God is true.  God is wiser and stronger than any person. God is able. God is light. God is love.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (NASB)

 

God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman.  They were perfect in body and ability. God had made them to love and help each other as man and wife and to be the first family on earth from which all people would be born.

God saw all that He had made, and it was very good… Genesis 1:31 (NIV)

Adam and Eve lived in a world with no fear and plenty of good food, clean water, and peace.   God loved Adam and Eve and desired they love, worship, and obey Him.  Yet, God gave Adam and Eve the freedom to make their own choices. 

The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.  Genesis 2:16-17 (NASB)

Satan, who is a liar and an enemy of all the goodness of God’s creation, tempted Eve to doubt God’s word and God’s love.  Adam and Eve chose to disobey.

They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8

Adam’s disobedience brought the curse of sin upon the earth.  The curse of sin is why the earth is no longer the very good place God created and there is sickness, hatred, pain, and death.  Adam and Eve had to leave the beautiful garden because of their sin. Sin separates you from God, too!

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,  And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.  Isaiah 59:2

Because Adam and Eve chose to sin, sinfulness is now born into every person including you.   You are born with the sinful desire to think, say, and do things your way rather than God’s perfect way.  Since God is perfectly good, true, and right, He cannot accept sin.  The penalty for a life of unforgiven sin is separation from God and eternal punishment.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

Because the penalty for sin could only be paid by the spilling of blood of a sinless life, God knew only He would be able to free you from sin’s curse.  For this reason, God provided a way for your sin to be forgiven.

“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”  Hebrews 9:22 (NIV)

God sent to you a Savior.  God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to earth to be miraculously born of a virgin girl named Mary.  When the Baby Jesus was born, an angel sent from Heaven proclaimed:

“… ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”   Luke 2:10-11 (NASB)

As a young boy, Jesus listened, asked questions, and amazed many with His answers. 

As a man, Jesus performed many miracles, showed great compassion, chose and trained disciples, and taught many about His Father God.  Throughout all His life, Jesus never sinned in His thoughts, His words, or His actions. 

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”   Matthew 3:17 (NIV)

The time came for Jesus to sacrifice His life and spill His blood to pay the penalty for sin.  Jesus willingly allowed wicked men, who rejected Jesus as God the Son, to arrest, mock, and nail Him to a cross where He bled and died. 

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8 (NASB)

Jesus was buried, but three days later He returned to life and was seen by many people before leaving the earth to return to His home in Heaven.

“… Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Because of what Jesus Christ did, you can have your sin forgiven.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   John 3:16 (NIV)

To believe in Jesus Christ  means you choose to accept what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross as a gift from God by:

    • Admitting you have a sinful heart and need forgiveness,

    • Trusting your life and your future to Jesus Christ, God the Son, because He died on the cross to take the punishment for your sin and defeated ultimate death by rising to life three days later, and

    • Calling on God to forgive your sinfulness because of what Jesus Christ did for you.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12 (NASB)

When you trust in Jesus Christ, God forgives your sin, sends His Spirit to live in you forever, and helps you live your life to honor Him.  You gain the right to be called a child of God, and God promises to never leave you.   When your life on earth is over and your body dies, you will go to God’s home in Heaven to live forever with Him in joy and peace.

“… for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

Have you chosen to believe in Jesus Christ? Are you sins forgiven? If not, you can make the choice to put your trust in Jesus Christ today by telling God right now: (1) you know you have a sinful heart, (2) you trust Jesus died to take the punishment for your sin and wish to live life with Jesus in the lead, and (3) you want to receive God’s forgiveness because of what Jesus did for you. Here is an example of such a prayer:

“Dear God, I know I have a sinful heart and choose to do things my way rather than Your perfect way. I trust Jesus Christ died on the cross to take the punishment for my sin and returned to life. Please forgive my sinful heart and make me right before You because of what Jesus Christ did. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank You that Your forgiveness now gives me the right to be Your child. I pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

“And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  Acts 2:21

If you have chosen to trust in Jesus Christ and are one of God’s children, your sins are forgiven!  Because you are not perfect like Jesus Christ, you will still make some wrong choices and sin.  When you realize you have sinned, God promises He will forgive you when you admit to God you have sinned and ask God for forgiveness. 

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

God wants you to grow to know and love Him through Jesus Christ so that your thoughts, your desires, and your actions are like Jesus Christ.  Growing in this way shows that you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.The one who loves me will be loved by my Father,and I too will love them and show myself to them.”    John 14:21 (NIV)

You can learn to know and love God by reading and obeying the Bible.

The Bible is also called God’s Word, and it is God’s message to you.

God gives instructions and promises to all God’s children through the Bible.

“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” John 8:31-32 (NASB)

 

When you are a child of God, you are given the right in Jesus Christ’s name to talk to God.    Talking to God is called prayer.   Praying shows God you trust Him and know He is in control.  When you pray, tell God how you much you love and respect Him.   Admit to God your sins and ask forgiveness.  Thank God for always being with you and ask Him to help you honor Him.  Ask God to help those who are hurting and help others be followers of Jesus Christ too. 

 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ” Philippians 4:6

Go to church to hear God’s Word taught.  Sing praises to God and tell others about what Jesus Christ did for you.  These are all ways you can grow as a follower of Jesus Christ.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”  Romans 10:17

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”   Psalm 150:6

God’s story does not end with Jesus Christ returning to Heaven after He rose from the grave.  God has promised that one day Jesus Christ will return to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords to destroy Satan and those who have rejected God and to reign over all people and nations.   

“And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.””  Revelation 19:16

The heaven and the earth will be made new to be very good and to be enjoyed by all who are God’s children because they have believed on Jesus Christ to forgive their sin and make them right before God.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;  for the first heaven and the first earth passed away…” Revelation 21:1

This time God’s very good creation will be forever!  God keeps His promises!

“but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”  John 20:31Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

… Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  John 18:37