2000 years ago, an amazing Person lived in the area of Jerusalem - and this man's name was Jesus. He performed amazing miracles. He amazed all who came into contact with Him. He would touch someone who was paralyzed - and that person would walk. He would look into the eyes of a prostitute, and as tears came to her eyes, she would be filled with a desire to be good, holy and righteous. And He made an amazing claim - He claimed to be God! While people from all over Galilee flocked to be with Him, the religious leaders plotted to kill Him - not because of what He did - but because of who He claimed to be!

Larry King, the CNN talk show host, was once asked who he would choose if he could interview one person throughout history. He replied that he would like to interview Jesus Christ and that he would ask him one question: 'Are you indeed virgin born?' "The answer to that question," said King, "would explain history to me."

Could it be that, indeed, God has visited us on earth - that Jesus is indeed God? If so, why?

Suppose with me that there is a God who is Creator. One who created the heavens, the earth, and you and me.

And just suppose that He created human beings, you and me, for a purpose. And that purpose was simple: He wanted a love relationship with them: you and me.

And suppose that, in the beginning, the love relationship flourished. That when God created the first human beings, the relationship was idyllic, and the fellowship - the exchange of love between God and His creation - was perfect.

Within that idyllic existence boundaries existed, set up by God Himself, to allow for this love relationship to thrive. The boundaries were basic: God's creation was not to exist independently of Him, but was to be dependent upon Him as the source of everything.

And then one day, God's human beings crossed those boundaries. They decided on their own, with the help of one whose purpose was to destroy their relationship with God, to make a choice that was independent and directly against what God had commanded.

Once the human beings had crossed that boundary, sin entered the world. Now suppose with me, that when sin entered the world, the love relationship with God was affected: sin separated the human beings from a holy God, and they could no longer enjoy this intimate fellowship with Him for which they were designed.

This sin created a great, uncrossable chasm between man and God that affected all of mankind.

The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that the sentence or penalty for sin is death (Roman 3:23, 6:23).

Now let us suppose again that God saw the inability of man to reach Him because of sin. He knew that it was impossible for man to reach Him, and so He reached down to man, and determined to pay the penalty for sin Himself.

Yes, Jesus claimed to be God. And, it is a fact of history that the Jews arrested Jesus at night, secretly tried Him, and publicly crucified Him on a cross.

While Jesus was on the cross, His followers mourned and His disciples fled, fearing for their own lives. His death devastated those who knew and loved Him.

Three days later, something happened - something that Jesus had said would happen.

Josephus, the Jewish historian, once again tells us that after three days, Jesus rose from the dead. He appeared to his disciples and more than 500 other people.

Jesus is who He claimed to be: God has spoken in Jesus.

That morning, at the end of my third year in college, it was as though the Lord met me face to face. I realized that if Jesus is the truth, then to live for anything or anyone else is to live for a lie. I thought through the life of Christ, His claims, and His resurrection from the dead. It would have taken more faith for me to reject the words of Christ than to accept them.

And so, I handed over the reins of my life to Jesus. I bowed my head there in my bedroom, asked for forgiveness, and asked Him to take over my life. At that moment, I entered into a love relationship with God. This was the love relationship I had been created for, and had longed for, all along.

Once I surrendered my life to the Lord Jesus, my life moved from a journey to an adventure: the great adventure of knowing God.

And that is what life is all about!

The best way for me to describe it is that I was surprised by His love.

“The most important part of our task will be to tell everyone who will listen that Jesus is the only answer to the problems that are disturbing the hearts of men and nations. We shall have the right to speak because we can tell from our experience that His light is more powerful than the deepest darkness...how wonderful that the reality of His presence is greater than the reality of the hell about us."

If you have made this decision to invite Christ into your life, I have some information to help you grow in your new relationship with God. To receive this information, simply e-mail me at catherine@quiettime.org or write to me at Quiet Time Ministries, P.O. Box 14007, Palm Desert, California 92255.