Where can I find God?

God Loves you … seriously!  And He's in a good mood ...

No matter who you are or what you are going through, God truly loves you and wants to have a close, meaningful relationship with you. He's got a great plan for your life. Unfortunately, many of us don’t know where to begin our journey with God. Furthermore, we don’t even realize that He is actually looking for us! So how do we meet God one-on-one and begin a dialogue with Him? Let me tell you:  life is a much better better adventure when you find God.

Here are a few basic steps to encountering the God of the universe:

1. Admit that you've done some naughty stuff. 

No matter how good a life we try to live, we still fall miserably short of being a perfect person. But God is perfect, and the Bible tells us that every one of us has done bad things (we have all sinned). This means we have all fallen short of God’s desire for us to be pure and holy. The Bible says, “No one is good—not even one” (Romans 3:10). Sin – even “little” sins – separate us from God. It's a pretty heavy deal to be separated from God. And you can never be good enough on your own. The purity that is required by a perfect God is impossible to reach without some help. That is why Jesus Christ stepped in and took care of the problem. This is very important to understand, because left alone in our sins, all of mankind is destined for hell. And yes, hell is a real place. Hell is not good news, but the really great  news is that Jesus paid for our free ticket to heaven!

2. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave - He paid the price for your sins.

The Bible tells us, “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 NLT). This is the Good News, that God loves us so much (even in the middle of our sin) that He sent His only Son to die in our place. Our sins deserved punishment, but Jesus took that punishment for us when he died on the cross. You didn't deserve it, but God loved you so much that He paid your penalty. God does not want anyone to go to hell. If we go there, it is by our own choice. We have a choice whether to disbelieve God's love and reject this  free ticket to heaven, or simply believe in Jesus and receive eternal life. If you can simply believe that Jesus loved you enough to pay all your debt to God - then you receive His free gift of eternal life!  Jesus bridged the separation between God and man on the cross.

3. Repent of your sin.

 
If we really believe that Jesus paid the price for our sins, then His Spirit comes to live inside our hearts. This gives us the ability to turn toward God. God literally "lives" inside of every believer. The Bible tells us “Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins” (Acts 3:19 NKJV). The word “repent” means to change our direction in life and turn to God. Instead of running away from God, we can run toward Him. It means to turn away from darkness and to turn toward the light and goodness of Christ. Turning toward God is not about turning to a bunch of rules and regulations. It means turning toward the beauty, splendor and creativity of a living God who wants to have a relationship with you and enable you to live a clean life. God will empower you to stop doing naughty things - so turn away from your old lifestyle and focus on the goodness of God! He will give you the power to do it.

4. Ask Jesus Christ into your life.

Believing that Jesus died for your sins, means that you accept that He is God. Allow Him to be God over your own personal life by willingly obeying Him and enjoying HIm everyday.  Becoming a Christian is not merely believing some creed or going to church on Sunday. It is having Christ Himself take residence in your life and heart. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door (of your life) and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in . . . .” (Revelation 3:20). He hears the prayer of anyone who really wants Him to come into their life. Do you hear Him knocking at your door right now?

If you would like to have a relationship with Christ, simply pray a prayer like this. Say it aloud and mean it in your heart:

"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. Please forgive me. I believe you died for my sins and that you rose from the grave. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life to you. I receive you as my Lord and ask you to save me. Thank you for saving me. Amen."

If you just prayed that prayer and meant it, Jesus Christ has now taken residence in your heart! Go and tell somebody! If you really believe such good news, you will not be able to keep it to yourself.

Your decision to follow Christ means God has forgiven you and that you will spend eternity in heaven. Party time! The Bible tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Whew! What a relief.

Believing this good news (that Jesus died for you -- and that He rose again  to give you life -- is the very thing that saves you. It is the most supernatural message to ever reach the earth. We are saved by believing. To put your new belief into action, be sure to spend time with God by reading your Bible, praying, going to a church, and telling others about Christ. Remember that this is only a beginning to an entirely new life God is giving you. To begin living out this new life of obedience to God -- and to experience Him closely every day -- ask God to come and fill you with His Holy Spirit. He will send you the Holy Spirit to be your teacher, always revealing Jesus to you. Send us an E-Mail and let us know if you have just made a decision to believe and follow Christ, and we will connect you with resources to get you started on this new journey. We can also help you to find a good church to attend in your area.

Get happy! God forgives you! You just received the best gift of all - an incredible relationship with God Himself! Woo! Hoo!!!