Yes, you can know God personally. God is so eager to establish a personal, loving relationship with you that He has already made all the arrangements. He is patiently and lovingly waiting for you to respond to His invitation. You can receive forgiveness of your sin and assurance of eternal life through faith in His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The major barrier that prevents us from knowing God personally is lack of knowledge of who God is and what He has done for us. Discover yourself the joyful reality of knowing God.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
“Now this is eternal life; that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3)
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
“The wages of sin is death” [spiritual separation from God]. (Romans 6:23)
This diagram illustrates that God is Holy and man is sinful. A great gap separates the two. The arrows illustrate that man is continually trying to reach God and establish a personal relationship with Him through His own efforts, such as good life, philosophy or religion.
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred...” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)
“Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.'” (John 14:6)
This diagram illustrates that God has bridged the gap which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)
“By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth (Read John 3:1-8).
[Christ speaking] “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him.” (Revelation 3:20)
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for your sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. You receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
Which circle best represents your life?
Which circle would you like to have represent your life?
The following explains how you can invite Jesus Christ into your life.
Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart.
The following is a suggested prayer.
Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.
If it does, pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.
Did you receive Christ into your life? According to His promise in Revelation 3:20, where is Christ right now in relation to you? Christ said that He will come into your life and be your friend so you can know Him personally. Would He mislead you? On what authority do you know that God has answered your prayer? (The trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word.)
“And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11-13)
Thank God often that Christ is in your life and that He will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5). You can know on the basis of His promise that Christ lives in you and that you have eternal life from the very moment you receive Him in. He will not deceive you.
The promise of God's Word, the Bible - not our feelings is our authority. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word. This truck diagram illustrates the relationship between fact (God and His Word), faith (our trust in God and His Word), and feeling (the result of our faith and obedience). (John 14:21)
The truck wil run with or without the trailer. However, it woud be useless to attempt to pull the truck by the trailer. In the same way, we as Christians do not depend on feelings or emotions, but place our faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God and the promise of His Word.
Now That You Have Entered Into A Personal Relationship With Christ
The moment that you received Christ by faith, as and act of the will, many things happened, including the following:
1. Christ came into your life (Revelation 3:20 & Colossians 1:27)
2. Your sins were forgiven (Colossians 1:14; 2:13)
3. You became a child of God (John 1:12)
4. You received eternal life (John 5:24)
5. You began the great adventure for which God created you (John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Can you think of anything more wonderful that could happen to you than entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Would you like to thank God in prayer right now for what He has done for you? By thanking God, you demonstrate your faith.
Spritual growth results from trusting Jesus Christ. "The righteous man shall live by faith" (Galatians 3:11). A life of faith will enable you to trust God increasingly with every detail of your life, and practice the following:
Go to God in prayer daily (John 15:7).
Read God's Word daily (Acts 17:11) - Begin with the Gospel of John.
Obey God moment by moment (John 14:21).
Witness for Christ by your life and words (Matthew 4:19; John 15:8).
Trust God for every detail of your life (1 Peter 5:7).
Holy Spirit- Allow Him to control your daily life and witness (Galatians 5:16-17; Acts 1:8).
God's Word admonishes us not to forsake "the assembling of ourselves together..." (Hebrews 10:25). Several logs burn brightly together , but put one aside on the cold hearth and the fire goes out. So it is with your relationship with other Christians. If you do not belong to a church, do not wait to be invited. Take the initiative; call the pastor of a nearby church where Christ is honored nad His Word is preached. Start this week, and make plans to attend regularly.
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