Common Views About Life

1. Most people feel that something's wrong on the inside of their life.
   Over 50% of all men and women say they are still trying to find the meaning and purpose of their lives.

2. Most people want to understand and resolve the issues of their deepest needs for love, significance and security.
   Our deepest needs drive us to find a solution.

3. Most people believe there is an all-knowing and all-powerful God who has the answers.
   Over 90% of the world believes in a supreme being called God.

4. Most people aren't sure who this God is or if he really cares about them.
   If He does care, how can He be found?
   So many opinions exist about God, but who is right?

1. We think each person must make their own way to God.

   Individual efforts can't lead to God.

   
   
   
   

2. We think all religions lead to the same God.
   

   This is impossible because of contradictions.

   • One says "This way."
     
   • Another says "No, this way."
   
   
   

Since we cannot find God on our own, God takes the initiative in showing us the right approach because He cares.

1. Because He cares God took the initiative by the way He made the world.
   "For the truth about God is known to them instinctively; God has put this knowledge in their hearts. Since earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made, and have known about His existence and great eternal power. So they will have no excuse." (Romans 1:19,20)

   
   

2. Because He cares God takes the initiative by showing us His love through Jesus Christ.
   "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

   Because God loves you, He sent His Son.

   "Here I am! I stand at the door [of your life] and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)

   Because He cares for you, He comes knocking.

   
   

3. Because He cares God takes the initiative by showing us how to reach Him.
   "Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" (John 14:6)
   
   Because Jesus came, you can have life.

1 - UNDERSTAND Jesus is God

Speaking of Jesus Christ as God
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given...And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

A declaration of Jesus as God
"Thomas called to Jesus, 'My Lord and my God!' and he worshipped Him." (John 20:3)

Jesus returning as God
"While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..." (Titus 2:13)

Thus, your encounter with Jesus Christ is an encounter with God.

Because...

"...There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God." (Romans 3:11)

"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him..." (Romans 1:21)

Because every human being has sinned.
"ALL HAVE SINNED and come short of God's standard." (Romans 3:23)

Sin means to miss the mark of God's perfect standard: perfectly right, perfectly just, perfectly good.

Sin results in living independently and apart from God causing separation.
"Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your SINS have hidden His face from you." (Isaiah 59:2)

Results of this separation from God are:

Feelings/Thoughts Guilt from the past Fear of the future Anxiety about the present Lack of true meaning No peace in life Fear of death

Behavior Hate, bitterness Cheating, lying Stealing Immorality Killing Prideful

Because only Jesus died for you
"The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23)

"God made Him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us." (II Corinthians 5:20)

"Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God." (I Peter 3:18)

Christ alone died in your place and PAID the penalty of your sins - not Buddha, not Confucius, not any other religious leader.

Because only Jesus was resurrected
"He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

"God has raised this Jesus to LIFE, and we are all witnesses of the fact." (Acts 2:32)

Christ alone conquered death and gives forgiveness and eternal life.

Because Jesus is the only bridge to God
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and Man, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. 2:5)

"Jesus answered... 'No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6b)

The Bible says:

"I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the scriptures, that He was buried,

"that He was raised on the third day, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve [disciples]. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred..." (I Cor. 15:3-6 )

FORGIVENESS AND NEW LIFE ARE FREE.
"The FREE GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Roman 6:23)

A gift by definition is always free. If not free, then it's not a gift.

Why free?
So that no one can claim that God owes him forgiveness.

"...it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph. 2:8,9)

Must be received
"But to all that RECEIVED HIM [Jesus, The Free Gift], to those who BELIEVED in His name, He [God] gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12)

Forgiveness and eternal life are God's free gift through Jesus Christ.

When received, I become a child of God (a Christian).

When you become a Christian, Jesus Christ gives you Himself.

You can say - God doesn't really care about me.

You can say - I don't want God's love.

You can say - I don't need God's forgiveness.

You can say - I don't want eternal life.

OR

You can know and experience God's love and care for you by FAITH.
Your faith is not placed in a philosophy or concept, but in a person - Jesus Christ.

Believe what God tells you is true: God loves you You have sinned against Him Christ died to pay the penalty of your sins

How faith works: Act on these facts - Receive the free gift NOW

Trust what Jesus Christ did for you: Died for your sins Buried for you Rose to live for you so that you could receive forgiveness and eternal life.

HOW?
"If you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

Love from God
Peace with God
Power to live life successfully
Forgiveness of your sins
Eternal life with God

Does this make sense to you?

Do you sense in your heart right now a sincere desire to know and experience God?

God says:
"Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

Would you like to call upon His name and pray to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?

You can acknowledge your trust and faith in Jesus Christ by praying a prayer such as the one below... Acknowledge your sin "I agree with you, God. I have sinned against you, please forgive me. I repent of my old ways. Believe He died for you I believe that Jesus Christ died for me and rose again for me. I trust that His death for me paid the full penalty for my sins. Trust Him Trusting in Christ's work alone, I receive Him as my Lord and Savior and His gift of eternal life promised by you, Father. I ask you to come into my life, Lord Jesus, and make me a child of God so that I can become the person you want me to be. Thank Him Thank you for loving me and giving me new life in Jesus Christ. Amen"

Dear friend,
If you have prayed the above prayer, the following Bible verse tells you that you have become a child of God and have eternal life.

"And this is the testimony; God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (I John 5:11-13)

• Find a church where the Bible is taught.
• Begin reading through the book of John in the Bible.
• Seek other Christians who have made this life-changing decision, just as you have.
• For future help in your relationship with Jesus Christ write to us at:

  East West Ministries
  10310 North Central Expressway
  Building 3, Suite 500
  Dallas, Texas 75231
  eastwestministriesintl@compuserve.com
  (214) 265-8300

  God Bless You,
  
  John Maisel
  East West Ministries International

Copyright © John Maisel, East West Ministries International.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.