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Who is Jesus
If you're like many people today, you've heard the name of Jesus. You may think of Him as a religious leader or perhaps as a really good man who lived 2,000 years ago. But have you ever wondered if He could possibly make a difference in your life today?
What God Wants
Did you know that God loves you and wants to have an ongoing relationship with you - one in which you both talk to and listen to Him? One in which you allow Him to be a part of your life decisions? He wants you to experience an abundant life John 10:10, which He knows can be found only in Him. He wants you to be set free - free from your past, from guilt and shame, from bondage to sin, from addiction, from selfishness.
God's Plan
God has a plan to accomplish all of that. That plan is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the spotless, sinless Son of God. He came to earth to "rescue" us from sin. You already know that wrong-doing has a penalty. Well, the penalty for our sin is death - eternal separation from God. But since God loves us so much, He Himself took ownership of that penalty. He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus was crucified by people who didn't understand who He was or why He had come. Jesus willingly died on the cross in our place, fulfilling God's plan to redeem mankind - even the very people who nailed Him to the cross! Though He was perfect and sinless, He took our sins upon Himself so that we might have a restored relationship with our Creator 1 Peter 2:24.
But the story doesn't end with Jesus' sacrificial death. The Bible says that just three days after He was crucified on a hill outside Jerusalem, God raised Him back to life! Jesus is no longer in the grave - God raised Him from the dead just as He will raise us at the close of history. There is a day coming when time shall come to an end and all people will stand before God in judgment Revelation 20:11-12.
You Choose
The Prayer of salvation describes the prayer prayed by a person who has recognized their sin and their need for a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It goes something like this:
“Father, I know that I have broken Your laws and my sins have separated me from You. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward You. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”
If you decided to turn from your sins and receive Christ today, welcome to God's family. Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.
- Get baptized as commanded by Christ.
- Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
- Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
- Seek fellowship with other followers of Jesus. Develop a group of believing friends to answer your questions and support you.
- Find a local church where you can worship God. www.above.org
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