The title sounds like something you'd see in a church. But, this isn't a church. It's a website. Let me start by introducing myself, and I'll explain.
I know the Lord personally. This may sound like a big claim, but you can, too. He called His disciples His friends, after all. Anyone who asks, He will come in to them. And, all it takes is simple faith.
I call this "Grace Through Faith Fellowship" for 3 reasons: 1. Ephesians 2:8-9 tell us that's how to get to Jesus - "by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast"; 2. It's not a church, but it will hopefully encourage fellowship (which means having things in common) - you can read it, and draw closer to God through His Word, the Bible, and through prayer, at any time (I'll post links later about how to find a good church, but here's a good message board for fellowshipping with other believers - well, I can do that here, http://www.rr-bb.com/); and, 3. It is all about faith.
I came to know Jeus by faith in college after knowing all the facts about Him as a child. I may have prayed a prayer with someone, but I might well have done so only becuase someone said to, not becuase I really understood that I needed to receive His forgiveness personally. When I started reading the New Testament, though, I started to realize why Jesus had come - it was for me, personally, just as it was for anyone. I, personally, was a sinner who needed His blood to cleanse me of my sin.I trusted that He'd died for me, and risen fromt he dead, personally. Once I did this, He made me a new creature on the inside. He can do that for anyone, and I encourage anyone who reads to put their trust in His to forgive them and save them.
See, God is a God of love and mercy - but He's also a God of justice. Which, given how badly some people may have treated you, should make you glad. He will repay; but, in the meantime, He calls us according to His mercy. Those who do mean things will not be in Heaven unless they let God make them new on the inside.
However, we have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God. I never smoked, drank, cursed, or any other really bad stuff, but I was still a sinner in my thoughts and attitudes at times. I still lied at times. I fell short of His perfect glory. that's why I needed saved. And, if you're like me, you still need saved, too - even if you haven't done anything really bad.
Jesus will save you, if you just trust Him; trust what He did for you as paying the whole price for your sin, that His death, burial, and resurrection was for you. Repent - turn from your sins in your heart - and receive Him as your Savior.
If I write nothing else, this will be enough, but I will write more. I'll start other blogs that cover different topics, including a book I'm writing I want all to see, and pass on, abut ledership in the home. I'll try my best to show an example of God's love and compassion, but also will be sure to state our fallen nature and need for hIm.
So, that's it for now. Remember, God doesn't want us to be mindless robots. He wants us to love HIm willingly. Just as He gave Himself willingly. And, no matter what you've done, you just did so because of your sin nature; you're not a sinner because you did x, y, and z, you're a sinner because of that human nature, that freedom of choice God gives us. We're sinners even if we only do the "little" ones.
God doesn't want us to boast - most people I know don't like to hear boasting, either. So, He made it so we'd all get to heaven the same way - through faith in what He did, not belief in what we do. Any religion is about man reaching up to God - but, God reached down to us.
So, I'll add more in time, but but now, what will you do with Jesus? I pray you'll receive Him.
