Have you ever felt disconnected from God?

John 3:16 tells us that God loves us and that he sent His only begotten Son into the world. Have you ever wondered why God would do that or why Jesus came into the world? The answer begins at the beginning of the Bible in the book of Genesis. You see, the Bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. His greatest creation was that of two eternal beings named Adam and Eve. God created a special place for them to live called the Garden of Eden. He only asked of them to leave one tree in the midst of the garden alone. Eve first, then Adam, took and ate from this tree. We call this sin. Whenever someone breaks one of God’s commandments, it is sin. Sin separates us from a holy God. The Bible says we all sin. If we lie or steal, no matter how little the lie or small the object, we have broken two of God’s laws. As a just God, he would have to judge us for this sin. Sin has eternal consequences. That is how serious sin is. The Bible says, “the soul that sins, it will die.” It also says, “the wages of sin is death.” That is what we earn by breaking God’s law. Our payment for sin is an eternal death in a place the Bible calls hell. Hell is a terrible place of torment and suffering. It is where we are all headed because of the wages of sin. This is where the love of God steps in to help us. God knew that there was nothing we could do to save ourselves, so he put a plan in motion where he was able to be true to his holy and just nature and at the same time provide a way for us to be saved from judgement.

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Enter the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why his visit to earth is so vital. When Jesus died on the cross, the judgement of God came down on his own son. Jesus had no sin of his own to pay for. Because He was innocent, He could step in and become a substitute for me and you. He could pay the wages that sin earned on our behalf. This way, God could judge our sin, as he must, and forgive our sin at the same time. That is why John 3:16 says, “for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life.” Without Jesus there would be no forgiveness of our sin or eternal life or entrance into heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Acts 4:12 tells us, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” There is no other way to be saved. Romans 10:9 tells us that “if we confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.” Salvation comes through faith in Jesus and the work he did for us. He was crucified, where he died for our sin, and was buried and three days later rose again triumphant over death. We cannot earn this love or forgiveness by being good. The entrance into heaven is not gained because God weighs our good deeds against our bad deeds and gives us a pass. We cannot earn our way into heaven. We must accept the work of Christ as our only way. Ephesians 2:8–9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” A gift only becomes ours when we receive it. It is not ours when someone buys it and wraps it up. It is not even ours as they reach out to hand it to us. It only becomes ours as we reach back and receive what was purchased for us. God purchased salvation for us through the life of His Son. He offers us all this gift of salvation. Will you, in faith, say yes to God and reach out and receive the gift of forgiveness and salvation today?

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There is no magic prayer. It is really a surrender of the heart to the Lord Jesus. You are recognizing in yourself a sinful rebellious nature against God. You want to turn away from sin and confess it to God. You repent of your sin and ask God to forgive you. Then you turn from doing what you want to do and you turn and begin a life long journey of becoming like Jesus. These are some of the first steps of obedience after accepting the gift of God. Find a local Bible teaching church family to be a part of and tell them of the step you have taken and ask them to help you know God better. God also wants you to be baptized. Baptism is a public display of what has already taken place in your heart between you and God. It solidifies your commitment to God and tells the world you are a follower of Jesus.

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If you have more questions or want to talk more about these important steps, please reach out to us.

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We pray this message will help you become a true follower of Jesus Christ.

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Pastor David