Life today is tough, there's no doubt about that.  Some days it seems as if nothing is going right and nothing will ever be better.  The Bible says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)  God wants you to live with hope for your future and with His unconditional love.  He loves you and has a purpose for your life. 

But we are all sinners.  We are not perfect.  And this keeps us from God.  God wants you to live forever in heaven with Him, but no matter how many good things you do, these alone will not get you to heaven.  And without the hope of eternal life in heaven, what is there?  God loves you so much that He has provided forgiveness for your sin.  Jesus is your answer.  He is God and yet He became a man.  He died a horrible death for you nailed to a cross.  The good news is that Jesus was raised from the dead and lives again!

Now that you know this, the rest is up to you.  It's your choice.  God will not force His way into your heart.  You must do several things by yourself.  You must repent your sin.  This isn't just feeling sorry for your wrong doing, but turning to God and away from sin, sort of like making a U-turn in your life.  You must decide to place your faith in Jesus.  Just believing the facts about Jesus isn't faith.  You must truly trust in Jesus.  You must be willing to put Him in control of your life.  Only then will you be able to get closer to God.   Jesus said "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)  

One of the most familiar Bible verses of all time is John 3:16, which says, "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."  You can live a full and meaningful life and receive God's gift of eternal life right now.

 The next thing you must do is tell God about it.  You must pray to God and tell Him how you feel.  Your prayer might go something like this:

Dear God, I know that Jesus is Your Son, and that He died on the cross and was raised from the dead.  I know I have sinned and need forgiveness.  I am willing to turn from my sins and receive Jesus as my Savior and Lord.  Thank You for saving me.  In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.

Whether you pray these words or similar words of your own, you have just made the most important decision in your life.  If you sincerely prayed this prayer, you can be assured that God has heard you and has granted you eternal life. 

Now that you have put God in charge of your life, you will want to learn more about Him and His love for you.  You will want to identify with Him and be around others that have Him as Lord of their lives.  The church can help you grow as a Christian by providing Bible study, a chance to worship God with others, and Christian love.   The church will encourage you as you begin your journey to be closer to God.

Attend church on Sunday.  Tell the pastor about your decision to ask God to lead your life.  Matthew 10:32 tells us to profess our faith in the Lord publicly, "Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven."   Then Acts 2:41 tells us to follow Him in baptism and church membership: "Those who accepted His message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."