That’s a great question! It’s one many people have asked.
No matter where you are starting, today you can commit yourself to being a follower of Jesus and start the journey towards salvation. It all starts with a basic commitment, “I want to follow Jesus. I want God to be in control of my life.” You might think your past will get in the way of God being able to receive you, but none of us can help our past! We’re all in the same boat. Romans 3:23 reminds us: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That’s why it’s important to understand that you have in Jesus, a savior who, through his sinless life and guiltless death, paid all the penalties due for our sin. God communicates to us the benefits of his sacrifice through faith, not because of anything we do but what God has done; Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." We are God’s masterpiece; He has been at work drawing us into a relationship with him our entire life. We simply have to stop ignoring his grace and say “Yes!” to Jesus in order to become a Christian. There’s not a “secret formula” or “special prayer.” Simply and sincerely offer all you know about you - to all you know about Jesus Christ - today, and you are a Christian, a disciple on the way. By faith, committing your life to God’s care and concern, you will discover Jesus is more than a savior, he becomes your friend and leader. A friend because He will support you through the tough parts, and He will increase your joy in the best parts of this life. A Leader because, as we find in the Bible, God wants our relationship with Him to shape the way we live today, not just in eternity; Jesus will lead us into this new life. You can find many next steps in the "WHATS MY NEXT STEP" article on our website, or ask Pastor Gary ways you can grow in this new relationship. While there is much to learn, remember you are already God’s masterpiece, let Him begin the polishing! Perhaps it would help you to pray something like this: “Dear God, thank You for the gift of grace through Jesus Christ. I say ‘yes’ to Him today. Thank you for the way He offered Himself on the cross to redeem my past, and His offer to be my Friend and Leader today, claiming my future forever. I believe and I ask you to help my unbelief. Jesus, thanks for being my Lord and Savior! Amen.” While God has been at work in your life for a long time, He’ll have a lot more changes and challenges for you along the way. Send me an email to tell me that you’ve decided to follow Jesus today! Pastor Gary |