a sinner. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. Everyone is a sinner before a holy God. Some think that if we're comparatively good enough (better than Hitler!!), then we are good before God. The problem? The standard of "good" is Jesus Christ, not Hitler!! That makes us all sinners, lost, separated from God +++ 2. Our sin separates us from God.Our sin prevents us from having a relationship with God and separates us eternally from God, "For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23a. If God were to pay us for the wage for our sinful life, it would be eternal death (hell). +++ 3. God has a gift for you."But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b. Jesus Christ paid the wages of our sin by dying in our place. Jesus took our sin upon himself when he died on the cross. Jesus submitted himself to the consequences of our sin by dying in our place. Jesus took our sin and gave us his righteousness!! +++ 4. This gift is exclusively through Christ."But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. A gift that must paid for is not a gift. Like a gift under the Christmas tree with our name on it, it is unearned and yet freely available. But until we go and claim it, we don't possess it! +++ 5. Ask Jesus to save you."That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13 Are you ready to ask Jesus into your heart? Ask him into your heart now by calling upon the Lord... (a prayer may go something like this...) "Lord, I realize I'm a sinner. As a sinner, I am separated from you now, and deserve to be eternally separated from you because of my sins. Jesus, I believe you took my place and paid my sin debt by dying in my place. You died to give me eternal life. Lord, I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I ask you to come into my heart and save me. I place all my past sins and all my future sins at the foot of your cross. In Jesus' name, Amen." ~~~ If you prayed this prayer, we want to rejoice with you. Call us and let us know! (817) 478-4889
