Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe,
so are there spiritual laws which govern your relationship with
God.
1. God LOVES you and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life.
(References contained on this page are from the Bible and
should be read in context wherever possible.)
God's Love
"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 NIV)
God's Plan
[Christ speaking] "I came that they might have life,
and might have it abundantly" [that it might be full
and meaningful] (John 10:10)
So, why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant
life? Because…
2. Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot
know and experience God's love and plan for his life.
Man Is Sinful
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23)
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of
his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his 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.
Man Is Separated
"The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation
from God] (Romans 6:23)
This diagram illustrates that God is holy and
man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. The arrows illustrate
that a man is continually trying to reach God and the abundant
life through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy,
or religion - but he inevitably fails.
The third law explains the only way to bridge this gulf...
3. Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through
Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life.
He Died in Our Place
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
He Rose From the Dead
"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…" (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
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'" (John
14:6)
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.
It is not enough just to know these three laws…
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.
We Must Receive Christ
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to
become children of God, even to those who believe in His name"
(John 1:12)
We Receive Christ Through Faith
"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" (Ephesians 2:8,9)
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth
(Read John 3:1-8)
We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation
[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" (Revelation 3:20).
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.
Two Kinds of Lives
1. The Self-directed life
Self is on the throne. Interests are directed by self, resulting
in discord and frustration. Christ is outside the person's life.
2. The Christ-directed life
Christ is on the throne. Self is yielding to Christ. Interests
are directed by Christ, resulting in harmony with God's plan.
Questions
- Which circle best describes your life?
- Which circle would you like to have represent your life?
The following explains how you can receive Christ:
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer:
(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."
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does,
I invite you to pray this prayer right now and Christ will come
into your life, as He promised.
Did you pray this prayer?
WHO
IS JESUS?