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We see beauty, purpose and evidence of God's design around us. The Bible tells us that God originally planned a world that worked perfectly where everything and everyone fit together in harmony.
God made each of us with a purpose - to worship Him and walk with Him.
THE BIBLE SAYS
Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.
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Life doesn't work when we ignore God and His original design for our lives. We selfishly insist on doing things our own way. The Bible calls this sin. We all sin and distort the original design.
The consequence of our sin is separation from God - in this life and for all of eternity.
THE BIBLE SAYS
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death
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Sin leads to a place of brokenness. We see this all around us and in our own lives as well.
When we realize life is not working, we begin to look for a way out. We tend to go in many directions trying different things to figure it out on our own.
Brokenness leads to a place of realizing a need for something greater.
THE BIBLE SAYS
Romans 1:25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator
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At this point, we need a remedy - some good news.
Because of His love, God did not leave us in our brokenness. Jesus, God in human flesh, came to us and lived perfectly according to God's design.
Jesus came to rescue us - to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. He took our sin and shame to the cross, paying the penalty of our sin by His death. Jesus was then raised from the dead - to provide the only way for us to be rescued and restored to a relationship with God.
THE BIBLE SAYS
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Colossians 2:14 He erased the certificate of debt... and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
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Simply hearing this Good News is not
enough.
We must admit our sinful brokenness and stop trusting ourselves. We don't have the power to escape the brokenness on our own. We need to be rescued.
We must ask God to forgive us - turning from sin to trust only in Jesus. This is what it means to repent and believe.
Believing, we receive new life through Jesus and God turns our lives in a new direction.
THE BIBLE SAYS
Mark 1:15b Repent and believe in the good news.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 10:9 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.
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When God restores our relationship to Him, we begin to discover meaning and purpose in a broken world. Now we can pursue God's design in all areas of our lives.
Even when we fall, we understand God's pathway to be restored - this same Good News of Jesus.
God's Spirit empowers us to pursue His design and assures us of His presence in this life and for all eternity.
THE BIBLE SAYS
Philippians 2:13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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Now that you have heard this Good News, God wants you to respond to Him. You can talk to Him using words like these:
My life is broken - I recognize it's because of my sin I need You.
I believe Christ came to live, die and was raised from the dead - to rescue me from my sin.
Forgive me. I turn from my selfish ways and put my trust in You. I know that Jesus is Lord of all, and I will follow Him.
THE BIBLE SAYS
Romans 10:9 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 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.