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 map

You may also go to the link below if you would like to receive more spiritual help or information.
http://billygraham.org/believe/stepsToPeace.asp

Read 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


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