HOW WE CAN KNOW GOD

What's Missing in Our Life? "So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realised that this pleasure is from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from Him?" (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25). Purpose, meaning, a reason for living - these are all things we desire and search for in life. But despite our search, we still feel empty and unfulfilled. We each have an empty place in our hearts, a spiritual void, a "God-shaped vacuum". Possessions won't fill it, nor will success, relationships, or even religion. Only through a vibrant relationship with God can this void be filled, but before such a relationship can be established, we need to face a serious problem. The Problem: Sin "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" (Jeremiah 17:9). The Bible identifies this problem as sin. Sin is not just the bad things we do but an inherent part of who we are. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. King David once wrote, "I was born a sinner - yes, from the moment my mother conceived me" (Ps. 51:5). Because we are born sinners, sinning comes to us naturally. And every problem we experience in society today can be traced back to our refusal to live God's way. The Solution: Jesus Christ "We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done" (Romans 3:22). God understood our problem and knew we could not beat it alone. So He lovingly sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to bridge the chasm of sin that separates us from God. Jesus laid aside His divine privileges and walked the earth as a man, experiencing all the troubles and emotions that we do. Then He was arrested on false charges and killed on a Roman cross. But this was no accident. He did it to suffer the punishment deserved by us all. And then three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering sin and death forever! The Response: Accepting God's Offer "Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins" (Acts 3:19). To know Jesus Christ personally and have our sins forgiven, we must believe that we are sinners separated from God and that our only hope is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who came and died for our sins. But we must not stop with this realization. We also need to take steps toward confessing and turning from our sins. And we must welcome Jesus Christ into our life as Lord and Saviour. He will move in and help us to change from the inside out. If you are ready to repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ so that you can receive His forgiveness, take a moment to pray like this: God, I'm sorry for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and ask You to forgive me. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins. Jesus, I ask you to come into my life and be my Lord, Saviour, and Friend. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen. If you have prayed this prayer and meant it with all of your heart, you can be sure that God has forgiven you and received you into His family. [The Book of Hope, Tyndale House Publishers, 1998]. Sponsored by: Lemon Blossom Guest House 4 Kerk Street, Potchefstroom Tel: (018) 297 1137 or Cell: 082 803 3872