Step 1 God's Purpose: Peace and Life

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

The Bible says:

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

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

"I [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
John 10:10

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

Step 2. The Problem: Sin Separates Us

God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him. God gave us a will and freedom of choice. We choose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God.

The Bible says:

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

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

Our choice results in separation from God. People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God...

The Bible says:

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

"But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."
Isaiah 59:2

No bridge reaches God... except one.

Step 3. God's Remedy: The Cross

Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people.

The Bible says:

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

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God."
1 Peter 3:18

"But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8

God has provided the only way... Each person must make a choice...

Step 4. Our Response: Receive Christ

We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation.

The Bible says:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me."
Revelation 3:20

"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
John 1:12

"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

Will you receive Jesus Christ right now?

Here is how you can receive Christ:

• Admit your need. ....(I am a sinner.)
• Be willing to turn from your sins ....(repent) and ask for God's forgiveness.
• Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
• Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. ....(Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior)

I suggest a prayer like this one:

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