What’s Missing in Our Lives?

What is my purpose in life?  What is the meaning of my life?  What is my reason for living?  These are all questions we search for answers for in life.  Each and every one of us struggle to find purpose and meaning in life, however, we still feel empty and unfulfilled.  Why is that?  It is because we all have a spiritual emptiness in our lives.  We all have a “God-shaped” hole in our hearts.  Possessions, money, success, relationships or other worldly things won’t fill this void.  God is the only one who can effectively and properly fill that hole, that missing piece, that void, in our hearts and lives.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

The problem is sin.  The Bible clearly identifies our serious problem as sin.  We are born sinners and thus sinning comes to all of us naturally.  We are born with a nature to do wrong.

God has given us the freedom to choose between two separate paths for our lives - one leads to life and the other leads to death.  “Today, I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.  Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.  Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”  (Deuteronomy 30:19)

BUT I LIVE A GOOD LIFE…

“But I live a good life.  I am kind and considerate to others.  I am caring.  I don’t do anything all that bad.  I’m a good person.

Romans 3:23 says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  God’s glorious standard is absolute perfection.  Although our sinful nature makes it impossible to live up to God’s standard, we cannot blame our sin on nature alone.  Sin is also a deliberate act.

SIN IS A DELIBERATE ACT

Sin, also referred to as transgressions or trespasses in the Bible, is a deliberate act.  Because sin is a deliberate action, we cannot blame our sin on anything other than ourselves.  Our sin cannot be blamed on society, our environment, our mental state, our physical state, or on other people.  Everyone has the freedom of choice.  Everyone has the choice between doing what is right and doing what is wrong.  Everyone has chosen to do what was wrong – more than once.

According to the Bible, we have offended a Holy God when we sin and the ultimate penalty for sin is death.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SOLUTION

God understood our problem, our sinful nature, and knew that we could do nothing about it.  Because God loves us, he sent his own Son, Jesus Christ to bridge the gap of sin that separates us from Him.  God’s love was demonstrated by the sacrifice and crucifixion of his only Son Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.  Jesus did not simply die for all of humanity but he died for each and every one of us – every single individual.  It was not nails that held Christ to the cross, but love.

ARE YOU READY TO FILL THAT VOID IN YOUR LIFE?

Are you ready to fill that void in your life?  Are you ready to know Jesus?  To know Jesus Christ personally and receive forgiveness of your sins, you must believe that you are a sinner separated from God.  You must believe that Jesus Christ is your only hope and that he came and died for your sins.  You must turn from your sins and believe in Jesus Christ and receive him into your life in order to enter into a relationship with God, from whom you have been separated.

TURN FROM YOUR SINS

The first thing you must do is repent of your sins – acknowledge your sinning, change your mind, and change the direction of your life.

It is not enough for us to just be sorry for our sins.  We must also change the way we live.  If you are truly sorry for something you have done wrong (your sin), then it will result in a change in your actions.  “The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

God can do many, many things, including removing your sins and giving you the gift of eternal life.  However, only YOU can turn from your sins and receive Jesus as your Savior.

BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AND RECEIVE HIM INTO YOUR LIFE

You must believe in and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  Jesus said that you must be “born again.”  This rebirth occurs when we believe in Jesus Christ, receive him by inviting him into our lives, and turn away from sin.  The cost is nothing, it is free; the offer is yours for the asking.

Becoming a Christian means you will have a relationship with the living God.  We must know how God speaks in order to hear him calling us.  The Bible describes one way in which God speaks to us as a “still, small voice.”  This is also described as a tug on your heart from the Holy Spirit showing you your need for Jesus Christ in your life.  It is at that point that you must open the door for Him.  Only you can do that.  Jesus will not force his way into your heart.  Do you hear him calling?

RECEIVING CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART

If you are ready to accept Christ in your life and turn from sin so that you can receive forgiveness and hope of eternal life, you need only ask Him in order to receive it.  Take a moment to pray a prayer like this one now:

Dear Heavenly Father, I am sorry for my sin.  I turn from sin right now.  I ask you to forgive me now as I repent of my sin.  Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sin.  Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart and into my life right now.  Be my Lord and Savior.  Help me to follow You and Your Will all the days of my life.  Thank you for receiving me.  Thank you for forgiving me of my sin and that I have a place in heaven.  Lead, guide and direct me on the path You have made for me, all the days of my life.   In Jesus’ name, amen.

REDEDICATING YOUR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST

Maybe you have already received Christ, but you have strayed from Him.  You have been a prodigal son or daughter, slipping slowly away.  God will forgive you right now if you will return to Him.  “My wayward children…come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.” (Jeremiah 3:22) 

If you would like to rededicate your life to God, take a moment to pray a prayer like this one now:

Dear Heavenly Father, I am sorry for my sin.  I turn from sin right now.  I am sorry that I have strayed from You and Your Will for my life.  I ask you forgive me now as I repent of my sin.  I don’t want to live my life without You any longer.  Renew and revive me as I once again follow you as my God.  Thank you for receiving me.  Thank you for forgiving me of my sin.  Lead, guide and direct me on the path You have made for me, all the days of my life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

NEW / RENEWED LIFE IN CHRIST

Praise the Lord on your new or renewed commitment to Him!  God has forgiven and received you if you truly meant it.  Your relationship with Jesus Christ will bring dramatic changes in your life.  “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)  What wonderful news!  Even more importantly, God has changed your eternal destiny – peaceful eternity in his presence in heaven.