Answers

Discouragement, anxiety, and loneliness are the reality for most people in our world. Discouragement is everywhere, and it seems like if you keep clicking, scrolling, trying harder, and locking in, maybe you’ll finally feel okay, will measure up, and be satisfied.

Anxiety is the overwhelming reality of most people now. People are anxious about things, including how to afford basic expenses, relationships, society, crime, wars, the future, and death.

Loneliness is the invisible pandemic of our time, although most people put on a game face and wear it well. But the truth is, many people feel isolated, cut off from real love, authentic relationships, and a sense of belonging, but they are starving to be loved and known by others. Ironically, we can be in a crowd, surrounded by people, connected, but feel a complete sense of isolation and loneliness.

If this is you, I want to tell you about someone who will meet you right where you are in this life. This person is Jesus, and He loves you and cares about you. Some of you might have heard about Him. You might think He’s just a historical or religious figure, but He’s much more than that. He is the One who made you. He’s your Creator and knows everything about you, whether you know Him or not. He actually created you so that you could know and walk with Him. The discouragement, anxiety, and loneliness we talked about earlier- yes, He knows exactly what you are going through. Jesus made some promises to His followers, and they make all the difference in this life.

Discouraged? Matthew 11:28  “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Anxious? John 14:27 ” Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Lonely? Matthew 28:20  “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

You need to know that Jesus keeps His promises and will meet you right where you are in life. But to have this authentic relationship with Jesus, you have to move from knowing about Him to actually knowing Him. This involves surrendering your life completely to Him, repenting of your sins, and coming to saving faith in Him. Let me walk you through how He said you can have this new life today.

Friend, ask yourself, if I died today, where would I spend eternity? This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you don’t know the answer, you are in danger. Please let me share the following truths with you:

Most people think they are better than those around them because they use their own standards rather than God’s to assess their own righteousness. Romans 3:10 says, “No one is righteous.” Many people believe doing good works, attending church, mass, mosque, or synagogue will win God’s favor. Others believe that having good karma, spirituality, performing rituals, or keeping the sacraments will ultimately ensure entry to heaven. These good intentions all end in the same place: the judgment and wrath of a Holy God. Why? Because people won’t acknowledge their need for a Savior and try to work their own way into heaven.

Repentance is a word not often mentioned today, but it’s necessary for salvation. To repent means to see your sin and self the way the holy God sees you, a wicked, wretched enemy of God. No more rationalizations; you must come to the end of yourself. You change your mind, heart, and direction, a literal 180′ turn. I encourage you to confess your sins to God and to put your faith in Jesus as your Savior today, right where you are.  Call on the Lord, humble your heart, and ask Him for forgiveness. Believe God raised Him from the dead, and put your faith in Jesus as your Savior, Romans 10:9-10. If you come to repentance, He will forgive every sin you’ve ever committed, no matter what you’ve done in your life.

If you do this, you will go from being God’s enemy to becoming an adopted son or daughter! You will be born-again, and His Holy Spirit will fill you and live in you. Yes, Jesus saves you from a hell we all deserve, and yes, we will spend all eternity with Him. But one of the most amazing things about becoming a follower of Jesus is that your daily life will be transformed right now. Whether at school, on campus, at your job, or in family life, the Holy Spirit will guide you and fill you to do God’s will and live for Him every day. You will be filled with a purpose to live for, tangible peace, joy, and love to share with those around you who desperately need hope.

Here are some great first steps for a new follower of Jesus:

• Find a church: A local fellowship of believers that teaches the whole Bible and believes it is essential to living the Christian life. Find a church that teaches the Bible and the centrality of Jesus.
• Get a Bible: For yourself, and read it often because it’s the living word of God. The Gospel of John is a good place to start.
• Pray: Spending time alone with the Lord is of utmost importance in your life with Him. He will make Himself known to you as you read His word and pray. Matthew 6:5-8. Over time, you will pray for discernment, wisdom, direction, opportunities to serve Him, and the needs of others.
• Discipleship:  It is critical because Jesus commanded us to go into all the world and make disciples and to teach them all that he commanded. You must grow in your new walk with Jesus. This is done through discipleship, which means finding a solid Bible-teaching fellowship and looking to someone who has mature faith in Christ to actively show you by example what it means to be in Christ.
• Sharing your testimony is an excellent way to witness:  Every true Christian conversion will contain bad and good news. Example: “I was in a bad place, and I didn’t even know the trouble I was in with God. I thought I was good and realized I was really lost and pretty bad, and if something didn’t change, I’d spend eternity apart from God in hell. When I realized this, I humbled my heart, repented of my sins, and trusted Jesus by faith to be my Lord. This is meant as an example, but the Holy Spirit will help you share the gospel, and He is the One who convicts people of sin, righteousness, and coming judgment.

* Looking for a Bible-centered, Spirit-led fellowship in the Indianapolis area? Join us at Salt & Light Christian Church. Find details, directions, and service times on the website link here: saltlightcc.com

* If you get a moment, we would appreciate knowing if you asked the Lord Jesus to be your Savior. If you would like us to stand with you in prayer or seek more information on the Christian life and discipleship, contact us, and we’d be happy to help.

Find solid Bible teaching and discipleship resources on our Concerning The Times podcast and on our YouTube channel.

All for Him:

Howard  –  Concerning The Times