Hope & Help
Hope…in Crisis
Is it possible to have hope, even in times of crisis?
Absolutely. There is hope in Christ.
Hope that He will save you no matter what you have done in the past and hope that he will accept you exactly as you are today.
If you have been searching for the unconditional love and hope only God can give, we'd encourage to read through the following inviting God's Spirit to speak to you.
STEPS TO PEACE WITH GOD
Step I
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 II
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 III
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). God has provided the only way. Each person must make a choice.
Step IV
OUR RESPONSE: Receive Christ
We must trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord 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:
- Admit your need for Jesus (I am a sinner).
- Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
- Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
- 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:
Using your own words, you may say something like this...
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your
forgiveness. I want to turn from my sins and trusting in my own way. I
believe that You died for my sins and rose again so I could have eternal
life. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust
and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Your name, Lord Jesus, amen.
Step V
GOD'S ASSURANCE: His Word
Did you sincerely ask Jesus Christ to come into your life? Where is He right now? What has He given you?
If you prayed this prayer sincerely, the Bible says...
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (
Romans 10:13). If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (
1 John 1:9). 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
(
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:
- Read your Bible regularly to know Jesus better.
- Talk to God in prayer every day.
- Tell others about Jesus and what He has done for you.
- Worship with other Christians in a Bible-believing,
Bible-teaching, Gospel-centered church where Christ is exalted and
preached.
- Get connected and involved in that church by meeting the people there and participating in areas that the church needs help.
- You are now a representative of Christ in a needy world - demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others.
If you just prayed to receive Christ, we would love to pray for you and talk with you! So please contact us to let us know!
To contact a pastor, use our Contact page or call 407-505-4888.