Dear Reader,
Did you know that there is a reliable source on questions of whence and whither of life that has given many people continuous perspective and purpose to this day, and delivered them from unnecessary burdens?
According to it, God, who created the universe, also made us human beings – with great dignity and as His partners – to represent Him on earth and to govern it according to His will – everyone in his own sphere of influence. The most important prerequisite to do so is, of course, to be familiar with Him!
God is fullness of love, life and purest light. He is kind, merciful, patient, meek, just, perfect in beauty and His word is absolutely reliable. Everything He says comes to pass – regardless of circumstances. He is and has the perfect solution for everything!
HE IS the original and people are created as living images of Him – everyone reflecting fragments of His characteristics and abilities. They belonged to and were in regular contact with Him, which gave them the greatest fulfillment and enabled them to have the best possible influence on their environment. The whole universe was at its best! This state should also return and it will return! Would you like to be part of it?
If so, then this text can help you to be prepared and make the best use of your time until then! At first some background information:
Whenever God Reigns
In earth’s original state, there was no death, sickness, suffering, war or boredom. God, who is the source of all life, permeated everything. People trusted Him completely and naturally acted according to everything that they recognized to be right through Him. This approach always proved to be perfect!
God handed the earth over to them. Ever since everything happens as they decide. It worked out well as long as people maintained their unreserved trust in God, and there was no seemingly sensible reason to act in deviation from it.
A Fatal Failure
There were however powers that rejected God’s government and wanted to bring people who represented God under their influence. At some point, they caused them to doubt God’s perfect goodness and – despite His clear warning – to act contrary to His Word. As a result, people lost their original intimacy with their origin, became mortal, susceptible to disease and more incompatible with each other and their environment. The whole earth suffered as a result, resources became scarcer and people began to fight and harm each other physically and psychologically. Life was no way normal anymore and today’s conditions on earth are essentially the result of this.
Man Turning
If the problem is man’s turning away from trust and faithfulness to God, then every sincere turn to Him in trust should be a good step on the way back to Him. People did that comparatively soon.
… then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
Gen 4:26
The most fundamental need of human life is and remains his Creator and fellowship with Him! God promises,
… that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered …
Joel 2:32
Restoration Begins …
God was ready to give everything to reconcile mankind to Himself! He chose a man who in turn was willing to give everything to God. He then became a family and eventually a people with whom God made a special covenant. They were under His supernatural protection as long as they remained in devotion to Him and made sure that He could feel comfortable in their midst.
Since God had given the earth to mankind, He could only reside and act wherever He was welcome. God’s people were therefore to be a legitimate and permanent dwelling place for Him, from which He could speak, act and bring blessing and salvation to the whole earth.
… Despite Obstacles
Progress was made, but it was not always easy! People had become quite estranged from God and only lived socially acceptable lives to a limited extent. The forces that had tempted people to distrust God tried to further expand their influence. Whenever people – influences by those lies – acted not trusting God’s Words then His movement on earth could be halted – in some cases even for decades or centuries!
God sent His word through prophets in order to bring His people on the right track again. People reacted in individually different ways. But whenever they took a step towards Him in faith, He helped and rewarded them in an obvious way! The condition was in each case that the human beings acknowledged that their Creator was right and that they might be wrong in case of doubt … and the willingness to realign their own life accordingly – with God’s help.
In order to pay for the guilt, immaculate animals were sacrificed and died on behalf of those who had become guilty. This was a pity for the animals, but the connection to a holy, perfectly pure, beautiful, kind, loving and in every respect immaculate God could not have been maintained any other way. The blood of an innocent lamb covered the sin of the human beings and God therefore forgave them. The difference was high like the heavens! A life reconciled with God is infinitely better!
The Ultimate Solution for All
However, all prophets also foretold a very special event with which God would reconcile the whole world back to Himself at His own expense! It would only require the individual consent of man and the willingness to be guided by the words of God furthermore! No more animals would have to die because God Himself would provide a better sacrifice when He Himself – in the form of His Word – came to earth:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made by him… And the Word was made [human] flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:1-14
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
V. 29
Jesus Christ lived a average life with an average job – but without ever doing anything against God’s will! He carried the entire character and desire of God within Him and expressed it with His life. He regularly sought fellowship with His Father in heaven and was – even in a highly tense time with many conflicts – remarkably gentle and peaceful!
He began to heal people from physical and mental sicknesses, bring the dead back to life and reveal God’s word in a way that had never been done before!
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Act 10:38
Finally, He voluntarily gave His innocent life as a human sacrifice to once for all remove the guilt of all people before God. Through His blood our sins are washed away, and through His suffering diseases can be healed!
… he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Is 53:5
… whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly… And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead.
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Act 10:39ff
Your Access
Want that? Talk to Him! Say for example:
“Jesus, I believe that You are God’s Word who created everything, that You are the Judge and eternal King who will rule everything, and that You willingly died on the cross out of love to take away all my sins! I want to be reconciled with God and say “Yes!” to You in all aspects!
Forgive me all my sins, renew my life and from now on shape and use it according to Your pleasure – just as it was originally intended! Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may learn to understand You, be renewed inwardly, empowered and guided to live in the way that is best for eternity.
I want to trust You and stay with You – please take care of everything I can’t! Thank you Jesus! Amen (so be it)!”
Saved!
If you said and meant that, then you have done the very best for God, yourself and others! Heaven is celebrating and you have been given a new life in which your original dignity and purpose have been restored. Step by step, you will experience improvements that you would have counted impossible!
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2.Cor 5:17
You – like all believers – have now yourself become a dwelling place of God! He lives in you and acts through you – as much as you allow Him!
… ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2.Cor 6:16
Take regularly time to enjoy this, to thank Him and to share everything with Him that moves you. He’s got perfect solutions ready for all challenges. He however needs your agreement for becoming active in your areas of life and influence. Ask Him for His Kingdome to come and His will to be done. That way the original life quality can come back little by little.
You will also learn to hear from Him personally and experience His guidance and protection.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:27f
A Safe Reference
The Bible in particular will help you with this. It is uniquely inspired by the Spirit of God and helps you to recognize His nature and thoughts. Ask Him to help you understand what you are reading.
At best start with
- one of the accounts of Jesus‘ life, e.g. that of His best friend John.
- the following books.
You can always access the next chapter/book by swiping (cell phone) or clicking on the arrow at the bottom right (PC).
Everything you read should be understood in the following context:
Now the purpose of the commandment is
1.Tim 1:5
- Love
- out of a pure heart,
- and of a good conscience,
- and of faith unfeigned
Priorities
And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1.Cor 13:13
Stay connected to Him in love and faith!
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing… If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you… These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Joh 15:5ff
And this is life eternal, that they might [most deeply] know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:3
Anything essential for eternity begins in man’s innermost being – in his relation to God, in getting to know Him and growing into more of His likeness.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2.Cor 3:18f
Further Suggestions
If you ask Him God can bring you together with the right fellowship of like-minded people. You can recognize them by their sincere love for one another, their sparkling excitement for Jesus and the fact that they make you feel even more strongly connected to God!
A good step could e.g. be the basic faith course Alpha, which is offered by different churches. You can get further answers in a relaxed atmosphere without obligation and can exchange ideas with others.
You can also find great movie episodes about the life of Jesus here for Android/ IPhone.
It is however important that you to talk to God yourself about everything, thank Him and ask Him to guide you rightly. Christ died especially for your direct relationship with God, who is now your Father. He has the big picture and means well with you like no one else!
So, now it’s your turn! “Dear God, …”
The Almighty loves you, likes to hear your voice and has great surprises in store!
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom 8:38f