LEAVE ME ALONE

You may have said to God: “Leave me alone. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

GOD MIGHT GRANT YOUR WISH...

Why would God want you in his heaven when you don’t want to be there? If you should die without asking God to forgive you, you will get your wish. You could spend eternity without him, or any evidence of him. No love. No companionship. No change. No hope. Such desolation is called hell.

GOD LOVES YOU...

God has gone to great lengths to make it possible for you to spend eternity with him. The bible tells how God continues to search out his lost people and care for them. He longs to have people respond to his love.

JESUS DIED FOR YOU...

Jesus, God’s only son, decided he would rather die than let you spend eternity in hell. And he did. Though he was innocent, he suffered death on a cross to give you eternal life.

ACCEPT WHAT JESUS DID FOR YOU...

Jesus said in John 8:24 that you will die in your sins if you do not accept him and what he has done on your behalf.

ETERNAL LIFE...

Why put it off any longer? Look around you: do you see anything that is good? What is being offered is eternity with the author of everything good. That life can start now. Ask God to open your heart. Accept what Jesus has done on your behalf and receive eternal life.

DON’T WAIT...

You can accept this atoning sacrifice and receive eternal life now. Or you can put off the decision and hope you don’t die before this question gets resolved.

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE...

• Read John 3:1-21.

• Talk to a friend who loves Jesus.

• Visit a church that clearly explains the redeeming work of Jesus.

• Use this prayer to ask God to forgive you and come into your heart:

God, please do not leave me alone. I accept that Jesus died on the cross for my sins so I can have an eternal relationship with you. Forgive me for living as though you did not exist. Please come into my heart and have your way with me. Amen.

DEVOTION: ATTITUDE

Text: Matt 22: 37

It has been said that attitude is everything. You are not always in control of what happens to you, but you are always in control of how you respond. Your attitude is the only thing you get to control 100% of the time. The Bible uses the word mind to describe your attitude more often than it uses the actual word attitude. However, what you think about leads to actions and those actions lead to habits. Your habits develop your character and your character develops your future. It all starts with your attitude and your mind. What does the Bible say about your attitude?

SEEK THE LORD

...if you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

Where: Right where you are.

When: Now! “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6

Why: Because he loves you. Jesus said: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

How: Pray. Invite Jesus into your life.

...they who seek the LORD will praise him...Psalms 22:26

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Psalms 34:10

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Psalms 105:3

TEEN COMMANDMENTS

1.Don’t let your parents down; they brought you up.

2.Choose your companions with care; you become what they are.

3.Be master of your habits or they will master you.

4.Treasure your time; don’t spend it, invest it.

5.Stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.

6.Select only a date who would make a good mate.

7.See what you can do for others; not what they can do for you.

8.Guard your thoughts; what you think, you are.

9.Don’t fill up on this world’s crumbs; feed your soul on the Living Bread.

10.Give your all to Christ; He gave His all for you.

DEVOTION: TALKING TO GOD

Thank God for all the ways He loves and cares for you. Ask Him to show you how much He wants you to talk with Him daily.

DIVING IN

Line up a number of small glasses next to the kitchen sink. One by one, fill the glasses. Discuss how you could fill every container in your house and water would still flow out of the faucet. In a similar way, God's longing for you won't end.

GOING DEEPER

God is available to you at all times. Just as you can fill another glass with water simply by turning on the faucet, so you can enjoy God's presence by going to Him in prayer. Read Isaiah 30:18: "The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" God wants you to grow closer to Him, to be filled with His love and peace, because He longs for what is best for you. Although God works on your behalf, He wants you to respond to Him, showing a willingness to share your life with Him. One way you can do that is by talking to Him daily.

TALKING TO EACH OTHER

- Who is your favorite person to talk to, and what makes this person your favorite?

- Tell about a time when you really wanted to talk to this person. Why did you long to talk to this person?

- Why might God long to be gracious to you?