What does it mean to follow Jesus?
How do you become a Christian?
If you're asking these questions, you're not alone. At Cypress, we want everyone to Know & Experience God. When you do, life is different. Following Jesus is a constant journey of becoming the person we were made to be, discovering our life's purpose, and loving those around us. We'd love to walk with you on this journey. Keep reading to learn how to make the best decision of your life.
Eight Reason Why God Loves You
We must answer the question that everyone eventually asks. This question is central to our peace and joy, and the answer will define who we are. Does God really love me? The simple answer is yes, but in order to believe it and let the truth of God's love transform us, here are eight of the countless reasons that you can know God loves you.
1. God tells you to call him Father. Just like the names Mr., Mrs., or Sweetheart, we give each other. These often shed light on the nature of our relationships. Jesus refers to God as our Father throughout the Sermon on the Mount. And throughout the New Testament, this title reveals how God has liberated, forgiven, and adopted us into His family in a fatherless generation. Many of us have grown up without a loving early father. If that's your case, try not to project your earthly father's imperfect love on our Heavenly Father. God is the Father, and He loves you. If we ended on that statement alone, it would be enough, but that's only one reason.
2. God created you, and you're the only you that He made! He made you together in your mother's womb and He knows the number of hairs on your head. You are His masterpiece, and He loves you. Psalm: 139:1-18
3. God grants us great power and responsibility. He made us in His image and trusted us to care for His entire creation. He also loved us so much that He gave us the power to reject Him, which we did. But that's ok. He still loves us.
4. God calls us His Bride. Hosea was a prophet in the Old Testament who God commanded to marry a prostitute. She cheated on him, abandoned him, and sold herself into slavery. But God commanded Hosea to love just as the Lord loved the Israelites, even though they worshipped other gods. And Hosea bought back his wife to restore their marriage and keep his promise to her. This is how God loves us.
5. God tells you when we're being unwise, he is a righteous judge, so He will not let evil go unpunished. But Christ has given us His Spirit, which is God, to live inside of us, empower us, and remind us how to live well.
6. God let you kill his son to save yourself, but seven…
7. God forgives you and wants to spend eternity with You. Because of the Lord's great love, we are not destroyed. His compassion never fails; they are new every morning. Lamentations 3:22-23
8. God knows everything about us yet still loves us! Everything you've read in #1-7 is true! In Romans 8:34-39, Paul writes that Christ Jesus died for, was raised to life, and is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand pleading for us. Can anything separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble, calamity, are persecuted, hungry, destitute, in danger, or even threatened? Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love, neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor worries about tomorrow. Not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.
Nothing motivates our thoughts and actions more than identity. So let's begin to define ourselves as deeply loved by God. These are only a few of the many reasons why God loves you. Can you think of more examples in your life of proof of God's love for you?
Finding Christ... Finding Peace
Step 1
God loves you and has a plan for you! The Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” — a complete life full of purpose (John 10:10).
Step 2
Here's the problem: man is sinful and separated from God.
We have all done, thought or said bad things, which the Bible calls “sin.” The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
The result of sin is death, spiritual separation from God (Romans 6:23).
Step 3
God sent His Son to die for your sins!
Jesus died in our place so we could have a relationship with God and be with Him forever.
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
But it didn’t end with His death on the cross. He rose again and still lives!
“Christ died for our sins. … He was buried. … He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Jesus is the only way to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).
Step 4
Would you like to receive God’s forgiveness?
We can’t earn salvation; we are saved by God’s grace when we have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is believe you are a sinner, that Christ died for your sins, and ask His forgiveness. Then turn from your sins—that’s called repentance. Jesus Christ knows you and loves you. What matters to Him is the attitude of your heart, your honesty. We suggest praying the prayer below to accept Christ as your Savior.
Pray Now
"Dear God, I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that you raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do Your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen."