How to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ

[gibby]

How to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ

We are all hard-wired by God when He created us to be in fellowship with Him.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 …He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

That means we were created to have and intimate relationship with Him. But, in His perfect love, He also gave us the freedom to choose to walk with Him. God was not interested in robotic worship of mankind and a true loving relationship involves choice. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was the monument of free choice in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:9) Since Adam and Eve chose to go their own way leading to the fall of man, we all have fallen short of the Glory of God and we all have chosen our own way as well.

Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Because we were created to walk with God and we have chosen our own way, we attempt to fill that emptiness that can only be filled by God with cheap substitutes like money, academics, success, religion, power, hobbies, alcohol, drugs, etc. In God's eyes, this is idol worship with ourselves being the chief idol in our lives.

The bible calls this sin and sin leads to death, or eternity away from God. The bible calls this eternal separation Hell.

Revelation 20:14 - The lake of fire is the second death.
Revelation 21:8 - But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we fill our hearts with these cheap substitutes, we find we are always chasing, only satisfied for moments and we find ourselves looking for more.

God sees you in your bondage and He wants to break those chains and bring you back into His arms. He did this in the life of His son Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 - 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.

Jesus paid the penalty for your sins, a penalty that we would have had to pay in eternity in Hell. Jesus did this by being fully human and fully God at the same time; He died on the cross for your sins and mine. And God, showing that that the atoning work of Jesus on the cross was sufficient (accepted), raised this same Jesus from the dead on the third day and He lives today! Seated at the right hand of the Father. Luke 22:69

You can begin this relationship right now! It is no accident that you are here today reading these words. This may be a divine appointment arranged by God with you before the creation of the universe!

Here’s how:

1. God Loves You

John 3:16 says, "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.

2. Admit that you are a sinner

You have followed your own ways and desires apart from God and have sinned.

Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,".
Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Hebrews 9:27 says, "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,"

That means if you only committed one sin in your life, you are condemned to hell. That is how Holy and Righteous our God is.

Isaiah 6:5 - 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty

3. This same loving and Holy God wants to forgive you!

God showed us this love by sending His only son to die in your place on the cross.

Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
1 Pet 3:18 says, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

4. Turn away from your sin.

This is where you decide that you are not going to live for yourself anymore, but in your new loving relationship with the Father and with His help, you take a stand to turn from your sin. This does not mean you won’t stumble and fall, but get back up! Confess your sin and move on! Keep growing closer to God in your new walk.

Luke 13:5 says, "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

This does not mean that you get into heaven by what you do, it’s because of who God is and has chosen to forgive you and call you His son or daughter. As a new believer, you do good works, not to earn points with God, but because you love Him! This is true freedom.

Ephesians 2:8-9 say, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast."

5. Accept the Free Gift

When you come to a place where you realize your need for Jesus to be the only basis for your forgiveness, know that all you have to do is accept Him into your heart and ask Him to come in to forgive your sins and start a new life in you.

Acts 20:21 says, "I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus."

John 14:6 says, "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

6. You Receive Jesus Christ Through Prayer

He is now standing at the door of your heart…can you hear Him?

Revelations 3:20 says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

It does not have to be exactly like this, but here is a sample 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 into the kind of person you want me to be.


7. CELEBRATE!...as you stand as a new person in the eyes of God. The old sin and shame are gone and you are ready to discover your purpose in this life. Begin to walk with God daily by reading the bible and fellowshipping with other believers. Let the spirit of God work in and through you as you begin this new life.

(Luke 15:10) I tell you, there is rejoicing in in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
(II Corinthians) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Welcome to God’s Family! Start by reading the bible in the book of John. Also, find a local church that teaches the bible and begin in fellowship with them.

Also, feel free to register and join this community by clicking "register" at the top of the page, especially if you have any questions about being a believer in Christ.

Here is another great resource to help you:
http://www.needhim.org

[JIP]

Amen. Thats all I need say in Simplicity.
Happy to be here.
Be Blessed Always
JIP