GOT
ANSWERS (View
Video message) Several years ago, the dairy industry advertisers came up with
a simple question, "got milk?". Today you can find
adaptations of that simple question for multitudes of products.
Here, there is not a product for sale, but rather a person to
meet.
Since the beginning of time, there has been an inner question
that, at some time or another, every man, woman, and child hears
from the inner most place in their being. The question? "Why
am I here?" At some point in time, each of us is faced with
this eternal question. This simple question however is
multifaceted, forcing us to ask ourselves even more questions.
I
met a man by the name of Steve just the other day. During our
conversation I asked Steve another of those eternal questions.
"Steve", I asked, "if something were to happen to
you today and your life would be ended here on earth, would you go
to heaven?" Without hesitation he answered, "Yes, I
would." I asked how he knew for sure. His response was a
common one, yet on this particular day, it struck me to hear this
young man say, "Because I have done a lot of good things for
people". "Doing good is great. We need more people doing
good things, but how does that give you assurance of
heaven?", I asked. Steve was silent, then I realized he had
been brought face to face with an ancient lie. "I can do
enough good things to get to heaven." It's as if we are on a
point system with God. Do enough - earn enough, and it buys a plot
in the sky. The sad reality is that it doesn't work that way.
The Bible tells us that all of us was born with an inclination and
nature toward sin. It's not how man started out to be, but it is
who we are. It's that nature, not particular "sins" that
keeps us away from fellowship with God. "…for all have
sinned and have fallen [because of Adam's disobedience] short of
God's glory . That may sound pretty blunt and hopeless. But the
story only starts there. See, we must first understand who we are
in order to comprehend Who we need. What do I mean? Consider this:
If
I am
Then
Jesus is
A
sinner
The
Savior
John
3:16
Incomplete
My
completion
Colossians
2:8-12
Broken
My
Restorer
Jeremiah
18:2-6
Unrighteous
My
Righteousness
Romans
5:20-21
Empty
My
Source of supply
John
6:35
Isn't it sad that for the most part, people only
look for eternal answers when their own life is in chaos?
September 11, 2001 and the weeks following saw countless thousands
turning to churches, mosques, synagogues and temples for some
meaning to the hellish events of that week. But more
significantly, many people came face to face with their own
immortality. More recently, war time has shown an increase in
people's awareness of the need of Someone greater than themselves
to intervene in their life situation. Maybe the bitterness of a
broken promise or the death of a lifelong dream has left you
searching for a greater meaning to life. May I tell you lovingly
that Christ is that greater meaning. He does not just give
meaning, He is the meaning. Scripture says that "in Him we
live and move and have our being .
Do you have the Answer?
Why
was I put on earth?
We
were created by a loving God who desires more than
anything to have a personal relationship with you.
Scripture
says that we are formed for fellowship! You were born
to have fellowship with God and to help others find
that same fellowship.
First
you must understand that God does not "do"
bad things. But sometimes, He does allow it. In the
Garden of Eden, "bad" things didn't happen
until Adam and Eve made a choice to "know"
good and evil. We've been getting to know evil ever
since.
God
never promises that bad things will not happen to His
children, but He does promise to be with us through
them.
Why
do bad things happen to good people?
Again,
our "suffering" started when man chose not
to be obedient. Initially, God wanted man to simply
have fellowship as a result of the experience of
fellowship itself. After the fall of man, we come to
an understanding of our need for that fellowship due
to the absence of His presence.
Scripture
says that "all things work together for the good
of those who love God and are called according to His
purpose. We suffer because of our humanity, yet it is
in that humanity that God meets us to supply our
needs.
If
God loves us why do so many people suffer?
Again,
our "suffering" started when man chose not
to be obedient. Initially, God wanted man to simply
have fellowship as a result of the experience of
fellowship itself. After the fall of man, we come to
an understanding of our need for that fellowship due
to the absence of His presence.
Scripture
says that "all things work together for the good
of those who love God and are called according to His
purpose. We suffer because of our humanity, yet it is
in that humanity that God meets us to supply our
needs.
Why
is Jesus the only way to heaven?
Jesus,
being the Only Son of God, gave Himself as a payment
for our sin. Knowing that "the wages of sin is
death", He died so that we might live through
Him.
Ephesians
2:8-10 says "For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the
gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we
should walk in them.
Why
aren't good works good enough?
No,
we, in ourselves, could never be "good
enough" to satisfy the payment for sin.
Isaiah
64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our
righteousness is like filthy rags; We all fade as a
leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us
away.
What
do I need to do now?
Give
your life, no matter what condition it is in, to God.
Don't try to clean up your act before you come to
Christ. He accepts you just like you are.
Several
places in the Bible it talks about now being the right
time to give life over to God. And it is so easy to
do. It's as simple as ABC
Giving your life to Jesus Christ is really
is as easy as A, B, C. There's nothing you need to do to
"prepare" yourself. In fact, there's nothing you can do
to get yourself ready for heaven. Jesus has already met all of
God's requirements for you by His death on the cross. All you have
to do now is…
Accept the fact that you are unclean and undone
without Christ. Accept the truth that turning your life over to
His lordship is the only way to go to heaven.
Believe that Jesus
Christ paid the full price of your sin and that because of His
sacrifice, you will be totally and completely forgiven of, not
only the sins you have committed, but of the nature of sin in
which you were born. Then believe that as you ask Christ into you
heart and life, he will, not just make an appearance, but will
take up residence in your life.
Confess to God that Jesus Christ
is the only way to God and that by His shed blood; you are now,
and forever, forgiven of your sins. Then, confess Him. That is,
tell others that He has forgiven you. You don't have to confess
your sins to other people, that's between you and God, but,
according to scripture, you do have to acknowledge to others that
Christ has become the Lord of your heart and life.
Pray this
prayer, mean it from your heart, believe that God hears you and
that He will come into your heart and life;
"Lord Jesus, I
thank You that through your sacrifice on the Cross, I can receive
forgiveness of sin. I confess that I am a sinner and that without
You, I have no hope of eternal life. Your word says that if I
confess you and believe in my heart that You will save me, You
will. Lord Jesus, I believe! I believe that right now You have
come into my heart and are taking Lordship over my life.
I yield
myself to You and ask for your guidance as I learn to grow in your
love. Teach me to love you more each day. Open my understanding to
Your word. Lead me to a church, where I can find fellowship and
grow in my new walk with You. Thank You Lord Jesus for saving me
and for the promise of eternal life with You!
