A Simple Plan

How To Know You've Been Born Again

God knows you. He wants you to know him.

That anxiety we feel, that knot in our stomach and the uncertainty over what life holds in store for us: a lot of that is really not about what we have but about what we need. We fill our lives with things, hoping to fill that need, but material things and even people can never address what’s really bothering us.

Getting to know God begins with a simple acknowledgement that we are not perfect. That we’ve made mistakes, that we’ve done wrong: that we’re tired of living empty and purposeless lives. That we want more (Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God). We know doing wrong has consequences, but God is offering us a way out (Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord). That way out is Jesus Christ (John 1:12: …to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God).

Many churches offer what is usually called “A Sinner’s Prayer,”
which is a bit misleading because it makes people think THEY are sinners while WE are perfect. Knowing Christ will not make you perfect. We who believe in Christ are merely sinners saved by grace—God’s generosity and kindness. We still make mistakes. We still struggle with faults. But we have a friend in God.

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Lost And Found

Every Journey Begins With A Simple Plan

What if I’m not ready?
There is no “getting ready” to know God. There is nothing you can do to clean up your house, to mow the yard, before He arrives. Trying to fix yourself is a waste of time. If we could fix ourselves, we wouldn’t need God. If we could save ourselves, there’d have been no need for Christ to die for us.

What if I don’t believe in God?
Tell Him that. Seriously: keeping secrets from God is an utter waste of time—He knows you better than you know yourself. God doesn’t respond to the things we say or even the things we do. God responds to our motives, to our intentions. The more honest you are with Him, the closer He can come to you. So, why not start with what might seem a silly prayer: “God, I’m not sure I even believe in you. But I want to. Please come closer to me, please help me believe.”

This prayer is not a magic bullet.

It’s not like, Shazam! Say these words and you’re in. remember, God responds to our motives, to what’s in our heart. Share yours with Him today:

Lord Jesus, I’ve done a lot of wrong things in my life. Things I’m not proud of. Things I wish I could change. I’m sorry for those things I’ve done, and for those things I am now doing. Lord, I don’t want to live this way anymore. I believe that You died for me. I believe that You rose again, according to the scriptures, and that You live today. I believe You want to be my friend. I want to be Yours.

You are welcome in my life. In my heart. In my choices. In my values. I will follow You and I will trust you. I believe that, through You, I can have a new life. A better life.

Thank You, Lord, for answering this prayer. For coming into my heart and my life. Please let your Holy Spirit lead me, guide and protect me as I spend the rest of my life, from this day forward, serving only You. I count this done in the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen.

What's Next?
Get a Bible. Get a good one. We recommend the Zondervan NIV Student Bible. Get a Prayer Partner, somebody you trust. Somebody who’s not a busybody or a big mouth. Someone who will check on you and make sure you’re okay. Someone you can share your struggle with. Find A Good Church Home. It really is important to belong to a church family. And, there you are: on the road to a new life and new experiences like one you’ve ever known. Learn to love and trust God, and you’ll find a life more full and rewarding than you’ve ever known. This is the most important thing you can ever do with your life.

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TD Jakes Excerpt copyright © 2012 TD Jakes Ministries. All Rights Reserved. A Simple Plan essay copyright © 2012 PraiseNet eMedia. All Rights reserved. Except as noted, text copyright © 2012 Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church. All Rights Reserved.
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