How can I know Jesus in a personal way?

What in the world is going on?  

Earthquakes, inflation, wars, food shortages, crime, lawlessness, celebrating evil… Do you ever look around the world and wonder how things got so crazy and out of control? What if I told you the Bible talks about all these things, and that they will increase and culminate in a final destruction of this world? Why?

For God so loved the World…

To understand, we must go back to the beginning. God created a beautiful, perfect world, full of such intricate design and beauty – everything needed for life. But His prize creation – a man and a woman – were His most treasured creation, of whom He said it was very good! He lavished them with His love, walked in the garden with them, talked, laughed, and cherished them. 

But it didn’t take long for Adam and Eve to break the ONE rule God gave them, and in that instant, their perfect relationship with their Creator was broken. Satan tricked and manipulated them, and they took the bait. Satan tricked them, but they made the choice. Sin always has an effect. They had to leave the garden, and their perfect relationship with God was broken. 

But isn’t that cruel of God? Why couldn’t He just forget that and give them another chance? Do a reset? Have a do-over? Because brokenness was now imprinted on their hearts. A broken vase swept under a rug is still broken. The curse had entered their story. Was there a cure?

…that He gave His One and Only Son…

God knew they needed a cure, and He was willing to lay it all on the line to heal that brokenness and restore the relationship with them He so cherished. The very day He told them of the curse, He told them of the cure (Genesis 3:15). Sin always demands a payment. Sin leads to death. The payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). Because God is just, He has to require payment. He chose to make that payment FOR us…in our place (Romans 5:8).

All through history, God was pointing to redemption. He showed it in the animal sacrifices in the Temple, He shouted it through His Prophets. With mighty shows of power, He delivered His sinful people over and over, always pointing to a future Deliverer who would deliver once for all. Jesus came at just the right moment, lived perfectly, always doing the right thing at the right time, for the right reason. He split time in half – B.C. and A.D. He completely and literally fulfilled every prophecy of His first coming. Jesus allowed evil people to torture and kill Him, because He was willing to pay the price for our brokenness, that we could never pay. Evil celebrated. Evil gloated and laughed with glee. But God is stronger than evil. He is stronger than death. Jesus didn’t have to battle for victory. He simply laid His life down, and then took it up again! He rose to life after three days and is alive today! Why?

…That whosoever believes in Him…

Heaven is perfect and requires perfection to enter. We are either perfect or we’re not…and we’re NOT perfect! We are all broken (Romans 3:23). Adam and Eve were the first victims of sin, and every human being since the Garden is sinful and broken. God wants all people to be in a close personal relationship with Him, forgiven and restored and free.

When we believe Jesus is Who He says He is, God’s Only Son, and our Savior (Romans 10:9-10), Jesus ushers us into Heaven based on HIS perfection, not ours. So what do we do?

…shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Our sin requires payment. We only have two choices:

Choice # 1 – Choose the CURSE. If we choose to pay it ourselves, then we make the choice to spend eternity paying the price for our sin – in Hell. In the Eternal Lake of Fire, created for the devil, satan, and his minions. Hell exists for them, because they rejected Him. Sadly, all who choose to reject Jesus and pay their own price have the same future. If you choose this one, there is no happy ending for you…ever… The world will continue to get more and more evil and ultimately be destroyed. When you choose the curse, you are choosing destruction.

Choice #2 – Choose the CURE. We can choose to accept the payment Jesus has already made for us, and accept His payment for our sins. That opportunity is the CURE, promised in the Garden of Eden. Jesus promises that all who call on the name of the Lord WILL be saved. It’s a free gift, there for the taking. But you must CHOOSE to take it. Choose Him! We are under a curse, but He is THE CURE!

The CURSE leads here                                                              The CURE leads here

Hell, without God or anything good                                   Heaven, with God and everything good

Utter darkness                                                                              Brilliant light

Only evil forever                                                                          Only good forever

No friends, family, relationships                                              Perfect relationships

Eternal separation from Jesus                                                   Eternal relationship with Jesus

Excruciating pain and suffering                                               No more tears, pain and suffering

Lake of Fire with worm that never dies                                  City of Gold, with River of Life flowing

                                                                                                                      from the Throne of God

It’s your choice. Which do you choose?

If you choose the CURE, you can simply pray the following prayer, or use your own words. 

“Jesus, please forgive me for doing wrong. I believe that you are the Son of God, and you died for me, and rose again. Please be my Lord and Savior – come into my life and make me who you want me to be. I commit my life to you.”