| You have indicated that you are ready to take the next step! To get to this page, you've indicated that you already know Christ & you want to take the next step in uncovering the gems in your life. The Diamond Adventures Team is ready to assist you as you take the Challenge! What an exciting journey! You'll uncover gems that you never knew existed! And, when you trust & obey, you'll enjoy the ride of your life! So, fasten your seatbelts & enjoy the journey! Click on one of the questions or issues below (or just scroll down this page) to learn more about what it means to have a dynamic relationship with Christ. You can send us an email at info@diamondadventures.com. Although we will never claim to be Bible scholars, we'll be happy to field any questions you have. If you don't know Christ, click here to read more about taking the first step. Who is God? Who is Jesus? Who is the Holy Spirit? Forgiveness Perseverance Honesty & Integrity Accountability Rededicating Your Life To Christ The answers to these questions are excerpted from the New Believer's Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., copyright © 1996. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. "Who is God? Thousands of years ago, Pharaoh, the Egyptian ruler, posed a question people are still asking today: 'Who is the LORD that I should listen to him?' That's a good question, but it is not an easy subject to tackle. It is difficult for our limited minds to grasp the limitless, eternal God. It has been said, 'If God were small enough for your minds, he wouldn't be big enough for your needs.' For that reason, don't be exasperated if you can't fully understand who God is or why he does certain things. One day, Scripture promises, everything about God and his character will be made perfectly clear to us (1 Corinthians 13:12). But, until then, we will find everything we need to know about him in his Word. Look up the following notes and passages to find out who God is. "1. God is All-Knowing, Ever-present, and All-Powerful The Creator of the universes knows every intimate detail of his creation (see Matthew 10:29-31) 2. God is Holy God's incomparable holiness merits our worship (see Revelation 15:2-4) 3. God is Loving and Just God's justice is tempered by his love (see 2 Peter 3:3-9) 4. God is Personal This characteristic of God sets him apart from the so-called 'gods' of other religions (see Acts 17:22-31) 5. God is in Control It is important to remember that God is still in control even if things around us seem to be in chaos (see Romans 11:33-36) 6. The God of the Bible is the One True God While some insist on the existence of many gods, only the God of the Bible is the true, living God, worthy of our devotion (see 1 Corinthians 8:4-6) Top of Page "Who is Jesus? Throughout history many people have attempted to answer this question. Some have done so accurately, but many have not. Our best source for answering this question is - once again - God's own Word. The Bible presents us with some inescapable truths about Jesus that demand a response. Anyone who seriously studies Scripture to learn more about Jesus must answer two probing questions: (1) 'What do you think of Jesus Christ?' and (2) 'Who is he?' The writer C.S. Lewis made this observation: 'You must make your choice. Either this man was and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to' (Mere Christianity, rev. ed. [New York: Macmillan, 1952]). Jesus was not just a good man. He was - and is - the God-man. Let's examine what the Bible has to say about Jesus. "1. Jesus is Human Jesus became our supreme example as God in human form (see Philippians 2:5-11) 2. Jesus is Divine Even though Jesus became human, he still remained God (see Colossians 1:15-20) 3. Jesus Had a Specific Mission to Accomplish Jesus came to save humankind from sin (see Luke 4:16-21) 4. Jesus Made the Ultimate Sacrifice Jesus endured tremendous pain so that we could enjoy eternity with him (see 1 Peter 2:24) 5. Jesus Has Great Power to Transform People Jesus can change the most unlikely person into one of the most powerful witnesses on his behalf (see Acts 4:1-13) 6. Jesus Has an Eternal Dominion Jesus' Kingdom extends beyond the boundaries of space and time (see Revelation 1:4-8) Top of Page Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the most mysterious member of the Trinity, which includes God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Spirit (or the Holy Spirit). Many struggle with the idea of God being three persons, yet one. Quite honestly, we will never fully grasp the concept this side of heaven. Some, however, have wrongly thought of the Holy Spirit as more of an 'it' than a 'him'. That is probably due in part to biblical descriptions of him as being like the wind or coming upon Jesus in the form of a dove, among other comparisons. Yet these descriptions must be balanced with the descriptions of the other members of the Trinity. For instance, Jesus referred to himself as 'the bread of life,' and 'the good shepherd.' In the same way, God the Father is referred to as 'a refuge' and 'a consuming fire.' Does this mean that Jesus is a loaf of bread or a sheep farmer, or that the Father is a pile of rocks or a blast furnace? Of course not! These are simply metaphors used in Scripture to help communicate God's character. Likewise, the unique descriptions attributed to the Holy Spirit do not imply that the Holy spirit is merely some 'force' or 'power.' Jesus said this about the Holy Spirit: 'When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth...He will tell you about the future' (John 16:13). Note the use of the pronoun he. The Holy Spirit has a distinct personality, and he also has specific work that he wants to do in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ. Explore what the Bible says about him "1. Who the Holy Spirit Helps The Holy Spirit strengthens and empowers followers of Christ (see Acts 2:1-40). 2. How the Holy Spirit Works with the Father and the Son The Holy Spirit works alongside God the Father and Jesus, God's Son, to make our lives pleasing to God (see 1 Peter 1:2). 3. Why god Gives Us the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit's presence in our lives is God's mark of ownership (see Ephesians 1:13-14). 4. How the Holy Spirit Works in Our Lives The Holy Spirit draws us to Christ, enters our life at conversion, and empowers us as we allow him to work in our life (see John 14:15-17). 5. How the Holy Spirit Can Be Sinned Against The book of Acts records an incident in which a couple sinned against the Holy Spirit (see Acts 5:1-10). Why Christians Need the Holy Spirit Living the Christian life is impossible without the Holy Spirit's help (see Galatians 5:16-26)." Top of Page "Forgiveness One of the great principles of the Christian life is forgiveness. Jesus modeled this principle for us when he hung on the cross and prayed for the very people who had put him there (see Luke 23:34). His words were so powerful and unexpected that they brought about the conversion of one of the thieves hanging on a cross next to him. Because Jesus completely forgave us, he wants us to follow his example by forgiving others. As Scripture says: 'Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children' (Ephesians 4:32-5:1). The Bible gives us several important characteristics of the forgiveness we should have for others. "1. Forgiveness First Comes from God Our forgiveness of others should flow from God's forgiveness of us (see Mark 11:25). 2. Forgiveness Knows No Limits For a Christian, no wrong is too great or too small to forgive (see Matthew 18:21-35). 3. Forgiveness Is Not Selective You can't choose to forgive some people and not forgive others (see Matthew 5:43-48). 4. Forgiveness Breaks Down Walls When you choose to forgive, you experience true freedom (see Colossians 3:12-15)." Top of Page "Perseverance There will be times in your Christian walk when you will feel emotionally 'down.' You may think that God has forgotten about you. Or you might become discouraged as you see others who have professed faith in Jesus Christ lose interest in spiritual things and fall away. You may begin to wonder whether you are next on the Devil's 'hit list.' But God will not allow you to be hit with more than you can handle spiritually. In fact, it is during times of trouble that you will actually be strengthened, not weakened. As you read your Bible, you will come across words used when the Bible compares the Christian life to a race. The race referred to is a marathon, not a fifty-yard dash. Because the Christian life is a long-distance run, you need to pace yourself, to persevere, and most of all, to finish the race. Look up the following passages that describe how and why you need to persevere through the inevitable struggles of life. "1. Perseverance Produces Results As you steadily grow in your understanding of God's Word and apply it to your life, you will win others to the Lord (see Luke 8:15). 2. Life's Trials Will Make You Stronger You shouldn't view difficulties as obstacles to your faith, but as opportunities for spiritual growth (see James 1:2-4). 3. Christ Endured Great Pain for Us Jesus modeled the ultimate in endurance so that we would be encouraged to keep our faith strong in the race of life (see Hebrews 12:1-3). 4. God Honors Those Who Persevere A Wholehearted commitment to God will enable you to 'finish well' with your faith intact (see 2 Timothy 4:7-8)." Top of Page Honesty & Integrity Honesty and integrity seem to be in short supply these days. Yet the Bible tells us that they are a part of the godly man's or woman's life. Unfortunately, the world tends to gloss over that aspect of the Christian life. It wants to characterize Christians as people who are out of touch with realty. But the Christian is simply someone who allows God to influence every aspect of his or her life - down to the practical, everyday dealings of business, finances, and relationships. The following passages examine how honesty and integrity should characterize our lives. "1. We Should Be Above Criticism A faithful and honest lifestyle will cause others to be more receptive to your message (see 2 Corinthians 7:2). 2. Our Conduct Should Cause Others to Glorify Christ Living a good, honest life around our unbelieving neighbors will ultimately bring glory to God (see 1 Peter 2:19-20). 3. We Need to Set an Example for Others We must seriously pursue a life of integrity in order to be a solid example for our fellow Christians (see Titus 2:6-8)." Top of Page Accountability Once you receive Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Savior not only do you obtain the privileged gift of eternal life, but you immediately acquire a great responsibility. You have been entrusted with the message of the gospel and are responsible for what you do with it in your life. In the end, we know that what we have done on this earth for Christ will be examined before almighty God and displayed before the rest of the world. The question we must all ask is this: Will what I am doing for Christ and his Kingdom stand the test of time? Those who have done much with what God has given them will be greatly rewarded. Take some time to see what God's Word has to say on this subject. "1. The More We Know, the Greater Our Responsibility Will Be The Lord holds those who have been given positions of spiritual leadership to a higher accountability for what they do (see Luke 12:48). 2. We Are Responsible for Our Own Sins and Mistakes We cannot pass blame onto others for our own failings (see Romans 3:23). 3. We Need to Invest Our Abilities and Resources in God's Kingdom God has graciously given us abilities and resources to invest in the expansion of his Kingdom (see Luke 19:11-26). 4. The Value of Our Work on Earth Will Be Tested On Judgment Day, the quality of our faith and the work we have done for Jesus Christ will be revealed and rewarded accordingly (see 1 Corinthians 3:10-15)." Top of Page "Rededicating Your Life to Christ Perhaps you are already a Christian but you have strayed from Jesus Christ. You have been a prodigal son or daughter. God will forgive you right now if you will return to him. He tells us in Scripture, 'My wayward children, come back to me and I will heal your wayward hearts' (Jeremiah 3:22). If you would like to return to God and rededicate your life to him right now, you may want to pray something like this: God, I am sorry for my sin. I am sorry that I have strayed from you. I ask you to forgive me now as I repent of my sin. I don't want to live like a prodigal any longer. Renew and revive me as I once again follow you as my God. Thank you for your forgiveness. In Jesus' name I pray, amen." Top of Page |
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