We live in a world created by God with human beings created in His image. Yet somehow we think we can find purpose and happiness living as we please, totally apart from Him. The secret to changing our lives so we’re happy, purposeful and fulfilled is surrendering to the God of the universe – Jesus Christ.

We can choose to believe that Jesus is not God or that there is no God. However, refusal to believe in Him doesn’t make Him any less real or powerful or God. Many an atheist has set out to prove that Jesus is not God and become convinced that He is. Still others grow up under the impression that they follow Jesus just because they’ve always gone to church or said prayers.

Positive life change requires a personal relationship with Jesus. To have that personal relationship, we need to believe the truth revealed in the Bible:

• God is perfect and holy.
  “As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is flawless…” (2 Samuel 22:31)
• Everyone who’s ever lived has done bad things, or sins, so nobody deserves to be close to God or go to Heaven.
  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
• We cannot do enough good things to earn our way to God or Heaven.
  “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;” (Isaiah 64:6)
• But God loved us so much that He took away our sins. Jesus died on the cross in our place so we would not have punishment, but forgiveness.
  “For 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.” (John 3:16)
• Then Jesus rose from the dead to prove that He is God and to give us hope that we will live forever with Him.
  “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.” (1 Corinthaians 15:3-5)
• Your sins are forgiven and you have a place as a child of God when you thank Jesus for dying for your sins, believe He rose from the dead and ask Him to live in your heart to lead you in a new life.
  “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

And we have to tell Jesus what we believe, something like this:

Dear Jesus,
I am sorry for my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross to take my punishment and for rising from the dead. Thank you for fogiving my sins. I invite you, Jesus, to live in my heart and lead my new life. With your help, I will try to obey You in all I think, say and do.

Next Steps to Change

• Pray to Jesus everyday.
• Read the Bible.
• Join a Bible-believing church for fellowship and support.