What Are You Worth to God?

What Are You Worth to God?

(linked Bible verses are at the bottom of this page)

Do you realize that you were a concept conceived in love in God’s mind before God made the universe?[i] You are fearfully and wonderfully made.[ii] Why did God create you? Why does God keep you alive everyday, giving you food and water, breath and life?[iii]

God is love. God has an almighty love that goes far beyond any human capacity to love. God knows you personally and loves you. God wants you to love Him back. God wants to open the eyes of your heart to see how good, just, loving and pure God is. You came from God. Are you returning to God?

God wants you to learn how to love Him. Yet God has created you with a free will. Only you can choose whether to love God and live with Him forever or whether to remain apart from Him, separated from God for all of eternity.

Do you love God with all of your heart, soul, strength and mind?[iv] Do you always love your neighbor as yourself?[v] Or have you been preoccupied with other things, like getting an education, or getting ahead in your job, or finding a spouse, or just having a good time at all costs. Or maybe you’re just tired and trying to make it through another day.

Have you been apathetic to the things of God? Have there been times when you know you did something that wasn’t pleasing to God, and found that your conscience was deeply troubled? If so, then welcome to the human race. You are a sinner, just as Adam was in the Garden of Eden.[vi]

Adam was the first human being God created. Adam deliberately rebelled against what God told him not to do. To disobey God is sin. Sin is so serious to God, that the penalty God imposes upon the person who sins is death.[vii]

Death means separation from God. Separation from God means loneliness, feeling unloved and being fearful of physical death. Why do we fear death? We are eternal creatures. After we physically die, our soul lives on. Our conscience knows that on God’s day of judgement, we will stand before the judgement seat of Jesus Christ, and His almighty judgement will be pronounced upon our sins.[viii] The sentence that God will pronounce upon the soul that sins will be eternal separation from Him. Both the justice and the wrath of God demand consequences for the soul that sins. YET GOD HAS MADE A WAY TO RETURN TO HIM.

Why was Jesus Christ crucified? God loves you so much. Your soul is of such value to God that He wants you to live with Him forever. God wants you to return to Him even though you’ve sinned against Him. This very Jesus Christ who will someday judge you is also the very One who took your sins on His own Body on the cross of crucifixion near Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried…He was pierced through for our transgression. He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our peace fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him…He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors…”[ix]

So how much are you worth to God? Look at the extent to which God went to bring us back to Him despite our sin. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”[x] To believe in God means to totally trust and rely upon Him. Jesus Christ is God’s free gift of eternal life.[xi] Jesus said this of Himself: “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.” [xii]”I am the bread of life.”[xiii] “I am the resurrection and the life.”[xiv]

How can you return to God? You exchange lives. Your old selfish way of living is exchanged for the very life of Jesus Christ. To gain Christ is free. He gives the grace, the power for the exchange. Yet you have a free will. You are not a robot. You have to make the choice. To quote an old pastor: “To gain Christ is free, but it will cost you everything in regard to your old selfish nature.”[xv] Your future plans, time, money, and all of your relationships come under the authority of Jesus Christ, as a joyful offering, to be used for His purposes. Consider what Christ meant when He said; “He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.”[xvi]

We would like to encourage you to read the gospel of John in order to begin to discover who Jesus Christ is. If you already know Him, feel free to share this Bible study with someone who would like to get to know Him. Who was Jesus? How did He live upon this earth? What were His priorities? Making money? Worrying about what others thought of Him? Or did He simply lead a life of love, service and giving. What is God worth to you?

More needs to be said. If you have questions or just want someone to talk to, please feel free to call:

Jim and Bobbee- 979-777-5844.

Or email: at bobbeepenningtonworks@gmail.com

 

LISTEN TO THIS PASSAGE HERE:

[i] Ephesians 1:4

[ii] Psalms 139:14

[iii] Acts 17:24-26

[iv] Matthew 22:37

[v] Matthew 22:39

[vi] Genesis 1, 2, 3 ; Romans 5:12

[vii] Romans 6:23

[viii] John 5:22-24; Acts 17: 24-31;  Hebrews 9:27

[ix] Isaiah 52:13-53:12

[x] John 3:16

[xi] Romans 6:23

[xii] John 14:6

[xiii] John 6: 35

[xiv] John 11:25

[xv] Michael Knight, Christian Pastor in Morenci, Michigan

[xvi] John 12:25

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