1) Have a
relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. People get
hung up on religion, but knowing God is all about relationship. Jesus came to
earth as a man and died in my place (and yours) on the cross, because I am a
sinner. Being a sinner means I’ve missed the mark. If you’ve broken one of the
10 commandments, you’ve probably broken all of them, even in just your
thoughts. Jesus said what a man thinks, he does in his heart. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,
adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the
things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." (Mt. 5:19-20)
Tough to hear,
but I’m right there with you. Jesus bridged the gap by becoming the ultimate
perfect and holy sacrifice to wash away our sins and rising from the dead, He showed He has ultimate power over life and death.
Recognize you’re a sinner and ask for God’s forgiveness.
Receive His gift of grace, that only Jesus can give—forgiveness and salvation,
which He paid for.
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches
of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of
works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:7-10)
2) Read the Bible and
ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. The Bible is God’s word given to man.
This holy book is God’s side of the conversation and how He communicates with
us. Do you need comfort? Read Psalms. Psalms 23 and 103 are good places to
start. Do you want to understand the historical and spiritual origins of
humankind? How religion/relationship began? Read Genesis. Do you want to better understand who Jesus is and the salvation He brings? Read the Gospel of John. Do you want to learn more
about humankind’s destiny? Read Revelation.
Any or all of these books are the proverbial tip of the
iceberg. There are 66 books in total, filled with His story, covering the full spectrum of life.
3) Spend time in
prayer. Talking to the Lord is our half of the conversation. “Why?” do you
ask, if God knows my thoughts, do I need to pray? Parents of young children
know what they need and often what they want, but there’s nothing sweeter than
hearing these things they wish to confide. The Lord, as well, wants us to come
to Him, realizing He is what we need. We are strengthened by our prayers. He
inhabits our praises!
Deciding to receiving the Lord into your life, by His grace,
is inarguably the most important decision you will ever make—it’s a decision
for eternity. He’s always there for you. As in any relationship, we must
converse: listen and communicate to maintain our closeness. Will you make a
move to connect with God? He’s waiting!
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by
believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly
declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us,
“Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile
are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives
generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of
the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)
