What does it take to begin a relationship with God? Devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? Become a better person so that God will accept you? You may be surprised that none of those things will work. But God has made it very clear in the Bible how we can know Him. The following principles will explain how you can personally begin a relationship with God, right now, through Jesus Christ... God's Love God's Plan We Are Sinful We were created to have fellowship with God; but, because of our stubborn self-will, we chose to go our own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin. This diagram illustrates that God is holy and people are sinful. A great gulf separates us. The arrows illustrate that we are continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through our own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy, or religion -- but we inevitably fail. He Died in Our Place He Rose From the Dead This diagram illustrates that God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. We Must Receive Christ We Receive Christ Through Faith When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for your sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. You receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will. These two circles represent two kinds of lives: Which circle best describes your life? Which circle would you like to have represent your life? Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer: "Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be." If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, then you can pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised. (1) John 3:16 (NIV); (2) John 10:10; (3) Romans 3:23; (4) Romans 6:23; (5) Romans 5:8; (6) 1 Corinthians 15:3-6; (7) John 14:6; (8) John 1:12; (9) Ephesians 2:8,9; (10) Revelation 3:20 Adapted from Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws and Would You Like to Know God Personally, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ.How to Know God Personally
Principle 1:
God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
"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." 1
[Christ speaking] "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" [that it might be full and meaningful]. 2Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life? Because...
Principle 2:
All of us sin and our sin has separated us from God.
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." 3
We Are Separated
"The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God]. 4The third law explains the only way to bridge this gulf...
Principle 3:
Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin. Through Him we can know and experience God's love and plan for our life.
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 5
"Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." 6
He Is the Only Way to God
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.'"7It is not enough just to know these three principles...
Principle 4:
We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." 8
"By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." 9
[Christ speaking] "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him." 10
The following explains how you can receive Christ:
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?
Yes, I just asked Jesus into my life »
I may want to ask Jesus into my life,
but I have a question I would like answered first »
Monday, April 28, 2008
Knowing Jesus..
Posted by j-long at 4:30 AM
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1 comments:
my gosh...this post is so touching...dis shud b ur main post..can help Christians who has not opened themselves to God yet...i dunno y but..wen i read the prayer at the end (i din go thru da whole thing la) is lyk tears start forming in my eyes....=)))...continue dis jlong..God Bless~~~..u noe it's da rite thing 2 do..dun let wat other ppl say stop u frm spreading God's word
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