message
A Message
Entering into a personal relationship with God was, by far, the most significant event in my entire life. I have found Him to be the most loving, faithful, compassionate and gracious 'Person' I have ever met. I am overwhelmed by His great love for me and for every other individual.
He fervently longs to have a close, personal relationship with every single one of us. "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).
God is also perfect in holiness and righteousness and cannot be in the presence of sin. Sadly, because we have all sinned, we cannot even stand in his presence; thus we are cut off from that loving, personal relationship he longs to have with each one of us. "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
God, who is perfect in love and justice, declares that the just punishment for our sin is death and being sent to hell, where we will be cut off from his loving presence eternally. "For the wages [consequences] of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Despite the fact we are sinners; however, God still loves us and is still longing to have that personal relationship with us. "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6,8).
To make a way for us to be reconciled to Himself, God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to live the perfect sinless life we could never live. Jesus never deserved to die because he never sinned. However, out of his great love for us, he chose to take upon himself the punishment we deserve for our sins when he died on the cross in our place, rising again three days later. He gave his life to ransom us from our sins.
In order to be reconciled to God and to enter into a loving, personal relationship with him:
- First, you must repent (confess, be sorry and turn away) from all of your sins. (God promises to freely forgive you of ALL your sins--no matter how many sins you have committed and no matter how bad they are. See Luke 23:32-43.) "If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
- Second, you must ask Jesus to be your personal Saviour. Believe that Jesus has died in your place for your sins and that he has ransomedyou from the punishment of death and hell that you justly deserve. When you receive him in faith as your Saviour, then all your sins (past, present and future) will be forgiven and eternally removed. "For it is by grace [unmerited favour] you have been saved, through faith [believing Christ has ransomed you from your sins]--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works [not by doing good works in vain attempts to earn God's favour], so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Those who sincerely call upon the Lord from their hearts will enter into a personal relationship with Him that will last forever, "...for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'" (Romans 10:13)
(As an outward, public declaration of your new, inward faith in Him, Jesus tells you to be baptised in water (Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 6:1-14).)
Our relationship with God is best nurtured through daily prayer, daily Bible reading and regular fellowship with other Bible-believing Christians. I would love to hear of your decision if you would like to share it with me: jtbarts@gmail.com.
This is your invitation.
If you come now, just as you are, no matter what state you are in, God will receive you. Jesus says, "...whoever comes to me I will never drive away" (John 6:37).
He says this about God's invitation to you in Luke 14:16-24:
"A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet'...'For many are invited, but few are chosen.'" (Matthew 22:14)
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