Hey there! Today I want to share with you a little bit more about me, and a HUGE part of my story.. Actually, it’s the most important part. I want to share with you about the Person who changed my life forever.
His name is Jesus! Here is how I met Him:
When I was about 6 years old, I had the opportunity to go to a summer camp called Vacation Bible School at my church. I remember sitting down in a blue chair that was much bigger than I, in a row along with a group of other kids beside me. During the lesson, a lady dressed as a Bible character began to share about a story called the Gospel. This was the first time I remember clearly hearing this story and making an important decision. It was the day I decided to trust in the Lord Jesus, and asked Him to come into my heart to be my Savior. If you’ve never heard the gospel before, keep reading!
What is the Gospel about?
In the beginning, God created EVERYTHING. From the birds in the sky, to the whales in the ocean…the moon, Earth and stars…and everything in between! He also created humans, which includes you and me. You may ask, how do I know that it was God that made us, and not “chance”? Well, there are many reasons.. But for one, everything in nature has a unique design that works together.. And for me, it’s all just too beautiful to believe we could just be a giant mistake.
Anyways, after He created all things, including Adam and Eve, sin entered the world. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating fruit from “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”, and because of that, we (all humans), now sin (see Genesis 2:16-17, Romans 5:12-19). We are imperfect, and unfortunately, the world is broken. It’s why there is illness and pain, wars and grief. We make mistakes, even if we don’t want to hurt others. The truth is, we are imperfect, and nothing that is unholy or sinful can live with God in heaven, a holy place.
But… there is GOOD NEWS! Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. Because of God’s great love for us, He made a way in which we could receive forgiveness from our sins, and go to heaven. He did this by sending His one and only Son Jesus, who was fully God and fully man, to come into the world and die on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Because He was completely perfect, and did not sin, He satisfied the debt we owed, and paid the price we could not pay. He took our place on the cross (see John 3:16). And because God is all-powerful, Jesus rose from the dead! Yes, you heard me. But don’t just take my word for it, take a look at it for yourself in the Bible, and believe the witnesses that saw Him! (See 1 Corinthians 15:6).
Anyways, the really cool thing about this TRUE story is that, no matter who we are or what our past may look like, God’s grace is available for each of us. All we have to do to be saved is to confess that we are sinner, and believe in the Lord Jesus as our Savior (see 1 John 1:9). God just wants us to come to Him and accept the great gift He has offered to us. But it’s a personal decision we each need to make; no one can make it for us, not even our parents or pastors or teachers. And because He loves us, God doesn’t force us to believe in Him. He gives us a free will. But if we do choose to follow Him, our life is completely changed for the good.
No, I am not saying life will be perfect, or that you will never make a mistake again. But what I’m saying is, once we accept Christ, we become made new. We are now part of God’s family, and we can have peace knowing that we will go to heaven to be with Him forever one day (see Phillipians 3:20). Just like how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, we are forever changed. We are transformed into something beautiful. We are set free from our sin, meaning we no longer are trapped or controlled by it (see Romans 8:1-2). Instead, God gives us strength to choose what is right. It is a daily challenge. But when we choose to follow Christ, we can be assured that we are never alone. We will be with Him one day in heaven, and when that day comes, we will be perfect, without sin. This is not because of any “good” things we have accomplished, but because of what Christ did (see Ephesians 2:8-10).
If you have just read this and would like to accept Christ, all you have to do is believe in Him. If you like, you can even pray a simple prayer to tell God about your decision. It can be something like this:
“Dear God,
I know I am a sinner. I am sorry for the wrong I have done. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. I choose to believe in Him. Thank you, God. Amen!”
Remember, it’s not about the words you use, but what you believe in your heart. God loves you so much, friend! If you feel ready to take that step, I encourage you to do it!
If you or someone you know has recently accepted Christ or has questions, I highly recommend checking out these resources:
From KLOVE (my favorite Christian radio station):
Learn more about next steps in your walk with Christ: https://www.klove.com/resources/new-believer
Connect with a Local Church: https://www.klove.com/resources/connect-to-church
Do you have Questions about faith? Check out Gotquestions.org !
More about the Gospel:
Thank you so much for reading!
Photo Credits: Thank you for these wonderful photos!
Jesus holding girl’s hand: Photo by Sharefaith https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-kid-hand-1231245/
Planet Earth: Photo by Zelch Csaba https://www.pexels.com/photo/stunning-view-of-earth-from-space-30596234/
Person standing near cross: Photo by Pixabay https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-person-standing-beside-cross-during-sunset-54333/
Lady Praying: Photo by Arina Krasnikova: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-in-orange-shirt-with-hands-together-5418299/