A Few Important Truths:

Becoming a Christian is simple, and that is why many find it so hard. To be a Christian, you must come to grips in your mind and heart with a few important truths:

1. There is a God. He loves you, and He wants you to have a wonderful, abundant life. In fact, God has said to us, "I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." God has also said, "I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Furthermore, God desires to have a personal relationship with you. This means He wishes to be actively involved in your life and commune with you daily.
2. However, there is an obstacle that keeps you from God. The obstacle is called sin. Simply put, sin is disobedience to God. God teaches that all people have sin. 

Unfortunately, there is a penalty for sin that all people must pay--separation from God, death and eternal punishment. This is quite a penalty! It is impossible to have the abundant life of God while you have sin. Since all people have sin, they must all pay the penalty. All of the problems in the world today can be traced to humanity's sin. People who are destined to pay the penalty for sin are called "lost".

3. How do you get rid of the penalty for sin? One person, Jesus Christ, was sent from God to live a perfect life (without sin) and pay the penalty for sin on your behalf.
   
   How was He able to live a perfect life? He was the Son of God.
   
   How did He pay the penalty for your sin? He, being a sinless man, suffered death, and the death of a sinful man at that. He died, nailed to a Roman cross around 33 AD. Jesus died as a result of the sin of all mankind. To prove that Jesus paid the penalty for sin and that He is the Son of God, God resurrected Jesus from death after three days. This means that Jesus is still alive today! By paying the penalty for sin, Jesus has become the only way to establish a relationship with God.
4. If Jesus did all of this, what prevents you from having a relationship with God right now? The things that Jesus accomplished for us are only available to us if we receive them by faith. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life." To have the penalty for sin removed from your life, you must believe in what Jesus did for you. You must have faith in Jesus.
   
   One of Jesus's followers put it this way, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Being saved is the opposite of being lost. It is the state of being in relationship to God and being immune to God's penalty for having sin. People who are saved by Jesus are called Christians. The word Christian simply means "someone who follows Christ." A Christian is positioned to have the abundant life of God.

Knowing this, What must you do?

n order to have a relationship with God right now, and to have the abundant life that He has prepared for you, you must believe Jesus died on a cross on your behalf, and you must believe that He was resurrected by God as proof. You must believe these things sincerely in your heart to the point that you are willing to confess them with your mouth to anyone you meet.

God said, "Whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." If you call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, this is evidence that you believe in Him, and you shall be saved.

Sincerely pray this prayer, and you shall be saved:

"Dear Lord Jesus, I come to you now as one of the lost of humanity. I believe that you paid the penalty for my sin. I also believe that you rose from the dead, and that you are the Son of God. Without your sacrifice on the cross I would have no possibility of a relationship with God. Please forgive my sin and disobedience to God. With your help, I will now live a life in obedience to God. Please save me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen."

What Next?

If you prayed the prayer above, you are a Christian. Certain things will happen to you now as a result:

• You are a member of the family of God. You are a son or daughter of God. God calls the experience of becoming a Christian "being born again." You have been born into God's heavenly family. Just as human families have privileges, so does the family of God.
• The moment you prayed, God sent his Spirit to live inside of you. The Holy Spirit of God will help you live a Christian life. The Holy Spirit will empower you to live God's abundant life!
• You can rest assured that all of the penalties for sin in your life have been wiped out. You are no longer responsible for the penalty of sin.
• You are now positioned to have the abundant life that God has planned for you.

You will begin to find that you will want to know more about God. You will want to serve God, which means do things for Him. And, you will want to tell others about your experience. Allow these things to happen. There are further steps that God will ask you to take as a Christian. Please contact our ministry so that we can provide you with more information.

If you prayed the prayer above, let us know.  We would love to get in touch with you!