Why Jesus - Casting Crowns Mark Hall

KLOVE

“Why should I follow Jesus?” The reality is, God loves you. He wants you to experience abundant peace and eternal life. He loves you so much that He sacrificed His only son to die for your sins.

That’s great that God loves me, but why should I follow Him?

God did not make robots to automatically love and obey Him. He gave you free will and a choice. All too often, this free will causes a separation from God due to disobedience.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. - Romans 3:23

The Solution

The good news is that you matter to God. He’s given an avenue for forgiveness where you can restore your relationship with Him. He gave His son Jesus to pay the death penalty by sending Him to the cross and raising Him from the grave.

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. - 1 Peter 3:18

So, now what?

It’s not enough to just know about this, or even agree with it. Act on it.

1. Humbly admit to God that you need His forgiveness
2. Confess that Jesus is Lord and that He alone can save you
3. Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead to pay for your sins

STEPS TO PEACE WITH GOD

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

Key to Discipleship(Christain)

Living the Christian Life

The Bible says that you are a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) when you decide to follow Christ. Your old "self" is gone, and the new is here. As a result, we want to help you grow in your faith and in your knowledge of Jesus by providing you with some tips:

1. Read the Bible Daily
   The Bible is God’s inspired instruction manual for us. It has many answers to help you live a life that pleases God. A good place to start is in the New Testament with the Gospel of Luke. The book of Acts is a great follow up; it contains the exciting story of how Christ’s disciples spread the Good News about His death, burial and resurrection.
   
   As you read, ask God to give you understanding and wisdom: Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law (Psalm 119:18). Think about what you read: study and analyze it. Write down questions you have and ask a mature Christian to help clarify your understanding.
   
   
2. Pray with God Daily
   Talk with God often. Talk over your problems with Him. Thank Him for who He is and what He has done for you. Confess your sins to Him and admit your weaknesses. Ask God to help show you how to live a life that pleases Him. Pray for others, that they too may choose to follow Jesus Christ as their Savior and give Him the leadership of their lives.
   
   
3. Depend on the Holy Spirit The Bible teaches that now that you have chosen to follow Christ, the Holy Spirit actually lives within you (Romans 5:5; John 14:16-17). The Holy Spirit will teach you, guide you, and strengthen you in times of need.
   
   
4. Attend Church Regularly
   When you became a Christian, you began an authentic personal relationship with Jesus. However, it is important to also have authentic connections with other Christians. In a fireplace, many logs burn together creating heat and warmth, but a log by itself quickly dies out. Likewise, we too need the fellowship of other believers to keep our faith vibrant and growing. The Church is a place where you can worship God and make Him the focus of your life.
   
   
5. Be of Service to Others
   Jesus tells us repeatedly to give our lives to serve Him, and to serve others. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life (Mark 8:35). The more you give yourself in service to others, the more you will enjoy your Christian life.
   
   
6. Conquer Your Doubts
   At times you may doubt that you really are a Christian. Perhaps you have failed or surrendered repeatedly to temptation. Remember, you were not saved because of how good of a person you are, but by putting your trust in what Christ has already done for you. Trust the truth found in God’s Word over your own subjective feelings. I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life (I John 5:13).
7. Live One Day at a Time
   Too often we become anxious about what might happen tomorrow. The Bible promises that God will meet our needs, if only we will seek first His righteousness (see Matthew 6:33-34). God’s grace will be sufficient to meet the challenges that each new day brings.
   
   
8. Learn How to Deal with Temptation
   Temptation is a part of life. It was an issue before you became a Christian, it still will be. You do not, however, have to yield to temptation to sin. The Bible says, God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
   Be prepared to take advantage of God’s “way out” of temptation, whether it means that you “flee” the scene of temptation (I Timothy 6:11), or that you stay on the scene and “resist” it (James 4:7; I Peter 5:8-9).
   
   
9. Tell Others About Jesus
   Sharing with others about your new life in Jesus--by word or by action--can be one of the most satisfying and exciting experiences you have ever had. The Bible encourages us to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (I Peter 3:15).