Your spiritual journey begins when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Your journey begins with a relationship. He is Your Guide. Remember, you have never been this way before! You need a guide. You need to get to know your guide so you can trust Him and follow Him.
Has there ever been a time when you encountered Jesus Christ and acknowledged Him as your personal Lord and Savior? For me – on my 31st birthday, sitting at my kitchen table, all alone studying my Sunday School lesson. God impressed on me that the only reason I was baptized at the age of 9 was because all my friends were being baptized and I didn’t want to be left out! Head knowledge became heart knowledge that day. Of course, there’s so much more to my story, but I wanted to share a basic gospel message today.
What is the gospel? I Cor. 15:3-5 “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures.”
Why? “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (HCSB)
I John 4:9-10 “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (substitute, atoning sacrifice) for our sins.”
John 14:6 “Jesus is the WAY…”
Our response:
ADMIT: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
BELIEVE: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift – not from works, so that no one can boast.”
CONFESS: “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. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-10, 13
Now I know that I know! I believe His Word. Do you have that same confidence that He is Your Lord and Savior?
Any concerns? Need Assurance? Seek the Lord! Seek out your pastor and friends. Talk and pray together. Jesus is the WAY. Jesus is our guide; you can place your confidence in Him, and yes, He can be trusted with your life.