1. God Loves You. Realize that God loves you and desires a life of joy for you:

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, KJV

[After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Romans 14:17, AMP 

Not only did God tell you that he loves you, but he proved his love by sending his Son to die for you! His love is also expressed by the full and high quality life he has planned for you now—as well as in the life to come. Jesus said,

The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10, NIV

Why is there so much evil in the world and why do many people not experience a full and joy-filled life?

2. Sin Separated you from God. Because people are sinful, they are cut off from God and his blessings. The Bible teaches and human experience confirms that we are sinful:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:23, KJV

We were created for fellowship with God, but that fellowship was broken when we rebelled against God. Sin brought us spiritual death, bondage and sadness:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23, NIV

All human substitutes for joy fall short. They cannot fill the God-shaped void in the human heart. How do we become reconciled with God and experience the full and joy-filled life?

3. Jesus Christ Is God's Only Answer. Jesus Christ is God's only provision to forgive our sin, set us free and give us a full and joy-filled life. Jesus died for us—he took our penalty of death:

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us [italics mine].
Romans 5:7-8, NIV

Christ is the only way to God:

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life, No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6, NIV

It is not enough to know that God loves you, that sin has cut you off from God and that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.

4. You Must Receive Christ As Your Lord and Savior. You must personally receive Christ as your Lord and Savior. The Bible states that,

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
John 1:12-13, NIV

You receive Christ by 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 by works, so no one can boast, For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 
Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV

If you choose to receive the truth about Jesus Christ, then the Holy Spirit will give you faith to trust him as your personal Savior. Then, when you receive Christ, the Holy Spirit will give you a spiritual rebirth. Jesus called this being born again: 

You should not be surprised at my saying,'You must be born again.'
John 3:7, NIV

This is the most important experience that you will ever have. God will set you free and he will bring new life into your being. This new life will make you more like the Lord Jesus.

Christ stands at your heart's door, but you must open the door:

Look! I have been standing at the door and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20, The Living Bible

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Romans 10:8-10, NIV

 You can receive Christ in your heart right now. Pray this prayer from your heart:

Almighty God, I confess that I have sinned against you. I ask you to forgive me. I receive Christ as my Lord and Savior. I confess that Jesus is my Lord and believe that God rasied him from the dead. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Tell someone that you have accepted Christ as your Savior. Please email me and tell me the good news also.

(Adapted from Dr. Bill Bright's "Four Spiritual Laws").

This serious chapter is from my ebook, They All Laughed at Me When I Said That I Was Going to Write A Joke Book. Download this book free at http://BusterSoft.com/JRCM

© John E. Russell 1993, 2014, 2016

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