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GOD LOVES YOU
AND CREATED YOU TO KNOW HIM PERSONALLY
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God loves you...
'For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not die, but
have eternal life.' (John 3:16)
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...and wants you to know Him
Jesus said, 'Eternal life means knowing You, the only true God, and knowing Jesus Christ, who You sent.'
(John 17:3)
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Why is it that most people do not know God in this way...?
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WE ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD BY OUR SIN,
SO WE CANNOT KNOW HIM OR EXPERIENCE HIS LOVE
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We are all sinful
'Everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence.' (Romans 3:23)
What is sin?
Sin is wanting to go our own way instead of God's way. We show this attitude by openly disobeying God or by simply
ignoring Him.
(Isaiah 53:5,6; Romans 1:18 - 21)
Sin separates us from God
'For sin pays its wage - death.' (separation from God forever)
(Romans 6:23)
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God is perfect and we are sinful. There is a great gap between us because or our sin. Something is missing from our
lives that nothing else - friends, money, work, or leisure - can satisfy. We can try to bridge this gap ourselves
by our own good deeds or even by religious activities. But all our efforts will fail because they do not deal with
the problem of sin. (Isaiah 59:2)
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There's only one solution to this problem...
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JESUS CHRIST IS GOD'S SOLUTION
FOR OUR SIN. THROUGH HIM ALONE WE CAN KNOW GOD AND EXPERIENCE HIS LOVE.
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He died in our place
'For Christ died for sins once for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God.'
(1 Peter 3:18)
He came back to life
'For forty days after His death He appeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubt that He was alive.'
(Acts 1:3)
He is the only way to God
Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.'
(John 14:6)
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We all deserve to be cut off from God forever, as the just penalty for our sin. But God sent His Son Jesus to pay the
penalty for us, by dying on the cross. Through Jesus, God has bridged the gap which separates us from Him. So now we
can know God and be forgiven for our sin.
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It is not enough just to know these facts...
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WE MUST RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST
INTO OUR LIVES AS SAVIOUR AND LORD. THEN WE CAN KNOW GOD AND EXPERIENCE HIS LOVE.
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We must receive Jesus Christ
'Some did receive Him and believed in Him so he gave them the right to become God's children.' (John 1:12)
Receiving Jesus Christ involves:
- Agreeing with God that we are sinful and wanting to turn from our sin to God
- Trusting God to forgive us completely because Jesus Christ died for our sins
- Choosing to follow Jesus Christ as our Lord
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Jesus promises to come into our lives when we receive Him
Jesus said, 'Listen, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come
into his house and eat with him and he will eat with me.'
(Revelation 3:20)
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So we have a choice to make...
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YOU CAN INVITE JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR LIFE
BY FAITH EXPRESSED IN PRAYER. (Prayer is talking to God)
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God is not so concerned with your words as He is with your attitude. Here is a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am sorry that I have been going my own way instead of Your way.
Thank you for dying to take away my sin.
Please come into my life and make me the person You want me to be. Amen.
Could you say this and mean it? Make this your prayer now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life as he promised.
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We encourage you to go to a church where Jesus is worshipped and the Bible is taught, and join with others who
have come to know God and are experiencing His love.
Adapted from 'Knowing God Personally' © Campus Crusade for Christ 1985
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