Steps to Peace with God
A simple, lifechanging message
from the Bible
Step 1 God's Purpose: Peace and
Life
God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life -- abundant
and eternal.
The Bible says ...
"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." --Romans 5:1
(NIV)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
--John 3:16 (NIV)
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly." --John 10:10 (NIV)
Why don't most people have this peace and abundant life that God
planned for us to have?
Step 2 The Problem: Our Separation
God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. He did not
make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him. God gave us a
will and a freedom of choice. We chose to disobey God and go our own
willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in
separation from God.
The Bible says ...
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." --Romans
3:23 (NIV)
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord." --Romans 6:23 (NIV)
Our Attempts to Reach God
People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between themselves
and God ...
The Bible says ...
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to
death." --Proverbs 14:12 (NIV)
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have
hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." --Isaiah 59:2
(NIV)
Step 3 God's Bridge: The Cross
No bridge reaches God ... except
one...The Cross
Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave. Jesus lives
today, forever to save. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged
the gap between God and people.
The Bible says ...
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man
Jesus Christ." --1 Timothy 2:5 (NIV)
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God." --1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us." --Romans 5:8 (NIV)
God has provided the only way. Each person must make a choice.
Step 4 Our Response: Receive
Christ
We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by
extending our personal invitation. This means we are choosing to
begin a lifelong relationship following Him as the Leader and
Director of our life. We trust Jesus & receive His salvation,
believing He alone is the Way to Heaven and the basis for forgiveness
of our sins.
The Bible says ...
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
--Revelation 3:20 (NIV)
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of God." --John 1:12 (NIV)
"That 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 10:9 (NIV)
Where are you?
Will you receive Jesus as the forgiveness for your sins and the way
to have a relationship with God and go to heaven when you die?
Here is how you can receive Christ:
1. Admit your need (I am a
sinner).
2. Be willing to turn from your
sins (repent).
3. Believe that Jesus died for you on
the Cross and rose from the grave.
(Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.)
4. Begin a relationship with
Jesus, asking Him to come in to your
life and lead you to know God. To prepare you for Heaven, to save and
forgive you. Ask God to teach you how to walk with Him through
reading and learning the Bible (GodÕs Word) and by the Holy
Spirit. Change your mind about living life independent and separate
from God. Instead turn toward God with your heart and seek to know
Him as Friend and Saviour. Seek to be close to the Lord in a new,
lifelong relationship.
Step 5
Prayer & surrender to receive
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness.
I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I
now invite You to enter into my heart and bring me new life. I want
to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. And be Friends with you
forever. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Once you pray to give your life to God, it is the beginning of a
lifelong relationship.
God's Assurance: His Word
If you give your heart and life to the Lord genuinely believing and
receiving His provision of forgiveness through Jesus, The Bible says ..."Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved." --Romans 10:13 (NIV)
Did you sincerely ask Jesus Christ to come into your life? What has
He given you?
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this
not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that
no one can boast." --Ephesians 2:8,9 (NIV)
Receiving Christ, we are born into God's family through the
supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer.
This is called regeneration, or the "new birth."
This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ. To
deepen this relationship:
1. Read the Bible everyday to know Jesus better and grow in
friendship with God.
2. Talk to the Lord in prayer every day (speaking to Him humbly and
honestly as with a Friend).
3. Tell others about how wonderful it is to have a real, living
Friendship with Jesus.
4. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a
Bible-believing church where Christ & the Bible is preached
(without additions and other books and deviations which contradict
Jesus and the scriptures).
Beware of false groups who lead people away from Jesus and
fabricate confusing religious frameworks & teachings. Though some
mention Jesus or put His Name on the wall of their buildings, a
closer look reveals they do not trust or hold to Jesus as the sole
means for their salvation. John 14:6 explains the truth about
following God & attaining heaven. Usually religious groups err by
departing from Jesus as the sole means for salvation by grace. And
missing the cross and denying JesusÕ Blood, death and
resurrection, they falsely teach other principles or works
(self-effort) as supposedly the means to Òmake itÓ with
God. Beware! These Jesus-rejecting cults include: JehovahÕs
Witnesses/Watchtower, Mormons/Church of ÒJesus ChristÓ of
Latter day saints & Islam (Muslims, mormons & JWÕs
reject Jesus as the means for man to be saved, as a gift by grace).
By rejecting Jesus, His grace and the truth of the BIBLE, such groups
turn from the One True Way God Himself designed for all mankind to be
saved. The book of Revelation says that the One
Way of eternal life through Jesus is for men and women of Òevery
tribe, people, language and nation.Ó This means
everyone. The best way to know truth and not be deceived is to read
the Bible for yourself. Read the ENTIRE New Testament and let God
speak directly to your heart. You want to Ògrow up in your
salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good!Ó
5. As Christ's representative in a needy
world, demonstrate your new life by love and concern for others.
If you have just made a commitment to Christ, please let
us know. We would like to send you
Bible study materials to help you grow in your faith.
How to contact...
For more information please contact: Jeff via
www.MacIndy.com/ms
Contact info can be found on
www.MacIndy.com/ms/
FreeStuf.htm
For more Christian help & encouragement, see: www.MacIndy.com/ms
MacIndy Table of contents & site mapYou may also go to the link below if you would like to receive more spiritual help or information.
http://billygraham.org/believe/stepsToPeace.aspRead or listen to the Bible online: God's Word!
(Jesus' answers to your personal questions)What is Heaven like? Who will go there? How can I be sure?
Source & credits...
This is an improved and updated version of
this message (most of it was originally written by billy graham).
Improvements and additions by brother J (merged into the original
message above) are meant to make the message clearer and more
complete. Steps to Peace
with God is "by" Billy
Graham (improved, expanded & updated by brother Jeff here). The
B.G. version of this presentation of the gospel is published by
billygraham.org I would
observe, however, that the B.G. version of this message really seems
to be a publication based on admiring & emulating the widely
distributed publication by Campus Crusade for Christ called: "the
Four Spiritual Laws." Here, the B.G. message was reprinted with even
further variations & additions by brother Jeff. I would say most
content & this presentation format is so close to "the Four
Spiritual Laws" that both Campus Crusade & billygraham.org could be mentioned as sources for versions of this
helpful message. My own version of the popular presentation appears
here. - brother Jeff
For more, see site map
Part of the International spiritual discovery library:
A multicultural, worldwide online journey
Serving the spiritually hungry & stimulating spiritual insight through:
• Biblical teaching
• Prophetic revelation
• Spiritual songs & heavenly uplifting music
• Messages that feed the soul
• Web design & hosting
Asia Europe North America South America Central America USA United States of America
Go back to Table of contents
Brought to you courtesy of MacIndy web hosting
MacIndy.com
• Global Apple IT technical services
• Mac engineering
• Enterprise-level Apple administration, Casper JAMF engineering, administration & support
• Professional corporate, government & large network Macintosh IT services
• Serving companies, corporations, businesses & government organizations all over the world!
• Helping all kinds of Mac users around the US, Canada, South & Central America, Europe, the UK, Asia & the whole world!