If you'd like to know how to become a Christian--a person who loves and follows Jesus and who is now living life as our Creator designed it to be lived, then please take time out to read this thorough explanation of how to do so. It may take you a while to get through it, but we guarantee it will be well worth it.

The most important truth you'll ever hear!
(all Bible references are from the New King James Version)

Because we love you and even more importantly, because the true and living God loves you, we here at Cross-Connection International Fellowship would like to share two extremely important issues with you:

1. The BAD NEWS about your condition regarding your relationship with your creator.
2. The GOOD NEWS about what He's done and you can do, to remedy the situation.

1. THE BAD NEWS: Your condition, (and everyone else too,) according to God's WordPart 1
   1. Physically alive yet dead (separated/alienated from God) spiritually.

      (Gen 2:16,17) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; (17) "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

      (Gen 3:6,7) So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

      The God who created them made clear that they would die THE DAY they ate from the tree. Yet, after they ate they both lived what we would consider extremely long lives. Did God lie? He did say they would die THE DAY they ate. Either He did lie, or, they actually did die--but death was somehow different than how we normally perceive it. Since God is incapable of lying, it's obvious that it wasn’t their physical death that He was speaking about. They actually did die THAT DAY. The concept of death expressed in the original language is the idea of separation, alienation, (to make something foreign,) and even to sever. Within the context they lived in, the warning of imminent death could only be properly understood within the realm of relationship—separation or alienation interrupting or severing relationship.

      So, they actually did die that day. Because of their disobedience/rebellion, they severed their relationship with their Creator. They were now separated spiritually and relationally from the One who created them, loved them, and desired that they freely choose to maintain a love relationship with Him. They freely chose to do that which would remove them from the beautiful, God-designed relationships that they were created with.

      Every person who has ever been born since that moment has been born physically alive, (and inevitably progressing toward physical death,) and yet spiritually dead—separated, alienated, having no real relationship with the one who created them. Jesus Christ, as you will learn if you keep reading, is the only one who can bring a person out of that condition of death so that real life, real relationship with God is restored.

      (Eph 2:1) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

      (Col 2:13) And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

      (John 5:24) "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

   2. The cause of this spiritual deadness....SIN!

      (Ezek 18:4,20) "Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die. (20) "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

      (Rom 6:23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

   3. The root cause of SIN--a rebellious heart (a desire/will to obey self not God)

      (Jer 17:9) "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

      (Eccl 9:3) This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

      (Mat 15:16-20) So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?(17) "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? (18) "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.(19) "For out of the heart

       proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. (20) "These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

   4. Man's sinful condition is UNIVERSAL....and man knows it!

      (Job 15:14-16) "What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous? (15) If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight, (16) How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!

      (1 Ki 8:46) "When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near;

      (Eccl 7:20) For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.

      (Prov 20:9) Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin"?

      (Rom 3:10,11) As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; (11) There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.

      (Rom 3:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

      (Gal 3:22) But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

      **This is how God describes the condition of mankind! But everyone who has ever lived long enough to contemplate their own condition disagrees with this! Mankind--men and women from the past, today, and throughout the ages honestly don't think they are as bad or rebellious as the scripture portrays. Rather than comparing ourselves with the God who created them or with His standards, we compare ourselves with other people--and of course there are always people who are more disobedient to God than we are! We would agree that this description applies to others, but we honestly don't think it describes us! But it does!

   Part 2THE LAW: The "bad news" illuminator!

   Knowing the condition of man in God's eyes, through His Word, we realize how bad off we really are. As you study the Bible more and more, you realize that man's pride, (our pride,) was the root of the original fall into rebellion against God, and continues to be the root of almost all forms of sin. God, knowing that pride is at the root of sin and that pride also blinds the person who is controlled by it so that they can't see themselves accurately, has graciously given a tool to mankind to show us our true condition.

   God knows, and those who really think about it, know that because of our pride, we will always measure our goodness by measuring ourselves against other people. But what God has revealed in His word is that man must compare himself with God alone, his creator, not with other men and women! Only as you compare your goodness to God, can you see your true condition! And, since He is the one we will stand before and compare ourselves to and be judged by, after our physical death, it is ESSENTIAL that we compare ourselves to Him now in this life and see where we stand.

   Because of His great mercy and grace, He has given us a simple way to measure or compare ourselves with Him--to see if we meet His standard of goodness, which is the only one that really matters! That which He has given us is the Law!

   The term "the Law" in the Bible, depending on the context, can refer to a few differnt things which inter-connect. Sometimes, "the Law" refers to the ceremonial, judicial, and moral law, which is contained in the first five books of the Bible. Other times, "the Law" can refer to the whole Old Testament. And, many of the times in the New Testament, "the Law" can and does refer specifically to the 10 commandments--as they represent what true holiness and righteousness is.

   God says the following regarding how much of "the Law" must be obeyed to meet His standard:

   1. (Gal 3:10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." (Quote of Deut. 27:26)
   2. (James 2:10) For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
   3. (Gal 5:3) And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
   4. (Rom 2:25) For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
   So, if the 10 commandments, "the Law", must all be obeyed, everyday, and if you break even one, you are guilty of breaking all of them, then what does the "the Law" actually do for mankind? It does these things:
   1. The law gives us the "knowledge of sin"....shows us that we're sinners!

      (Rom 3:20) Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

      (Rom 7:7) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."

   2. The law reveals the true scope of our sin.

      (Rom 5:20) Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

   3. The law arouses man's sinful passions. (Like a "keep off the grass" sign.)

      (Rom 7:5) For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.

   4. The law helps us to not lessen the gravity of sin--it shows it in all its ugliness! 

      (Rom 7:13) Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

      **The Law, therefore, is like a mirror; it's like an EKG; it's like the machine used to measure the emissions on your car--it gives you an accurate picture of your condition, and it doesn't lie! If you've broken one of the commandments, you're as guilty as if you've broken all of them! That's what it shows you. And, know for certain, that just like the above diagnostic instruments, "The Law" cannot change you!! It brings you to the point of seeing yourself accurately, (and it does one more thing, so all is not lost.) But for now, keep in mind that The Law cannot change you and that it makes clear that you can never measure up to His standard.

      But, as I said, all is not lost! He doesn't just show us the bad news about ourselves--He has one more use for "the Law"...........

      (Gal 3:24) Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
   It brings us to Christ......how?
   If God has shown that "The Law" is His standard and that the keeping of all of "the Law" is the only way to be righteous--in right standing with Him, than we now know that we have no chance! If that is the only way, then we are doomed! Bad news for sure. So, we are humbly forced to seek if there might be another way to be right with Him. Is there any other way to meet His standard? Is there any other way to establish a "right" relationship with Him? Listen to what Jesus said:

   (John 14:6) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

   This is a summary of the Law, the 10 commandments, from Ex. 20:2-17

   1. You shall have no other Gods before me.
   2. You shall not make for yourselves any carved image.
   3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
   4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
   5. Honor your father and your mother.
   6. You shall not murder.
   7. You shall not commit adultery.
   8. You shall not steal.
   9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
   10. You shall not covet anything of your neighbor.
   
   But, as hard as it is to believe, a large percentage of people actually look at this and still believe that by trying to keep them all or at least by keeping most of them, they are going to be accepted by God! They've never heard or seen the verses that you have if you've read this far. They don't know that if they choose to try to stand before God based on their own merit, they will be required to keep every commandment, every day, of their whole lives. But what's even more astounding is that there are people who actually believe they have kept all of them, all of their lives!

   **The Pharisees, key religious leaders at the time Jesus lived, were examples of people like this. Because of their vast influence and their misperceptions of what it meant to be right with God, in His first sermon, Jesus had to clarify some things regarding what righteousness--rightstanding with God, really is.

   These were people who actually thought that they kept the commandments. Jesus taught in his very first sermon the idea that God not only measures you by your external, outward obedience to the Law, He more importantly measures you by what's inside of you--your inner person, your heart, mind, and will. If at the core of who you are you don't lovingly obey Him, then from His eternal and relational perspective, your outward actions of obedience are only valuable for day to day life while in this world.

   He challenged these kind of people in Matt. 5:21,22 and 5:27,28 to consider the fact that God's standard demands not just the avoidance of the act of murder and adultery, but even the thoughts that are the root of those two things--anger and lust! Why did he do this? To raise the standard back to the higher level that God intended it to have, thus making it clear that mankind cannot meet His standard.

   Matt 5:21-22 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,' and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. 22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

   (Matt 5:27-28) "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

   **If God is measuring you not just by your deeds, but also by your thoughts--it should be as clear as possible, that YOU DON'T MEET His standard! That's exactly right!

   Hopefully by now, the BAD NEWS about your condition is clear to you...you have nothing to stand upon before your creator, if that's the way He's measuring you, and He is. If you've understood all of this so far, your pride in yourself and your goodness should no longer deceive you. By now, your pride should be dead and you should recognize that the only reasonable thing for you to do is to appeal to God for Him to be merciful. You have nothing to stand on, to rely on regarding your goodness. You are completely lost and incapable of meeting His standard.

   But, thank God that He has revealed in His word that although He is absolutely just and Holy, that isn't His only characteristic. Because He is also love in the fullest sense, He wants us to know the GOOD NEWS!
   


2. The "Good News Your condition, (and everyone else too,) according to God's WordPart 1By now, you should understand that you have a huge problem in regards to your relationship with your creator. Now that you understand the precarious position you're in, it's essential that you understand a few more things about God and what He has done for you regarding your situation.

   These are a few of the things the Bible teaches about God:

   1. God's character is multifaceted, but for you specifically, it's important that you understand that He is holy and just, and yet He is also full of grace.
      1. He is HOLY, which means that He is absolutely without sin, pure, righteous, and thus set apart, separate, distinct, from mankind that is in rebellion against Him.
      2. He is also JUST, meaning He can only deal justly, giving that which is due, without partiality. The punishment He gives is exactly appropriate to the gravity of the crime or rebellion against Him and His standards. He has chosen to show us His standard, (holiness,) and then because He is just, He must carry out the sentence that the breaking of His standard deserves---death.
      As we've already made clear, death is primarily a relational concept and it is best understood as separation or alienation, or in a sense, a severing of a relational connection. And hopefully, we now understand that no one meets His standard and as a result, everyone who has ever been born was DEAD, or separated from their Creator by nature and by choice, even though they are alive physically. This is the bad news.
   2. But, because He is more than holy and more than just, he is also graceful and merciful--He loves us and comforts us and provides for us despite our rebellion. All of mankind, every single, sinful person, is a recipient of His mercy and grace every moment of every day. If this wasn't true, then He would have taken our physical lives a long time ago and left us separated from Him relationally forever--and deservedly so! The very fact that He has chosen to reveal to us His holiness, and the fact that He is just, is evidence that although those things are a part of His character, He is also loving. Without Him being also graceful and merciful, He would have left us in our lost condition and because we don't naturally care to know, we would have never sought to understand our true condition on our own.
   3. The ultimate and greatest demonstration of His love, mercy, and grace is what He has done in order to restore us, (who don't deserve it,) back to a proper relationship with Him.
   4. This is the Good News--that He has done the absolute only thing possible to restore us to Himself. He gave His Son, who willingly became a man in order to accept on to Himself the punishment, the sentence--consequences of our sin. We deserved that punishment, and yet He accepted it and suffered it on our behalf.
   If you have truly understood the "bad news" about yourself in relationship to your creator, then it shouldn't be very difficult for you to understand His grace.

   GRACE:

   Unmerited favor. Or, receiving a blessed gift that you do not deserve, and have not earned and in fact deserve the complete opposite based on your actions.

   Grace defined in the bible:

   (Rom 4:4) Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

   (Rom 3:24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

   (Rom 11:6) And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

   This next verse may be the greatest summary statement of God's grace, ( which is expressed by the word "love"......)

   (Rom 5:8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

   Examples of grace from two lives most people are familiar with:
   1. Barabbas--Luke 23:18-25 He was a murderer and a leader of a group of people that tried to overthrow the government. He was imprisoned for his crimes and sentenced to be crucified. He was scheduled to receive justice. Instead, because of the hardness of the hearts of the Jewish people and the Roman governmental authorities, Jesus is crucified--receiving what Barabbas deserved. But Barabbas is set free!

      Did he earn it? Did he change first? No, he was sentenced to receive that which he did deserve--death! Yet, his cell opened and he was told he was free to go----GRACE had been extended to him and all he had to do was acknowledge it and then act based on what he had acknowledged.

   2. The thief on the cross--Luke 23:40-43 He too was under a death sentence and knew that he was receiving justice. He spoke to Jesus, and after asking Jesus to remember him, Jesus replied that he would be with Him in heaven that day. Did he change outwardly immediately? No. Did he do anything to merit entrance into God's kingdom--heaven? No. He is in heaven by GRACE. What he did was receive the gift that Jesus offered, a gift that he could never have earned!
   So, GRACE is crucial! You must understand it and recognize it for the beautiful gift that it is. Most people do not understand what grace is or the difference grace makes. Hopefully, now you do.

   If you've actually understood the BAD NEWS about yourself, then you will see that any possibility of a right relationship between you and God can only be according to His grace......

   (Eph 2:8) 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.

   A verse that we looked at earlier gives us both the bad news and the good news in one sentence. When you see the word "gift" think of grace--because a gift from Him can only be according to His grace--it isn't what we deserve!

   (Rom 6:23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    

   Rom. 3:21-26 also expresses grace, although in a difficult to understand way. But, this section also brings up another area that you must understand.

   First, because He is holy, just, and righteous, God CANNOT just overlook sin or grant forgiveness--to do so would prove Him to be unholy, unjust, and thus unrighteous. So, the sinner, YOU, must receive justice--death! Both physical and spiritual.

   But, God is also love, which is best demonstrated through His mercy and grace.

   Obviously, this creates a serious problem:
   How He can forgive our sin, if our sin must receive its due penalty?
   How can He be a God of justice and love at the same time?

    

   His law has been broken, justice must go forth! IT HAS! He gives His Son--holy, perfect, just, righteous, (God too!) to take the punishment for our sin. He takes on a body, just like ours and dies--taking upon Himself the penalty we deserve and giving us the gift of life in return--GRACE!This is truly GOOD NEWS!

   Part 2

   Now that you understand grace and why it's essential, and have even seen a couple of biblical examples, let's look a little closer at the GOOD NEWS.

   More than likely, many of you have seen the following bible reference at least once in your life: John 3:16 This verse expresses in a very simple and understandable manner, what the GOOD NEWS is:

   (John 3:16) "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.

   Let's answer some questions using as much of the text of this verse as possible to do so:

   1. Does God love the world? (YES)
   2. What did He do to show or demonstrate His love? (He gave His only Son)
   3. Gave His Son to do what? (Die in our place, take our sentence upon Himself)
   4. What does someone need to do to escape perishing and receive everlasting life? (BELIEVE)
   
   Now, focus on that word...BELIEVE! We must understand what it means! The word BELIEVE in the English language today does not have the same meaning as when the word is used in the bible. The common meaning today is:
   • To accept something, (a saying, a person, etc.) mentally, as true
   • Intellectual agreement with a fact
   
   
   • For example:
     • Do you believe Abraham Lincoln was a president of the U.S.? Yes
     • Do you believe a jet can fly? Yes
     • Do you believe that that people are basically good? Yes
   
   But, when the bible uses the word BELIEVE, it takes the current definition to the next logical step. To BELIEVE, according to the scriptural definition means to take action based on what you understand to be true. The action to be taken is to place your trust in that which you acknowledge to be true and then proceed accordingly. Everyone exercises this kind of BELIEF on a regular basis.
   • If you've built a chair, you don't BELIEVE in it in the scriptural sense unless you take the action of sitting in it, trusting that it is capable of holding your entire weight.
   • If you need surgery, it isn't sufficient to BELIEVE that the surgeon can do the surgery, you must entrust yourself to his skill in order to have the surgery done.
   • If you're going to fly, it isn't sufficient to mentally acknowledge the ability of the plane itself to get off the ground, or the ability of the pilot to actually fly the plane from one location to another. At some point, if you're going to fly, you MUST take the step of going on board the plane, buckling your seatbelt, and then trusting in, clinging to, and relying upon the ability of the pilot and the plane to take you to the destination of your choice.
   
   **All of these things are examples of BELIEF in a manner that is in accordance with scriptural teaching.

   To BELIEVE this way is to place your FAITH in something or someone outside of your self. To BELIEVE in Jesus is to have FAITH in Him, thus trusting in Him and His ability to make you acceptable to God. FAITH and BELIEF are connected, they are different expressions of a similar act of your will.

   The following are scriptures which clearly show the "Good News" that by BELIEVING, having FAITH in Jesus, we are made right with God and thus receive, (as a free gift--GRACE!) eternal life.

   (John 6:29) Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

   (Acts 13:38) "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; (39) and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses."

   *The law of Moses is summed up in the 10 commandments, which this says can never justify (make you acceptable) you with God.(Acts 16:31) So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."

   (Gal 2:16) "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

   (1 Tim 1:16) However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

   (Heb 10:39) But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

   (1 John 5:13) These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

   (Rom 3:22) even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

   So, what is necessary to be right with God? What must you do to have eternal life?

   1. Recognize your condition before God---dead, (separated,) in sin and rebellion
   2. Understand that you can do nothing to make yourself acceptable to Him
   3. BELIEVE--trust in, cling to, rely on what Jesus has done to make you acceptable to God!
   
   This is exercising FAITH, believing without seeing--taking God at His word!

   One final thing. If you've understood your condition and have seen yourself accurately according to what God has revealed in His word. If you desire to be right with the God who created you and paid the price for you to be restored to Him, you will also have the desire to turn away from the life of rebellion you've been living. If you are unwilling to turn from your sinful ways and have no desire or passion to begin living a life that honors your creator, then the sacrifice that Jesus made will be of no use to you. This willingness and desire to TURN FROM SIN is what the bible calls REPENTANCE.

   To REPENT means to have a change of mind, a change of direction, a turning away from something. You must understand that REPENTANCE is a part, a crucial component or aspect of BELIEVING or trusting in Jesus by faith. If you're unwilling to change the direction, course, habit patterns of your life from your own path to the one God has laid out for you, then you'll die still in that sinful condition and the separation from God that you've been living in will then be FOREVER, (along with mind-boggling torment.)

   If you are unwilling to turn from sin, you cannot be right with God!

   In the New Testament book of Romans, there is a path or "road" described that leads to a right relationship with God. This is sometimes referred to as:

   "The Romans road to salvation"

    

   (Rom 3:10-12) As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."

   (Rom 3:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

   (Rom 5:8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

   (Rom 6:23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
   
   (Rom 10:13) For whoever calls the name of the Lord shall be saved.
   If you've read this far and what you've read is making sense to you and you are concerned about your current condition in the eyes of God, then God's Holy Spirit is probably applying these truths to your mind and your heart. Here's what you should do:

   At the next available opportunity, (why not now?):

   1. Bow your head and close your eyes, (to minimize distractions.)
   2. Speak to God, verbally, so that your ears hear what you are saying to Him.
   3. Tell Him you now know your true condition in His eyes, and that you recognize you have lived a life of rebellion against Him in your thoughts, words, and deeds.
   4. Then tell Him that you desire to trust in, cling to, and rely upon His Son, Jesus Christ, to be your Lord, Master, and Savior.
   5. Conclude by telling Him that from this moment forward, you desire with everything that is within you, to obey Him and to live a life that gives Him the glory and honor that He alone deserves. Then ask Him to take control of you and to give you the power to die to yourself moment by moment and live for Him.
   6. Finish by thanking Him in the name of your new Lord and Savior, His Son, Jesus Christ.
   
   Finally, if you're serious about what you've done, tell somebody about it, preferably someone who you know is one of those "born again" Christians. Ask them about a local bible believing church that you can begin attending. (If you have no desire to begin attending a church on a regular basis, then it's questionable whether you really meant what you said.) Before you go to sleep on this night, either get out the bible you already have, or go and buy yourself a new one. Find the book of Luke in the table of contents for the New Testament, and then begin reading from the beginning of the Gospel Luke, (start with chapter 1 and verse 1.) Ask God to give you understanding as you read. And then read as far as you can. When you're done, thank God for what you've read and ask Him to help you remember as much as you can.

   The next day, begin reading where you left off, and then repeat this process EVERY DAY--the truth contained in the bible is now the food you must eat if you want to grow and obey your newly recognized and loved Lord and Savior. When you've finished the book of Luke, read the book of the Acts of the Apostles, beginning at chapter one, verse one.

   May the God you've now come to know personally, fill you with a love for Him, a passion for His honor and glory, and the strength to conquer your sinful desires so that you'll find ultimate satisfaction in Him.