our ups and downs, each step of our life’s
But if you choose to “confirm,” you can tell him with a prayer from your heart like this:
journey, every twist and turn along the way. He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Life as we know it will one day come to an end, but our friendship with Jesus will go on forever—literally! He says there is a place called Heaven where he is going to prepare a place for those of us who have placed our trust in him, and he will take us to live with him, “that where I am [Heaven] you may be also” (John 14:3).
Confirm or Ignore ? If you were to receive a “friend request”
“Dear Jesus, forgive me for ignoring you for so long. Thank you for dying on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin so that I can be forgiven and be your friend. I understand you so much better now. I believe in you and place my complete trust in you for my eternal salvation. Please teach me what it means to be a true friend to you, just as you are a true friend to me. Amen.” Jesus is a Friend unlike any other that you could ever have. How will you respond to all that he has done for you?
from Jesus, would you confirm or ignore it? You don’t have to click on a link or log onto a website to reply, but you do have to make a choice. If you continue to ignore Jesus’ “request”—his offer to be your Savior—you will spend eternity separated from him.
Good News Tracts 1300 Crescent Street For helpful Christian literature, please write to the address above or visit
©2010 Good News Tracts. Printed in U.S.A. Cover images: ©iStockphoto. Written by Christin Ditchfield.
He has promised to be with us through all of
1
A Very Special “Friend Request” Did you know there is someone who cares
about everything that happens to you and who wants to share every moment of your life with you? He knows all about you already—all your likes and dislikes, your hopes and dreams and fears. He sees where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re headed. He understands
Unfortunately, when we aren’t friends with
didn’t ignore God or violate any of his Fa-
God, we miss out on an amazing friendship. In
ther’s “terms of use.” Jesus lived a perfect
fact, we miss out on life itself—its purpose, its
and sinless life. And then—although he didn’t
meaning, its significance. Not just in this life,
have to—Jesus paid the penalty for our sins,
but for eternity!
by dying on the cross. “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one’….but God
Violation of the “Terms of Use” We’ve all violated life’s “terms of use.” They
shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 3:10, 5:8).
the deepest longings of your heart. After all,
are really God’s terms of use! The consequence?
he created you. He designed you to find your
Being eternally separated from God… and not
greatest fulfillment in a personal relationship—a
just hidden from his “friends list” but “blocked”
later, Jesus made it possible for us to be for-
very special friendship—with him.
permanently!
given and has given us an invitation to be his
It’s an invitation God has issued to every
Rejecting God’s “terms of use” is our choice,
one of us since time began. But most of us
but the Bible says that God is “not wishing
have ignored this “friend request.” Maybe we
that any should perish, but that all should
just don’t recognize him or haven’t realized we
reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). In fact, “God
need him. We naturally have our own ideas of
so loved the world, that he gave his only Son
how we want to live our lives and haven’t paid
[Jesus], that whoever believes in him should
attention to the One who gave us our lives in
not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
the first place!
Unlike us, Jesus didn’t commit any sins. He
With his death and resurrection three days
friends. Jesus promised that his friends will experience a love and a joy and a peace to which nothing in this world can compare. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you….These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full….Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives” (John 15:9,11;14:27).
But if you choose to “confirm,” you can tell him with a prayer from your heart like this: “Dear Jesus, forgive me for ignoring you for so long. Thank you for dying on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin so that I can be forgiven and be your friend. I understand you so much better now. I believe in you and place my complete trust in you for my eternal salvation. Please teach me what it means to be a true friend to you, just as you are a true friend to me. Amen.” Jesus is a Friend unlike any other that you could ever have. How will you respond to all that he has done for you?
Good News Tracts A Very Special Friend Request In a culture of social networking and expanding circles of “friends”, it is important to accept the friendship of the best “friend” of all—Jesus Christ! Bible references: ESV. Package contains 25 tracts.
YOUNG ADULT