Knowing Jesus
God wants you to know that He loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. This may seem hard for
you to believe, but it is true. It is the central message of the Bible. It is the good news that Jesus came to bring to the
world. Here are the basic elements of this message...1. God loves you and created you to experience peace and a fulfilled
life.
Every person is created in the image of God. The very purpose of our existence is to know God intimately
and to discover his purpose for our lives. God wants us to enjoy a life of peace and fulfillment. Here is what the Bible tells
us...
When we are made right with God, we have peace with him through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)
Jesus came that we might have life and might have it abundantly. (John 10:10)2. Unfortunately, each of
us is separated from God.
The reason we cannot experience this fulfilled life is because we are separated from God. Each of us has
done something wrong. The Bible calls this sin, and sin separates us from God. So, you see we have messed God's plan up by
our wrongdoing. We now have a big problem. It's as if there is a great chasm between God and us. The Bible says...
Your [God's] eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. (Habakkuk 1:13)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
Your sins have cut you off from God. (Isaiah 59:2)
3. It is only natural that we try to build our own bridge across the chasm.
Deep within each of us is the desire to know God and to discover the fulfilled life He offers us. We know
something is missing. Typically, we try to cross this chasm by being a good moral person, going to church, helping people,
etc. All of these are good and admirable, but they fall short... far short. It's like trying to jump over the Grand Canyon.
This is a problem you can't fix by yourself. Listen again to what the Bible says...
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
There is no one righteous, not even one. (Romans 3:9, 10)
4. God has provided a way to bridge the gap between you and Him.
God knows that we have a problem. He always has known. He could have just written the human race off,
but He didn't. Instead, He has provided a way for us to know Him and to find the fulfilled life He desires for us. God's answer
was to become one of us. So, Jesus came and lived here with us. He willingly gave up His life as a sacrifice for us. He died
on the cross to pay the price for our wrongdoing, and then He rose again. Here is how the Bible tells us about this...
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son and whoever believes in Him will not perish,
but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
For Christ has suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bright us to God. (1 Peter
3:18).
I [Jesus] am the way and the truth and the life; no on comes to the Father, but through me. (John 14:6)
5. Since God has provided a solution to the problem, we can now choose to accept His solution as a free
gift.
To enter into a relationship with God and experience the fulfilled life, each of us must put our trust
in Christ. There is no other way. Jesus is the bridge to God. God's plan is freely given to anyone who will receive Christ.
What does this mean? It means to face the truth about your sins, to believe the truth about Jesus, and to change the direction
of your life to follow Him. The Bible makes it clear...
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into
Him. (Revelation 3:20)
To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.
(John 1:12)
If you desire to know God or you are not certain you have a relationship with him, we encourage you to
settle this issue by praying this simple prayer...
Jesus, I know that my sins have broken my relationship with you. But I believe you gave up your own life
to bring me back to God. I believe you rose from the dead, so I could find my life with God. I want to follow you now and
love you back every day for the rest of my life.
If you prayed this prayer sincerely, you have just made the most important decision of your life!
If our church can ever serve you, please feel free to contact us.
Finding God
THERE’S A CERTAIN SPOT IN EVERYONE THAT ONLY GOD CAN FILL.
The Creator, God made us that way. God wants to have a relationship with us, and 2,000 years ago, He sent
His Son, Jesus Christ to earth to make that possible.
It’s as easy as ABC.
A – Acknowledge that you need God.
Admit that you have sinned (done things displeasing to God) and that sin has separated you from a holy
God.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).
B – Believe in Jesus Christ.
Believe that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sins by dying on the cross.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved . . .” (Acts 16:31).
C – Confess and turn away from your sin and wrong doing.
"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from
the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to
salvation” (Romans 10:9 and 10).
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
(1 John 1:9).
(Scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible.)
Pray this simple prayer to God:
"Father, I admit that I have sinned. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ died on the cross to save me
from my sins and to bring forgiveness to me. I confess to You now with my own voice that I am trusting that Jesus has paid
the penalty for my sins. I am trusting in You to help me renounce my sins, and with Your help, I will begin to live a holy
life. Thank You. Amen.”
Get to know God better by doing these things:
Read the Bible which is God’s Word to the world. The book of John is a good place to start.
Pray to God in the name of Jesus every day. Talk to Him respectfully as you would talk to a friend.
Jesus taught His original disciples this prayer: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom
come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also
forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Luke
11:2-4).
Find a Christian church that teaches the Bible and worship there regularly.
Other Web Sites:
To find out more about God and how to have a relationship with Him, visit the following web sites:
http://www.jesussaves.cc/
http://www.whosjesus.com
http://www.vulcanhammer.org/gospel/
To learn about the Church of God, visit:
http://www.churchofgod.cc/about/index.cfm
