Following Jesus
HOW DO YOU BEGIN TO FOLLOW JESUS?
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
It begins with a surrendered heart. When your heart is surrendered, your feet will follow.
Biblically speaking, what is the heart? It’s the control center of your personality, will, and emotions. Your heart is essentially the core of who you are.
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God’s Design and Love
God’s Design and Love
The Bible tells us that there is one God. He is the perfect, glorious, holy, eternal, all-powerful, all knowing, Creator of the universe. He created humanity to live in fellowship with Him. He loves you and has a plan for your life.
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The Heart of the Problem
The Heart of the Problem
Instead of living as God designed, we choose to resist and rebel against God’s authority, attempting to do life without Him. The Bible calls this “sin.” Sin separates us from a Holy God and leads to eternal death. We see the evidence of sin, not only in the brokenness in the world but within our own hearts. Sin corrupts and taints everything from our relationships with our fellow man to our own actions and attitudes.
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God… Romans 3:23
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God’s Heart For Us
God’s Heart For Us
In spite of our sinful condition and rebellion against Him, God pursued us in His love. Jesus, God in the flesh, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and restore our relationship with the Father. Jesus rose again from the grave, proving that He was God and offering us the promise of eternal life.
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Respond In Faith and Following Him
Respond In Faith and Following Him
Recognizing that no amount of good works or morality will save us, each of us must personally trust in Christ’s provision and surrender our hearts to Him. This is the Biblical understanding of faith.
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you are saved… Romans 10:9
Next Steps
If you desire to place your faith in Jesus, pray a prayer like this:
Lord, I acknowledge that You are God and I am not. I confess that I have sinned against You. I am in need of Your forgiveness and grace. I choose today to place my trust in what You have done for me through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I turn away from my sin and toward You. I place my life in Your hands. Thank you for Your love for me. I receive Jesus as my Savior and desire to follow Him as the Lord of my life.
If you sincerely gave your heart to Christ, you are now a child of God, and your heart can be at rest. You can experience the joy of walking with Him through the highs and lows of life on earth and look forward to being with Him for all eternity. He has promised to “never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
If you made this decision or if you have any questions, we would love to hear from you. Click here.
