How To Know God
Recognize that you are a sinner
First, you must admit your spiritual need: “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10) We can’t make excuses or blame others or our circumstances for our actions. The question is not “Are we ‘better’ than someone else?” but, “Are we as perfect as God is?” The answer is a resounding “NO!” “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Recognize that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God…” (I Peter 3:18) Jesus paid the price for your sin. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Imagine that; Jesus Christ would rather die for you than live without you!
Repent of your sins
The word “repent” means “to change your direction.” The Bible tells us, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19) God commands us to repent. You must be willing to turn away from doing the things that displease God.
Receive Jesus as your Savior
Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life by the power of His Holy Spirit, and receive Him as your Savior. “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.” (Romans 10:9) The Bible assures us that “To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
The following prayer may be our words, but when you say them, you can mean it from your heart:
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the dead so that I could have eternal life. I repent and want to turn away from doing the things that grieve Your heart. Forgive me, Lord, and make me new. I accept your invitation to become your child. I choose to follow you, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior. In Your Precious Name I pray, Amen."
If you have chosen to pray this prayer and have decided to follow Christ, let me be the first to say, “Welcome to the family of God.” The Bible tells us that there is great rejoicing in Heaven right now over you! “…There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
To help you begin your new spiritual journey, we would love to encourage you to: find a Bible believing church and regularly fellowship with other Christians, begin to read and study the Bible to discover God’s will for your life, and pray daily to develop a genuine relationship with the Lord which will increase your love for Him.
All of these are important to provide you with a solid foundation enabling you to build upon your new faith. Please contact us and let us know about the best decision of your life!
Because of Christ,
Pastor Jeff Olver
REMEMBER: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:12-13)