As shocking as it may be, God wants a relationship with you. He created you for a relationship with Him. The problem is that we can't have a relationship with Him apart from accepting His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God's son, and He became a man in order to die for the sins of the human race. He offers eternal life and the freedom from the payment of sin to all who will believe on Him. Only through Jesus can you have a relationship with God.

HOW TO BEGIN A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS

1. Realize that you are a sinner. No matter how good a life we try to live, we still fall miserably short of being a good person. That is because we are all sinners. We all fall short of God’s desire for us to be holy. The Bible says, “No one is righteous—not even one” (Romans 3:10 NLTse). This is because we cannot become who we are supposed to be without Jesus Christ.

2. Recognize that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you. The Bible tells us, “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 NLTse). This is the Good News, that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place when we least deserved it.

3. Repent of your sin. The Bible tells us to “...repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” (Acts 3:19 NLTse). The word repent means to change our direction in life. Instead of running from God, we can run toward Him.

4. Receive Jesus Christ into your life. Becoming a Christian is not merely believing some creed or going to church on Sunday. It is having Christ Himself take residence in your life and heart. Jesus said, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in...” (Revelation 3:20 NLTse). If you would like to have a relationship with Christ, tell Him that. He is listening. The sample prayer below may give you some guidance. It's not the words that are important, it's the attitude of your heart.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe you died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess you as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me. Amen.

If you just prayed that prayer and meant it, Jesus Christ has now taken residence in your heart! Your decision to follow Christ means God has forgiven you and you will spend eternity in Heaven. The Bible tells us, “But if we confess our sins to Him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9, NLTse). 

If you made that decision today, please let us know. We would love to give you some free information that will help you learn more about the new life you have because of Jesus Christ.