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FINDING
PEACE
At some point in our life's journey, we come to
realize how inadequate we are to deal with all that life throws our way.
At some point we realize the things we fought so hard to attain or to
achieve simply did not satisfy our desires or meet our expectations.
At some point we realize we cannot fill the lingering void in our heart on
our own. While the pursuits of pleasure, relationships, money, power, and
other things may satisfy us for a short time, we ultimately find that the
empty longing inside us always returns. It is at this point we discover
the strength to fill this void can only come from the One who placed it
there. We discover the love and the power of our risen Lord and Savior. We
discover Jesus.
THE PROBLEM
God created us to have a relationship with Him and to experience true,
lasting peace in this life. That "missing peace" inside every
man, woman and child is caused by our separation from God which is a
direct result of our sin. Here's what the Bible says in Isaiah 59:2
"But your iniquities have separated you from
your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not
hear."
Romans 3:23 says it like this "For all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
OUR ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM
People have tried many ways to restore this lost relationship with God,
but no amount of effort or good deeds on our part can ever pay for our
sin.
Titus 3:5 says
"He saved us, not because of righteous
things we had done, but because of his mercy"
"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." (Eph 2:8-9)
Regardless of which path we may choose to try and reach God, the fact is,
there is only one way to find Him.
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but
in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
GOD'S SOLUTION
Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the
penalty for our sin and restore our lost relationship with God. Read what
the Bible says in the following verses
"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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17)
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18)
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom 5:8)
OUR RESPONSE
Just knowing all this intellectually is not enough. We must act upon it by
trusting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, believing in Him by faith,
and receiving His free gift of salvation.
"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." (Rev 3:20)
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12)
"That 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." (Rom 10:9)
HOW TO FIND THAT MISSING PEACE
You can receive Jesus Christ right now, wherever you
are, whoever you are, whatever you've done. His free gift of salvation is
your only hope to find that missing peace in your life. Here's all you
need to do:
1. Admit your need. ("I am a sinner.")
2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3. Believe that Jesus died for you on the cross and rose from the
grave.
4. Pray and invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life
through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Him as Lord and Savior.)
There are no exact words you have to pray. Simply put your faith in Him
and pray something like this.
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am
a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I
want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and
life. I want to trust and follow You alone as my Lord and Savior. In
Jesus' name. Amen."
YOU CAN HAVE ASSURANCE!
If you prayed this prayer, you can know for sure that God heard you and
has forgiven your sins. the Bible says
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved." (Rom 10:13)
"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God
does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of
the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (1
John 5:12-13)
If you just prayed that prayer, you have just made
life's most important decision! We would love to celebrate this wonderful
moment with you so do please let us know.
WHAT NOW?
Now that you have accepted Jesus into your life, what do you do next?
First, you need to begin reading the Bible and praying regularly. It is
through God's Word and prayer that we come to know God more and learn how
to live as a believer. Second, you need to find a good, Bible-believing
church. Fellowship with other Christians is a critical part of your
spiritual growth. Also, you should be baptized. While baptism does not
save us, (it is by faith alone that we are saved), baptism is an important
step to outwardly show what has already happened to you on the inside.
Finally, remember to share the good news of salvation with others. God
bless you as you grow in the Lord!
If you've made a
decision, please feel free to share
it with us!!!
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