KNOWING JESUS: THE REASON FOR YOUR LIFE

Here's the deal: The reason God made you is so you can know Him. But nobody can please God on their own. It's impossible, because it's our human nature to turn away from what God wants and to do what we want. This is called sin, and it separates us from God. C.S. Lewis summed it up in MERE CHRISTIANITY: "Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement; he is a rebel who must lay down his arms."

The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." What does "all" mean? It means ALL of us. We are ALL sinners. But it's not because of what we've done--it's because of WHO WE ARE.

Romans 6:23 says "The wages of sin is death"--the key word is "sin," not "sins." It's our sinful nature that separates us from God and makes us worthy of eternal separation from Him, not just any single thing we've done.

So what can we do? The Bible says in John 3:3, "No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." What does this mean? It means that we must become totally new on the inside to be able to please God. How do we do this? We must become like Jesus, the Son of God, the only person who has ever done this.

Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." There is nobody else in history who has been able to please God and pay the price of perfection--of being like God--which God demands from us. So what do we do?

The Bible says in Romans 10:9-10, "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 (rescued from your sin)."

Right now, ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you a sinner?

2. Do you want to be rescued from your sin?

3. Do you believe Jesus Christ has paid God's price of perfection for us by giving God his life--dying on the cross--then rising from the dead in victory over sin and death?

4. Are you willing to surrender control of your life to Jesus Christ?

5. Are you ready to invite Jesus to into your life and into your heart?

If so, pray:

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me enough to send your son Jesus into this world to show me how I can know You. I believe Jesus died and paid the price for my sin so that I wouldn't have to, and rose from the dead in victory over sin. I'm ready to give up my control of my life and want to let Jesus have control. Please forgive me of my sin and make me like You. Lord Jesus, come into my life and be my Savior and my Lord. Thank you for loving me enough to die for me. Show me how to live for You and follow You always. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

If you have prayed this, what does this mean? It means you've been rescued from your sin and you are now a child of God. It doesn't matter who you are or what you've done. Romans 10:13 says, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." What does "everyone" mean? It means EVERYONE. It means YOU. YOU have now been rescued and set free from your old way of life by Jesus.

WHAT TO DO NOW

1. Read the Bible regularly and frequently--it's your spiritual food and strength. Find a version of the Bible which is easy to read. (I prefer the New International Version.) Begin reading in the Gospel of John. Learn as much as you can about Jesus.

2. Pray every day. Prayer is conversation with God. You can pray any time, no matter what you've done. God wants to talk with you, and Jesus promised He would never turn away anyone who came to Him. (John 6:37).

3. Find a church congregation where Jesus Christ is honored, where the Bible is taught and where everyone is welcomed.

4. Tell other people about how Jesus has rescued you from your sin and has given you a brand new life.

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