How To Know God

How to Know God...?

A Helpful and Concise Answer By Dr Terry W. Preslar Copyright (C) 2007. Terry W . Preslar All rights reserved. Terry W . Preslar – PO Box 388 – Mineral Springs, NC 28108 (704)843-3858 E-Mail: [email protected]

Knowing God

Why You must Be Saved This is the preoccupation of every Christian Soul-Winner and Evangelist. Many are witnessed to every day by faithful servants who are concerned about your eternal life. There are reasons and these motives are driven by Scripture that can show that it is not just overbearing pressure but revealed truth behind evangelism. Many of these reason are: 1- No one is good enough. (“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Rom. 3:10; See also Psa. 14:1; 53:1; Job 9:2; Eccl. 7:20). 2- You are a sinner. (“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Rom. 3:23; See also Gen. 6:5; 1 Kings 8:46; Psa. 14:3; 53:3; 130:3; Prov. 20:9; Eccl. 7:20; Isa. 53:6; 64:6; Mic. 7:2; Gal. 3:22; 1 John 1:8; 5:19). 3- God loves us, even though we are sinners. (“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8). 4- The provision - God’s Gift. (“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Rom. 6:23). (For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9). 5- There must be repentance of sin (turning away from sin). (“...repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:15) 6- The required action - believe and confess. (“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Rom. 10:9-10). 7- The result - Salvation. (“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10:13). (“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12)

Why Jesus Christ? The central theme of the Bible is God’s love for you and for all people. This love was revealed when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world as a human being, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. Because Christ died, your sins can be forgiven, and because He conquered death, you can have eternal life. You can know what will become of you after you die. You have probably heard the story of God’s love referred to as the “Gospel.” The word Gospel simply means “Good News.” The Gospel is the Good News that, because of what Christ has done, we can be forgiven and can live forever. But this gift of forgiveness and eternal life cannot be yours unless you willingly accept it. God requires -1-

an individual response from you. The following verses from the Bible show God’s part and yours in this process: God’s love is revealed in the Bible: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). God loves you. He wants to bless your life and make it full and complete. And He wants to give you a life which will last forever, even after you experience physical death.

What is the situation? I- We Are Sinful – (“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Rom. 3:23). – You may have heard someone say, “I’m only human – nobody’s perfect.” This Bible verse says the same thing: We are all sinners. We all do things that we know are wrong. And that’s why we feel estranged from God – because God is holy and good, and we are not. II- Sin Has a Penalty – (“For the wages of sin is death...” Rom. 6:23) – Just as criminals must pay the penalty for their crimes, sinners must pay the penalty for their sins. If you continue to sin, you will pay the penalty of spiritual death: You will not only die physically; you will also be separated from our holy God for all eternity. The Bible teaches that those who choose to remain separated from God will spend eternity in a place called hell. III- Christ Has Paid Our Penalty! – (“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8) – The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, has paid the penalty for all your sins. You may think you have to lead a good life and do good deeds before God will love you. But the Bible says that Christ loved you enough to die for you, even when you were rebelling against Him. IV- Salvation Is a Free Gift – (“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9) – The word grace means “undeserved favor.” It means God is offering you something you could never provide for yourself: forgiveness of sins and eternal life, God’s gift to you is free. You do not have to work for a gift. All you have to do is joyfully receive it, Believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ died for you! V- Christ Is at Your Heart’s Door – (“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Rev. 3:20) – Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with you. Picture, if you will, Jesus Christ standing at the door of your heart (the door of your emotions, intellect and will). Invite Him in; He is waiting for you to receive Him into your heart and life. VI- You must Receive Him – (“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12) – When you receive Christ into your heart you become a child of God, and have the privilege of talking to Him in prayer at any time about anything. The Christian life is a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ. And best of all, it is a relationship that will last for all eternity. VII- Our Problem – Separation – (“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isa. 59:2) – God created us humans in His own image and gave us the ability to have an abundant and enjoyable life. He did not create us as robots that would automatically love and obey Him. He gave us freedom of choice. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve, the first humans, chose to disobey God and go their own willful way. And all humans who have lived since then have made the same choice. As the drawing shows, our choice to sin and to go our own way means we are separated from God: A) And that includes all of us. The Bible says... “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom. 3:23). Throughout all of human history, people have sensed their separation from God. They have tried to bridge the gap in many ways... without success...There is only one remedy for this -2-

problem of separation: God’s remedy is the cross of Christ. B) Jesus Christ is the only answer to the separation between sinful humans and their holy God. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sins and bridged the gap between God and us. The Bible says; “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Tim. 2:5). Again the Bible says: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). C) God has provided the only way...You must accept that way...or be forever condemned (John 3:1718). Our response is to receive Christ. We must trust Jesus Christ for forgiveness and everlasting life. And we must receive Him by personal invitation. The Bible says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12). D) Is there any good reason why you cannot receive Jesus Christ right now? What you must do: 1. Admit your need. Be willing to say, “I am a sinner.” 2. Be willing to repent and turn away from sin. 3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross. 4. Receive Him as Savior and Lord. Through prayer, invite Him to come in and fill your life.

Assurance of Salvation The Bible says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom. 10:13). Just now, when you received Christ, the following took place: 1. If you repented, your sins were forgiven (“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” Col. 1:14). 2. If you were born again you have became a child of God (“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” John 1:12). 3. If you are His Child you have inherited all the many blessings God promises to His children (“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Rom. 8:16-17). 4. If you have inherited the promises you now possess Everlasting life (“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16). 5. If you sincerely prayed a prayer of commitment, you can know for sure that you have eternal life. It is a fact, not a feeling. Don’t trust your feelings, for they will change; take God at His Word and believe His promises. (“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:12-13). Memorize this verse (1 John 5:12-13 above) and review it whenever doubts arise. You should be able to say with assurance, “Because I have received Christ, on the authority of His Word I have eternal life.”

How to Live Life as a Christian Now that you are a Christian and are in fellowship with God, you will want to learn more about how to grow closer to Him. The Bible calls this growing “...in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18). Here are some things that will help you begin growing as a new Christian: Read the Bible daily – The Bible is God’s inspired Word. Besides revealing the Good News about forgiveness and eternal life, it can also answer the many questions you will have as you live a life that pleases God. It will enable you to be completely equipped, as you grow. (“That the man of God may be -3-

perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim. 3:17). Here are some suggestions as you begin reading the Bible on a daily basis: I- Try reading the New Testament books in this order: A) First, read the Gospel of John. Reading three chapters each day will get you through the book in a week. This book is expressly written to bring you to Christ. (“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:31). B) Secondly, read through the Gospel of Luke, a chapter a day. This will help you understand the basic facts about the Gospel. C) Then read Acts, for the exciting story of how Christ’s first disciples spread the Gospel – the Good News of His death and resurrection. In Acts 1:1 Luke mentions that his (Luke’s) Gospel story is continued in Acts: “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach...” D) Next, read some of the letters that Christ’s apostles wrote to these first disciples – all of whom were new in their faith, just like you. These letters include Romans through Jude. E) Then, go back and read one of the other gospels: Matthew or Mark. Each of the four Gospels have a place in the grand story of Christ life on Earth. F) Think about what you read; study and analyze it. Ask your pastor or a mature Christian friend to recommend a good Bible study guide. The Bible not only reveals God to us; it contains greater wisdom than all the other books in the world. G) Read through the Psalms – the Old Testament book of worship – to enrich your devotion to God. Learn worship from a “man after God’s Own Heart.” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). H) Read Proverbs to gain wisdom and Biblical common sense, and to strengthen your relationships with other people. I) Pray for understanding. The Holy Spirit will help you (Psa. 119:18), and you will begin to see life from God’s perspective. Whenever you can, talk with others about what you are learning. II- Pray daily – Talk with God often. Talk over your problems with Him. Let Him bear the weight of your troubles. (See Matt. 11:28; 1 Peter 5:7.) A) Praise and thank God for who He is and for what He has done for you. B) Admit your weaknesses. C) Confess each specific sin that you are aware of. D) Pray for others that they, too, may receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. E) Suggestions for your daily devotional time: 1. Plan a definite time, preferably in the morning when your mind is fresh and rested. 2. Make it a habit 3. Select a quiet place where you can be alone with God. 4. Make a list of requests, for others as well as yourself. 5. Read and meditate on a portion of Scripture, then spend time in prayer. 6. As you end your daily time with God, commit the day and yourself to Him. III- Learn to depend on the Holy Spirit – God is actually three persons in one: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit actually lives within every true believer in Christ. (See John 14:16-17.) The Bible says that the Holy Spirit, as He lives inside you, is your counselor, to help you understand the truth revealed in God’s Word: “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit will: A) Teach you B) Guide you -4-

C) Strengthen you in your times of need IV- Attend church regularly – When you received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you began a relationship not only with Him but also with all other Christians. Whatever it meant to you in the past, going to church can now become a rich and rewarding experience: A) You will grow in understanding by hearing God’s Word preached and taught. B) You can ask questions and discuss Scripture with others. C) You will learn to worship God, which means praising Him for all that He is and thanking Him for all that He has done for you. D) As you worship, learn and serve with other Christians, you will find individuals with whom you can form lasting friendships (friendships that will last for all eternity!). V- Be of service to others – You will find that the more you give yourself in service to others, the more you will enjoy your Christian life. Talk to your pastor about ways and opportunities to serve Christ and to witness for Him. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10). VI- Learn to conquer your doubts – At times you may doubt that you really are a child of God: A) There may be some big failures in your Christian life. C) You may find yourself thinking about things that you feel Christians just shouldn’t be thinking about. D) You may be troubled by some unconfessed sin. E) When these things happen, it is important to remember that you are not saved by your goodness but by what Christ has already done for you. F) Review the first few pages of this booklet. Reassure yourself with the fact that, if you have received Christ by faith, you are now a child of God by His work in you. VII- Learn to live one day at a time – Too often our lives become filled with anxiety. We worry ourselves sick about what might happen tomorrow. We try to cross our bridges before ever coming to them! A) The Bible says we are not to be anxious about what might happen tomorrow. (See Matt. 6:33-34). B) The Bible also promises that, “Your strength will equal your days” (Deut. 33:25). C) In other words, God’s grace will be sufficient to meet the challenges of each new day. (2 Cor. 12:9). VIII- Learn the blessing of suffering – Difficulties, ill health and all kinds of suffering have a new perspective when you have Christ in your life: A) Instead of “going to pieces,” you can be strengthened. B) Instead of being a burden to others, you can be a blessing C) As you realize God’s power, comfort and strength through life’s experiences, you will grow in your faith. IX- Learn how to deal with temptation – Temptation is a part of life. It was before you received Christ, and it still will be. It is not a sin to have wrong thoughts from time to time. It is, however, a sin to choose to dwell on such thoughts over and over again. The Bible says: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41). When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He replied to the devil by quoting Scripture. Three times He said, “It is written...” (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10). Be prepared for temptation, through prayer and through your knowledge of God’s Word. The Bible says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:13). Be prepared to take advantage of God’s “way out” of temptation, whether it means that you “flee” the scene of the temptation (1 Tim. 6:11), or that you stay on the scene and “resist” it (James 4:7). X- Tell others about Christ – Letting others know about your new life in Christ – by word and by action – can be one of the most satisfying and exciting experiences you have ever had. The apostle Peter -5-

encourages us to “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (1 Peter 3:15). (See “HOW TO WITNESS FOR CHRIST,” below.)

Where to Find Help in a Time of Need When needing courage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psa. 138:3; Eph. 6:10-13 When facing danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psa. 91; Psa. 121 When you have doubts about your salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John 3:16; 1 John 5:11-13 When in doubt of God’s power to keep you faithful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil. 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5 When in financial need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psa. 34:10; Phil. 4:19 When needing forgiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heb. 4:15-16; 1 John 1:9 When seeking guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prov. 3:5-6; James 1:5 When lonely and depressed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psa. 23; Heb. 13:5 When your patience is being tried . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rom. 8:28-29; James 1:2-4 When seeking peace in a stressful time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John 14:27; 16:33 Phil. 4:6-7 When filled with sinful pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Cor. 4:7; Phil. 2:3-8 When burdened with many problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psa. 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7 When needing rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt. 11:28-30; Gal. 6:9 When driven by selfish desire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil. 4:8; 1 John 2:15-17 When facing sorrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rom. 8:26-28; 2 Cor. 1:3-5 When seeking God’s standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt. 5:48; Matt. 22:36-40 When suffering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psa. 34:19; 2 Cor. 4:17 When facing temptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Cor. 10-13; James 1:2-4 and 12-15 When being treated unfairly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Peter 2:19-23; 1 Peter 4:12-15 When feeling weak and inadequate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Cor. 12:9-10; Phil. 4:13

How to Witness for Christ As you recognize Christ working in your life, you will want to tell others about Him and what He is doing for you. This can be relatively easy when the Holy Spirit is your guide and when you have a few Scriptures ready to share. God’s Word is like a seed which, when planted in the human heart, can bear fruit for eternal life (John 4:36). Here are a few suggestions to help you “plant the seed” of God’s Word: I- Familiarize yourself with the Scriptures referred to on the previous pages. Try to memorize these verses, so that you can quote them with confidence. As you read the Bible daily, underline additional verses that you will be able to use in witnessing. Memorize as many as you can. II- Begin to pray for individuals with whom you might share Christ. Trust God to provide the opportunities for you to talk with them, and the wisdom to know what to say. Spend time with these friends. Win their confidence by doing things with them and for them. If they see that you really care about them, they will be more likely to listen when you present the Gospel to them. Sinners do not care how much you know – the want to know how much you care. III- Pray for opportunities to mention Christ in casual conversation. For instance you might simply ask, “What do you think happens after death?” or, “How do you think a person becomes a Christian?” Listen to their ideas and then say, “Here’s what I believe.” In giving your answer, quote Scriptures, especially those included in this booklet. IV- Take your friends to evangelistic services and discuss the message with them afterward. Start a Bible class in your home and invite your non-Christian friends. Read a chapter of the gospel of John each week and teach its contents. V- Allow time for questions and discussion. Let the Holy Spirit speak to people through the Word. Try -6-

to make it clear that becoming a Christian involves a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You don’t become a Christian by being good, by doing the best you can, or by joining a church, but by personally receiving Christ – by trusting in Him as your personal Lord and Savior. To find forgiveness, people must be willing to: A) Admit they are sinners in need of forgiveness. B) Turn from their sin. C) Believe that Jesus Christ died to save them from a life of sin and an eternity of separation from God. D) Receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and commit their lives to Him. VI- Give an opportunity for a response. If you sense that an individual sees his or her need, you might ask: A) Have you ever received Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? B) Would you like to do so, right now? VII- Discuss Revelation 3:20 and John 1:12 (mentioned earlier). Point out that: A) Christ stands at the door of your heart, knocking. B) Christ will come in if He is invited. C) When He does come in, you will become a child of God. VIII- Lead the person step-by-step through the Scriptures as God deals with the sinner in the way He saved you. God saves everybody the same way, and there is none who are different. (“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isa 53:6)

– Notes –

-7-

Preaching

Through The Printed Page This Document is printed by Gospel Publishing and Colportage, a ministry of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs, NC, and is designed for education, evangelism, and edification. If we may assist you in knowing more about Christ and the Christian life, please write us without obligation: First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs PO Box 388, Mineral Springs, NC 28108 (704)843-3858

Psalms 107:2 S É S Romans 12:1-2 E-Mail: [email protected] – Website: fw4u.org