Jesus is
THE WAY, THE TRUTH & THE LIFE
The glorious reality of Christianity is that Jesus offers more than a philosophy, a set of rituals, or a nice organization with a nice building that does nice things. He came to forgive us, and to give us the power to live right. He came to give us peace with God and our fellow men. And because Jesus Christ is the Son of God, he has the power to do everything he promises.
Here is what you need to know about having a relationship with Jesus Christ.
We need a Savior
WE ARE SINNERS
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
If we’re honest with ourselves, we have to admit our lives are far short of perfect. We’ve all done things we regret, things we knew were wrong. Even worse, we all know the frustration of trying to do right and still falling back into the old way of thinking and acting. The Bible calls this “sin” - this word means missing the mark. God’s standard is perfection, but we’re not even close. Forget missing the bulls-eye, we don’t even hit the target.
OUR SIN HAS HORRIBLE CONSEQUENCES
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15)
Our sins - our actions, habits, and attitudes that are wrong - are damaging our lives. Sin is the cause of all kinds of problems - broken homes, broken laws, and broken hearts. That’s already bad enough, but what’s even worse is that the consequences of our sin go past this life. The Bible tells us we will all stand before God to be judged, and that he is a righteous and holy judge. There’s no argument that we can make to pretend we are innocent, or to justify ourselves. Our sin must be paid for, and the cost is eternal death - separation from God and torment forever.
JESUS CAME TO SAVE US
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
Knowing our desperate state, and unwilling to leave us to our sin and its consequences, Jesus Christ entered into humanity. He was fully God and fully man. He experienced all the temptations that we face, but never sinned. When he gave his life on the cross, he took upon himself all sin and received God’s full judgment. When he rose again, this demonstrated that God had accepted his sacrifice. Because he has paid the price for our sin, we can receive his righteousness credited to our account. Not only can we be justified, but we can be born again. The Christian life is a brand new life, empowered by God’s Spirit within us, so that we can now live right.
SALVATION IS AVAILABLE TO US BY FAITH!
“if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
The good news is that God’s offer of salvation in Jesus Christ is open to all! But it requires a transformation in our lives. The word “confess” means more saying the words; it means agreeing with God and making it a reality. If Jesus is Lord in our lives, we must turn away from our sins and seek a new life. We must commit to follow and obey him. But this is all done by faith - we can’t earn it by good works or good thoughts. Instead, we just believe what the Bible reveals to us about Jesus, and we put our faith in him to save and change us.
If you would like to do this, the best place to start is with a prayer of faith. Say this:
God be merciful to me, a sinner. Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross for me, and that your death paid the full price for my sins. I believe that you have risen from the dead, and that you are God. I turn away from my old life and all my sins, and I ask you to forgive me. I make you the Lord of my life. From this day forward I give you my life; help me to live for you and do what you want me to do.
If you prayed this prayer in faith, this is the starting point of a new life. We would like to support you in your new life. Click below to fill out a form and we’ll follow up with some helpful information about how you can live for God.
The first steps in your new life
CONGRATULATIONS!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Praying to receive Jesus Christ is the start of a brand new life. You’ve left the guilt of sin in the past and the future that lies ahead of you is as bright as the promises of God! Now the challenge is to continue to walk with God on this new road of faith that you’ve started down. The good news is that God has promised to help you and he has given you some tools to start with. Here’s a few practical steps you can take to keep following Jesus:
READ YOUR BIBLE
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
The Bible is God’s word to you. You’ve committed to follow Jesus; the Bible is how he tells you what to do. It contains encouragement and hope for times of hurt; challenges to keep us on track in life; principles to order your life by. It reveals who God is and how he works. More than just words or ideas, God’s word comes alive to believers. Take time to read something in the Bible every day. If you’re just starting out, start in Mark’s gospel. If you’d like to read more than that, our events page contains a daily Bible reading schedule. If you need a Bible, please contact us and we’ll happily supply one.
PRAY
“ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Prayer is how we speak to God. Although God already knows all our needs, he wants us to come to him in prayer so that we can build a relationship with him. Prayer takes our eyes off of us and helps us remember who God is. When you pray, you don’t need to memorize any fancy words or formal prayers. Just speak to God. Start with praise, recognizing God’s glory. Thank God for all he’s done for you. Ask him to help you do what’s right and forgive your sins and mistakes. Tell him about your needs and ask for his help. God promises he will hear you and help you.
WORSHIP AT CHURCH
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another …” (Hebrews 10:25, NLT)
The church is a refuge for the believer. The world often is full of stress, bad news, temptations, and trials. It’s critical that we come into the church, which is a special place that is set aside for us to meet with God. In the church you’ll worship with people who can encourage you and help your faith. You’ll hear sermons that build you up and challenge you to serve God. You’ll see examples of the Christian life lived out by real people. God wants us, as his people, to be together as we worship and serve. Plug in and be a part of that.
TELL SOMEONE ABOUT JESUS
“… those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25, NLT)
The good news of Jesus - that he loves us, died for us, has risen from the dead, and is able to save all who believe in him - is the best news in all the world! Good news is made to be shared, and we’re guaranteed to meet people in our daily lives who desperately need to hear it. Even better is God’s promise that as you tell someone else about him, you will be helped just as much. Find someone in your life to tell about Jesus Christ.
ONE STEP AT A TIME
Sometimes it feels like a whole life is an immensely long time and the changes you need to make are huge. Take a deep breath and step back a minute. You don’t have to live the rest of your life today; you just have to live today. As long as you have set your life on God’s path and are following him, you’re going in the right direction. And when you go the right direction long enough, you get where you need to go. So start moving forward with these practical steps, one day at a time. God will help you!
Continuing to grow in Christ
THE JOURNEY NEVER ENDS
“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13)
As you live for Christ over time, you’ll find that you get stronger and stronger. You’ll also find that the challenges get bigger. This is how God works - he gives us grace for what’s in front of us and that’s what helps us grow. Embrace the challenges in front of you and
DON’T FORGET THE FUNDAMENTALS
Growing in faith doesn’t mean you leave behind the foundations. It means you build on them, and the larger the building, the more important it is to have a strong foundation. Keep making the fundamentals of the faith a priority. God will continue to help you as you continue to honor him.
FIND A PLACE TO SERVE
Jesus calls us to be disciples - that’s a word that implies responsibility. Our job - and it’s a privilege - is to partner with the Lord as he builds his church. Don’t just settle for being a spectator; get involved! Pray for the people around you and build relationships so you can build up your brothers and sisters. Find a place in the church to serve. There’s all kinds of ministries that could use a helping hand. If you give God the gift of your time and energy, he’ll honor that gift.