Dear Friend,

      Have you ever found yourself so terrified that you called out for God's help in your circumstances? Perhaps you remember a time in your life when you promised God you would give up a bad habit or live the rest of your life for Him if He would just get you through a terrifying situation. Was there a day in your life when, for some mysterious reason, you modified your daily routine slightly, saving your life a few minutes later? These are some ways in which God intervenes in our lives to extend His presence to us. From the beginning of creation, God has lovingly reached out to members of the human race that He created, in order to have a relationship with us. God created in each of us the power to choose to have that relationship with Him. God is NOT calling people to a particular church or religion but to begin a personal relationship with Him.

      There is a problem, however. Our sin violates His holiness, and His eyes are too pure to even look upon sin. God created us and loves us passionately, but His perfection requires that He not simply overlook our sin. To God, sin is so evil that only death itself can satisfy His justice.

      In God's infinite wisdom, He devised an amazing plan that would be able to satisfy His perfect requirements. He would become man, live the perfect life He requires, and then offer His perfect blood as atonement for the sins of the world. This is like a courtroom judge fining a criminal far more than the criminal could ever pay, then paying that fine himself. That offering for sin was accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ some 2000 years ago. As the judge of mankind, by living the perfect life He required and allowing Himself to be killed on a cross, He paid the penalty for our sins and purchased the means for humans to have a relationship with Him.

      He left us with these words, "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). He testified as to what eternal life is in a prayer to the Father, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). Have you begun a relationship with the One who knows you best and loves you the most? If not, please know that you can either meet Him as your judge or your Redeemer. One day EVERY knee will bow to Him and confess Him as Lord, including those who choose not to accept His offer of eternal life. You can look forward to that day either as a friend of His or as a stranger. He has said He will tell the strangers in that day, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:23).

     Beginning a relationship with Him is done by communicating with Him in prayer. He expects us to recognize our sinfulness and give up our rebellion against His claim on our lives. Simply confess these things to Him and ask Him for His gift of eternal life. If you haven't yet done that, won’t you do it now before it is forever too late?

      May God's richest blessing be yours as you accept the gift of His Son.

      Kenneth Anderson, http://hello.to/kenanderson