Newsflash: You are doomed to fail

When it comes down to it, the image you have of God is probably only somewhat accurate. You might have heard that he is holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, creator of the universe ... many wonderful attributes more. But to be honest we can never fully understand God. He is just too great. Too mysterious. Too magnificent to grasp his vastness. He is beyond full comprehension. 
And yet HE has chosen to reveal himself to us. In fact, at the very beginning he even planted himself (His Spirit) into us. God made himself to be part of us. This is a mystery in itself. I don't even try to understand it fully, knowing that I never will understand what it was like for Adam and Eve to live in a perfect world and in a perfect relationship with God. 
But I know this much, it didn't stay that way. Adam and Eve messed up big time and they had to pay a high price for their disobedience. You see, through eating this forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, they committed the first murder. It was not Cain who committed the first murder. It was first Eve, and then Adam. When they took that fruit and eat from it, in a sense they killed that same Spirit that God had placed within them. Of course they didn't kill God's Spirit literally. But the relationship with God, the special connection they shared, this one was eliminated. All that was left was a void earthly shell. Able to live, able to interact, but void of God. A void that left us with a big longing to fill it again. 
Ever since humankind has tired to fill this void with all kind of things. Business, sex, money, friendship, ... you name it. The more humankind tried and maybe even managed to fill - partly - this void was still not satisfied. How could it? Men was created in the image of God, earthly shell but filled with the Spirit of God. Only a filling with the Spirit of God can restore this void perfectly. 
All your intentions of tying to fill this void, will fail, if not filled with God's Spirit. This is how we are designed. There is no other way. This means also, trying to live a perfect marriage, you will fall short. Working to the best of your abilities? You will not be fully satisfied. Trying to be the best husband of wife, father or mother, will not bring back this deep void. Filling it with activities will not work. Put God's Spirit back into your life and you will be fully restored to wholeness.
There is no way to fill this void without God doing the job. God's Spirit can only be restored by God himself. 
But that is not all the bad news: Since God is just and demands payment for disobedience, payment is due. And this payment is no easy one. See, God said from the beginning: "If you eat from it, you will die!" (Gen 2:16-17) Simply put, this means 'the wages of sin is death' (Rom 6:23). Even if we would want to make payment, you and I would have to lay down our life. Bad news is, once we die, there is no life left to live with God. 
But God wants to have fellowship with us. He wants to restore us. He does not want us to die, to be lost forever. He wants to restore us and fill us with his Spirit. And thats exactly why he put a masterplan into action.

There is hope

You know 'God loves the world - you, me & everyone that walks this earth - so much, that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him, will not perish, but have everlasting life.' (John 3:16). God loves you! And he was willing to do whatever it takes to fill you with His presence. The only way that was posible was for him, was to become human and pay the penalty for us. And thats want he did:
God became man in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He lived a perfect life, free of sin. He taught many wonderful things about life itself. A life with God. And he spoke often of the Kingdom of God. He healed the sick, confronted the wrong teachings of the time and showed his power more then once. But I think the most astonishing thing was actually following through with his plan: Pay for the penalty of the sin of humankind. Jesus dies on the cross to be able to pay for sin.
The thing is that he had no sin. If he would have had sin in his life, he would have stayed dead, for the penalty of sin is death. Now since he had no sin, death could not hold him. Death had no power over him. Jesus payed for something he should have never had to pay for. Freedom from sin was purchased by the one who was free already. Payment was deposited. Now what. 
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Make it yours

Jesus offers this freedom from sin to us. The Bible text which mentions the 'wages of sin' continues with the following words '... but the gift of God is everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom 6:23). If we confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God saved through Jesus' death on the cross. This is yours, by his grace, when you believe. You can’t take credit for this. You can't earn it. You can only receive it as a gift from God.
Here is how you can make Christ's redeeming work yours:
  • Admit your need. (I am a sinner)
  • Be willing to turn from your sins. (Repent)
  • Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
  • Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive him as Lord and Savior)
We suggest praying the following prayer to accept Christ as your Savior:
“Dear God,
I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness.
I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that you raised Him to life.
I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will.
I pray this in the name of Jesus. 
Amen”
From the beginning God had created us as a masterpiece. Now, made new through Christ Jesus, we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10). In a nutshell: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9). It is that simple. 
​That death penalty we have talked about earlier - Jesus took care of it. All the sin that was in your life - a clean slate. Clean and without any blemish. But not just that, God's Spirit is placed in us again, just as it was meant to be in the beginning.
Yes, we are still tempted to fall back into our old life. Satan still tried to get his dirty fingers on us. He is not pleased with this development. But we don't have to fight it on our own. Jesus gave his Spirit as reminder of his forgiveness and as guide for our future walk with HIM.
Jesus' Spirit is in our heart and mind. And the more we let him control our lives the more we will be filled with his Spirit. His goal is now to fill every area of our life  (Eph 5:18), just as it used to be when the first human had been created - an earthly shell full with the Spirit of God.
And this is where the rest of this page comes in. The Bible is full of wonderful wisdom to manage every single part of our life. It presents us ways of how God can take more an more control of our life. And this is actually the true meaning of a ful-FILLED life:
A God-centered life is a fulfilled life!
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My Fulfilled Life

I have lived in the South Sea, and have snorkeled with Manta Rays, Sharks and Turtles. I have lived in the Andes Mountains and drank a coffee 12,000 feet above sea level, overlooking breathtaking valleys and even higher mountains. I have been to the Australian Outbacks, and have hiked the Black Forrest. I mastered there different languages and have lived in four different countries. I have the most beautiful and wonderful wife and have 5 wonderful children. I have definitely had my share of adventure and excitement. My live is blessed.
But I know with 100% certainty, without God I would not even have embarked towards this exiting life. It was God who restored my heart before. It was God who called me into ministry. It was God who gave me a wonderful fife and family. And it is God who keeps me going day after day. 
If it wouldn't have been for him, I would probably be sitting somewhere in Germany, trying to make sense of my life. I might even be in jail or living under a bridge. I know my heart and how corrupt it can be. If it wouldn't be for the work of God, I would probably have given in to all kinds of sinful behavior.
OK, I might not be in jail or lining under a bridge, but I am certain that I would be searching for recognition, be rebelling against a lot of things and would probably be living a pretty sinful life. I know myself. I know what my cravings are. There is this sinful tendency. I want to be my own boss. I would have it my way. 
Well, this didn't fly with God. At some point God challenged me to make a decision. Either with him, under HIS command, or without him. As a teenager and young adult I had tried the 'without him'. It had only brought me headache and heartache - quite literally.
​So for me it was a no-brainer. I wanted to walk WITH God, under HIS command. I decided to follow his lead. I asked him for forgiveness. Forgiveness for running away from him, instead towards him. Forgiveness for my rebellion, against him and others. I asked him to be part of my life now. To lead and guide for the rest of my life.
And boy, can I tell you: I have never ever regretted it.
It is fulfilling to embark into each and every day, knowing that God is not just by my side, but HIS Spirit is actually IN me. I still mess up. I still fail to live up to his standards. But I don't have to do it alone. I have someone to love me enough to lift me up and have me try it again. God is there every step of my way. He leads me every day. And I wouldn't want to have it any other way. 
By the GRACE of God I do live a life that is fulfilling, because it is God-centered.