"Why do I need Jesus?"
If you pick up any newspaper, listen to any news article on the TV, or even look around at the people you are regularly in contact with you will so often see the same thing. Negative people in dire circumstances. People with no hope for the future, lost and confused, not knowing where to turn for the answers they seek. 
Take a look at yourself too. Are you truly confident that the needs of you and your loved ones are constantly going to be met, or are you hoping for something to be around the corner? Maybe the lottery might come up this week, maybe you will find a great new job....if only it would happen everything would be okay!
Well the truth is Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again from the dead, in order to provide exactly what you need. A direct relationship with the One who created you, along with a promise to meet all your needs for ever!
"Why should I follow a God who lets all the terrible things happen in the world?...How do I know He loves me?"
Because God allows us all the free will to make our own choices in life, we so often have a price to pay for our freedom.
How many times as a child did your parents say "Don't do this because such and such will happen!" and then you went ahead anyway and got your fingers burned or your knees grazed? Sometimes the only way we can learn is through our mistakes. The world is full of these wrong choices on a larger scale. So often we make choices based on greed, selfishness, pride and many other negative things, instead of doing what we know is right.
Unfortunately it is up to us to learn from mistakes we make ourselves, and from the mistakes of others. Do you really think that the world would be the same if hatred, jealousy, pride and selfishness were replaced with love, forgiveness, mercy and hope?
God loves you so much that He came to earth in flesh and blood and took on all the sins of the 
world upon Himself and died on a cross that you would be free from them. The price that you should pay for the wrong choices you've made were paid by Him instead. All you have to do is accept His gift of salvation!
"What about all those religious hypocrites?...I hate religion it causes so much trouble!"
It may come as a surprise to you, but Jesus showed utter contempt for religious hypocrisy. He didn't call people to be self righteous. Standing and pointing the finger of judgment at people they think lesser than they are, while at the same time doing all sorts of things behind closed doors!
He calls upon us to be honest enough to recognise that whilst we all do things we're not proud of, we just don't have the strength of will to change our ways. Try as we might, we can never be the person we would truly like to be. He calls upon us to be humble enough to accept His forgiveness and allow our old lives to die that we can find new life in Him. We truly are offered a chance to wipe the slate clean and live a different life that matches the one we can only dream of, but by His strength and not our own!
With regard to those who call themselves religious but offer nothing but judgment, the Bible speaks quite clearly. In the final day they will see Jesus and call out "Lord,Lord!" and He will reply by turning His back and saying "Go away, I do not know you!"
"How can anyone know that the Bible is true?...It's full of contradictions!"
How many times have you heard this said, and the people who say it have never picked a Bible up in their life?! Yes it is true that the Bible may seem like a dusty old book that means nothing to you, but if you have no relationship with God, how can you expect His Word to mean anything to you?
When we commit our life to God, He constantly speaks to us. Through our circumstances, our dreams, our thoughts we hear His voice. But best of all His Word in scripture becomes alive to us. We begin to understand what we have actually inherited through Jesus Christ,
and His Word in the Bible serves to remind us of all the treasure in heaven that is available to us, if only we believe!
How many times have you been between a rock and a hard place, you've tried everything to get over a certain situation but nothing has worked. Eventually you pray..."God, just help me out this once and I promise...." and hey presto, it all works out in the end...what a coincidence! This was no coincidence, it was God who heard and answered your cry for help! Just because you don't profess to believe in Him, doesn't mean He doesn't exist. But when you do believe there are absolutely no limits on what God can achieve in your life!
"I'm not interested....I'll just live my life, not hurt anyone intentionally, and let others live the life they choose....now leave me alone!"
If this is your answer to anyone who shares the Gospel with you, then it your answer to God as well.
No person on the face of the earth can force you to believe anything you don't want to, but it is up to Christians to at least open your eyes to the truth they believe with all their hearts.
Whether you believe it or not you were created by God. He knows everything about you and yet still loves you. He has provided a way for you to be with Him in a close relationship that you cannot experience any other way. He constantly works throughout the circumstances you find yourself, calling your name in the hope you will respond to His voice. He has paid the price for your failures by dying in your place, and has a place prepared for everyone who seeks to be with Him, regardless of what you've done or will do. The promise He gives is not just to go to heaven when you die (no-one can tell you what that's like for certain!) But He offers you life to the full from the moment you surrender to His will, for all eternity! Don't you think it is at least in your best interests to test if this is true before it's too late?
If what has been said has touched you in any way at all I urge you to do the following things:
1. Find a place where you can be alone for a while and have a talk with God yourself. Ask Him to reveal the truth in your heart and mind, and ask Him to give you faith to believe in His son Jesus Christ. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins and give you a new life in replace of your old one. Ask Him to give you His Holy Spirit that you can begin to understand the sacrifice He has made on your behalf, and truly come to know Him in a personal way. It is crucial you understand that Jesus did not die that you could just be forgiven for the sins you have committed, but in order that you could quite literally die to your old life and become made new with the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Either buy or borrow a Bible immediately, it is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you will ever do. You will find many books around with all sorts of clever teaching about, some good and some bad. However if you want to know what God wants to teach you, then the ONLY PLACE to begin is by prayerfully and humbly reading what is revealed to you in the Bible. You will also find out why it is called the "Living Word", as so often the Lord can speak to you in different ways through exactly the same words. Sounds strange I know, but believe me it is most definitely true!
3. Pray for guidance in choosing a church fellowship where you can meet with other likeminded believers. Please do not rush into the nearest church there is for it may not be where God wants to lead you. It will save a lot of future heartache if you learn to submit freely to the guidance of the Holy Spirit from the beginning, and you will benefit in so many ways. If you are local to Southampton, you will be warmly welcomed here at Restoration Christian Church, whether you choose to stay permanently or not.
4. Don't live a life of apathy! It would be easier for all of us to drift along without making a stand for what we believe, but it gets us nowhere. We all need a firm foundation to base our lives upon that is not going to crumble when the rain and wind comes along, but so few of us actually do.
5. Remember that you are solely responsible for the choices you make in life, so choose the Way that leads to life, and allow the light of the Holy Spirit shining through your life to lead others by your example to Jesus Christ also. Don't worry about what you may try to say to convince others that you know the way to eternal life, just concentrate on surrendering you own life fully in every way to the Lord Jesus Christ, even when it is painful to do so. Then you will see the effect your life has on those around you in a way that you will not be able to comprehend!
