I have some good news to share with you. You do not need to continue on living the way you are now…in darkness, hopelessness, and unrest. The God of the heavens and earth has created us to know him and be in relationship with him. He knows your name, he knows everything about you, and he desires that you know everything about Him.
He is a perfect being that cannot be in our presence alone because of the choices we often make to do bad things and sin. He is completely and wholly good. A long time ago, he set up many laws and sacrifices people had to make in order to be in his presence. There were so many rules and laws, that his chosen people were constantly failing and messing up. They began to turn to other man made gods. This grieved God, and so, out of his great love for you and I, he sent his one and only son Jesus.
Jesus was completely human and yet fully God. He came to make it possible for us to have a close and personal relationship with God. He came to be the ultimate sacrifice for the bad things we have done, are doing, and will continue to do that would cause us to be separate from God. Through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, God forgives our sins and sees us as he sees Jesus. Perfect and spotless…without blame. This perfect love casts out fear, shame, and gives us a new identity and purpose for living.
The life and love he provides and promises, causes us to look at the life of Jesus and want to follow in his footsteps. He calls us to share our lives with others, not live only for ourselves, and bring those who do not yet know him to him.
He promises eternal life for those who confess with their tongue and believe in their heart. For those who do not repent and confess, he promises that they will be eternally separated from him in hell. The gift of eternal life is just that-a gift. All you have to do is accept. God will not force you to spend time with him, love him, or worship him. He gives us a choice and the decision you make determines where you will spend eternity.
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I’ve been thinking lately how easily I have been sharing my faith and testimony with strangers I barely know, but often struggle doing so with my friends and family at home. So much of that has to do with fear of man and what you will think of me or how you will judge me. I don’t want to be praying for the lost here, while ignoring everyone I truly love at home.
I left my job, my home, my friends, and my family behind for 11 months because I believe this message is important enough to leave all that behind and share with everyone who has never heard this news before. As a believer, I am called to share what I know with others in hopes that you would turn from doing things your own way and apart from God.
He is not pleased with us when we are living lives completely separate from him. It grieves him to see you trying to do things on your own, because he wants you to live a life free of chains and bondage, free of depression, worry, and strife. Jesus came so that we would have an abundant life. We will never have a full life unless we surrender and hand over every area of our life to him.
I am not sharing this to condemn you, but to hopefully convict you of your need to hand your life over to the only one who truly loves you. If you feel so led, you can pray the prayer below in response and dedicate your life to the Lord. I pray that God will use these words to pierce your heart and draw you near to Him.
God, I believe in you. You are my creator. I confess that I am a sinner. I have sinned both willfully and unconsciously. I have fallen short and missed the mark. I am stained with sin. Jesus, I believe in you. You are the eternal Son of God. You are the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world and who takes away my sin. I believe you died on a cross, shedding your innocent blood for my guilty soul. I believe you were buried and on the third day arose. You are alive forevermore. I call you my Lord. I call you my Savior. I give you my life. I will love you and serve you the rest of my days. I belong to you-all my plans, all my dreams, I give everything to you. I am committing everything that matters to me into your hands. Thy will be done in me. I believe I am saved, not by good works or anything that I have done, but by faith and by my trust in you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
