Articles about religion from different sites!

Let me warn you, if you don't like a lot of reading... never mind.

http://www.gracegems.org/Books2/Harsha_Thoughts.htm

http://www.web-grace.net/grace.htm articles on God's grace.

 http://www.washingtonubf.org/BibleMaterials/John2002/John2a_msg.html

Godmatters.webs.com: Articles on following Jesus and evolution.

http://www.wcg.org/lit/jesus/ Jesus information.

http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/other_documents/index.html

question: Can anybody follow jesus?

(www.internationalstudents.org)

The good news is that, yes, anyone can follow Jesus.

The Bible says that it is easy to follow Him.

Jesus’ early follower Paul wrote that following Jesus is not a matter of effort on our part, but of putting our trust in what God has already done for us. We simply have to accept the undeserved gift of salvation through our trust in the sacrifice of Jesus for us. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

However, Jesus also tells us that it is difficult to follow Him.

As He told His followers: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Many people find it difficult to admit that their lives need to change direction. They believe that they are good enough. But the Bible says that no one is good enough.

Jesus was very clear about this. Holding a child in His arms, He said, “Unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” He then explained that His followers had to become “as humble as this little child.” (Matthew 18:2-4) Therefore, we see that following Jesus is open to anyone, but to do so means that we must overcome our pride.

The Bible reports that from the very beginning, people from a variety of backgrounds made this decision and became His followers. Among the twelve men of His inner circle of disciples were four fishermen in business together; a “zealot” who had been involved in the violent overthrow of Roman rule over the Jewish people; and a tax collector for the Romans who was despised by most Jewish people as a collaborator.

Other early followers included: Mary, Jesus’ mother and wife of a humble Jewish carpenter; Paul, an outstanding Jewish scholar who persecuted early Christians; Cornelius, a Roman officer; Lydia, a wealthy Greek businesswoman; Joanna, the wife of a high Jewish official; Nicodemus, a member of the group of Jewish leaders in Jerusalem; Luke, a Greek physician and scholar; the treasurer of Ethiopia; a repentant thief; a blind beggar whom Jesus healed; a Macedonian jailer; and many social outcasts.

Virtually every personality is also represented among Jesus’ early followers: outspoken and impulsive (Peter); intolerant and ambitious—at least at first (John the Apostle); quiet and shy (Andrew and Timothy); cautious and skeptical (Thomas); gracious and patient (Barnabas); work-oriented and impatient (Martha).

Today people of every personality, social group, and nation worldwide follow Jesus.

he choice to follow Jesus is ours: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that EVERYONE who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him”

 

The Bible teaches that you can know God personally. In fact, it’s God’s strongest desire to have a loving relationship with you. Some people think it might be difficult to know God, but all that is required are a few important steps to start a relationship with God.

First, you need to accept that God loves you and wants His very best for you. In the Bible, God revealed his desire to bless you when he said, “My purpose is to give [people] a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10).

Next, you need to admit you need God’s help because you can’t measure up to his standard for holiness. After all, Jesus insisted that people have to be as perfect (holy) as God is in order to have a relationship with Him (Matthew 5:48).

This is a problem, because you, like everyone else, are less than perfect. For example, there have been times when you have made wrong choices, acted selfishly, or had attitudes that go against God’s laws. The Bible calls such things “sin” and explains that the result of sin results in a broken relationship with God.

After you’ve admitted that you are sinful, you must be willing to follow God’s ways, turn from your sin, and accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross to pay for your sin. The Bible says, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). It also says, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

You might wonder if there is another way to God. Jesus explained that there is none when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

After you are willing to accept Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for your sin, you need to believe that Jesus rose from the grave to conquer death, and, in prayer invite Him to be the lord (ruler) of your life. The Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Finally, begin your new relationship with God by praying to Him, expressing your gratitude for his amazing gift of eternal life and asking Him to continue to show and guide you in the way he wants you to live.

Here is an example of what you can pray (make it the prayer of your heart):

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that your Son, Jesus, died to pay for my sins and rose again to guarantee my eternal life. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite you to come into my life. I trust Jesus as my Savior and will follow Him as the Lord of my life. Thank You for sending your Son to save me and give me eternal life. Please teach and guide me in the way that I should live from this day forward. Amen [which means –“may it be so”].

If you prayed this prayer with a sincere believing heart, you are now a true follower of Jesus, and you’ve started a wonderful, lifelong adventure of getting to know God personally as His child and friend.  Congratulations! www.internationalstudents.org

*remember, stay close to God, love him always, and keep reading the bible.