Recommendations: Reading | Listening | Surfing | God's Good News

Resources

Recommended Reading

It's A Wonderful Life (December 2003)

The Quest (November 2003)
Finding God in the Lord of the Rings by Kurt Brunner and Jim Ware

Crossing Over (October 2003)

Wisdom From the Wise Guys (September 2003)
Proverbs, the Bible

Smaller, Deeper, Closer, Bigger = Better!(August 2003)
House to House by Larry Kreider
Leading Life Changing Small Groups by Bill Donahue
Slow Down, You're Moving Too Fast (July 2003)

Leaving A Lasting Legacy IV (June-July 2003)
Elijah by Charles Swindoll

Parenting (May-June 2003)
Raising Great Kids by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

What on Earth Am I Here For? (March 2003)
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

Waiting at the Bus Stops of Life (January 2003)
Now What: Resting in the Lord When Life Doesn't Make Sense by Gary R. Mayes

You can purchase these books and more at
christianbook.com or churchsmart.com.

Recommended Listening

Mercy Me, Spoken For
Mercy Me, Almost There
Sonic Flood, Cry Holy
Sonic Flood, Resonate
Newsboys, Adoration:The Worship Album
Hillsongs, Blessed
Hillsongs, Hope
Hillsongs, You Are My World
Hillsongs, For This Cause
Hillsongs, Touching Heaven Changing Earth

Recommended Surfing

Study Helps
Bible Gateway (online Bible) www.bible.gospelcom.net
Biblical Resources (studies, notes, outlines) www.biblicalresources.org
Study Light (Bible study helps & resources) www.studylight.org
Questia ("world's largest online library") www.questia.com

Cell Ministry
www.cellgrouppeople.com
www.smallgroups.com

Christian Apologetics
www.carm.org
www.christiananswers.net

Christian Resources Sites
Crosswalk www.crosswalk.com
Heartlight Magazine www.heartlight.org

Family Life
www.family.org

Online Devotionals
Max Lucado www.maxlucado.com
Oswald Chambers www.myutmost.org

God’s Good News

The good news that God has for you today is that He loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you – now and for all eternity! That personal relationship is found through a faith commitment to His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world to pay the penalty for our sins and to restore a right relationship between us and God. This is referred to as salvation, something God does for us, on our behalf and apart from any work or merit of our own.

Salvation: having your sins forgiven, becoming God’s child and going to heaven when you die is a matter of faith. You must put your faith in God and His Son, Jesus. The process can be understood by using three letters: A - B - C.

While that decision is tough, the process is simple; one that even a child can follow. Using each of these three letters, God’s good news is explained:

A - Admit

ADMIT that we are sinners that are separated from God’s love and presence. Sin can be understood as our self-centered will and actions and we are powerless change this condition. To die in our sin means that we will give an account to God and spend eternity separated from His love.

• Isaiah 59:2 “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you.”
• Romans 3:10 “There is no one righteous, not even one.”
• Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
• Hebrews 9:27 “... man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

B - Believe

BELIEVE that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and that God raised Him for the dead so that He could bring the gift of new life to those who trust Him.

• Acts 16:30b-31 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They replied, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”
• Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
• Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
• Titus 3:4-6 “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth, and renewal by the Holy Spirit, who He poured out on us generously though Christ Jesus our Savior.”
• Hebrews 9:28a “so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people ...”

C - Choose

CHOOSE that gift of new life for ourselves by asking Jesus to forgive our sins and choosing to live for Him!

• John 1:12 “to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
• Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
• Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If salvation is the desire of your heart then you can ask God to save you through a simple prayer like this:

God, I admit that I am a sinner according to Your word and realize that my sin has separated me from You. I believe that Jesus died for my sins and that His death has paid the penalty I owe. I ask You to forgive me for all of my sins, make me Your child, give me the power to live a life that is pleasing to You, and take me to Heaven when I die.

I put my complete trust and confidence in Your Son Jesus and commit my life to You. Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer or desire to know more about God and His good news for your life, please contact Grace. We would like to send you some information that will help you take your next steps as a Christ-Follower.