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The Simple Truth
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The truth of the Bible is really a simple message. God loves you so much that he sent his Son to die for
you. "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13. Jesus became a man, suffered, and died on a cross so that you may be forgiven of
your sins and be with him in heaven. To be with God in heaven, we need to be cleansed of all our sins.
We all fall short of being without sin (Romans 3:23). Sin and God have no place together. Jesus saves us from the effect of our sins. Our sins keep us apart from God while we are here on Earth and after we die. Jesus makes you right with God by taking away your sins. We are saved from an existence apart from God only by what Jesus did. All sin is washed away by what Jesus did on the cross for those who choose to believe in him.
Jesus rose into heaven after death on the cross to show us that he conquered death and we can, too! When you accept Jesus into your life, he will be with you throughout your life and when your life on Earth is finished, he will be with you in heaven. Jesus said..., I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11: 25-26.
The simple message is: to make Jesus an everyday priority in your life. Jesus provides us with direct access to God as we earnestly and humbly pray for help and direction. We are new people after we accept Jesus into our lives and what we do from that point on is evidence of his love within us, and as the Bible says, we "serve one another, [humbly], in love" (Galatians 5:13).
Many people believe that if they are "good" they will end up in heaven. This belief puts more value on what a person does, rather than what Christ did.
The truth is that what you do, and what you don't do, won't secure a place for you in heaven. it's what Jesus did that saves you. if you believe in him as your savior and believe he ascended into heaven after he died for you, you are made right in God's eyes. Jesus is our only way to a right relationship with God and the only way to heaven.
Jesus tells us the simple message of the gospel:
....they asked Jesus, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" He answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
John 6:28-30.
As a result of our belief in Jesus as our Lord and Savior and our belief that he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, we will follow him into heaven. Through his mercy, we are saved from an eternal existence apart from him, and by his grace, we are given an eternal afterlife with him in heaven.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23.
We are all sinners and don't deserve what God in his mercy and grace is offering. God is merciful in not condemning us for our sins. God wants us to have a loving relationship with Him while we are here on Earth. He also wishes that we all have everlasting life. Everlasting life is a gift that comes from what Jesus did to forgive us of our sins and makes us right with God the Father.
"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:22-24.
It's so great to have a close relationship with God and lead a life that honors him and his commandments! This kind of life is not a narrow or restricted life, but instead a life in which there is greater freedom apart from the bondage of sin. The Bible enhances and directs our lives keeping us from the adverse effects of sin.
"Enter in at the straight gate; for wide is the gate that leads to destruction,
and many are which go in there." Matthew 7:13.
Choosing the wide gate allows us to do whatever we please. However, the Bible explains that the wide gate leads to destruction, that is, an existence apart from God after death. In addition, the wide gate doesn't make life easier and definitely not more fulfilling. Quite the contrary, choosing the wide gate compounds problems, and we are left alone to face them. How glorious and fulfilling it is to live with God day by day. And how great it is that we are free to choose to enter in through the straight gate and be with our Lord Jesus Christ when this life ends.
"Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads to life, few find it." Matthew 7:14
The world offers only that which will not fulfill. Those who only pursue what the world offers
live wanting to be filled and searching for fulfillment. Jesus recognizes those individuals as men who
thirst.
Jesus says in John 7:37:
"Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said,
rivers of living water will flow from within them."
Follow Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Once this happens you will be changed, and your life will take on a whole new meaning and purpose. With the Holy Spirit, you will be comforted and find true peace. He will help you to become free from the hold that sin has upon your life.
Questions to think about:
Why was I born?
Why did God create me?
There are reasons and purposes for our lives.
Jesus is saying to you, "Follow me."
Develop a relationship with Jesus and he will lead you.
Jesus says,"I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11.
"I know my sheep and my sheep know me." John 10:14. "...He calls his own sheep by name" John 10:3.
"...and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." John 10:4.
If you make following Jesus the most important part of your life, you will discover the purpose of your life.
So, go out and find your purpose with Jesus and live a life that glorifies him.
Glorify him and pray: "Out of my life may Jesus shine."
Matthew 5:16 says, "...let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
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Statement of Faith
My statement of faith begins with the premise that the Bible is God's infallible written Word.
I believe that it is fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it is without error in the original manuscripts. There is one God, existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God, the Living Word, who became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit. He was born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life and atoned for the sins of people by dying on the cross as their substitute; He accomplished salvation for those who believe in Him by this action. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. Men and women were originally created in the image of God, but they disobeyed God and are, thus, separated from their Creator. Man's nature is imperfect, and, apart from Christ, man is unable to totally please God. It is the privilege of all people who ask God for salvation to be born again and thus be assured of their salvation from the instant at which they trust Christ as their Savior. This assurance is not based on any action on their part but by the action of God. Every believer is called to live a life that is in a process of being conformed to the likeness of God. This is only possible via the power of the Holy Spirit who strengthens the believer so that he will resist sinful temptations and will overcome sin to the glory of God.
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