Four Life-Changing Truths
1. God Wants Us to Have a Personal Relationship with Him
2. A Relationship with God is Impossible because of Our Own Selfish Behavior (or �Sin�)
3. A Restored Relationship with God is Possible Because of Jesus
4. We Must Choose to Have a Personal Relationship with God
1. God Wants Us to Have a Personal Relationship with Him
From one man, God made all nations and tribes and He is responsible for their geographic distribution and distinctive languages. He made all people so that we might search for Him and hopefully reach out for Him and find Him . He really isn�t very far away from any one of us. It is even appropriate to call us �His children� because our ability to live, even to move and exist, is from Him (from Acts 17:26-28).
The Creator-God is actually ruler over all the universe. He does not live in man-made buildings, no matter how expensive. In fact, He doesn�t need anything from humankind to live. Rather He gives to everyone all that they have plus life itself (from Acts 17:24,25).
However, the Bible says in Colossians 1:16 that everything, and everyone, was created for God and for His pleasure. While God doesn�t need us to survive, He does long to be in a personal relationship with each of us.
If God wants a relationship with us, why are we so far from Him? There is a reason for this separation.
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2. A Relationship with God is Impossible because of Our Own Selfish Behavior (or �Sin�)
God has said in Isaiah 59:2 that our wickedness has separated us from our God; our sins have hidden his face from us so that he will not hear. God further says �for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God� (Romans 3:23). Living life to suit ourselves is at the heart of sin and will ultimately lead to eternal death or separation from the God who made us and who loves us (Romans 6:23a).
Is there any way to get back to God? Read on and see.
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3. A Restored Relationship with God is Possible Because of Jesus
1 Peter 3:18 announces good news for those of us who have sin (or selfishness) between us and God. It says, �For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.� While the first half of Romans 3:23 warns us that the punishment for our sin is death, the last half shares the great news, �but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.�
The question we face is, �How can this restored relationship be true for us?�
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4. We Must Choose to Have a Personal Relationship with God
Since we are really God�s children, we should not think that He is like a man-made image of gold, silver, or stone. In the past God overlooked such views, but now He is telling everyone to turn away from these false ideas . He has scheduled a day when He will justly judge all the people of the world.
In His desire to convince people of this coming day of judgement, He brought the judge back to life after death (from Acts 17:29-31).
So How Can We Choose This Relationship with God?
Acts 3:19 tells us to turn away from sin and turn to God so that our sins will be wiped out and that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
(Acts 2:38 is a parallel which says to turn around and to be put under water in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of God's Spirit - the Holy Spirit.)
What are the two steps to a relationship with God?
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- 1. Turning away from sin and selfishness.
- 2. Turning toward God and Jesus
John 1:12 says, �Yet to all who receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.�
Turning toward God includes:
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- 1. Trusting Jesus for forgiveness and help to clean up our lives (1 John 1:9).
- 2. Publicly saying that Jesus is the master of our lives from now on (Romans10:9).
- 3. Obeying Jesus� command to be put under water. For we are baptized into Jesus (Galatians 3:27).
- 4. With God�s help, faithfully following His leading in our lives (Philippians 2:13).
Having a personal relationship with God is a lot like being married. Both include commitment to giving up personal desires and to faithfully live to honor and please the other until death.
Such a commitment should only be made after carefully considering the costs and the benefits.
Consider the following questions:
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- 1. Do you want to have a personal relationship with God?
- 2. What will be the final result of not having such a relationship?
- 3. What do you think it would take for you to decide to turn from self-rule to give God leadership of your life?
- 4. If you are ready, when do you want to start?
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