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HOW TO BECOME LIKE THE MASTER

God loves you and desires an abundant life 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).

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

The thief [Satan] cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10).

Why is there so much evil in the world and why do most people not experience the abundant life? Because people are sinful, they are cut off from God and his blessings. The Bible teaches and human experience confirms that man is sinful:

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

Man was created for fellowship with God, but that fellowship was broken when he rebelled against God. This sin brought man spiritual death:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23).

Man continually strives for the abundant life but always falls short. Business success, wealth, education, religion, fame, drugs, pleasure and all human substitutes cannot fill the God-shaped void in the human heart. How does one become reunited with God and experience the abundant life? Jesus Christ is God's only provision to forgive your sin and give you abundant life. Jesus died for us--he took our penalty of death:

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8).

God demonstrated that Christ's death was accepted as a sacrifice for us by raising Christ from the dead:

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas [Peter], then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).

Christ is the only way to God:

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).

It is not enough to know that God loves us, that sin has cut us off from God and that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. You must personally receive Christ as your Lord and Savior. The Bible states that,

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).

You must receive Christ by faith:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9).

When you receive Christ, the Holy Spirit will give you a spiritual rebirth, that Jesus called being born again:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3).

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7).

This is the most important experience that you will ever have. God brings new life into your being. This new life will make you like the Lord Jesus. The Prophet Isaiah prophesied concerning the ministry of Christ:

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1-3).

This word picture of Isaiah speaks of the joy of deliverance from past guilt and bondage of sin. However, it does not happen automatically. Christ stands at your heart's door--you must open the 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. (Revelation 3:20).

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. 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. Write me and tell me the good news also. (This presentation of the plan of salvation was adapted from Dr. Bill Bright's "Four Spiritual Laws.")