I Want To Know God

>Why Am I Here?

>What's The Problem?

>What's The Solution?

>What Does God Want Me To Do?

WHY AM I HERE?

The crucial thing is to know what the BIBLE says about salvation, not just what a CHURCH teaches. Contrary to what you might think, they are not always one and the same!

Most people live their entire lives without ever knowing “WHY?” They exist year after year with no idea of why they live or God’s purpose for their lives. The most basic question a person can ask is, “What is the meaning of my life?”  Real happiness only comes from understanding my purpose.

1.    God made me to love me!

“I have loved you with an everlasting love!”  (Jeremiah 31:3)

“Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.  His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.”  (Ephesians 1:4-5)

2.   We were created to enjoy a personal relationship with God and to manage the rest of His creation.  This makes us special!

“So God created human beings, making them in His image.  He blessed them, and said ... live all over the earth and bring it under control.  I am putting you in charge.”  (Genesis 1:27-28)

“God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Timothy 6:17)

“Jesus said, ‘I have come in order that you might have life — life in all its fullness!’”  (John 10:10)

3.   When we love God, and live in harmony with His purpose, it produces incredible benefits!

·      This is the kind of lifestyle that God intends for us to live. Why then are most people still searching for real happiness?

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

1.      Man has a natural desire to be boss and to ignore God’s principles for living.

·         “Look out for number one!”

·         “Do your own thing!”

·         “If it feels good, do it!”

·         “I don’t care what God says about it!”

·         “It’s my life and I’ll do what I please!”

2.    The Bible calls this attitude sin.

“All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, and each of us has turned to his own way.”  (Isaiah 53:6)

“If we say that we never sin, we are only fooling ourselves, and refuse to accept the truth.”  (1 John 1:8)

3.   Sin breaks our close relationship with God. It causes us to fear God and try to live our lives outside of His will.

NOTE: Fear that keeps us away from God is different from “the fear of the Lord” that the Bible talks about. The former is brought about by our SIN, the latter by our RESPECT and love for God.

“The trouble is that your sins have cut you off from God.” (Isaiah 59:2)

“All have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious ideal.” (Romans 3:23)

4.   When our relationship to God isn’t right, it causes problems in every area of our lives.

5.   When people have problems, they often try many different ways of coping before turning to God.

“There are ways that seem right to man, but they only end in death.”    (Proverbs 16:25)

6.   Even when we realize that our deepest need is God, we often try wrong ways of getting to know Him.

·         “I come from a Christian family”

·         “I’ll give up all my bad habits.”

·         “I’ll work real hard and earn salvation.”

·         “I’ll be religious and go to church.”

·         “My religion teaches it a different way.”

·         “It doesn’t matter what you believe – just be sincere.”

·         “I’m as good as the next guy.”

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

1.   God came to earth as a human being to bring us back to Himself.  If another way would have worked, Jesus would not have had to come.

·        The way is a PERSON!

·        The solution is a SAVIOR!

“(Jesus said) I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father, except through Me!”  (John 14:6)

All of the major world religions attempt to POINT THE WAY to truth.  But Jesus Christ says, “I AM the truth!”

2.      Jesus has already taken care of your sin problem!

“For all have sinned, and come short

of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but

have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:36-39)

3.   God did this for us because He loves us and He wants us to have a second chance to be His children through being born again.

“God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still separated from God by sin, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)

“For there is only one God, and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.”  (1 Timothy 2:5)

God has already done His part to restore our relationship to Him. He took the initiative! Now He waits for each of us to individually receive what He has done for us.

WHAT DOES GOD WANT ME TO DO?

1.   Admit that there is a problem!  Tell God that you are willing to set aside your own selfish will, make Him first place in your life and receive His gift of salvation.

2.   Become a Christian by obeying God’s THREE STEP salvation plan, given to us in the Bible. (Hint: God requires more than mere intellectual belief – He wants to really change your life!)

3.   Commit yourself to a church family, where you can receive encouragement and support as you begin your new life.

Faith and Repentance

1.   The Bible teaches that it is absolutely essential to believe in God, or we will never take another positive step toward being saved.

“So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”  (Hebrews 11:6)

2.   Where does faith come from?  Our journey toward salvation really begins when we hear the word of God and believe what it says.

“No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ.”  (Romans 10:17)

3.   Faith by itself is incomplete.  Believing in Christ and His word doesn’t constitute salvation by itself. Rather, your faith becomes the propelling force that causes you to act on what you believe.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”  (John 1:12)

“Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone.”  (James 2:14)

“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  (James 2:17)

The Bible says that even demons BELIEVE in God – and tremble in terror!  (James 2:19)  But that doesn’t mean they are SAVED!

4.   It takes more than believing to be saved, yet we can never be saved without believing.  Faith is a first step, the beginning ingredient, a crucial part of the plan of salvation.

“God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 3:22)