Contentment

I am going through really difficult times with no relief in sight, how can I find peace and contentment?

It is natural to go to God for comfort or relief from the difficult situations we face in this life. From strained relationships to life-changing tragedies we do not welcome strife. To know that God offers more than mere endurance is a powerful truth, one we too often overlook. We encourage you to continue to seek His comfort and strength; we also encourage you to not view the present situation as one which should only be endured until relief comes. We find contentment when we believe there is reason and purpose for our circumstances. If you are a child of God, you know that your life belongs to God, and nothing can come into your life unless He allows it. Believe that with all your heart, and look about expectantly for what God is doing in you or through you. Review the stories of Joseph and Daniel. Both stories reveal marvelous works of God occurring in the suffering of His own. Look also at Paul. How many were won to a saving knowledge of Jesus because Paul did not wait for all issues to be resolved before he expected to be used; he was used where he was (Acts 16:22-36). And He was able to rejoice and be content regardless of what life brought (Philippians 4:11-13).

We know that you may be hurting, physically in pain, and tired of the battle. Turn from those things and look at the life of your dear Savior. He was led to the desert, tired, hungry, and scorched by the sun. Look at Him on the way to the cross, once again in pain--through no fault of His own. He understands your suffering, and He will not allow it to be wasted. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).

How might God work through you to bring healing to your situation? Are you willing to give up your "right" to sympathy in order to receive real peace, in order to become more like Christ? If so, we encourage you to lift your eyes to the Lord. How is God providing you with comfort and assurance of His care? He has promised to walk with you and to help you to bear this burden (Matthew 11:28). He promises that He has a plan for your life (Jeremiah 29:11), and that He has work for you to do (Ephesians 2:10). Your present days are part of that plan. Pray for solutions; but until they come, let every moment be used to glorify God and to make you more like Christ. "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me" (Colossians 1:29).

May the God of comfort and peace be your daily strength according to His promise in Isaiah 41:10, which states: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Suffering - back to the top

Why does God allow suffering in the world?

There are no easy answers to the question of the purpose of suffering and evil. The tendency is to blame God for these conditions, but He did not create them. They came as a result of man's disobedience to God, beginning back in the Garden of Eden; see Genesis 3:16-19. Often suffering and adversity are brought about by disregard of God's will or by the direct efforts of Satan or by natural disasters in a physical world which is also affected by man's sin and the resulting judgment. God, however, has offered the most effective solution possible by giving His Son to die for all. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price when He suffered and died on the cross, having taken upon Himself the sin of the world and all of its horrible consequences. When Jesus returns in power and glory, there will be a new world completely free from sin with its sorrow and suffering (Revelation, chapters 21 and 22). . We can be sure that God in His divine purpose desires to bring about in us the greatest good and to allow suffering to be a means of discipline through which love, patience, grace, and faith may be cultivated in our lives. God never asks us to understand; we need only trust Him in the same way that we expect our earthly children to trust our love. Peace comes when we realize we are able to see only a few threads in the great tapestry of life and of God's plan. Then we can affirm with great joy and assurance that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). The way we react to suffering will determine whether life's most tragic experiences bring bitterness and despair or become sources of blessing. The greatest joy will come when, in the midst of adversity, we look up into His face and say, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:18). It is then that His promise will be most meaningful, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).

Prayer - back to the top

What is prayer?

 

Prayer is spiritual communication between man and God, a two-way relationship in which man should not only talk to God but also listen to Him. Prayer to God is like a child's conversation with his father. It is natural for a child to ask his father for the things he needs.

There are many promises in God's Word to encourage us to pray, such as: "He shall call upon me and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him" (Psalm 91:15); "And it shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24); "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). The Scriptures tell us that we are to pray for one another and also assure us that God hears and answers prayer.

When you receive Christ into your heart, you become a child of God and have the privilege of talking to Him in prayer at any time about anything. The Christian life is a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ. And best of all, it is a relationship that will last for all eternity.

Addiction - back to the top

How can I get free from addiction?

Addiction, in any form, can cause inner tensions and frustration which you may feel powerless to overcome. God longs to set you free through Jesus Christ our Lord; see Romans 6:11-14. The Bible says, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36, NKJV). Make certain that you have made your commitment to Christ now by asking God to forgive and cleanse you of your sins and give you life eternal. After you have done this, believe that God has forgiven you and made you His child; read John 1:12, Romans 10:13, and 2 Corinthians 5:17. See Steps to Peace With God.

None of us is strong enough to overcome temptation in our own strength, but God will give us the strength; see Philippians 4:13. First Corinthians 10:13 states: "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (NKJV). Note that it is God who provides the way of escape. Read 1 John 3:8. Talk to the Lord many times a day, asking for His help. Read your Bible and fill your mind with thoughts from His Word. The Word of God will have a purifying effect on your life; see Psalm 119:11.

The old sinful lifestyle must now be replaced with the new life in Christ. This requires the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to replace the old habits with new. Avoid companionship with those that influence you to indulge in sinful activities. Make a list of those activities and habits you want changed. Set some positive goals for your life, and with God's strength go after them. Take the initiative and seek the counsel of a gospel-teaching pastor or other dedicated Christian worker.

Teen Challenge National and Overcomers Outreach are organizations which have been very effective in leading people of all ages to Christ and to recovery from addictive behaviors. They have developed proven programs of spiritual therapy, based upon the Bible, which have been instrumental in enabling many to enjoy purposeful, constructive lives. If you will contact them, they may be able to help you. They have branches in many cities. Their headquarters mailing addresses are: Teen Challenge National, P. O. Box 1015, Springfield, Missouri 65801, telephone: (800) 814-5628 (USA) or (417) 862-6969 (Canada); and Overcomers Outreach, 520 North Brookhurst, Suite 121, Anaheim, California 92801, telephone: (800) 310-3001.

Pornography - back to the top

How can I overcome my addiction to pornography?

We appreciate your honesty in sharing your struggle with pornography. Easy access to pornography on the Internet has become a trap for many in recent years, resulting in personal suffering, broken marriages, and unhappy homes.

God gave the gift of sex to us. He intended for it to be something wonderful, producing new life and marital pleasure. But that gift becomes destructive when we make it a means for our own selfish gratification, instead of an expression of love within marriage, as God intended. When we use sex selfishly, we see others merely as things instead of people--humiliating and debasing people. Pornography serves to inflame our lusts, and our lusts easily make us their slaves.

If a person responds to a sexual temptation by willfully entertaining a lustful fantasy or by an intention to act immorally, Jesus indicates that he is committing sexual sin in his heart; see Matthew 5:27-38. Things are not as hopeless as they may seem, because God promises victory over temptation. The Bible says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). However, it is important that we do our part by avoiding the places and things which trigger lust and by focusing our mind on Christ and things that are wholesome (Colossians 3:1-4; Philippians 4:8).

Avoiding pornographic sites on the Internet may require using filtering software, placing our computer in an area of our home where it can be observed by others, giving someone access to our saved files, or eliminating use of the Internet altogether. Radical problems require radical solutions if we are to walk in the freedom Christ desires for us. For information about software to filter out pornographic sites contact Focus on the Family, P. O. Box 35500, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80935, telephone: (719) 531-3400; website: www.family.org.

It would be wise to share the fact of your struggle with a trusted friend or a support group. Being accountable to someone can help you pursue the freedom you desire. Sharing your struggle with a gospel-preaching pastor or a professional Christian counselor would also be very useful. Books which you may find helpful are How to Overcome a Stubborn Habit by Erwin Lutzer, Finding the Freedom of Self-Control by William Backus, and False Intimacy by Harry Schaumburg. These books would be available at most Christian bookstores.

How To Become A Christian - back to the top

The central theme of the Bible is God's love for you and for all people. This love was revealed when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world as a human being, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. Because Christ died, your sins can be forgiven, and because He conquered death you can have eternal life. You can know for sure what will become of you after you die.

You have probably heard the story of God's love referred to as the "Gospel." The word Gospel simply means "Good News." The Gospel is the Good News that, because of what Christ has done, we can be forgiven and can live forever.

But this gift of forgiveness and eternal life cannot be yours unless you willingly accept it. God requires an individual response from you. The following verses from the Bible show God's part and yours in this process:

God's love is revealed in the Bible
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

God loves you. He wants to bless your life and make it full and complete. And He wants to give you a life which will last forever, even after you experience physical death.

We are sinful
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
You may have heard someone say, "I'm only human--nobody's perfect." This Bible verse says the same thing: We are all sinners. We all do things that we know are wrong. And that's why we feel estranged from God--because God is holy and good, and we are not.

Sin has a penalty
"For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

Just as criminals must pay the penalty for their crimes, sinners must pay the penalty for their sins. If you continue to sin, you will pay the penalty of spiritual death: You will not only die physically; you will also be separated from our holy God for all eternity. The Bible teaches that those who choose to remain separated from God will spend eternity in a place called hell.

Christ has paid our penalty!
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, has paid the penalty for all your sins. You may think you have to lead a good life and do good deeds before God will love you. But the Bible says that Christ loved you enough to die for you, even when you were rebelling against Him.

Salvation is a free gift
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The word grace means "undeserved favor." It means God is offering you something you could never provide for yourself: forgiveness of sins and eternal life, God's gift to you is free. You do not have to work for a gift. All you have to do is joyfully receive it, Believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ died for you!

Christ is at your heart's door
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20).

Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with you. Picture, if you will, Jesus Christ standing at the door of your heart (the door of your emotions, intellect and will). Invite Him in; He is waiting for you to receive Him into your heart and life.

You must receive Him
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).

When you receive Christ into your heart you become a child of God, and have the privilege of talking to Him in prayer at any time about anything. The Christian life is a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ. And best of all, it is a relationship that will last for all eternity.

Steps to Peace with God shows another way to look at the Gospel-- the Bible's Good News of forgiveness and eternal life.

How To Live the Christian Life

Now that you are a Christian and are in fellowship with God, you will want to learn more about how to grow closer to Him. The Bible calls this growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).
Here are some things that will help you begin growing as a new Christian:

Read the Bible daily
The Bible is God's inspired Word. Besides revealing the Good News about forgiveness and eternal life, it can also answer the many questions you will have as you try to live a life that pleases God. It will enable you to be "thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:17).

Here are some suggestions as you begin reading the Bible on a daily basis:

1. Try reading the New Testament books in this order:

•  First, read through the Gospel of Luke, a chapter a day. This will help you understand the basic facts about the Gospel.

•  Then read Acts, for the exciting story of how Christ's first disciples spread the Good News of His death and resurrection.

•  Next, read some of the letters that Christ's apostles wrote to these first disciples--all of whom were new in their faith, just like you. These letters include Romans through 3 John.

•  Then, go back and read one of the other three gospels: Matthew, Mark or John.

1. Think about what you read; study and analyze it. Ask your pastor or a mature Christian friend to recommend a good Bible study guide. The Bible not only reveals God to us; it contains greater wisdom than all the other books in the world.
2. Read through the Psalms--the Old Testament book of worship--to enrich your devotion to God.
3. Read Proverbs to gain wisdom and common sense, and to strengthen your relationships with other people.
4. Pray for understanding. The Holy Spirit will help you (Psalm 119:18), and you will begin to see life from God's perspective.
5. Whenever you can, talk with others about what you are learning.

Pray daily
Talk with God often. Talk over your problems with Him. Let Him bear the weight of your troubles. (See Matthew 11:28; 1 Peter 5:7.)

Praise and thank God for who He is and for what He has done for you. Admit your weaknesses. Confess each specific sin that you are aware of. Pray for others that they, too, may receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Suggestions for your daily devotional time:

•  Plan a definite time, preferably in the morning when your mind is fresh and rested. Make it a habit.

•  Select a quiet place where you can be alone with God.

•  Make a list of requests, for others as well as yourself.

•  Read and meditate on a portion of Scripture, then spend time in prayer.

•  As you end your daily time with God, commit the day and yourself to Him.

Learn to depend on the Holy Spirit
God is actually three persons in one: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit actually lives within every true believer in Christ. (See John 14:16-17.)

The Bible says that the Holy Spirit, as He lives inside you, is your counselor, to help you understand the truth revealed in God's Word: "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26).

The Holy Spirit will:

•  teach you

•  guide you

•  strengthen you in your times of need

Attend church regularly
When you received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you began a relationship not only with Him but also with all other Christians. Whatever it meant to you in the past, going to church can now become a rich and rewarding experience:

•  You will grow in understanding by hearing God's Word preached and taught.

•  You can ask questions and discuss Scripture with others.

•  You will learn to worship God, which means praising Him for all that He is and thanking Him for all that He has done for you.

•  As you worship, learn and serve with other Christians, you will find individuals with whom you can form lasting friendships (friendships that will last for all eternity!).

Be of service to others
You will find that the more you give yourself in service to others, the more you will enjoy your Christian life. Talk to your pastor about ways and opportunities to serve Christ and to witness for Him. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

Learn to conquer your doubts
At times you may doubt that you really are a child of God:

•  There may be some big failures in your Christian life.

•  You may find yourself thinking about things that you feel Christians just shouldn't be thinking about.

•  You may be troubled by some unconfessed sin.

When these things happen, it is important to remember that you are not saved by your goodness but by what Christ has already done for you. Review the first few pages of this text. Reassure yourself with the fact that, if you have received Christ by faith, you are now a child of God.

Learn to live one day at a time
Too often our lives become filled with anxiety. We worry ourselves sick about what might happen tomorrow. We try to cross our bridges before ever coming to them!

•  The Bible says we are not to be anxious about what might happen tomorrow. (See Matthew 6:33-34.)

•  The Bible also promises that, "Your strength will equal your days" (Deuteronomy 33:25). In other words, God's grace will be sufficient to meet the challenges of each new day.

Learn the blessing of suffering
Difficulties, ill health and all kinds of suffering have a new perspective when you have Christ in your life:

•  Instead of "going to pieces," you can be strengthened.

•  Instead of being a burden to others, you can be a blessing. As you realize God's power, comfort and strength through life's experiences, you will grow in your faith.

Learn how to deal with temptation
Temptation is a part of life. It was before you received Christ, and it still will be. It is not a sin to have wrong thoughts from time to time. It is, however, a sin to choose to dwell on such thoughts over and over again.

The Bible says, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41). When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He replied to the devil by quoting Scripture. Three times He said, "It is written..." (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). Be prepared for temptation, through prayer and through your knowledge of God's Word.

The Bible says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). Be prepared to take advantage of God's "way out" of temptation, whether it means that you "flee" the scene of the temptation (1 Timothy 6:11), or that you stay on the scene and "resist" it (James 4:7).

Where To Look In Time of Need

When needing courage : Psalm 138:3; Ephesians 6:10-13

When facing danger : Psalm 91; Psalm 121

When you have doubts about your salvation: John 3:16; 1 John 5:11-13

When in doubt of God's power to keep you faithful : Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5

When in financial need: Psalm 34:10; Philippians 4:19

When needing forgiveness : Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 John 1:9

When seeking guidance : Proverbs 3:5-6; James 1:5

When lonely and depressed : Psalm 23; Hebrews 13:5

When your patience is being tried: Romans 8:28-29; James 1:2-4

When seeking peace in a stressful time: John 14:27; 16:33 Philippians 4:6-7

When filled with sinful pride : 1 Corinthians 4:7; Philippians 2:3-8

When burdened with many problems : Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7

When needing rest : Matthew 11:28-30; Galatians 6:9

When driven by selfish desire : Philippians 4:8; 1 John 2:15-17

When facing sorrow : Romans 8:26-28; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

When seeking God's standard : Matthew 5:48; Matthew 22:36-40

When suffering : Psalm 34:19; 2 Corinthians 4:17

When facing temptation : 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:2-4 and 12-15

When being treated unfairly : 1 Peter 2:19-23; 1 Peter 4:12-15

When feeling weak and inadequate : 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Philippians 4:13

How Can You Be Sure of Your Salvation

How Can You Be Sure?
There is a story about a boy flying a kite. The kite was so high that it had disappeared into the clouds. A man came by and asked, "What are you doing, son, holding on to that string?" The boy answered, "I've got a kite up there." The man looked up and said, "I don't see it." The boy replied, "Well, I know it's there because I can feel the tug."

That's like the witness of the Holy Spirit within us. We may not always see the evidence, but we feel a tug in our hearts constantly, letting us know that we are in touch with God. That is the witness of the Holy Spirit.

John's first Epistle is an examination book written so that we might have assurance and not doubt. Besides the witness of the Holy Spirit, five other points are brought out in First John that must characterize us if we are to be sure that we belong to God.

First, we must believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. Someone asked Sundar Singh, the great Indian Christian, why he was a Christian and what he found in Christianity that he couldn't find in the other religions of India. He answered with these two words: "Jesus Christ." There is no other One who died for the sins of the world. There is no other One who rose from the dead. There is no other One who gives the hope that he is going to return and set up his Kingdom.

The Scripture says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."1 Faith carries with it the idea of accompanying assurance. If we have faith, God gives us the assurance, the certainty, the knowledge, that we have passed from death unto life.

Believe
Do you believe? That word "believe" carries with it the idea of total surrender, putting total assurance in what Christ did for us on the cross-not trusting our good works, not trusting our money, not trusting anything, not even church membership, but trusting in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Second, we must have a changed attitude toward sin. What does that mean? Well, 1 John 5:18 says, "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not" (KJV). "Oh, but," you say, "certainly Christians sin." Do you know what "sinneth not" means? It means "does not practice sin." We don't practice sin. Sin is no longer a habit in our lives.

Confess
But suppose we do sin. Suppose we slip and fall. Suppose we yield to temptation for a moment. What happens? We have to confess that sin. Name it to the Lord and say, "Lord, I have sinned." The Scripture says, "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."2 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins."3

Not only are we to confess, but we are to forsake. There's no use repenting of sin and saying, "I'm sorry, Lord, I've sinned," and then going back and repeating it. That's not repentance. Repentance carries with it the idea that we do not repeat it. In other words, sin is no longer a practice in our lives. We may slip and fall from time to time, but it's not a practice. We don't deliberately do it.

That's the reason the Bible teaches that the Christian life is a daily life. The Scripture says we are to "exhort one another daily."4 We are to take up our cross daily. We search the Scriptures daily. And we must renew our fellowship daily. The Scripture says deny self daily. It's hard. We are living in an age when the pressures on us are greater, perhaps, than in any other generation in history.

Third, we must have a desire to obey God. "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments."5 That doesn't mean that we can keep them all the time, but we have a desire to keep them. We want to. We try to, with God's help. We do good, we feed the poor, we visit people in prison. "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."6

Jesus commanded, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel."7 Our Team has been going to every continent, to the nations of the world, declaring that Christ is the Answer, that Christ died to save us, that Christ rose again, that he's coming back. And on every continent, in every culture with every ethnic background and every political ideology, we've seen people by the hundreds say "yes" to Christ.

Partake
Fourth, we must try to be separated from the world. First John 2:15 says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (KJV). What does "the world" mean? That word in Greek is "cosmos," and it means the world system that is dominated by evil. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."8 That means the order, the behavior, the fashion, the entertainment, whatever is dominated by evil. Satan is called "the god of this world" and "the prince of this world." The Bible teaches we are to live in the world, but we are not to partake of the evils of the world.

We are to be separated from the world of evil. "Touch not the unclean thing,"9 says the Lord. When I face something in the world, I ask, Does it violate any principle of Scripture? Does it take the keen edge off my Christian life? Can I ask God's blessing on it? Will it be a stumbling block to others? Would I like to be there, or be reading that, or be watching that, if Christ should return at that time?

Worldliness does not fall like an avalanche upon a person and sweep him or her away. It is the steady drip, drip, drip of the water that wears away the stone. And the world is always exerting a steady pressure on us every day. Most of us would go down under it if it weren't for the Holy Spirit who lives inside us and holds us up and keeps us.

Fifth, we must be filled with the Spirit. The first fruit of the Spirit is love. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."10 The Scripture says, "He that loveth not his brother abideth in death."10 Do you love? Does love dominate your life?

Belong
I'm asking you to make a commitment and be sure that you belong to Christ. You see, Christ took your sins on the cross, those sins are behind God's back. He has forgotten them because of Christ. That is what happens when you come to Christ. He doesn't see your sins, he sees the blood of Christ.

God offers you the greatest and most expensive gift in the whole world-eternal life, but you must receive that gift. God gave his Son. His Son rose from the dead. You can be sure of it. If you truly receive him, you will be sure.

(1) Hebrews 11:1, NASB. (2) 1 John 1:7, KJV. (3) 1 John 1:9, KJV. (4) Hebrews 3:13, KJV. (5) 1 John 2:3, KJV. (6) John 20:21, KJV. (7) Cf. Mark 16:15. (8) 1 John 2:15-16, KJV. (9) 2 Corinthians 6:17, KJV. (10) 1 John 3:14, KJV. The Bible verse marked NASB is taken by permission from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977

What is my Purpose?

Are you seeking purpose in life?

God created us and put us here for a purpose. True and lasting happiness comes only when we know who we are and why we are here, and that comes only when we know God and His will for our lives. Only when we discover His will for our lives will we be truly happy.

If you asked most people what they are seeking in life, they would probably give you one word: happiness. People look for happiness in all kinds of ways. Some try pleasures of various kinds--sex, alcohol, drugs, or physical challenges. Others seek it in money or power or social prestige. Others seek it in personal relationships or family, or even in helping others. The tragedy is that these things seldom bring us anything more than temporary satisfaction, and some of them may even destroy us.

"I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

What are people looking for? They are looking for God, although they may not realize it. Only He can satisfy the empty place in our hearts. And that is true for you as well. Our prayer for you is that you will discover the true meaning of life by committing your life to Jesus Christ.

"You will show me the way of life granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever" (Psalm 16:11 NLT).

If you want to understand more about what it means to commit your life to Jesus Christ, go to Having a relationship with God.

If you would like help in making this decision, e-mail dano@gcwired.com