Wondering About God?
We appreciate your inquiry about God. It is our belief that in order for us to please God, we must first believe in His existence (Hebrews 11:6). The only way for us to establish a relationship with the one that we beleive is responsible for our existence and sustenance is to believe in and trust that God is able to do whatever is necessary in our lives to help us successfully negotiate this period between our birth and death (Proverbs 3:5-6; Ephesians 3:20). These beliefs are couched intrinsically in our belief that God loves every one of us, no matter what we have done during our lifetime. Thus we embrace the idea that...
... God loves us and has a plan for our lives.
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the word to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17, NIV).
The Son of God, Jesus the Christ, said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10b, NIV). Furthermore, God said, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV).
Because of these delarations and revelations, we believe that God is seeking to have an intimate, fruitful relationship with us that is wholesome and hopeful. However, some are still missing this aspect in their lives. The question is, "Why?" The answer that we propose is because ...
... Humankind has a sinful nature that tends to separate us from God.
"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God, your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1-2, NIV).
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, NIV). Because of our sinful nature, we are perceived to be inhabitants of the realm of darkness without the ability to understand God's plans for us and experience the love that God has for all of humankind. "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (John 1:4-5, NIV). We have to admit that we have a sinful nature that has led to our spiritual demise. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8, NIV).
Because we are separated from God by our sins (iniquities) and have a tendency or nature that leads us further away from having a right relationship with God, God has been the one who initiated the pursuit of a relationship with us. God sent His Son to demonstrate His love for us, and ...
... Through Jesus Christ, we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
"God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NIV). Here is the whole story of God's intent: "Christ died for our sins ...he was buried ...he was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures ...he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time" (1 Corinthians 15:3-6, NIV).
We believe that this expression of God's love and our acceptance of His offer of life through Christ is the only way to be saved. "Jesus said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me'" (John 14:6, NIV).
... God offers every individual the chance to be rescued from their sin nature. Each of us can receive Jesus Christ into our hearts by faith that is engendered by God (Ephesians 2:8-9). That expression of faith is the precursor to the new birth in Christ (John 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Receiving Christ into your heart is the fulfillment of turning away from sin and self-reliance to righteousness and surrender to the leadership of God. When you relinquish control of your life, God wisely leads you through the maze of earthly existence so that you may one day have a seat around the throne in the eternal kingdom.
This is God's plan for your life.
... God loves us and has a plan for our lives.
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the word to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17, NIV).
The Son of God, Jesus the Christ, said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10b, NIV). Furthermore, God said, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV).
Because of these delarations and revelations, we believe that God is seeking to have an intimate, fruitful relationship with us that is wholesome and hopeful. However, some are still missing this aspect in their lives. The question is, "Why?" The answer that we propose is because ...
... Humankind has a sinful nature that tends to separate us from God.
"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God, your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1-2, NIV).
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, NIV). Because of our sinful nature, we are perceived to be inhabitants of the realm of darkness without the ability to understand God's plans for us and experience the love that God has for all of humankind. "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (John 1:4-5, NIV). We have to admit that we have a sinful nature that has led to our spiritual demise. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8, NIV).
Because we are separated from God by our sins (iniquities) and have a tendency or nature that leads us further away from having a right relationship with God, God has been the one who initiated the pursuit of a relationship with us. God sent His Son to demonstrate His love for us, and ...
... Through Jesus Christ, we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
"God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NIV). Here is the whole story of God's intent: "Christ died for our sins ...he was buried ...he was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures ...he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time" (1 Corinthians 15:3-6, NIV).
We believe that this expression of God's love and our acceptance of His offer of life through Christ is the only way to be saved. "Jesus said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me'" (John 14:6, NIV).
... God offers every individual the chance to be rescued from their sin nature. Each of us can receive Jesus Christ into our hearts by faith that is engendered by God (Ephesians 2:8-9). That expression of faith is the precursor to the new birth in Christ (John 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Receiving Christ into your heart is the fulfillment of turning away from sin and self-reliance to righteousness and surrender to the leadership of God. When you relinquish control of your life, God wisely leads you through the maze of earthly existence so that you may one day have a seat around the throne in the eternal kingdom.
This is God's plan for your life.