back to the main page


Would You Like To Know God Personally? If so, then please read the following Life At Large and Know God Personally:

Booklets Information by Campus Crusade For Christ


Life @ Large
1. God creates
Life@ large – it’s relationships from beginning to end.
Behind life’s design, there is a designer- perfect, powerful and yet personal. In the beginning, this designer crafted the universe in all its magnificence. Then upon this remarkable planet the Creator fashioned a masterpiece- and we are it.
A masterpiece? Yes, for we were created in God’s image, male and female. By design, we were to experience a life of unhindered intimacy with God and each other, an intimacy without guilt, conflict, or pain. In relationship with God and each other, we were to serve as the guardians of this earth. Life was good, very good.

1. Intimacy
From the beginning, relationships have been woven into the tapestry of our lives. God fashioned us as masterpieces that would reflect our Creator’s image. We were designed to experience intimacy, loving God and each other.
God’s Story
-In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
- When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-the moon and the stars you have set in place-what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us?
- …God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them.



2. God is Abandoned
But this isn’t life as we know it. Why? The story took a tragic twist.
Everything changed when the first of us betrayed our Creator and rejected God’s design. Enticed by the desire for other things, humanity turned from God. As traitors guilty of treason, our rebellious race was justly sentenced to death- spiritual separation from the life-giving God. From that moment on, the masterpiece was marred.
Look around. Life is filled with ample evidence of this ruin. Sin and death now stain each of us. Alienation has replaced intimacy with God. Human relationships are plagued by selfishness, discord, and pain- characteristics of the twisted nature now found in each of us. Even the environment bears the scars of a world at odds with its Creator.

2. Betrayal
But life was forfeited and intimacy marred. How? We turned from the source of life and chose to live without God. As a consequence, death and a corrupted nature now stain all our relationships.
Your story: What troubles you most about life? Why?
God’s Story:
-The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if there is even one with real understanding, one who seeks for God. But no, all have turned away from God.
-How can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. -The wages of sin is death.
What do these selections say is true about you and me?



3. God Promises
Is there still hope for us? Yes!
For even though his perfect love was betrayed, our Creator did not abandon us. God instead gave us a promise of life. He promised to send one who would remove our sentence of death and erase the shame of our betrayal. This person would set us free from the consequences of our wrongdoing and restore life to us.
God spoke of this promise over time through the law of a people, in the songs of poets, in the wisdom of sages, and in the words of prophets, as recorded in biblical writings.
Those who longed for life waited with anticipation. The seeds of hope grew.

3. Anticipation
Is there any hope for us? Yes, for though we betrayed God, he did not abandon us. God promised to send a savior who would rescue us from the consequences of our rebellion.
God’s Story
-The Lord has sent this message to every land…”Look, your Savior is coming.”
-In that day he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears…The Lord has spoken!
-Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. Your story
Have you ever experienced God? IF so, how?



4. God Appears
Then the promised once came. God appeared among us and his name was Jesus.
As the unique Son of God, Jesus revealed what God is truly like and what life was meant to be. He lived his brief life without fault. He spoke life-changing truth and performed acts of compassion and power. He confronted hypocrisy, oppression, injustice, and racism. He embraced the rejected and reached out to the powerless and privileged alike.
Jesus lived the life of love. The promised one had come to give us life, to bring us back to God.

4. Pursuit
As promised, God sent the one who would rescue us. His name was Jesus. The unique Son of God became one of us so that all could see what God was like. He spoke the truth, displayed real love and offered life in all of its fullness.
God’s Story
-For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
-And she (Mary) will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
-(Jesus said) My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.
What do these selections say is unique about Jesus?
Your Story
Who or what has been the most significant influence in your spiritual pilgrimage? Why?



5. God Provides
But how would Jesus bring us back to God? By dying so that we could live.
When many rose in anger against Jesus, those in power sentenced him to die a shameful, horrible death. Yet he did not resist or try to save his life, for he had come to rescue ours. In his death, God imposed upon him the guilt of all our wrong-doing. By dying for us, Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and removed the offense that separated us from God.
But there is more. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead. Hundreds of eyewitnesses saw him, spoke with him, and touched him. Having conquered death, he proved that he was the promised one. Jesus is alive today, the rightful ruler over all. And the story goes on…

5. Sacrifice
Then life’s greatest mystery was revealed in love’s greatest act. Jesus the author of life, died for us, paying the penalty for all our wrong-doing. How can we be sure? God proved it by raising Jesus from the dead. He is alive today, the rightful ruler over all.
Your Story
What do you consider the greatest thing anyone has ever done for you? Why?
God’s Story
-But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ (Jesus) to die for us while we were still sinners.
-Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God.
-And he (God) proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.
How does Jesus’ life, death and resurrection provide the solution to our sin?



6. God Calls
Now all are invited to come to the One who is life and gives life in its fullness.
God offers to declare the guilty blameless…not because we have done no wrong, but because of what Jesus has done. Forgiveness is offered as a free gift, received only through genuine faith in Jesus. Those who hear and turn to God, receive God’s Spirit who enables them to experience new life, true hope, and the power to change. They enjoy intimacy with God as their love and obedience grows. Having been welcomed into God’s family, they gather in communities embracing all that believe, regardless of race, gender, class or age.
There are others who turn away-some in unbelief, others in defiance, and many because of indifference. There are still others who claim to believe in Jesus, but their lives suggest otherwise.

6. Invitation
Now God invites us to come to him through trusting Jesus. Forgiveness is a free and undeserved gift, received only through genuine faith in Jesus. It opens the door to life in all of its fullness.
God’s story
-But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saves us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy.
-Everyone who believes in him (Jesus) will have their sins forgiving through his name.
-And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life.
According to these selections, what is necessary to have eternal life? Your Story
At this stage in life do you find yourself moving toward God, away from God, or staying the same?



7. God Restores
How does the story of life end?
One day Jesus will return to make all things right. He will restore what was lost and damaged by our betrayal. He will judge all people with perfect justice. Those found guilty will be sentenced and their lives of separation from God will culminate in endless anguish.
But there will be others who are forgiven, who have been declared right with God as a gift through faith in Jesus. They will have life in its fullness and enjoy God for all eternity. His presence will satisfy their heart’s deepest longings. Together they will experience life without death, sorrow, or pain: without evil, greed, or deception; without hatred, prejudices or abuse. All will be good and right- once more- forever. Life @ large …the story never ends.
7. Reunion
The climax of the story is yet to come. Jesus will return to judge all with perfect fairness. The unbelieving and disobedient will not enter the life to come. But the forgiven will experience life in all its fullness, enjoying intimacy with God and each other forever.
God’s Story
-He (Jesus) must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago.
-But he (God) will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds.
-Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people…He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.
Your Story



Three questions to consider…


1. God’s Story. Is it true
If you are uncertain, try reading the Bible for yourself. Start with the section called John, an account of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Ask God to reveal himself to you through this book. See what you think.

2. Your Story Do you need Jesus as your Savior and Lord?
Jesus calmed to be the solution to our fundamental problem- separation from God caused by our sins. Do you believe that you need Jesus? Do you desire the forgiveness and new life that he offers?

3. Your Response How will you respond to God’s offer?
Will you turn to God in faith, trusting Jesus to forgive your sin and give you new life? IF you do, you will enter into a new relationship with God- you will experience Life @ large.



This explains how you can receive Jesus Christ.
All good stories have turning points.
After exploring Life @ large, perhaps you have discovered the intersection of God’s story and your story- life’s greatest turning point. If you are ready to receive Christ as your Savior, you can express your faith through prayer.

“Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. I admit that I have sinned against God and am separated from him. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins in order to bring me back to God. I ask you to be my Savior and Lord. Thank you for giving me eternal life and making me a part of the family of God. Take control of my life and make me the person you created me to be.”

Does this prayer express your heart’s desire?
If so, you can pray right now. You can know on the basis of God’s promise that your sins are forgiven and that you have eternal life from the very moment you trust in Jesus. He will not deceive you.



Remember…
And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life. I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13







Know God Personally Booklet:

Would You Like to Know God Personally?
Dear Friend,
Yes, you can know God personally, as presumptuous as that may sound. God is so eager to establish a personal, loving relationship with you that He has already made all the arrangements. He is patiently and lovingly waiting for you to respond to His invitation. You can receive forgiveness of your sins and assurance of eternal life through faith in His only Son the Lord Jesus Christ. The major barrier that prevents us from knowing God personally is ignorance of who God is and what He has done for us. Read on and discover for yourself the joyful reality of knowing God personally.

The following four principles will help you discover how to know God personally and experience the abundant life He promised.
1. God loves you and created you to know Him personally.
God’s Love
“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). God’s Plan
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:13, NIV).

What prevents us from knowing God personally?

2. Man is sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love.
Man Is Sinful
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his own stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is an evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
Man Is Separated
“The wages of sin is death” (spiritual separation from God) (Romans 6:23).

God is holy and man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. Man is continually trying to reach God and establish a personal relationship with Him through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy, or religion- but he inevitably fails.

The third principle explains the only way to bridge this gulf…
3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin. Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God’s love.
He Died In Our Place
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
He Rose From the Dead
“Christ died for our sins…He was buried…He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
He Is the Only Way to God
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6)
God has bridged the gulf that separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.

It is not enough just to know these truths….

4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord then we can know God personally and experience His love.
We Must Receive Christ
“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
We Receive Christ Through Faith
“By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works that no one should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9)
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth (Read John 3:1-8).
We Receive Christ By Personal Invitation
(Christ speaking) “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20).
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive us of our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of our will.

There are two kinds of lives:
Self directed life.
Self is on the throne
Christ is outside the life
Interests are directed by self, often resulting in discord and frustration

Christ –directed life
Christ is in the life and on the throne
Self is yielding to Christ
Interests are directed by Christ, resulting in harmony with God’s plan

Which best represents your life?
Which circle would you like to have represent your life?


The following explains how you can receive Christ
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer
(Prayer is talking with God)

God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?
If it does, pray this prayer right now, and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.

How to Know That Christ Is in Your Life
Did you receive Christ into your life? According to His promise in Revelation 3:20, where is Christ right now in relation to you? Christ said that HE would come into your life and be your friend so you can know Him personally. Would He mislead you? On what authority do you know that God has answered your prayer? (the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word.)

The Bible Promises Eternal Life to All Who Receive Christ
“The witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11-13)/

Thank God often that Christ is in your life and that He will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5). You can know on the basis of His promise that Christ lives in you and that you have eternal life from the very moment you invite Him in. He will not deceive you.


An important reminder…
Do Not Depend on Feelings
The promise of God’s Word, the Bible- not our feelings- is our authority. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word. Fact (God and His Word), faith (our trust in God and His Word), and feeling (the result of our faith and obedience) John 14:21

The train will run with or without feeling. However, it would be useless to attempt to pull the train by feelings. In the same way, we as Christians do not depend on feelings or emotions, but we place our faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God and the promises of His Word.

Now that you have entered into a personal relationship with Christ
The moment you received Christ by faith, as an act of your will, many things happened, including the following:
1. Christ came into your life (Revelation 3:20 and Colossians 1:27).
2. Your sins were forgiven (Colossians 1:14)
3. You became a child of God (John 1:12)
4. You received eternal life (John 5:24)
5. You began the great adventure for which God created you (John 1:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17; and 1 Thessalonians 5: 18)

Can you think of anything more wonderful that could happen to you then entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Would you like to thank God in prayer right now for what He has done for you? By thanking God, you demonstrate your faith.

To enjoy your new relationship with God…


Suggestions for Christian Growth
Spiritual growth results from trusting Jesus Christ.
“The righteous man shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11) . A life of faith will enable you to trust God increasingly with every detail of your life, and to practice the following:
Go to God in prayer daily (John 15:7).
Read God’s Word daily (Acts 17:11) –Begin with the Gospel of John
Obey God moment by moment (John 14:21)
Witness for Christ by your life and words (Matthew 4:19; John 15:8).
Trust God for every detail of your life (1 Peter 5:7).
Holy Spirit- Allow Him to Control and empower your daily life and witness (Galatians 5:16, 17; Acts 1:8)

Fellowship in Good Church
God’s Word admonishes us not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together…” (Hebrews 10:25). Several logs burn brightly together, but put one aside on the cold hearth and the fire goes out. So it is with your relationship with other Christians. If you do not belong to a church, do not wait to be invited. Take the initiative; call the pastor of a nearby church where Christ is honored and His Word is preached. Start this week, and make plans to attend regularly.


Campus Crusades' booklet about knowing God personally

Campus Crusades' booklet about being spiritually satisfied