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Steps to Peace with God by Brad Harbaugh,
Singles Pastor, Colonial Baptist
Step One -- God's Purpose: Peace and Life
God loves you and wants you to experience peace and
life--abundant and eternal.
The Bible says...
"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:1
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life." John 3:16
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have
it more abundantly." John 10:10
Why don't most people have this peace and abundant life that
God planned for us to have?
Step Two -- The Problem: Our Separation
God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. He did
not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him. God
gave us a will and a freedom of choice.
We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still
make this choice today. This results in separation from God.
The Bible says...
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
Our Attempts to Reach God
People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between
themselves and God...
The Bible says...
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it
leads to death." Proverbs 14:12
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your
sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
Isaiah 59:2
No bridge reaches God...except one.
Step Three -- God's Bridge: The Cross
Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave. He paid
the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and
people.
The Bible says...
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men,
the man Jesus Christ." 1 Timothy 2:5
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God." 1 Peter 3:18
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we
were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
Who is Jesus
Christ?
God Himself has provided the only way. Each person
must make a choice.
The Bible tells us Jesus was God who took upon Him the flesh
and nature of a man. He was all God
and yet all man. He became like us to save us. He was conceived
in a miraculous virgin conception so to be the sinless Savior
that satisfied the just demands of a Holy God. Jesus Christ rose
bodily from the dead and lives today seated at the right hand of
God. Jesus Christ will return to judge and rule this world.
John 1:1,14 "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with
God and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made His
dwelling among us."
Philippians 2:5-8 "Your attitude should be the same as that of
Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider
equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself
nothing, taking the
very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And
being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God
exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue
shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father."
I Corinthians 15:3 " 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..."
2 Corinthians 5:20b,21 "We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be
reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
The point: God provided the way....
Step Four -- Our Response: Receive Christ
We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by
personal invitation.
The Bible says...
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my
voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and
he with me." Revelation 3:20
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12
"That 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
Where are you?
Will you receive Jesus Christ right now?
Here is how you can receive Christ:
1.Admit your need (I am a sinner).
2.Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3.Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose
from the grave.
4.Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control
your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Him as Lord and
Savior.)
How to Pray:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I
believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins.
I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust
and follow You as Lord and Savior.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
God's Assurance: His Word
If you prayed this prayer,
The Bible says...
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Romans 10:13
Did you sincerely ask Jesus Christ to come into your life?
Where is He right now? What has He given you?
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and
this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works,
so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9
Receiving Christ, we are born into God's family through the
supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every
believer. This is called regeneration, or the "new birth."
This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ.
To deepen this relationship you should:
1. Read your Bible everyday to know Christ better.
2. Talk to God in prayer every day.
3. Tell others about Christ.
4. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a
church where Christ is preached.
5. As Christ's representative in a needy world, demonstrate your
new life by your love and concern for others.
If you have prayed to receive
Christ, or would like to talk with someone about anything on this
page, please contact Pastor Brad Harbaugh at
bradharbaugh@colonial.org.
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