How God Got Right With Me by Tom Owen

Someone would say, “You must mean how you got right with God.” No, I mean how God got right with me. Then someone says, “You make it sound like God did something wrong to you and had to apologize to you to make things right. Is that what you mean?” No... that's not what I mean at all. Let me explain by giving you an absurd illustration:

Let's say I am alone on a island. My appendix bursts and if I am going to live I must have surgery. Now let's pretend since I am the only one on the island that I cut my abdomen open and find the appendix and surgically remove it and then clean up all of the poison, then sew myself back up and give myself antibodies. Pretty far fetched isn't it. But now let's go just a little more absurd. Let's say that I am armless. No arms, no hands. Now that which is absurd becomes laughable. Tom you say... in that case you are dead. Say your prayers because you are about to meet your maker.

Now you get the picture. You see... we are spiritually dead. (1) We are just as incapable of saving ourselves as an armless man is of performing surgery on himself. Nothing we can do can make us right in the eyes of God. (2) Then we are hopelessly lost you say. Yes. We are hopelessly lost.

Now God steps in. He taps us on the shoulder so to speak. (3) He is the initiator of the relationship. In a still small voice (usually) (4) He says are you happy with the way things are going? (5) You know that you are going to die someday. (6) What will happen to you after that? Would you like to turn to me and listen to what I have to say? At this point we have a choice. Draw close to God and He will draw close to us, (7) or we can say not now, I've got to much going on. But the point is God makes the first move.

Now if you listen to God's voice and turn to Him, He will reveal to you that someone has paid a ransom to free you from your kidnappers.(8) You say who kidnapped me? Well, somewhere along life's journey you knew right from wrong and decided to do wrong. We all have. (9) At that point you unknowingly surrendered your soul to the powers of darkness. You knew what you were doing was wrong, and you did it because you wanted to. And that was your right to do so. But the consequence of sin is death and after death comes eternal life, either in hell or in heaven. (10)

So if after God has your attention if you turn to Him and listen to Him He will guide into all truth. (11) He will show through His the Word the Bible, and through his Holy Spirit. and though other people He has rescued from hell. (12) As you learn about the one who paid the ransom for you, you have another decision to make. Will you believe this or reject it? (13) Again, the choice is yours. But if you decide to continue to draw closer to God He will continue to draw closer to you. But remember, He started this relationship.

Now the Bible teaches that the life of the body is in the blood. (14) For that reason God has always said that without the shedding of innocent blood there can be no forgiveness of sins. (15) In the days before Jesus died on the cross an innocent animal, like a lamb without blemish had to be slain, his blood sprinkled, his meat burnt, and the one who brought the lamb to the priest had to have sorrow in his heart for the sins he had committed. (16) Then after centuries of animal sacrifices God sent Jesus from Heaven to the earth to become the final sacrifice for sin. (17) Jesus was if you will a lamb without blemish. Since He never sinned, he was worthy of becoming the final sacrifice for sin. After His death He was sealed in a grave. (18) Then on Sunday morning by the power of God He arose from the dead. (19) For the next 40 days He appeared on and off to over 571 people. (20) Then He told His followers to wait in Jerusalem until they received the power of God. (21) On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the believers going inside them, empowering them, and living within them until they died. (22) Ever since that day when the church was born, every person who puts their faith in Christ receives forgiveness and the power of the Holy Spirit living in them. (23)

So God has built a bridge to Heaven. There is only one way and that is through Jesus. (24) If we pray to Him, confessing we are sinners and asking Him to forgive us for our sins, He will hear that prayer and come into our life and make us a new person.(25) Jesus called this being born again. (26)

I can't give you magic words that will save you. God sees your heart. If you really want forgiveness, He is ready to give it to you. (27) In your own words pray to Him. Express to Him that you know you have done wrong. Tell Him you are sorry for your sins. Tell Him you believe He was crucified for your sins and that He arose from the grave. Ask Him to forgive you and come into your life in a personal way. Then thank Him that He loves you. Thank Him for forgiveness. Thank Him for initiating a relationship that will last forever. (28) Then ask Him to lead you to a church where the Word of God is taught, where you can feel the Spirit of God and you can worship Him and become the person He he wants you to be. (29)

I hope that now you can see, it's not how I got right with God. It's how God got right with me by building a bridge through Jesus and then showing me how to trust Christ as my personal Saviour. He wants to be your Saviour too. Will you trust Him today?

(1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesiahs 2:1

(2) Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:9

(3) And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

John 12:32 (KJV)

(4) the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, 1 Kings 19:12-13 (KJV)

(5) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt 11:28 (KJV)

(6) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Heb 9:27 (KJV)

(7) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. James 4:8 (KJV)

(8) Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matt 20:28 (KJV)

Who gave himself a ransom for all, 1 Tim 2:6 (KJV)

(9) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:10-12 (KJV)

(10) For the wages of sin is death; Romans 6:23 (KJV)

(11) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: John 16:13 (KJV)

(12) it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1 Cor 1:21 (KJV)

(13) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matt 7:13-14 (KJV)

(14)  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: Lev 17:11 (KJV)

(15) without shedding of blood is no remission. Heb 9:22 (KJV)

(16) Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: Ex 12:5 (KJV)

(17) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 1 Peter 1:19 (KJV)

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29 (KJV)

(18)  So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. Matt 27:66 (KJV)

(19) And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matt 28:5-6

(20) To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: Acts 1:3 (KJV)

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

Mark 16:9 (KJV)

After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. Mark 16:12 (KJV)

 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. Matt 28:9 (KJV)

The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. Luke 24:34

Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, Mark 16:14

Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. John 21:12-14 (KJV)

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: Matt 28:16-17 (KJV)

And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 1 Cor 15:4-8

(21) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Luke 24:49 (KJV)

(22) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)

 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Eph 4:30 (KJV)

(23)  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Matt 3:11 (KJV)

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, 1 Cor 12:13

(24)  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 (KJV)

(25) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13 (KJV)

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor 5:17 (KJV)

(26) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

(27) Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)

(28) him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. John 6:37 (KJV)

(29)  I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Psalms 122:1 (KJV)

 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Heb 10:25 (KJV)