Most people live without the foggiest idea of what life is all about. Some even think life is a lucky “accident”.

God’s Eternal Plan

• Have you ever wondered what life is all about?
• How did you get here?
• What were you created for?
• Where are you going after you die?

On September 11th, 2001, nearly 3000 people died in a violent act of terrorism at the World Trade Center. They immediately faced their Maker. None started their day with any clue it would be their last day on planet Earth. You and I will also face our Maker at some point in the future. Then it will be too late to make a decision to live for God. Are you ready to face your Maker? The Bible says you can be ready. It says that you can be absolutely sure that, as one who trusts Christ, you actually have God’s guarantee of His acceptance.

How You Got Here

You are no accident! (See Psalm 139:13-18.) The Bible tells us that God created everything from nothing—and the Bible also says that it was mere “finger work” for Him. There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on the entire Earth, yet God says you are more important to Him than all of them put together. Psalm 139 tells us that God’s thoughts about you as a person are more than all the grains of sand. He thinks about you and me all the time!

What You Are Here For

The Bible tells us God is your loving Father, who planned and designed you to be His child for all eternity. He wants you to share in the treasures He has for you in Christ. (See Ephesians 1:3-11.) God could have made you like a robot who had no other choice but to love Him. However, He wanted you to choose to love and obey Him of your own free will. And so God gave you free choice!

The problem is that we all have made wrong choices in life. The Bible calls these wrong choices—sin—which in the original Greek language means “missing the mark”…like an archer missing his target. Sin is the reason for wars, terrorism, social injustice, selfishness, greed, jealousy, and addictive behavior.

Q What does Romans 5:12 tell us about sin?

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Q What does Isaiah 53:6 say we have done with our choices?

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Q What do Genesis 6:5; 8:21, and Jeremiah 17:9-10 say about the human heart?

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Q In Romans 3:23, how many have sinned?

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Q Does that include you?

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Separation From God

The Bible says that God is absolutely pure and holy, and cannot allow unforgiven sinners to pollute his holy Presence (Habakkuk 1:13; Isaiah 59:2). Paul told the Roman believers what God’s attitude is toward open rebellion and sin:

“For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative” (Romans 1:18).

Q In Romans 6:23, what is sin’s penalty?

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If we were to stop at this point, life would be hopeless and full of despair. But, in spite of our unworthiness, our loving and merciful God found a way to give us hope and favor. And…He paid the ultimate price to do it…his only Son!

Jesus Christ – God’s Solution

Following are just a few Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah which were fulfilled by Jesus. Look them up, and write down the specific prophecies that were fulfilled.

The odds against one person fulfilling merely eight of these prophecies would be the same as a blindfolded person picking one special silver dollar from a two-foot high stack of silver dollars over an area the size of Texas (greater than the entire nation of France.) Yet, Jesus Christ fulfilled over two hundred of them…exactly! And his sinless life qualified Him to be God’s perfect sacrifice for all of our sins (Hebrews 9:14).

Q Who is Jesus Christ to you?

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Jesus Claimed To Be God

Jesus claimed that He was the “I AM” that God had called Himself in the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14-15; John 8:57-59).

Jesus also made other “I AM” statements of Himself:

• “I AM the bread of life” (John 6:35).
• “I AM the light of the world” (John 8:12).
• “I AM the light of the world” (John 8:12).
• “I AM the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
• “I AM the door” (John 10:9).
• “I AM the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25),
• “I AM the way…truth…and the life” (John 14:6).
• “I AM the vine” (John 15:1),

Who is Jesus according to the following verses?

John 1:1-14 __________________________________

John 14:9 ____________________________________

Colossians 1:15-20 _____________________________

Hebrews 1:1-8 ________________________________

John 10:30 ___________________________________

Philippians 2:6-11______________________________

Colossians 2:9 ________________________________

Revelation 22:12-16 ____________________________

All the evidence points clearly to the fact that Jesus Christ is God!

Sometimes it’s hard for people to accept the fact that Jesus is God because they can’t see Him. ”Doubting Thomas” was like that. Read his story in John 20:24-29.

Q What convinced Thomas?

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Q What convinced you?

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Jesus Conquered Death!

But, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day…just as He had promised! (Matthew 16:21). Historical records from eyewitnesses testify that Jesus Christ was then seen alive by over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). He is alive today!

To check over the historical evidence, read Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell, or, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. Or check out www.Y-Jesus.com.

• Buddha is dead.
• Mohammed is dead.
• Confucius is dead.
• JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!

Jesus’ disciples fled in fear when He went through the torture of the cross, but they became men of great courage when they saw Him alive after three days! They lost all fear—even when, later, they too were tortured to death for their faith. Wow! Isn’t that incredible? Jesus Christ is alive today! The Bible calls Jesus the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:11-16). And, it states that Jesus Christ will return to the earth in power and great glory! (Zechariah 14:4; Luke 21:27).

This illustration shows how the cross of Christ becomes your “bridge” to God. (Heb. 4:14-16)

“There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them” (Acts 4:12).

Jesus told his disciples:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

God’s Free Gift

The truth is that Jesus Christ paid for all your sins on the cross…and has given you direct access to God. God’s perfect justice is totally satisfied by the blood of Jesus. He “bought” you, and there are no “returns”! (Hebrews 7:25; 9:12).

But, you may be wondering, “What about all the good things I’ve done in my life?”

Check out the following verses. What do they tell us about who is responsible for your salvation?

Eternal life is a gift from God. You cannot do anything to earn it! However, like any gift, you can choose to accept or reject it. It’s your free choice!

How to Join God’s Family

Q If you had been one of the victims at the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001, what would you have said to God if He had asked you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?”

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Q According to 1 John 5:11-13, and John 3:15-18, what is the one requirement of having eternal life in heaven?

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In the original Greek language, the word “believe” means to:  TRUST IN – CLING TO – RELY UPON.

In other words, “believe” in the original Greek language is an active faith…much like the faith rock climbers have in the rope to hold them secure. Becoming a Christian is putting your faith in Jesus’ death for you on the cross, and in his resurrection for your eternal life.

Accepting God’s Forgiveness

The most important decision you will ever make in life is to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. Coming to Jesus is not about “giving up” anything in your life. Rather, it is about accepting God’s forgiveness by faith.

Personal Invitation

In order to receive God’s forgiveness for your sins, you must personally invite Jesus Christ into your life (John 1:12). God knows your thoughts and motives. He desires you to come to Him in faith and humbleness, thanking Him for his death for you on the cross. You receive Jesus Christ into your life by personally asking Him to come into your life and forgive your sins.

Q Have you ever personally invited Jesus into your life? If so, when?

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If you haven’t every invited Jesus into your life, simply pray the following words, trusting Him to answer you.

“Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for all my sins–past, present, and future. Thank you for giving me eternal life, which you made possible by your death and resurrection. I receive You as my Savior by faith, and desire You to be Lord of my life.”

Date: ______________

Where Are You Going After You Die?

Q Read 1 John 5:11-13. If you have Jesus Christ in your life, what are you sure of?

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Q Once you have put your faith in Christ, is there anything that can separate you from God’s love? What does Romans 8:38-39 tell us?

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Q Will Christ ever leave you? What does Hebrews 13:5 have to say?

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Q For how long will God forgive your sins? Read Hebrews 8:12.

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As God’s child He will always love you—even when you fail Him. He will never give up on you—even when you give up on Him. Never quit running the race!

Your Inheritance In Christ

As a Christian, you are granted an inheritance. Take time to read the following verses that tell you about your inheritance in Christ, and thank God for giving it to you.

• Your sins are completely forgiven (Colossians 2:13-14).
• You become a child of God—forever (John 1:12).
• Christ actually comes into your life (Revelations 3:20).
• The Holy Spirit is your guarantee (2 Corinthians 1:22).
• Christ gives you his nature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

SATAN: Satan is a vicious enemy who will aim to destroy you and your walk with Christ. The Bible calls him a “roaring lion” who is always looking to destroy believers (1 Peter 5:8). His biggest weapon is to keep you away from God’s Word…and your dependency on Christ. Then he can launch his weapons of doubt and discouragement. You don’t need to fear him. He can only defeat you if you let him. Prepare for battle (Ephesians 6:10-18)!

THE WORLD: Although there is nothing wrong with money or material success, it is very easy to get so focused on possessions and success, that God becomes secondary to personal ambition. God wants to be your first and highest focus in life…and you will only be truly satisfied when you give Him his rightful place (Matthew 6:33).

“FLESHLY” DESIRES: We all are assaulted daily by images and desires that are outside the will of God. This includes temptations such as sex outside of marriage, gossip, anger, addictions, and other destructive behavior (Galatians 5:17).

As you grow in Christ, you will experience more and more victory over these attacks. Your growth in Christ, and your victory over temptation will largely depend on you following God’s growth plan. In the Christian life you are either growing or shrinking.

Growth is God’s Plan for You

God’s growth plan for you as a Christian is as follows:

1. Walk in the Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit–lesson 2).
2. Trust God with your life (Faith–lesson 3).
3. Know and trust God’s Word (God’s Word–lesson 4).
4. Pray to God (Prayer–lesson 5).
5. Fellowship with other Christians (Fellowship–lesson 6).
6. Obey Christ (Obedience–lesson 7).

Connecting the Pieces

Extreme living with Christ begins to take shape as the pieces of the puzzle connect.

If you are serious about growing in your new relationship with Christ, then spend time going through the next lessons—looking up the Bible verses—and telling God you want to live the extreme life He has planned for you