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Most people live their lives without ever knowing "WHY?"
They exist year after year with no idea of why they live or
of what God's purpose is for their lives. The most basic question
a person can ask is, "What is the meaning of life?"
Everyone wants to be happy. People try many ways:
...Some look for happiness by acquiring possessions.
...Some look for happiness by experiencing pleasure.
...Some look for happiness by gaining prestige and power.
But real happiness comes from understanding your true reason
for existing. How can you know your reason for existing? God
has told us through the Bible why we are here, and how we
can find Him.
Why Are We Here?
1 God made us so that He could love
us!
• In Jeremiah 31:3, Jeremiah tells us "The Lord
appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with
an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."
• In the Ephesians 1:4-5, the apostle Paul tells
us "For he [God] chose us in him before the creation
of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
he predestined us to be adopted as his sons (and daughters)
through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and
will..."
2 We were created to have a personal relationship
with God and enjoy all of the rest of God's creation!
• In the beginning of the Bible (Genesis 1:27-28),
we see that "...God created man (and woman) in his
own image, in the image of God he created him (and her);
male and female he created them. God blessed them and said
to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth
and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds
of the air and over every living creature that moves on
the ground."
• In his letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 6:17), the
apostle Paul tells us "Command those who are rich in
this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope
in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope
in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."
• In the Gospel of John (John 10:10), Jesus tells
us "The thief comes only to steal and to kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the
full."
3 When we know and love God, and live in
harmony with His purpose for our lives, it produces tremendous
benefits in our lives:
Clear Conscience
Romans 8:1 Life and Peace
Romans 8:6 Help with Weakness
Romans 8:26
Purpose
Romans 8:28 Confidence
Romans 8:31 Security
Romans 8:39
Power and Strength
Philippians 4:13 Need-Meeting
Philippians 4:19 Freedom
John 8:32, 36
This is the kind of lifestyle God intends
for us to live. Why then aren't most people really happy?
What's The Problem?
Man has a natural desire to 'do his own thing,'
and to ignore God's principles for living. Does this sound
familiar?
• "Looking out for #1. Do your
own thing."
• "If it feels good, do it (regardless
of what God says about it)."
• "It's my life and I'll do what
I please!"
The Bible calls this attitude sin.
• In Isaiah 53:6, the prophet Isaiah
says "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each
of us has turned to his (or her) own way; and the Lord
has laid on him the iniquity [sin] of us all."
• In 1 John 1:8, John tells us "If
we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us."
Sin breaks our relationship with God. It
causes us to fear God and try to live our lives outside
of His will.
• In Isaiah 59:2, Isaiah tells us
"But your iniquities [sins] have separated you from
your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so
that he will not hear."
• In Romans 3:23, Paul tells us "...for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
When our relationship to God is not right, it causes PROBLEMS
in every area of our lives -- marriage, career, relationships,
finances, etc. When people have problems, they often try
many different ways (their own ways) of coping before
turning to God.
• In Proverbs 16:25, Solomon tells
us "There is a way that seems right to a man (or
woman), but in the end it leads to death."
Even when we know that our deepest need is
God, we often try wrong ways of getting to know Him:
• "My mother was a Christian,
so..."
• "It doesn't matter what you
believe, just be sincere."
• "I'll give up my bad habits."
• "I'll work real hard and earn
it."
• "I'll be religious and go to
church."
BUT THESE WAYS DON'T WORK!
What's The Solution?
Jesus gave us the solution:
• In John 14:6,
Jesus said "...I am the way and the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father [God] except through
me."
Jesus came to earth as
a human being to bring us back to God. If any other way
would have worked, Jesus Christ would not have had to
come. The way is a Person -- Jesus Christ! Jesus has already
taken care of your sin problem!
• In Romans 6:23,
Paul tells us "For the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God did this for us because
He loves us and wants us to know Him.
• In Romans 5:8,
Paul tells us "But God demonstrates his own love
for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died
for us."
• Paul also tells
us in 1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God and one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus..."
God took the initiative.
He has already corrected the damage done by sin. Now He
waits for each of us to individually accept what He has
done for us. Salvation is by God's grace, not by our own
efforts!
What Does God Want Me To Do?
1. Confess that God has
not been given first place in your life and ask Him to forgive
your sins.
• In 1 John 1:9,
John tells us "If we confess our sins, he [God] is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify
us from all unrighteousness."
2. Believe that Jesus died
to pay for your sins, that He rose again, and that He is
alive today.
• In Romans 10:9,
Paul tells us "Then 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."
• In Acts 4:12,
we find that "Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given to men by
which we must be saved."
3. Accept God's free give
of salvation. Don't try to earn it. Our relationship to
God is not restored by anything we do, but on the basis
of what Jesus already did for us!
• Paul tells us
in Ephesians 2:8-9, "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."
4. Ask Jesus Christ to
come into your life and be the director ("Lord")
of your life.
• In the gospel
of John (John 1;12-13), we know that "...to all who
received him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God -- children
born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or
a husband's will, but born of God."
• Jesus tells us
in Revelations 3:20, "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 (or her) and he (or she)
with me."
5. Pray a simple prayer
of commitment to God:
"Dear Jesus, thank
you for making me and loving me, even when I've ignored
you and gone my own way. I realize I need you in my life
and I'm sorry for my sins. I ask you to forgive me. Thank
you for dying on the cross for me. Please help me to understand
it more. As much as I know how, I want to follow you from
now on. Please come into my life and make me a new person
inside. I accept your gift of salvation. Please help me
to grow now as a Christian."
• Paul tells us
in Romans 10:13 that "...for, 'Everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"
6. Do not make this decision
lightly.
Consider the cost: Jesus
tells us that we must put Him above all else. We must love
Him so much, that our love for our own family, even ourselves,
pales in comparison.
• In Luke 14:28, 31, 33, Jesus tells
us "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will
he (or she) not first sit down and estimate the cost to
see if he (or she) has enough money to complete it?...Or
suppose a king is about to go to war against another king.
Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is
able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against
him with twenty thousand?...In the same way, any of you
who does not give up everything he (or she) has cannot
be my disciple."
• In Luke 14:26 Jesus says, "If
anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother,
his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes,
even his own life -- he cannot by my disciple."
That's pretty heavy, what does Jesus mean?
Jesus doesn't mean that God requires us to literally hate
our family or ourselves. He does mean that God should have
the pre-eminence in our lives. If we become so caught up
or involved with everything and everyone else, then it means
that we would be denying God His rightful place in our hearts
and lives.
Consider what this means to your life:
• Jesus says in Luke 9:23, "...If
anyone would come after me, he (or she) must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me." What
Should I Do Next?
If you have accepted Christ today we encourage
you to get with your local youthworker or pastor as soon
as you can! They would love to know about your decision
– plus it’s really important to let someone
know so that they can support you in your new journey
with God.
May God bless you as you continue
to seek Him!
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