Download or read book 10 Reasons Jesus Came to Die Pack of 25 written by John Piper and published by . This book was released on 2007-01 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why did Jesus Christ suffer and die? I believe that is the most important question of the twenty-first century. Here are ten answers from the Bible. Jesus came to die... #10) To destroy hostility between races The suspicion, prejudice, and demeaning attitudes between Jews and non-Jews in Bible times were as serious as the racial, ethnic, and national hostilities today. Jesus died to create a whole new way for races to be reconciled: he "has broken down...the dividing wall of hostility...making peace...through the cross" (Ephesians 2:14-16). It is impossible to build lasting unity among races by saying that all religions can come together as equally valid. God sent his Son into the world as the only means of saving sinners and reconciling races. Only as the races find this reconciliation will they love and enjoy each other. #9) To give marriage its deepest meaning God's design was never for marriages to be miserable, yet many are. That's what sin does...it makes us treat each other badly. Jesus died to change that. He knew that his suffering would make the deepest meaning of marriage plain. That's why the Bible says, "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). God's design for marriage is for a husband to love his wife the way Christ loves his people, and for the wife to respond the way Christ's people should. This kind of love is possible because Christ died for both husband and wife. #8) To absorb the wrath of God God's law demanded, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5). But we have all loved other things more. This is what sin is--dishonoring God by preferring other things over him, and acting on those preferences. The seriousness of an insult rises with the dignity of the one insulted. Since our sin is against the Ruler of the Universe, "the wages of [our] sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Not to punish it would be unjust. So God sent his own Son, Jesus, to divert sin's punishment from us to himself. God "loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation"--the wrath-absorbing substitute--"for our sins" (1 John 4:10). Then God publicly endorsed Christ's accomplishment by raising him from the dead, proving the success of his suffering and death. #7) So that we would escape the curse of the law There was no escape from the curse of God's law. It was just; we were guilty. There was only one way to be free: someone must pay the penalty. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). The law's demands have been fulfilled by Christ's perfect law-keeping, its penalty fully paid by his death. This is why the Bible teaches that getting right with God is not based on law-keeping: "A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:16). Our only hope is having the blood and righteousness of Christ credited to our account. #6) To reconcile us to God The reconciliation that needs to happen between man and God goes both ways. God's first act in reconciling us to himself was to remove the obstacle that separated him from us--the guilt of our sin. He took the steps we could not take to remove his own judgment by sending Jesus to suffer in our place: "While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son" (Romans 5:10). Reconciliation from our side is simply to receive what God has already done, the way we receive an infinitely valuable gift. #5) To show God's love for sinners The measure of God's love is shown by the degree of his sacrifice in saving us from the penalty of our sins: "he gave his only Son" (John 3:16). When we add the horrific crucifixion that Christ endured, it becomes clear that the sacrifice the Father and the Son made to save us was indescribably great! The measure of his love increases still more when we consider the degree of our unworthiness. "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it. #4) To show Jesus' own love for us The death of Christ is also the supreme expression that he "loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). It is my sin that cuts me off from God. All I can do is plead for mercy. I see Christ suffering and dying "to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). And I ask, am I among the "many"? And I hear the answer, "Whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Jesus paid the highest price possible to give me--personally--the greatest gift possible. #3) To take away our condemnation The great conclusion to the suffering and death of Christ is this: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). To be "in Christ" means to be in relationship to him by faith. Christ becomes our punishment (which we don't have to bear) and our worth before God (which we cannot earn). The death of Christ secures freedom from condemnation for those who believe that Christ has served their death sentence. It is as sure that they cannot be condemned as it is sure that Christ died! #2) To bring us to God "Gospel" means "good news," and it all ends in one thing: God himself. The gospel is the good news that at the cost of his Son's life, God has done everything necessary to captivate us with what will make us eternally and ever-increasingly happy--namely, himself. "Christ...suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). #1) To give eternal life to all who believe on Him Jesus made it plain that rejecting the eternal life he offered would result in the misery of eternity in hell: "Whoever does not believe is condemned already....the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:18, 36). But for those who trust Christ, the best is yet to come. "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). We will see the all-satisfying glory of God. "This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). For all these reasons and more, Christ suffered and died. Why would you not embrace him as your Savior from sin and judgment, and live with God eternally? If you are moved to embrace God's Son in this way, tell God in words like these: Dear God, I'm convinced that Jesus suffered and died for my sins. I gratefully trust in him now as my Lord and my precious Treasure and the only way I'll ever receive your forgiveness and your promise of eternal life. Amen.

Download or read book Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die written by John Piper and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2006-01-27 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The most important questions anyone can ask are: Why was Jesus Christ crucified? Why did he suffer so much? What has this to do with me? Finally, who sent him to his death? The answer to the last question is that God did. Jesus was God's Son. The suffering was unsurpassed, but the whole message of the Bible leads to this answer. The central issue of Jesus' death is not the cause, but the meaning. That is what this book is about. John Piper has gathered from the New Testament fifty reasons in answer to the most important question that each of us must face : What did God achieve for sinners like us in sending his Son to die?

Download or read book The Greatest Chapter in the Bible Pack Of 25 written by John Piper and published by Good News Publishers. This book was released on 2020-04-30 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Greatest Chapter in the Bible Adapted from Why I Love the Apostle Paul by John Piper By John Piper The greatest chapter in the Bible is Romans 8. Why? Because Romans 8 spells out all that God is for us in his Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:32 says, "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" What are the great obstacles between us and everlasting happiness? One obstacle is our sin. We are all sinners (Rom. 3:23), and the wages of that sin is eternal death (Rom. 6:23). Another obstacle is the wrath of God. If God is justly wrathful toward us in our sinful guilt, then we have no hope of everlasting happiness. When Paul calls Jesus God's own Son, the point is that there are no others like him, and he is infinitely precious to the Father. The point of Romans 8:32 is that this love of God for his one and only Son was like a massive, Mount Everest obstacle standing between God and our salvation. Here was an obstacle almost insurmountable. Could God--would God--overcome his cherishing, admiring, treasuring, white-hot, infinite, affectionate bond with his Son and hand him over to be lied about and betrayed and denied and abandoned and mocked and flogged and beaten and spit on and nailed to a cross and pierced with a sword, like an animal being butchered and hung up on a rack? The unthinkable reality that Romans 8:32 affirms is that God did it. He did hand him over. God did not spare him. In this passage Paul is saying the most unthinkable thing: God handed over his Son to death. "This Jesus [was] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). God himself handed over his Son. Nothing greater or harder has ever happened. Or ever will. Therefore, God has done the hardest thing to give us everlasting happiness. He did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. What does this guarantee? Paul puts it in the form of a rhetorical question (that means a question he expects us to immediately answer correctly): "how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" "All things" is not a promise of a trouble-free life. Four verses later Paul says, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." (Rom. 8:36) Instead, "all things" means all things we need to be eternally happy in God. Since God did not spare his own Son, all things will work together for our good (8:28), we will be glorified (8:30), and nothing, not even persecution or famine or danger or death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ (8:35-39). Paul said, "All the promises of God find their Yes in [Jesus]" (2 Cor. 1:20). That is because the Father did not spare his Son. He did it so that all things--all these promises--would be absolutely certain for those who trust him. I have fought all the battles of my life with the promises of God--battles against fear and lust and greed and pride and anger. Battles for courage and purity and contentment and humility and peace and love. All of them by the word of God--the promises of God. Behind every one of those battles is the logic of heaven: "I did not spare my own Son; therefore, my promise to you cannot fail. I will help you. Go. Do what I have called you to do." This promise isn't just for me. It's for anyone who reads it and receives, by faith, Jesus Christ as their Savior, their treasure, their hope, and their joy. If you want to receive Jesus Christ as your treasure today, thank God right now that you have this desire. It is a wonderful gift. Then call out to him in prayer and tell him what is in your heart. Perhaps with these words: O God, I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that you have opened the eyes of my heart to see the truth of Christ and my great need for him. I see that I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I see that Christ died for sinners and rose again. I see the wonderful promise that all who believe in Christ receive this forgiveness and eternal life. So I do believe, and I appeal to your mercy to save me from my sin, and welcome me, as you promised, into eternal life with you. Put your Spirit within me, I pray, and give me all the help I need to follow Jesus as Lord, and obey his teachings. Please lead me to a Bible-believing church where I can grow in faith and with others who love Jesus. Amen.

Download or read book I Love Jesus But I Want to Die written by Sarah J. Robinson and published by WaterBrook. This book was released on 2021-05-11 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.

Download or read book Quest for Joy Pack of 25 written by Good News Publishers and published by Good News Publishers. This book was released on 2011-04 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A redesign of a Good News Tracts classic, Pastor John Piper presents six biblical truths that will help seekers find the source of true joy, Jesus Christ

Download or read book One Minute After You Die written by Erwin W. Lutzer and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2015-04-17 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "One minute after you die you will either be elated or terrified. And it will be too late to reroute your travel plans." Death comes to all, and yet death is not the end. For some, death is the beginning of unending bliss, for others, unending despair. In this latest edition of the bestselling book One Minute After You Die, Pastor Erwin W. Lutzer weighs the Bible’s words on life after death. He considers: Channeling, reincarnation, and near-death experiences What heaven and hell will be like The justice of eternal punishment Trusting in God’s providence Preparing for your own final moment Though the afterlife is shrouded in mystery, the Bible does peel back the curtain. Dr. Lutzer will help you understand what is on the other side. May the reality of eternity quicken and comfort you today.

Download or read book Why did Jesus have to die written by Marcus Nodder and published by The Good Book Company. This book was released on 2014-02-01 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A short, readable book that explaining what the Bible says about the death of Christ-and what it means for us Our culture ignores it. Many within the church seem to be almost embarrassed by it. Many others understand that the cross of Christ is at the very heart of Christian faith and life. This short, readable book explains clearly and simply what the Bible, and Jesus himself, says about the cross, and how Christians should understand it today.

Download or read book Subversive Jesus written by Craig Warren Greenfield and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2016-04-26 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Jesus left the most exclusive gated community in the universe to come live with the people he loved and gave his life for, he turned everything we know and believe about life on its head. Jesus said that he came to bring good news to the poor, but most Western Christians remain disconnected and isolated from the poor and their contexts of injustice. Even our churches echo society’s pressure to isolate ourselves from the margins (e.g. by moving to a better suburb) and instead teach us how to be “nice people” who worship a “nice Jesus” and don’t disrupt the status quo. Convinced that Jesus places love for the poor and the pursuit of justice central, Craig Greenfield has sought to follow in Christ’s footsteps by living among people at the edges of society for the last fourteen years. His quest to follow this Subversive Jesus has taken Craig and his young family from the slums of Asia to inner city Canada and back again. This is the story of how Jesus led them to the margins: initiating the Pirates of Justice flash mobs, sharing their home with detoxing crackheads, welcoming homeless panhandlers and prostitutes to the dinner table, and ultimately sparking a movement to reach the world’s most vulnerable children. This book is a strong and potentially controversial critique of the status quo too often found in our churches, but it offers an inspirational and hopeful vision of another way. While readers may not relocate to a slum, they will certainly come to view their lives and ministry through a fresh lens—reconsidering how they are uniquely called by Jesus to subversively love the poor and break down systems of injustice in their sphere of influence.

Download or read book Our Sufficiency in Christ written by John MacArthur and published by Crossway. This book was released on 1998-07-10 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christ's divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness. —2 Peter 1:3 Pure Christianity needs no embellishment whatsoever. We find complete sufficiency in Christ and His provision for our needs. But too many Christians have bought in to the notion that all the spiritual resources we gain at the moment of salvation are not adequate to meet the real needs in today's complex world. So they look for something more—an emotionally exciting and self-edifying experience not found in God's Word. This failure to understand the sufficiency of Christ has opened the door to all kinds of worldy influences, causing many modern believers to mix biblical truths with seemingly helpful man-made methods such as mysticism and psychology. As a result, they wallow in a watered-down, pseudo-Christanity that has been drained of its vitality, effectiveness, and security. In this book John MacArthur exposes the main ways Christians have displaced their spiritual resources and explains how to avoid making the same error. It will make you newly aware of how completely God provides—and give you a renewed understanding of what it means to be "complete in Christ."

Download or read book Father s Love Letter written by Barry Adams and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2007-03-01 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Father's Love Letter by Barry Adams is a series of paraphrased Scriptures that take on the form of a love letter from God and will impact your heart, soul and spirit. Experience the love you have been looking for all your life. This gift book contains beautiful full-color photographs and fifty-seven powerful devotional thoughts. A prayer that will help you put into words your response to God follows each devotional thought.

Download or read book Remaining Faithful in Ministry written by John MacArthur and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2019-03-14 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Perhaps no one else has ever faced as much hardship, opposition, or relentless suffering as the apostle Paul. And yet, through it all, Paul stood firm in Christ and remained faithful—to the very end. The power of Paul’s example has captivated veteran pastor John MacArthur for years, and here he outlines nine unwavering convictions that contributed to this remarkable perseverance. In an age when pastoral failure and burnout are increasingly common, this book is a call to endurance in ministry, encouraging pastors to stand strong in their role and not lose heart, regardless of what God sends their way.

Download or read book The Promise of Heaven Pack Of 25 written by John MacArthur and published by Proclaiming the Gospel. This book was released on 1996-12 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What will heaven be like? Heaven is a place more wonderful than we can ever begin to imagine. It is a place of joy and beauty, of peace and happiness that will never end. Why? Because heaven is also a place where there will be no sin or suffering, no sorrow or pain. It's a place where there will be no quarrels or disagreements, no disappointments or weeping--because there will be nothing there to make us sad. And in heaven we will never do anything to displease God. We will then know perfect joy. Psalm 16:11 says, "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever." Everything that now makes us groan will finally be done away with, and we will find ourselves in the very presence of God, where the purest and truest kind of joy is possible. In heaven we will also have perfect knowledge. The Bible says, "Then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will have no more unanswered questions, no confusion, no ignorance, and no more need to walk by faith rather than by sight. We will live in perfect comfort. We will love God perfectly and will be loved perfectly by Him. His love will engulf us forever. Stated simply, heaven is a place of perfect joy forever. Think of it! We will be perfectly free from evil forever. We will be set free from captivity to sin, and finally able to do that which is absolutely righteous, holy, and perfect before God. With sin and its effects erased

Download or read book I Am the Way the Truth and the Life Pack of 25 written by Billy Graham and published by Good News Publishers. This book was released on 2016-08-31 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the years I have talked to thousands of people who have asked me how to find their way to God. Some have sat in church pews all their lives but never come to personally know God. Others have sought for ultimate meaning in all sorts of ways but never found the peace of mind for which they were searching. Some simply realize that there is something vital missing in their lives. The Bible teaches that this sense of lostness is rooted in the fact that we live in a fallen world.We are all handicapped by a sin nature: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And despite our best efforts, we are unable to remove the haunting weight of guilt that separates us from our Creator. God sent his Son to solve the dilemma caused by our sin. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Jesus Christ made the way to God for us by his death on the cross. He purchased our salvation by the shedding of his blood. His death and resurrection made a new and everlasting covenant between God and humanity. Jesus told his disciples, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). He did not merely point the way to God. He himself claimed to be the only way to the Father and the source of eternal truth and life. The way to God is through personal faith in Jesus Christ. Intellectual acceptance of Christ is not enough. You must come to him determined to turn from what displeases him, with a total trust in Christ's saving power for you. Christ promises those who turn to him: "Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life" (John 5:24). Today you can come to him by surrendering your life and heart to Christ. The Bible says: "To all who did receive him [Jesus Christ], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). Right where you are you can pray something like this: Lord, I know that I have sinned and need your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ died for me and rose from the dead. I invite you into my life to be my Lord and Savior. If you sincerely put your faith in Christ, God promises not only to forgive you, but also to adopt you into his family. It's the greatest gift you will ever receive!

Download or read book Why Jesus written by Nicky Gumbel and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book To Be a Christian Pack Of 25 written by J. I. Packer and published by Good News Publishers. This book was released on 2020-04-30 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To Be a Christian By J.I. Packer and Lane Dennis What does it mean to be a Christian? What is essential for Christian faith and life? How can we know Jesus Christ and experience the full love of God through him? How can you become a child of God, anchored in the full reality of unquenchable joy, beginning in this life and ever increasing in the life to come? It is possible to know about these things, however, without actually knowing them personally in one's life. In order not to miss what God is offering you, it is imperative that you receive Jesus Christ as your own Savior and Lord--if you have not already done so--and commit yourself to him to be his life-long disciple. There is no more important thing in life that you could ever do--both for the sake of this life and immeasurably more for the life to come. And when you have received Jesus Christ as your own Savior and Lord, to know that you have done it, so that you can go on from there, knowing the fullness of joy as a child of God both now and forever. To be a Christian is a lifelong personal commitment to Jesus Christ, but it begins with becoming a Christian in a deliberate conscious way, much like being a spouse begins with taking marriage vows. Being a Christian is a process of advance from that point. As you continue with Christ, with his Father as your heavenly Father, his Holy Spirit as your helper and guide, and his Church as your new family, you will constantly be led deeper into your born-again calling of worship, service, and Christ-like relationships. You need to know from the beginning that God creates human beings for the purpose of knowing him, loving him, and enjoying a deep friendship with him. But no one naturally fulfills this purpose. We are all out of step with God. In the words of the Bible, we are sinners, guilty before God and separated from him (Romans 3:23). Life in Christ is, first and foremost, God's taking living action to remedy our dire situation (Romans 5:8). The key facts of this divine remedy--which the Bible calls the Gospel (meaning "good news")--are these: 1. God the Father sent his eternal Son into this world to reconcile us sinners to himself, and to preserve and prepare us for his glory in the life to come. 2. Born of the Virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit, God's son (whose human name is "Jesus") lived a perfect life, died a criminal's death as a sacrifice for your sins, and rose again from the grave to rule as Christ (meaning "the Anointed One"), reigning on his Father's behalf in the Kingdom of God. 3. Reigning now in heaven, Jesus continues to draw sinners to himself through the communication of the Gospel here on earth. 4. By the Holy Spirit, God enables us to turn wholeheartedly from our sinful and self-centered ways (repentance) and to entrust ourselves to him, to live in union and communion with God (faith). Our natural condition could not be more desperate and urgent. In spiritual terms, our sin and self-centeredness is the way of death, and fellowship with Christ is the way of life now and forever. As the Apostle Peter said when her proclaimed the Gospel on Pentecost morning: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself (Acts 2:38-39). God the Father calls us to himself through his Son. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 4:16). As we come to the Father, through Jesus Christ his Son, we experience and know and grow in the unconditional and transforming love of God. God the Son calls us to believe in him. We may understand a great deal about Jesus, but that is not the same as personally believing in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We can attend church services and do many good things without knowing the risen Jesus. Knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord means personally believing in him, surrendering our lives to him, and living as his joyful followers. God the Holy Spirit enlightens our minds and hearts to believe in Jesus, giving us spiritual birth and life as we believe and trust in him. Our loving Father will "give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" (Luke 11:13). As we place our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and wonderfully provides us with the power and gifts for life and ministry as Jesus' disciples. To live faithfully as Christians, we must rely upon the equipping and enabling power of the Holy Spirit. In a way beyond our grasp, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are revealed as equally one God and three Persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are near to us at all times and will hear us whenever we pray with sincerity, truly meaning what we say. God calls us to enter into continual repentance and faith in Christ. And the way to enter into life in Christ--today and forever--is to pray a prayer like this (preferably in the presence of a mature Christian): Lord Jesus Christ, I confess my faults, shortcomings, sins, and rebellious acts, and ask you to forgive me. I embrace you, Lord Jesus, as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for your atoning death on the cross in obedience to your Father's will, to wash away my sins. I enthrone you, Lord Jesus, to be in charge of every part of my life, and I ask you to indwell and empower me with your Holy Spirit, so that I may live as your faithful follower from now on, in this life and forever with you in heaven. In Jesus name I pray these words with all my heart and soul, amen. If you have prayed the prayer above "to be a Christian," we would encourage you to visit the GoodNews.org website, where you can read the Bible free and find many helpful materials for your new life as a Christian. Excerpted from To Be A Christian: An Anglican Catechism. Used by permission of the Anglican Church in North America.

Download or read book Steps to Peace with God Pack of 25 written by Billy Graham and published by . This book was released on 2008-03-31 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most people have an idea of what they believe it will take to be accepted by God. After all, who likes the idea of exiting this life without being on good terms with him? Thankfully, it's possible to be certain that you've made peace with God, but the way must be chosen during this life. Here are the steps drawn from God's book, the Bible: Step 1. Understand God's purposes--peace and eternal life God loves you and wants you to experience peace and eternal, fulfilling life. 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 Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10 Why don't most people have this peace and the fulfilling (abundant) life that God intended for us to have? Step 2. Admit the problem--our sin and separation God did not create us like robots to automatically love and mechanically obey him. God gave us a will and the freedom to choose. The first man and woman chose to disobey God and go their own willful way. And we still make that 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." Romans 6:23 People have tried many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God. The Bible says... "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." Proverbs 14:12 "Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God..." Isaiah 59:2 No bridge reaches God... except one. Step 3. Discover God's bridge--the cross Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave. Though he was God's sinless Son, he became a human, took our place, and paid the penalty for our sin, bridging the gap between God and us. The Bible says... "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."1 Timothy 2:5 "Christ... suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God." 1 Peter 3:18 "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us... the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."Romans 5:8, 3:23 "Christ died for our sins... he was buried... he was raised on the third day." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 God has provided the only way to forgiveness of sin and eternal life. But each person must make a choice. Step 4. Embrace the truth--receive Christ We must trust Jesus Christ as our Savior and receive him by personal choice. Jesus says... "Behold, 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 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 The Bible says... "To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life." John 3:36 What is your decision? Will you receive Jesus Christ right now and trust in him alone for forgiveness and eternal life? The Bible says that's the only way to find peace with God! Admit your need--that you are a sinner in need of God's forgiveness. Be willing to turn from trusting in anything else for eternal life and trust only in Christ. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross, came back to life from the grave, and is your only way to heaven. Accept Jesus' offer to forgive your sins and come into your life as your Savior. You may want to tell him in words like these: "Dear Jesus, thank you for making it possible for me to find peace with God! I believe that when you died you were paying the penalty for my sins. I now receive you into my life as my Savior, so I can have forgiveness and never-ending life from God! Thank you for the gift of eternal life!"

Download or read book Jesus and the Qur an Pack of 25 written by Joseph P. Gudel and published by . This book was released on 2008-03 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dear Muslim friend, do you believe the words and teachings of your holy Qur'an? Or have you unknowingly rejected the testimony of the Qur'an about Jesus (or Isa) and about the prior revelations that God sent to bear witness to him? If you trust the Qur'an and have an open and prayerful heart, you may be surprised at what it says about the prophet Jesus. The Testimony of the Qur'an The Qur'an declares many wonderful things about the prophet Jesus. Three surahs (or chapters) are named after references to him, and he is spoken of in fifteen surahs (ninety-three verses) altogether, more than any other person in the entire Qur'an. The Qur'an teaches that Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead (3:49; 5:113), was born of the virgin Mary (3:45-47; 23:50; 19:16-22), brought the gospel to the Jewish people (3:49-51; 13:38), and was an apostle and prophet of God (3:49; 6:85-90). In the Qur'an, Jesus alone is supported by the Holy Spirit (2:87, 253). Jesus alone is called "the Word of God" (3:45; 4:171) and "the Messiah" ("Christ," 3:45; 4:157, 172, etc). Yet the Qur'an is not the only testimony to Jesus. Nor is it the primary one. The Qur'an repeatedly states that God sent prior revelations to the Jews and the Christians: The Torah (Taurat), the Psalms (Zabur), and the Gospel (Injil). Have you ever read what these prophetic words say about Jesus? The Qur'an's Testimony to God's Prior Revelations But you may wonder if the Jewish and Christian Scriptures are really trustworthy revelations from God. Perhaps you have been told that they have been corrupted or lost. What does the Qur'an say about this? God Sent Other Scriptures Prior to the Qur'an In numerous places the Qur'an testifies that God gave the Jews and the Christians revelations in the past: "He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind" (3:3-4); "Say, 'We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you'" (29:46; cf. 6:89; 2:136; 5:46-47; 7:157). These Revelations Existed During Muhammad's Time In other passages the Qur'an is clear that these Scriptures existed during Muhammad's lifetime: "Say 'O People of the Book! Ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord'" (5:68; cf. 4:136; 10:94 3:93; 5:46, 59, 68-69). It would be impossible for Christians and Jews (the People of the Book) to "stand fast" by these revelations unless they were still in their possession at that time. Many ancient copies exist of both the Torah and the Gospel that are dated centuries before Muhammad. These are entirely consistent with the books known in the Bible as the Old and New Testament. The Qur'an Was Sent to Confirm & Guard These Scriptures Other verses claim that the Qur'an was sent to "confirm" the scriptures that God had sent beforehand: "This is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it" (6:92, emphasis added; cf., 2:40-41, 89, 91; 3:3). The Qur'an also claims it "guards" these scriptures (5:51). If, however, the Bible had become so thoroughly corrupted that it was no longer capable of guiding the people, as many Muslims now assert, how could the Qur'an be said to "confirm" and "guard" it? God's Revelations Can Never Be Changed by Men According to the Qur'an it is impossible for anyone to change or corrupt God's revelations: "There is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of God" (6:34; cf. 6:115); "No change can there be in the words of God" (10:64; cf. 18:27). In fact there is not a single verse in the entire Qur'an stating that the former Scriptures have ever been changed by men or abolished by God. True followers of Jesus believe that God is able to protect his word from all attacks and slanders. All people, including Muslims, are commanded to believe and obey these unchangeable revelations. Jesus said: "Until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished...Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (Matthew 5:18; 24:35). God's Revelation of Jesus Christ What then do the Scriptures say about Jesus? The Old Testament prophets tell of God's ancient plan to bless all nations through Abraham's descendant, the coming "Messiah." The Injil testifies that Jesus is this Messiah and that he was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead according to the prophets. Jesus declared, "Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44). Jesus did many awesome miracles of healing and deliverance, even raising the dead to life. His greatest sign was his own resurrection from the dead. What was Jesus' testimony about himself in these Scriptures? Jesus said clearly: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live" (John 11:25). "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord" (John 10:11, 18). Jesus repeatedly told his disciples that he came to die as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world (cf., Mark 8:31; 10:45; John 2:18-22; 5:24). He laid down his life on the cross, and three days later he took it up again when he rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb. After ascending to heaven he appeared in a vision to his disciples and reaffirmed his limitless authority: "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades" (Revelation 1:17-18). Who is Jesus? The prophets proclaimed the days of the Messiah's coming. They bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name (Acts 3:24;10:43). When Jesus' great forerunner, the prophet Yahya (John the Baptist), introduced Jesus to the people of Israel, he said: "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Mark 1:7-8). He pointed to Jesus and said: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Jesus once asked his disciples who people thought he was (Matthew 16:13). They told him that many thought he was "one of the prophets." After various answers were given he asked them: "'But who do you say that I am?'" (Matthew 16:15). The apostle Simon (Peter) immediately replied: "'You are the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God"' (Matthew 16:16). Jesus did not rebuke Peter for his answer. Instead, he praised him: "'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-[son of] Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven'" (Matthew 16:17). Please understand that when the Scriptures call Jesus the "Son of God," they do not imply God had relations with a woman whose offspring was physically God's "son." God forbid! No, they mean that the Word of God, who was in the beginning with God, took human nature and became a man (John 1:1-3, 14). By the power of the Spirit of God the eternal Word was born of a virgin, as foretold by the prophets. Mary asked the angel Gabriel how this could be; he answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy-- the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). What about you? Do you believe the prophets? Do you believe that Jesus was telling the truth about himself when he claimed to be the Son of God who came to take away the sins of the world, a claim he proved by his resurrection from the dead? Why did God send us these revelations? Jesus' disciple John gives us the answer: "But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31). If you truly desire to know God's will, read the prophets! Read the gospel of Jesus the Messiah! Experience Jesus' promise for yourself: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me... Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 14:1; 6:37). *All Qur'anic citations are from A. Yusuf Ali's The Holy Qur'an.