You're not here by
accident. God loves you. He wants you to have a personal
relationship with Him through Jesus, His Son. There is
just one thing that separates you from God. That one
thing is sin.
The Bible describes sin in
many ways. Most simply, sin is our failure to measure up
to God’s holiness and His righteous standards. We sin by
things we do, choices we make, attitudes we show, and
thoughts we entertain. We also sin when we fail to do
right things. The Bible affirms our own experience –
“there is none righteous, not even one.” No matter how
good we try to be, none of us does right things all the
time. People tend to divide themselves into groups
- good people and bad people. But God says that every
person who has ever lived is a sinner, and that any sin
separates us from God. No matter how we might classify
ourselves, this includes you and me. We are all sinners.
"For all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
Many people are confused
about the way to God. Some think they will be punished
or rewarded according to how good they are. Some think
they should make things right in their lives before they
try to come to God. Others find it hard to understand
how Jesus could love them when other people don't seem
to. But I have great news for you! God DOES love you!
More than you can ever imagine! And there's nothing you
can do to make Him stop! Yes, our sins demand punishment
- the punishment of death and separation from God. But,
because of His great love, God sent His only Son Jesus
to die for our sins.
"God demonstrates His own
love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us." Romans 5:8
For you to come to God you
have to get rid of your sin problem. But, in our own
strength, not one of us can do this! You can't make
yourself right with God by being a better person. Only
God can rescue us from our sins. He is willing to do
this not because of anything you can offer Him, but JUST
BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU!
"He saved us, not because
of righteous things we had done, but because of His
mercy." Titus 3:5
It's God's grace that
allows you to come to Him - not your efforts to "clean
up your life" or work your way to Heaven. You can't earn
it. It's a free gift.
"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
For you to come to God, the
penalty for your sin must be paid. God's gift to you is
His son, Jesus, who paid the debt for you when He died
on the Cross.
"
For the wages of sin is
death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus
Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
Jesus paid the price for
your sin and mine by giving His life on a cross at a
place called Calvary, just outside of the city walls of
Jerusalem in ancient Israel. God brought Jesus back from
the dead. He provided the way for you to have a personal
relationship with Him through Jesus. When we realize how
deeply our sin grieves the heart of God and how
desperately we need a Savior, we are ready to receive
God's offer of salvation. To admit we are sinners means
turning away from our sin and selfishness and turning to
follow Jesus. The Bible word for this is "repentance" -
to change our thinking about how grievous sin is, so our
thinking is in line with God's.
All that's left for you to
do is to accept the gift that Jesus is holding out for
you right now.
"If you confess with your
mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that
God raised him from the dead,you will be saved. For it
is with your heart that you believe and are justified,
and it is with your mouth that you confess and are
saved." Romans 10:9-10
God says that if you
believe in His son, Jesus, you can live forever with Him
in glory.
For God so loved the world
that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John
3:16
Are you ready to accept the
gift of eternal life that Jesus is offering you right
now? Let's review what this commitment involves:
- I acknowledge I am a sinner in need of a
Savior - this is to repent or turn away from sin
-
I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus
from the dead - this is to trust that Jesus paid the
full penalty for my sins
-
I confess Jesus as my Lord and my God - this
is to surrender control of my life to Jesus
- I receive Jesus as my Savior forever - this is
to accept that God has done for me and in me what He
promised
If it is your sincere
desire to receive Jesus into your heart as your personal
Lord and Savior, then talk to God from your heart:
Here's a Suggested Prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I know that I
am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But I
believe You died and rose from the grave to make me a
new creation and to prepare me to dwell in your presence
forever. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my
life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my
trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your
free gift of eternal life.
If you have trusted Jesus
as your Lord and Savior,
please let us know. We want to rejoice in what God has done in your life and
help you to grow spiritually.
If you have questions or
concerns you would like help with, please call or
write and tell
us. We're here to help you understand the love that
Jesus is offering you for free, no matter who or where
you are.