Joy Treasure: Want to know Jesus?

God is holy.

Because He is holy, He has no dwelling with sin. He is a loving God but He also judges sin. And because He loves us and desires to have a relaitonship with us, He sent His son, Jesus, to pay the price for our sin and provide a way back to a right relationship with Himself.

1 Peter 1:16 says, "Be holy, because I am holy."

God created man and woman. They rebelled against God and chose sin.

^"So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her,and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

(Genesis 3:6-7)

And because they chose sin over obeying God's commands, God sent them out of the garden. No longer would they live in fellowship with God there in Eden, but would have to live outside the garden in a fallen world. That is where you and I live today.

And God said to them, ""Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" (Genesis 3:11)

Eve let Satan deceive her into thinking the very thing that God didn't want her to touch or eat was the thing she needed to satisfy her desire. Satan didn't make her eat from the tree but Eve made the choice. She even gave it to her husband, Adam. He ate of it too. Both chose sin. But sin didn't satisfy them. They tried to hide from God, but couldn't. Sin had lasting effects on their life and their relationship with God.

"Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—" therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden..." (Genesis 3:22-24)

Sin separates us from God:

Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,..."

Romans 6:23 tell us,"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

But God loved the world so much that He sent His only son, Jesus, to die for our sins on a cross, be buried in a tomb and rise again to bring us back into a right relationship with Himself .

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Jesus

^{The bible says if we want to know more of who God is, we must look at Jesus for He is the exact reflection of God.}

^"He (JESUS) is the radiance of the glory of God andthe exact imprint of his (GOD's)nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (Hebrews 1:3-4)

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

To know Jesus as Lord and Savior:

1. Admit your need for a Savior. (Say God, I know I am a sinner.)
2. Turn from your sin. (This is called repentance.)
3. Believe in the LORD Jesus Christ (that He died for your sins on the cross and rose from the grave.)
4. Pray- Invite Jesus Christ to come into your heart and take control of your life through His Holy Spirit.