Knowing God
Finding, Accepting, and Following Jesus
Knowing God
Finding, Accepting, and Following Jesus
The True Story of the Gospel
The Gospel is an eyewitness account of history that has stood the test of time and made a difference to billions of lives around the world. Have you ever wondered why you are here on earth? Have you ever had a sense that you were made for more? Have you ever been amazed by the beauty of this world or the wonder of love, while at the same time also being shocked and discouraged by the hatred and evil around you?
There is a reason you feel this way. The answers will be found below on just 6 basic truths. Consider these 6 truths; your 1 response will change everything.
Explore the 6 Truths
Truth 1:
You were designed for good.
God created the world, and that includes you - and He declared everything He made to be good! In fact, He says you’re “very good” because you come from Him!
In the beginning, God and the first humans were connected. Their connection to God gave them meaning and purpose. In fact, you have a purpose. To be united with God in His world for His purpose.
That longing you have inside yourself for the world to “be right”? Here one moment and gone the next - don’t be confused, that sense of longing comes from God.
Truth 2:
But something is wrong and broken.
We know that something is wrong! What is it? Without God, we choose to live for ourselves. You might think of it as walking away from God.
And it is personal. We do it. Me and you, we walk away from God.
The Bible calls that SIN. Ask yourself, "Do I do things I know are wrong?" If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit we rebel; we sin.
When we sin, we break our relationship with God. And everything that was meant for good gets broken.
Truth 3:
We cannot fix what we have broken.
Many ask if we can fix this problem. Great question! We cannot. Many have tried. Many try to build a bridge to God.
Have you ever tried? We know that errors, mistakes, sin requires a payment. They require justice to put things "right". Even if we could make the payment, then we would have to live perfectly, never sinning again.
Tried to live perfectly? It's impossible.
The problem is BIGGER than you may realize.
Sin separates us from God forever.
Truth 4:
God has made a way.
What you and I cannot do, God has done.
Because God loves you, He has made a way for you to be united to Him.
"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 the Son, Jesus, by coming to earth to die on the cross for you, paid the price for your sin. Jesus became the way between God - the Father - and you. Jesus Christ is the only way for us to reach the Father (John 14:6).
Truth 5:
God invites you back to Him.
God's Word says you can:
- Become part of God's family (John 1:12)
- Be with God and others for eternity (John 5:24)
Truth 6:
Being with God gives you purpose.
God's Word says you can:
- Be filled with meaning and purpose (John 10:10)
- Whoever abides in me and I in him, He it is that bears much fruit (John 15:5)
“Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
John 6:37
What’s Next?
The question is “How can you come to God?” By saying YES to His invitation!
- Admit that you need God and turn away from sin (John 8:11).
- Believe (have faith) that, when Jesus died on the cross, He took the punishment for all your sin and rose to life again to conquer death (John 1:29).
- Receive by asking Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior.
To help guide you in these first steps, pray this simple prayer:
“Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me how much I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for me. I believe that You are who You say You are and that You rose from the dead to conquer sin and death. Please forgive all my failures and sins. Make me clean and help me start fresh with You. I now receive You into my life as my Lord and Savior. Help me to love and serve You with all my heart. Amen.”
Your Response
Did you pray that prayer to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If so, we’d love to know about it and hear your story!
seven Steps to Start & Grow
Jesus loves people and invites them to believe in Him and follow him.
Our prayer is you will follow Jesus. Here are SEVEN steps to start following Jesus.
✓ TELL US your story. You will encourage others!
✓ READ THE BIBLE DAILY. Try out the 21-Day Challenge!
✓ PRAY DAILY.
✓ WORSHIP GOD by attending church.
✓ GROW WITH OTHERS.
✓ OBEY God’s teachings. You will find the best way to live is by following God.
✓ SHARE YOUR FAITH. We’ll teach you how!
21-Day Challenge
Studies show it takes 21 days to build a new habit. Take our 21-Day Gospel Reading Challenge and make reading God’s Word a habit in your life!
Looking for a Church?
We’d love to be able to connect you to a church wherever you are located. If you are looking for a church, please go to contactme.ptl.org. Once you’ve filled out the form, someone from our Membership Team will reach out and work with you to make a connection.
Faith FAQ
What is Christianity?
First, Christianity is NOT about doing or saying the right things. Being a Christian is about having a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
As you start that relationship, you may have questions. This is normal. We’ve covered some of the most common questions below to help you.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus of Nazareth, history’s greatest personality, stands at the very center of human history. His existence changed everything even the calendar. Jesus was born to a virgin, lived a sinless life and performed miracles that drew massive crowds wherever He went. He was crucified on a Roman cross. Three days after His burial, He rose from the dead, was seen by at least 500 different people, and ascended into heaven.
He declared Himself to be God. He was both fully human and fully God. He said He could forgive sins and that anyone would enjoy eternity in Heaven if they followed Him and accepted the gift of His sacrifice on the cross made on our behalf for our sins.
His love was shown not only through his sacrifice on the cross but also by his interactions with people. This includes individuals on the fringe of society such as a woman he met at a well (John 4:1-26). She was not socially accepted by people because of the life decisions she had made, and she was a Samaritan. Jews and Samaritans did not mingle. Yet Jesus sought her out to tell her the good news of who he is, the Messiah who offers living water. She turns away from her sinful life and finds TRUE life in him.
Are my sins too much for God?
You may feel that your life has been filled with too many bad things, or that God won’t accept you because of your past. No sins are too much for Jesus! We have all sinned. Whether your sins were nothing more than little white lies, or much more serious, every person in the world has fallen short of perfect goodness. There are no sin “ratings.” All sins, even the ones we think are minor, are equally bad to God. Only faith in Christ can clean those sins away, and it cleans them all.
So it doesn’t matter how bad you were if you have a sincere desire to walk with Jesus. He loves you and wants you to enjoy eternal life with Him, no matter what you’ve done in the past!
John 8 tells us the story of a woman caught in the act of adultery. While the religious leaders were testing Jesus’ response to this woman, instead he challenges anyone who has not sinned to be the first person to stone the woman. In light of her sin, he offers forgiveness and a life change. Not shame and condemnation. Receive God’s perfect gift of love and compassion today!
Does Jesus care about me?
Jesus assures us, as recorded in the Bible, that He wants a personal relationship with us. He said that if we put our trust in Him and accept Him as our Lord and Savior that He is faithful to respond and enter into this caring relationship with us.
“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)
To have this amazing relationship, you just need to invite Jesus to take control of your life. Whether you are struggling with life’s challenges, broken by circumstances you’ve been through, or just recognize that you need God in your life, it only takes a simple prayer to start your walk with God.
How do I accept Jesus?
Here is a prayer you can use to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. It is a suggested prayer. The exact wording doesn’t matter – what counts is the attitude of your heart:
“Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me how much I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for me. Please forgive all my failures and the sins of my past. Make me clean and help me start fresh with You. I now receive You into my life as my Lord and Savior. Help me to love and serve You with all my heart. Amen.”
Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)
If you prayed this prayer, please tell us about your decision here, and you’ll receive additional free resources via email to help you walk with Jesus. Your response is a great source of encouragement for our faith as well!
Remember your faith is not merely blind faith. The historical record of Jesus is abundant and the meticulously accuracy of the Bible is tested and true. Be encouraged that your faith is founded on overwhelming evidence and truth.
Do I have eternal life?
The Bible promises eternal life to every person who receives Jesus Christ.
“The witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11-13)
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5).This is a promise from God that Christ lives in you and that you have eternal life from the very moment you invite Him into your life.
Will I feel different with Jesus?
You might expect to feel different after placing your trust in Christ. While feelings are important, they don’t prove your sincerity or the trustworthiness of God’s promise. Feelings can change easily, but God’s Word and His character never change. The promises of the Bible, not your feelings, should be your foundation. Christians live by faith that they can trust God and His Word.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)
READ CARRY SHARE®
Invite someone you know to meet Jesus today.
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