Discovering Jesus

Many people think that they are all alone in this world, but the workers at the Island Grove Bible College would like you to know that the worry and stress of daily living is not something that you have to carry on your shoulders alone. You don’t have to keep looking around and trying to find a place to fit it, or a place to belong. You don’t have to be friendless, or live with guilt or shame of a past life.

Jesus Loves You

Jesus loves you just as you are, not matter what you have done or who you are. It is His longing to have a personal relationship with YOU!

You may ask the question, "How do you know Jesus really cares about ME? You don’t know anything about me, or what I have done."e. That is correct. We don’t, but one thing we do know is that Jesus Christ cares about you! We know this because Jesus Christ is the Creator, and the Second Person of the Godhead. He left the glory of heaven where everything is perfect; where He shared His Father’s throne; where all the angels adored Him, and did His every wish and bidding; to come as a baby to this dark, sin sick world, not as a rich person but as one of the poor, to live a sinless life as an example for us to follow, and to die the death that we sinful humans deserve, that is a death of eternal separation from God, so that we can have the life that He deserves - eternal life with God. Jesus Christ owns us twice. Firstly because He Created us, and secondly because He has Redeemed us. He did all this without any guarantee that He would not sin and would therefore be eternally separated from His Father, or that any human beings would accept Him as their Redeemer. He will also bear the scares of the nail prints in His hands, and the sword wound in His side for the rest of eternity. Does this sound like someone who does not truly care and love you? Of course not.

In doing all this Jesus Christ also shows us how much His Father loves us as well. So no matter what you have done, where you have been, or how rich or poor you are, Jesus Christ has paid the price to redeem you from your sins IF you are willing to accept Him as your Saviour and Redeemer.

God Is Perfect

God’s Word written in the Bible teaches us that God alone is holy, perfect, and good. Sin cannot exist in the presence of a Holy God. So when our first parents sinned they were separated from God. This put the whole human race at odds with God and on a path to total separation from God by eternal death. But, God loved Adam and Eve so much that He set in motion the plan of redemption that He had made before this world was created. This plan gave mankind a second chance. In other words it gives man a chance to be reconciled to God.

The love that God has for us is far more than we realize. Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God offered Himself to suffer the death that we deserve and pay the penalty of sin for us. When we understand the love God has for each person and the sacrifice that Jesus paid to bring us back into communion with God, it should fill our hearts with thankfulness and love to God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Accepting Jesus Christ

As soon as we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour and ask forgiveness for our past sins, Jesus Christ covers our sins, all of which are written in a book in heaven, with His own precious blood. Our name is also written in the Lamb’s book of Life. Most people like to think that just accepting Jesus Christ or having faith in Him is all you have to do. But listen to what James says, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:19, 20.

Does this mean that we have to work for our Salvation? No! When we truly love someone else we will do things to please the other person just because they asked and/or because we know that thing will make them happy. This is the same when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. We will read the Bible to find out what God want us to do. We do not do things to try and earn salvation, because we cannot. Salvation is a gift. No matter how hard we tried we would never be able to earn salvation, because we simply are not good enough. We cannot go to church to earn it either. Salvation cannot be bought. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Although salvation is a gift, we still should do the things that God asks of us in the Bible because we want to show our love to God and please Him. If we do it for any other reason it is wrong, and is legalism. But to do things because of love is correct and according to the Bible. Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15.

Daily Walk With God

This is what is known as a daily walk with God. Reading His word to find out what He wants of us, and obeying through love. This does not mean that we will not sin once we have accepted Jesus Christ. No. When we accept Jesus Christ we make the devil very unhappy, so he will try every trick in the book to make us fall into temptation and get us back onto his side. However, once we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour we will not intentionally go out of our way to do wrong. If and when we do fall, as most of us do, Jesus Christ is willing and able to forgive us if we ask.

How do we ask? In prayer. Prayer is not some formal reading or something you memorise. Prayer is talking with God as you would a friend. All prayers should be addressed to "Our Father in heaven," and end with "In Jesus Name, Amen." or something similar.

Jesus Is Waiting

There is no catch or trick to having a relationship with Jesus Christ. He has paid the full price of sin for you, me, and every person in the world. He has also had everything He wants us to do written in His Word, the Bible. He is waiting with open arms for you to accept Him as your personal Saviour. He gave up so much, and paid such a heavy price to give you a chance to be with Him forever, if only you will accept Him. Everything He did was so that by living faith in Him we can receive His righteousness! In other words, when we accept Jesus Christ and have living faith in Him, God then sees Christ’s righteousness and not our sins. Only by having Christ’s righteousness can we be reconciled to God.

Will you accept Jesus Christ today? Do not put it off any longer. Ask God to forgive you for your past life style, and that you do not want to sin anymore. Invite Him into your life to be your Lord and Saviour, and that the Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth and help you live a new life according to the Word of God, and thank God for doing so in name of Jesus Christ. Amen.