Are you searching for God, but don’t know how to find Him?

Are you wondering how to know if God is real, and if He is, what exactly that means for you personally? Keep reading if you want to know how to find God today.

The Problem of Sin

Everyone needs salvation because we have all sinned. We are all separated from God and lack peace.

What if we DO NOT have a sin problem?

To say we have obeyed God’s commandments – that we have loved God with all of our heart, with all of our soul, with all of our mind, with all of our strength, and that we have loved our neighbor as much as we love our self.

That we have not made a god to suit our self (either with our hands or with our mind). We have always given God’s name reverence, kept the Sabbath holy, honored our parents, and never once been “angry with a brother without cause.”

We have never hated anyone, had lust in our heart, or had illicit sex (physically or in our mind). We have never stolen a cookie or a pencil, we have never told a lie (not even a little “white” lie), and we have never desired anything that belongs to someone else. We have always been “pure in heart,” perfect in thought, word, and deed. [RC]

If we can say that, then we do NOT have a sin problem. We are perfect. We are sinless. We have no problems.

To be honest, we can’t say this because we DO have a sin problem.

What if we DO have a sin problem?

We admit we have all “sinned” many times, and are due the “wages of our sin” which is death.

Think of it – God sees our every thought, word, and action. Our wrong thoughts, our unkind words, and our undesirable actions cause us to stand before the Lord guilty of sin. He is an incorrupt Judge, Who always judges fairly. Our sins condemn us. We are due the death penalty. We deserve to die.

Listen to your conscience. Our conscience shows us the difference between right and wrong. We will one day give an account for every thought, every word, and every deed we have ever done.

“As it is written, ‘There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. They have all turned away. The have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.’” ~Romans 3:10-12 WEB

“For there is no distinction, for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” ~Romans 3:23 WEB

The Wages of Sin

The price or wage or penalty or consequence for our sinfulness has already been set. It is death.

Yet God, Who is sinless and rich in mercy, chose to pay our sinful penalty with His death on the Cross. His gave His life in exchange for our life.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 6:23 WEB

Because the wages of sin is death, there has to be a death. Jesus paid our price. He went in our place. Jesus satisfied the death penalty with His own life. Then He conquered death and the grave when He rose again.

“And just as it is appointed and destined for all men to die once and after this [comes certain] judgment.” ~Hebrews 9:27 AMP

“[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him [Jesus Christ] and in it [the Cross].” ~Colossians 2:15 AMPC

The Love of God

God’s love for us is so great that He gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins and for the sins of all mankind. God can forgive us because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His death on the Cross satisfied God’s Law while demonstrating His Love towards us.

“For God so [greatly] love and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” ~John 3:16 AMP

Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. Jesus paid the price or wage or consequence for our sin (yours and mine). He paid the death penalty with His own life.

“All of us like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, each one, to his own way; but the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing] to fall on Him [instead of us].” ~Isaiah 53:6 AMP

God’s love bridges the gap of separation between God and man (you and me) through the Cross. When Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave (conquering death), He not only paid the penalty for our sins, but He also purchased eternal life for us. He exchanged His life for ours on the Cross. The penalty was PAID IN FULL.

“But God, being [so very] rich in mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us, even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace-His underserved favor and mercy-you have been saved from God’s judgment).” ~Ephesians 2:4-5 AMP

Salvation in One Alone

Jesus Christ is the only One Who can save us. When we confess Jesus Christ as Lord and believe (placing our faith and trust) in Him for the forgiveness of our sins, then God saves us and delivers us from evil. We can find Life!

“But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.” ~Romans 5:8 AMPC

“He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” ~1 Peter 2:24 AMPC

“And may I be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.” ~Philippians 3:9 AMP

Salvation Is Not by Works

 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.” ~Ephesians 2:8-9 WEB

“He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” ~Titus 3:5 AMP

Salvation Is a Gift

The penalty or consequences for our sinfulness has been met when God provided His gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. This gift of grace is eternal life to all who believe on Jesus as Savior and Lord.

“And may I be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.” ~Philippians 3:9 AMP

Our Response: Receive or Reject?

We all choose how we will respond to God’s gift. When Jesus Christ chose to bridge the gap of separation between us and God, He made a way for us. All are invited to cross the bridge of separation and come to Him for salvation, fellowship, and peace with God.

No one can force us to cross the bridge. Each of us must make the choice whether we will respond to God’s invitation by receiving His gift of eternal life or whether we will reject His gift. We have a free will to choose Him or to walk away from Him.

He’s not a master looking for a slave to fulfill a list of endless obligations. He is a Loving Father calling for us to come know Him as His son or daughter. His loving arms are open to us in invitation, in welcome, in a desire for friendship with us, but He is a gentleman through-and-through, and He will never force Himself on us.

We can respond by receiving Him or rejecting Him – it is our choice!

How to Find God Overview

The Problem of Sin – ADMIT I have a sin problem which makes me a sinner.

The Wages of Sin – ACKNOWLEDGE sin leads to death. I am a sinner deserving death as a wage for the sins I have committed against God and other people.

The Love of God – RECOGNIZE God’s love extends to us – exchanging death for life. His life given for our life in order that we might have new life in Him.

Salvation in One Alone – REMEMBER Jesus paid the price, wage, penalty for us.

Our Response: Receive or Reject? – God’s gift is just that a gift. We freely choose whether we will receive or reject His gift for us. We can receive by turning from sin, and believing Jesus died for our sins. We can choose to allow God to take our sin, guilt, and shame and in exchange we receive the cleansing of our sin and His gift of love – eternal life.

Prayer for Eternal Life

Psalm 51

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.  

Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. ~Psalm 51:1-17 NASB

My Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for Your graciousness, Your faithfulness, and Your compassion in cleansing me from sin, wiping out my wrongdoings, and washing away my guilt. The shed blood of Jesus is even now washing away my sins and making me clean.

I receive the finished work Christ Jesus did for me when He died on the Cross for my sins, was buried, then rose again, conquering death and the grave. I receive Your forgiveness for my sins and the gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus.

Even now, I choose to turn from darkness to Your marvelous Light. I turn from walking in the darkness and choose to walk according to Your Word by the power of Your Holy Spirit. I turn from being a slave to sin, my passions and desires to being led by Your Holy Spirit into Truth.

Thank you for creating in me a clean heart, renewing a steadfast spirit within me, drawing me into Your Presence, and filling me afresh with Your Holy Spirit. Thank you that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in Your Holy Spirit.

Thank you for restoring my joy, strengthening me to walk according to Your Word, and guarding my heart and my mind with Your peace through Christ Jesus. Amen.

Recommendations:

We Can Trust God with All of Our Heart – Strength with Dignity

5 Ways to Overcome Our Fears – Strength with Dignity

References:

Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Amplified Bible, Classis Edition (AMPC) Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation.

New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB 1995), copyright 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Comfort, Ray. [RC] 4 Things You Need to Know about God. Published by Living Waters. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from 4 Things You Need To Know About God – Tracts (livingwaters.com) and The Atheist Test – Tracts (livingwaters.com)

Fairchild, Mary. “What is Romans Road?” Learn Religions, Sep. 7, 2021, learnreligions.com/what-is-romans-road-700503 What Is Romans Road to Salvation? (learnreligions.com)

Graham, Billy. Steps to Peace with God. Published by the Billy Graham Crusade in London in 1954. Retrieved July 6, 2022, from Steps to Peace – Billy Graham Memorial and Printer-FriendlyStepstoPeacewithGod.pdf (billygraham.org)

The Romans Road to Salvation. Retrieved July 6, 2022, from 10 Best Free Printable Romans Road Tract – printablee.com

World English Bible (WEB) by Public Domain. The name “World English Bible” is trademarked.

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