God's Purpose...Peace and Life

God loves you and wants you to know Him so He can fill you with peace and give you real life -- forever.

The Bible Says: Because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God (Romans 5:1).

God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never die (John 3:16).

Jesus Said: "I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest" (John 10:10).

Since God planned for us to have peace and real life right now, why are so many people hurting or angry inside?

Our Problem...Separation From God

God created us in His own image so we can know Him personally and have a joy-filled life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him, but gave us a will and a freedom of choice.

Since the beginning of time, we have chosen to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God and ends in misery.

The Bible Says: All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's holiness (Romans 3:23).

The result of unforgiven sin is death. But God's gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Disobeying God results in being separated from Him.

Our Attempts: They can never unite us with God.

Through the ages, people have tried many ways to bridge this gap and reach God -- without success.

The Bible Says: Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die (Romans 5:12).

You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead (Proverbs 14:12).

There is only one way to reach God.

God's Remedy...The Cross

Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem. He is the only one who can bring us back to God. He died on the Cross and rose from the grave, paying the penalty for our sin and bridging the gap between God and people.

The Bible Says: There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God (1 Timothy 2:5).

Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18).

But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful (Romans 5:8).

God has provided the only way -- we must make the choice.

Our Response...Give Ourselves to Christ

We must trust Jesus Christ to forgive our sins and determine to obey Him for the rest of our lives. That way we can know God and find peace again.

The Bible Says: So you will be saved, if you honestly say, Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with all your heart that God raised Him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this. (Romans 10:9-10)

Is there any good reason why you cannot turn your life over to Jesus Christ right now?

How to give your life to Christ:

• 1. Admit you are a sinner and need forgiveness.
   
• 2. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
   
• 3. Through prayer, confess that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and commit to live for Him for the rest of your life.

What to Pray:

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the grave to give me life. I know You are the only way to God so now I want to quit disobeying You and start living for You. Please forgive me, change my life and show me how to know You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

How you can know you are forgiven:

The Bible, God's Word says: You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better that we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and you have done nothing on your own (Ephesians 2:8).

For those who put their faith in Jesus: He gave them the right to be the children of God... God Himself was the one who made them His children (John 1:12-13).

What do I do Now?

As you draw close to the Lord, He will teach you His ways and give you His strength. There are some practical steps you can take to come closer to God and to allow Him to guide you.

Prayer:

It is important to spend time in prayer every day. Just as you can not grow without eating food each day, so your spirit must be fed in order for growth to occur in our walk with the Lord. The good news is that as children of God we have access to His presence any time we need it. You actually have the right to come before God and to share with Him your intimate thoughts, desires and fears. Prayer is simply talking to your heavenly Father.

Simple Prayer Before Bed

Dear Lord Jesus and Father in Heaven

I would like to pray for my mother, father, family, friends, enemies and all other living things in this world that may need your guidance. Please forgive them lord for their sins that have committed in the past, present, and future. Please lord give them good health and happiness, and bring them closer to you dear lord. I would also like to pray for my spouse and myself, please forgive us for our sins we have done in the past, present, and future. Please give us good health and happiness and keep us together with you between our hearts. Please keep us safe and close to you dear lord, that we may be blessed by you and the holy father, and the holy spirit. That we may be granted the gift of eternal life with you in heaven when the time comes for you to call us home lord. Thank you lord for everything you have given us in this life, glory be to the father, son and the holy spirit. Amen.

Bible Reading:

The Bible is the main way God has chosen to tell us about Himself. Learning what God says in the Bible is a very important part of your new life. As you read His Word, ask God to show you how various passages apply to your life. A good place to start your study is in the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Find an easy to read, modern translation like the Holy Bible - Catholic Reference Edition, New International Version, The New American Standard.

Fellowship:

When you gave your life to Jesus Christ, you became a vital part of God's family, the Church. As you get involved in a local church you will receive strength and encouragement from other believers. But you will also give something vital of yourself back to others. This is one reason why being involved in a local church is so important -- and why the Bible says not to neglect meeting together with other believers (Hebrews 10:25).

As you learn about Him through prayer, Bible reading and fellowship with other Christians, God will guide you and give you the wisdom you need for every challenge in life. May God richly bless you as you continue to follow Him.

Please Memorize These Verses:

"What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

"I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13).

Suggested Reading

The Gospel of John

1 John

The Psalms and Proverbs

If you would like prayer for any need in your life, please send us your prayer requests.

All scriptures are taken from the Contemporary English Version of the Bible.