Being a Christian is all about having a Relationship With God

God's Plan for Humans: Peace and Abundant Life

God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life—abundant and eternal.

"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5:1.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16.

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” John 10:10.

Why don't most people have this peace and abundant life that God planned for us to have?

The Problem: We are Separated from God

God created us in His own image to have an abundant life.  He did not make us as robots to automatically have faith in him. We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way instead of expressing faith through love and obedience.  This results in separation from God.

 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23.

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" Isaiah 59:2.

 People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" Proverbs 14:12.

God's Bridge: The Cross

Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave.  He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the separation between God and people.  This is a gift from God that we can not earn or deserve!  It is free given out of love for us!

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ" 1 Timothy 2:5.

"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." Romans 5:8.

No bridge reaches God ... except for Christ.

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

Our Response: Trust Christ

We are called to trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

"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" Revelation 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" Romans 10:9.

Here is how you can have a relationship Christ:

·        Admit your need (I am a sinner who has my own agenda apart from God).

·        Be willing to turn from your own ways (I want God’s agenda not my own).

·        Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave (I respond to Christ in faith).

·        Trust this gift of grace that God freely gives you by giving yourself to God. (I give up myself to follow Christ).

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I know that I have gone my own way apart from you and need forgiveness so that you can turn me back to you.  You died for my sins.  Please come into my heart and life.  I want to trust and follow you as Lord and Savior.  It is because of Jesus’ death and resurrection that I know that I can ask this.  Amen.

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" Romans 10:13.

"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" Ephesians 2:8,9.

If you have questions about having a relationship with God or would like to talk to our pastor about it, please contact Pastor Paulsen at the number/addresses below.  He would be thrilled to talk more with you.