He wants to have a living relationship with you. He wants you to know Him and His ways. He wants to give you new and eternal life that can begin today.

The problem is we have turned our back on God. Isaiah 53:6 says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each one of us has turned to his own way".

When we live our way, we disregard and disobey His commandments; this is sin. God's law and His way of living can be summed up as "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matthew 22:37), and "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:39).

Our sin separates us from God. Isaiah 59:2 says, "But your iniquities have been a barrier between you and your God, and your sins have made Him turn His face and refuse to hear you".

Although God loves us, He is also a rightous judge. God judges sin. The penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23).

The good news is that God loves you so much, that He gave His only Son Jesus to die in your place (John 3:16).

God sent Jesus in the form of a man. He didn't come as a king, nor a judge, but a servant. He showed us God. He was the fulfillment of God's law - love personified. He was life. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He was tempted in every way, as we are, but was without sin. Although He fulfilled the prophecies that were spoken of Him, the world didn't recognize Him. In fact, they crucified Him, because He claimed to be the Son of God.

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us..." (2 Corinthians 5:21). He laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). "It was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer..." (Isaiah 53:10). "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins..." (1 John 2:2). Jesus endured an agonizing death on a cross to satisy your debt to God's righteous law, so God might have mercy on you.

Jesus did not stay in the grave. Three days later, God raised Jesus from the dead, and appointed Him to be an eternal high priest and advocate for us before God. He is alive!

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25). Believing means to trust or have faith in.

Jesus also said, "Whoever does not believe stands condemned already" (John 3:18). If you die in your sin, you will live in eternal torment (Isaiah 66:24).

There is no other way that we can gain a right relationship with God, and escape judgement. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me" (John 14:6).

It is God's gift to us that we can we can be saved by faith in Jesus. We can't gain God's favor by doing enough good deeds. It isn't by works so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

God's gift enables us to live the way He intended. When we accept God's gift and enter into a relationship with Him, we love Him, and become like Him. Beause God loves people, we will love people.

Jesus says, "I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in..." (Revelation 3:20).

If you would like to accept God's gift, and begin a living relationship with Him, pray a prayer similar to this:

"Dear God, I have wronged others and sinned against you. I believe that you sent your only Son Jesus to die and pay the penalty for my wrong doing. Please forgive me and accept Jesus' death as payment for my sin. I forsake my old selfish ways, and will live to honour and serve you. Come and live in me. Thank you for cleansing me and giving me new life. In Jesus' name, Amen."

If you prayed this prayer, share your decision with a Christian friend or pastor. If you are not already attending church, find one in which you can worship and grow in your faith. Following Christ's example, ask to be baptized in water as a public expression of your faith. Water baptism is a visual representation of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. You identify yourself with Christ when you are baptized. It also symbolizes what has happened in your life. You have died to your way of living, buried your sin in Christ's death, and are now living to honour and serve Him.

I'd love to hear about your decision to trust Christ. Please let me know by sending me an e-mail at david@westbrooksoftware.com.

Related Sites:
Can I Really Trust The Bible?
Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus
Evidence for the Resurrection