JESUS & YOU
|
| |
Some people who are turned off by religion or by religious people are still drawn to Jesus. That’s not surprising. We Christians are far from perfect , but JESUS is wonderful.
No matter what disappointments life brings us or what mess we get ourselves into, God is always at work, picking up the pieces, giving hope, and changing lives.
We believe that God is present in your heart also and we would like to get to know you. We hope this pamphlet is helpful to you, but it’s not a substitute for sharing your spiritual journey with a few friends. That’s because…
|
| |
1.
|
Christianity is a relationship more than it is a set of beliefs. (Although false beliefs about God can hurt your relationships, you can still believe all the ‘right’ things and be alienated from God.
|
| |
|
2.
|
Faith isn’t first about what you do, what you feel, or what you know. IT’S WHO YOU KNOW. It’s who you “yes.” The God we know in Jesus is personal, right, trustworthy, and loving. So, we urge you to get to know Jesus personally, his teachings, character, and power. And then let him shape your feelings, thoughts, and actions—help build up your trust and courage.
Christianity is a relationship of trust, love, and loyalty with God (whom we often call the Father) based on what we encounter in Jesus (the Son), made real in our hearts by God’s presence (the Holy Spirit).
Jesus taught us that the main thing in life is love—loving God and then loving others.
|
|
|
|
3.
|
We are able to love only because God first loved us.
|
|
|
|
4.
|
And God doesn’t love us because we are so lovable (let’s face it!). God loves us because we need to be loved.
When you love someone, it will COST you something in time, effort, or heartache. It costs God a lot to love us. Jesus went through an execution on a cross rather than desert us!
|
|
|
|
5.
|
Not even death could conquer his love because he rose from the dead victorious.
|
|
|
|
6.
|
There’s no way we could earn that love. So, Christians say that we’re “saved by grace through faith.”
|
|
|
7.
|
Saved means we are forgiven, healed, and rescued from anything that might destroy or enslave us. We’re made right with God, right with this life and with life eternal. Grace means that God offers this for free. Faith means trusting God’s love—for our saving, self worth, and identity.
Often we have to EARN affection and respect from those around us, only to lose it with one slip-up. It’s scary sometimes. How great it would be to have someone love us in spite of the cruddy things we do. Now imagine if that “someone” was God! That changes everything. It changes us.
|
|
|
|
8.
|
Recognize God’s love for you, in you, around you. It’s like fish recognizing there’s such a thing as water! This feels less like a “vote for God” and more like a summons, a call, or an awakening.
Receive God’s gift of love. You are forgiven for all you’ve ever done. That doesn’t mean that God magically erases the consequences of your past choices. Rather, God changes what the past MEANS to you. You are no longer chained to it.
|
|
|
|
9.
|
Why wait to get that load off your heart?
Reject wrongdoing and bad attitudes that have been too much in your life. God is the only one powerful enough to free us fully from all that. God does the ‘heavy lifting.’
Rely on the Holy Spirit for direction. God knows what you need and what the world needs from you. In place of those small ‘dictators’ inside us (lust, fear, pride, hate, despair), God wants to lead us into love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
|
|
|
|
10.
|
Reach out to God every day. Talk together in prayer. Pay attention to God through Bible study. Work side by side in caring for others. Celebrate through worship. The church will help you with all of these.
|
|
|
|
It’s OK if you want to keep exploring. But if you’re ready for a new life, you could start with a prayer like this one—in your own words:
“God, I don’t know a lot about you, but I trust you and I’ve decided to follow your Son Jesus. I welcome your love. I want you to change me inside out. Forgive me for my past. Help me be different in the future and guide me to be a part of your people. Show me my next steps. Thanks for this new life.”
Let somebody know about your decision. Join us! You (and your questions) will be accepted no matter where you are on your journey. Together we’ll discover who we are and whose we are. We’ll study, eat, pray, have fun, serve the needy in our community, and work for justice together. We’ll help each other grow strong, loving, and wise.
An African proverb says that the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is TODAY. Act now.
|
| |
| Get a free Bible from us. Then check these out: |
1.
|
Romans 8:26-28
|
6.
|
1st Corinthians 15:54 and Romans 8:35-39
|
2.
|
James 2:19
|
7.
|
Ephesians 2:8-10
|
3.
|
Mark 12:29-31
|
8.
|
2nd Corinthians 5:17
|
4.
|
1st John 4:10-19
|
9.
|
Romans 6:5-8
|
5.
|
Romans 5:8
|
10.
|
Galatians 5:22-23
|
|
| |