About Jesus
God has created us for intimate friendship with Him. He wants to spend all of eternity with us, including right now. We find God by choosing to seek Him throughout the day, day in, and day out. As we find God throughout our day we develop the relationship of mutual love and trust that every one of us so deeply longs for. There is an old saying “time is money.” That really isn’t true.
The real truth is “time is life.” Life comes down to the time we have on this earth and how we spend it. He wants to spend time with you and me so badly that He paid in order to get it. He sent Jesus his son to die in our place, to pay the penalty for our sin and remove every barrier, tear down every wall and unlock every door so we could have a personal relationship with Him. In fact, He gave us His Word so we could hear from Him constantly and consistently. God has a personal side and He wants us to know it. God wants you to get to know Him better so you can love Him fully, hear Him clearly, and experience His guidance. This comes by spending time with Him in His Word. Our relationship with God can only begin by accepting his son Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and by allowing Him to be the Lord over our life.
My plea to you is not based on a book that I have read called the "Bible" or simple instructions I have learned to follow, or stories I have memorized about Jesus. My passion to tell you these things comes from my own personal experience with Jesus. He has made Himself known to me in real and undeniable ways and He will do the same for you, if, you will seek Him with all of your heart. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jer 29:13 He is the King and He loves you. There is a measure of faith in all of us. Whether we choose to acknowledge Him or not, it is true that all of us are searching for purpose, meaning, and significance. This is the reason people turn to so many different things for fulfillment. You are searching for something that only God can give you. He is the source of your peace, joy, and understanding your purpose. This does not mean the storms of life will cease once you find Jesus, it means he will go with you and you will be calm in your soul in the midst of the storms because His promises are true and He is faithful. He has promised in His word that, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 - He is our Defender. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Matt 19:26 - He is the Lord over all. "And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28 - We can trust Him even when it looks bad. "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." - Psalms 18:2
Because God could only accept a perfect, sinless sacrifice, and because He knew that we could not possibly accomplish that, He sent His Son to die for us and pay the eternal price. "For 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
The prayer of salvation recognizes that Jesus Christ is the only human who ever lived without sin. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." - John 10:27
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:14
"But, I'm not good enough. I don't think God could forgive me or love someone like me?" Not True.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1John 1:9
"...as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." - Psalms 103:12
"The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." - Psalms 103:8
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. - Ephesians 2:8
If you agree with what you have read and you want to begin a relationship with Jesus today, you can do that by confessing your sins, acknowledging Jesus as the son of God and recognizing that He died for your sins, He rose again after 3 days and He is now seated at the right hand of the Father.
There is a prayer below you can say to help you start this journey of faith. It's not a magic formula. You are simply expressing your heart to God.
I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life. What now?
1. Tell someone.
"Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven." - Matthew 10:32
2. If possible, get a Bible and start reading:
Recommended Versions for plain language: NLT, NKJV, ESV
Learn who He is, to have a relationship with anyone you need to get to know them.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jer 29:13
-
To Learn the Story of Jesus' Life: Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
-
To learn how to Live Wisely: Book of Proverbs
-
To learn how to pray: Book of Psalms
-
To Learn How to Live Properly: I &II Corinthians, I &II Timothy
-
To Learn How to Endure Trials & Temptations: Book of James
-
To Learn about False Teachers: The Book of II Peter
3. Talk to God like you would talk to a friend
"...You do not have because you do not ask God..." - James 4:2-3
"Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." - Hebrews 4:16
"...I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" - John 15:15
4. Find a local church or small group where you can be baptized and grow in the knowledge of God through His Word, the Bible.
Baptism is an important event in the believer's walk with Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about water immersion baptism where a believer identifies with Christ by burying the old self as you are lowered in the water and being raised to a new life in Christ as you come up from the water.
"...and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.." - 1 Peter 3:21
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words, he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” -Acts 2:38-41
"When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead." Colossians 2:11-12
"...And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name..." - Acts 22:16
Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and right now I want to turn away from my past sinful life.
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 you 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 understand your Word, obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
If you just said that prayer OF REPENTANCE and meant it, Welcome to the family of God!
The Bible says, "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." - Luke 15:10
There is a celebration in heaven right now because of you.
I must also tell you that following Jesus will cost you. It will cost you friends, likely. You’re answering a call to seek to live a life that is set apart, that is spent in pursuit of truth and obedience. You will never do it perfectly – that’s what the grace you’re accepting is for. It will be hard. It will be challenging. You will be stretched. But it is entirely worth it. The peace and fulfillment that comes from following Jesus is unreal, and you won’t experience it until you get here, until you’ve accepted Him and you’re following Him. It will be an up-and-down journey, but it will be a worthy one. One last thing: Don’t be afraid. There can be a lot of things to be afraid of around Christians – being judged for your weaknesses, not being “good enough,” not knowing enough, being too sinful.
The right people won’t deny you because of those things, they’ll embrace you. In the body of Christ, your weaknesses don’t make you an outcast, they make you part of the family.
Welcome to that family, the family of God.