Steps to finding God

God loves you

God loves you and created you to know him personally. Jesus said: "God loves you so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

God's intention is that we should all enjoy life, real life, that we should live life to the full. This is what Jesus said: "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10)).

He wants you to come to know him, as your friend, as your Heavenly Father. Jesus said: "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3).

But, why doesn't everyone know God like this?

The answer is simple, there is a barrier in our lives that stops us knowing God like this. The Bible calls this barrier 'sin'. This is what the Bible says: "But your iniquities (sins, selfishness, etc.) have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear (Isaiah 59:2).

Me, a sinner?

There aren't many people who are really bad, and they will know it.

But most people live reasonably good lives, caring for those around them and seeking to obey the law - except the speed limit? But, there you are. There's always something we miss the mark with and that means we aren't perfect. But God is perfect! And we all fall short of his standard of goodness. The Bible's verdict on our lives, therefore, is this: "...everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence" (Romans 3:23).

We are separated from God by our sin and this means we can't know him or experience his love in our lives. The Bible puts it this way: "For sin pays its wage - death..." (Romans 6:23), and death, basically, is separation from God both in this life and for ever. But…

But there is a solution

So, what can we do to know God?

We can look for God in many ways and try to find spiritual enlightenment, but the Bible says that Jesus is the solution to our problem of knowing God. Jesus himself said this: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

Yes, it’s Jesus!

Even though we deserve to be cut off from God as a just penalty for our selfishness and sin (the wages of sin is death), the Bible goes on to say: "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

But, is Jesus justified in making this claim to be the only way to God?

Well, the Bible seems to think so. It says he died on the cross to deal with our sin - he was punished by God instead of us. The Bible says: "For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God" (1Peter 3:18).

It's a bit like the Judge turning to the prisoner and saying, "I fine you £20,000", and then taking his cheque book and paying the fine on the prisoner's behalf because he is his friend.

An Old Testament Prophet called Isaiah foresaw what was going to happen, and said this about Jesus: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6).

For those of us who have become Christians this has proved to be the bargain of a lifetime!

We can be tempted into thinking we can please or find God our own way and by our own efforts, but here it is, offered to us on a plate! But…

It is not enough just to know these facts we must do something

A lot of us like the thought of 'doing something' to get to heaven, and we seek after God and spiritual enlightenment on our own terms and in our own way.

By contrast Christianity can seem dogmatic, but its message is that God has already 'done something' for us, and he calls us to accept this fact and receive it as a gift - receive Jesus Christ into our lives as Saviour and Lord, then we can know God and experience his love.

But this requires faith.

Faith?

It's like this - A man set up a wire across the Niagara Falls and asked the crowd "Who believes I can push a wheelbarrow across this wire?" "We do" shouted the crowd. "OK, who will get into the wheelbarrow?" asked the man. No one responded, except his mother. She was prepared to trust him with her life.

Are you prepared to trust Jesus with yours?

Over the centuries millions of people around the world have done just that because this is the 'do something' of becoming a Christian.

If you wish to trust Jesus and receive him into your life as your Saviour and Lord you need to…

A: Admit you are sinful in God’s eyes and decide to turn from your own way of life and follow Jesus.

B: Believe God’s Word and trust Jesus that, as you repent and turn from your wrong doing, God will forgive you and give you his gift of Eternal Life.

C: Choose to love and obey Jesus, and receive him as your Saviour, and Lord of your life.

If you feel you would like to respond to what you have read, and want to ask God to give you his gift of eternal life, you can do so by praying a prayer like this one here.

Prayer of response:

My Lord and my God, I have lived life my way. I have done many good things but also many wrong things.

I repent (say sorry) for all my sin (take a few moments to ask God to forgive you for anything that is particularly on your conscience).

Please forgive me because Jesus died so that I may be forgiven and set free.

Jesus, I trust you now to be my Saviour.

Thank you for dying in my place.

I ask you now to give me your gift of eternal life.

Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit and be with me forever.

I give my life to you and want you to be my Lord.

Help me to live for you by the power of your Holy Spirit.

These things I pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

If you sincerely prayed this prayer you have become a Christian because God hears and answers prayer. Now find a church, like the ones involved in the Enfield Gospel Festival, where the people believe the Bible because it is important you grow in your new found faith.