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You and I were created to live in a relationship with God. Until we find that relationship there will always be something missing in our lives.
People have got an emptiness deep inside and try to fill this emptiness in various ways. Some try to close the gap with money. Others try drugs or alcohol abuse or sexual promiscuity. These things provide instant gratification but they leave you feeling hollow afterwards. Still others try hard work, music, sport or seek success. There may not be anything wrong with this in themselves but they don’t satisfy that hunger deep inside every human being.
Even the closest human relationships, with you family or friends, don’t in themselves satisfy this emptiness deep inside. Nothing will fill this gap except the relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
According to the Bible, the reason for this emptiness is that men and women have turned their backs on God. Jesus said, I am the bread of life (John 6:35). He is the only one who can satisfy our deepest hunger because he is one who made it possible for us to restore a relationship with God.
Jesus satisfies our need for meaning and purpose in life. At some point everyone asks the question, Is there any purpose in life? What am I doing on earth? What’s the point of life? why was I born? The truth is that man cannot live without meaning. Unless we are living in a relationship with God we won’t find the true meaning and purpose of life.
He satisfies our need for life beyond death. Sometimes we think that our own death seems a long way in the future, and we don’t think often that it will happen. This is a way of failing to face up reality. The fact is that we will die. We long to survive beyond death. Only in Jesus Christ we find eternal life because he conquered death.
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Jesus satisfies our need for
forgiveness.If we are honest, we would have to admit that we all do things that we know are wrong. More than that, there is a self-centredness about our lives which spoils them. Our greatest need is for forgiveness. Those who recognise their need are far better off than those who are lulled into a false sense of security.
Jesus died because He loved us and didn’t want us to have to pay the penalty for all the things that we have done wrong. Jesus paid, by his blood on the cross, the price to set us free. Free of What?
Freedom from guilt: whether we feel guilty or not, we are all guilty before God because of the many times we have broken his laws in thought, word and deed. The Bible says that the penalty for breaking God’s law is death. (Rom 6:23) a spiritual death – being cut off from God eternally. But on the cross Jesus took the penalty in our place so that we could be totally forgiven and our guilt could be taken away.
Freedom from addiction: the things that we do wrong are like an addiction. Jesus said, everyone who sins is a slave to sin, John 8:34. Jesus died to set us free from that slavery. On the cross, the power of this addiction was broken. And Now Jesus can set you free of any kind of addiction and sin.
Freedom from fear: Jesus came so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14). When Jesus set us free from the fear of death, he also set us free from all other fears: fear of loneliness, fear of the economical situation, fear of the future, etc. The power of Christ is there for all who need it. |
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Freedom to know God: the things which we do wrong, cause a barrier between us and God. Your sins have separated you from your God (Is.59:2). When Jesus died on the cross he removed the barrier that was between us and God. As a result he has made it possible for us to have a relationship with God.
Freedom to love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19) As we look at the cross we understand God’s love for us. As we receive a new love for God and for other people. We are set free to live a life to love God and even people who have done bad things in our lives.
Freedom to change: People sometimes say, You are what you are. You can’t change. The good news is that with the help of the Spirit we can change. The Holy Spirit gives us the freedom to live the sort of lives that deep down, we have always wanted to live. When you ask Jesus to come in your life you will start living a holy life.
So, God offers us in Christ forgiveness, freedom and his Spirit to live within us. This is a gift and now we have to decide to accept it, and enjoy it, or else we can say, no thank you. Excuses you will hear:
I have no need of God: when people say this they usually mean that they are quite happy without God. What they fail to realise is that our greatest need is not “happiness” but forgiveness. It takes a very proud person to say that they have no need of forgiveness. We all need forgiveness. For God is not only our loving Father, He is also a righteous judge. Either we accept what Jesus has done for us on the cross, or else one day we will pay the just penalty ourselves for the things we have done wrong.
There is too much to give up: Sometimes, God puts his finger on something in our lives which we know is wrong and which we would have to give up if we want to enjoy this relationship with God through Jesus Christ. But remember God only asks you to give up things which do us harm.
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I’m not good enough: none of us is good enough. Nor can we every make ourselves good enough for God. But that is why Jesus came. He made it possible for God to accept us just as we are, whatever we have done and however much of mess we have made of our lives.
I could never keep it up: we are right to think we could never keep it up – we cannot by ourselves. But the Spirit of God, who comes to live within us, gives us the power and the strength to keep going as Christians.
I’ll do that later: sometimes people say, I know it’s true – but I’m not ready. They put it off. The longer we put it off the harder it becomes and the more we miss out. We never know whether or not we will get another opportunity.
What do we have to do?
We have to accept the gift that God offers. This an act of faith in "Jesus". John writes that .."whoever believes in Christ shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
First, Ask God to forgive you for all the things you have done wrong and turn from everything which you know is wrong in your life.
Second, Thank Jesus for dying for you on the cross and for the offer of his free gift of forgiveness, freedom and his Spirit.
Third, Accept his gift and invite him to come and live within you by his Spirit.
If you are ready to say these three things, then pray this very simple Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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