Girls Life Application Study Bible - Flipbook - Page 48
Jesus gave his life on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
He did this because of God’s love for us. We were sinners and
totally separated from him, deserving nothing but punishment.
God’s plan and Christ’s sacrifice for us were completely
undeserved. Paul calls this a “gift.” Listen to this amazing
verse: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Eternal life is free—a gift. We only have to receive it. But
how does that happen? Accepting God’s gift of eternal life is
simple but very serious. It means talking to God—praying—
and giving your life to him. This prayer has three parts:
Admitting: This means acknowledging that you are
a sinner, that you can never be good enough to earn
forgiveness for your sins and eternal life, and saying
that you are sorry for your attitude and actions that
displease God.
Jesus told his disciples: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give
you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy
Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him,
because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you
know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”
John 14:16-17
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who
lives in you and was given to you by God? 1 Corinthians 6:19
Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit
because of what Christ has done for us. Ephesians 2:18
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control. Galatians 5:22-23
Believing
: This means affirming that you truly
believe that Jesus, who is fully God and fully human,
died on the cross for you, taking the penalty for your
sins, and that he rose from the dead to make eternal
life possible for you.
: Here is where you go beyond believing
the facts about Jesus and give your entire life to him.
Committing
Your prayer could sound something like this: “Dear God, I
admit that I am sinner, totally deserving to be punished. I’m
sorry for my sinful attitudes and actions, and I confess them
to you. I believe in you, Jesus. Thank you for dying on the
cross in my place. Now I ask you to come into my life and
take over. I give myself to you, no strings attached. Thank you
for giving me eternal life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
The results
If you prayed that prayer and really meant it, the Bible says
that you have become a child of God and that the Holy Spirit
has come to live inside you, to empower you to live the right
way, and to make you more and more like Jesus.
5.2
THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES
OF GOD’S CHILDREN. CHECK IT OUT!
First steps to following
THe Gift
Praying and accepting Christ as your Savior is the
first step on a great journey with God, your Father.
To help you at the beginning of this life journey,
here are TEN DEVOTIONALS to guide you as
you take the next steps. Do one each day for the
next ten days. Begin by deciding on a specific
place and time for your daily time with God. Get
a small notebook to use as a journal. Then make
sure your journal and this Bible are available for
your times with God.
5.3
