New Beginnings

Gtcotr/ss123106

If there was ever a man who needed a new beginning – Job.

Key Scripture: Job 22:28 You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.

This is what Joshua did when beginning his new day. He said:

Joshua 24:15 “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Long before 1905 and the first New Year’s celebration to be held at Times Square in New York;

Long before AD45 and the adoption of the Julian Calendar which made January 1^st the beginning day of each new year since;

Long before the birth of Christ; the times of the prophets, the reigns of King Saul, King David or King Solomon;

Back before the Judges in Israel … all the way back to the giving of the Law to Moses and the children of Israel at Mount Horeb more than 3500 years ago …

God gave instructions for the observance and celebration of a New Year.

God commanded His children to begin each New Year by

* first ridding themselves of the past evils, failures, sins and disappointments,

* and then pledging themselves to a greater, more Godly and productive year ahead.

Exodus 12:2 "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.

We initially see this New Year’s Observance spoken of in Exodus the 12^th chapter and then on throughout both the Old and New Testaments from Leviticus to the book of Hebrews.

God was the First Author of a New Year’s Resolution.

He understands the value and the benefits of a New Beginning, A Clean Start, A Fresh Chance and God set His children up to have a New Beginning at least once each year.

Even though it is God’s will and purpose that we each have access to New Beginnings, it can still take a lot of effort on our part. It’s not always easy to stop something we need to stop or start something we need to start.

Some new beginnings take real and lasting commitment but offer real and lasting benefit.

So, if we are going to go to all the trouble of a new beginning, we may as well know what it takes to get it right and to be successful.

Lets look at some scriptural examples of what it takes to have a New Beginning … A Fresh Start … A New Year.

Won’t you turn with me to the book of Deuteronomy

All through the bible we find new beginnings.

One such case, in the book of Deuteronomy, shows Moses reminding the children of Israel about their journeys in the desert since leaving Egypt.

Moses realizes that he is about to move off of the scene and leave his successor along with the next generation to accomplish what he had begun for God.

When it comes time for his farewell speech he does not fail to remind the people what it will take to have a successful New Day.

In Deuteronomy 5, Moses rehearses the Ten Commandments as a basis for daily life.

The 10 Commandments are broken down into two distinct groups and written on two tablets of stone.

* The first group includes Commandments 1 through 4

> These deal with man’s relationship with God

* The second group includes Commandments 5 through 10

> These deal with man’s relationship with man

Then in Deuteronomy 6 Moses begins his summation of these commandments and tells those who are entering into this New Day that their future success will demand attention and adherence to these laws.

Now lets read from Deuteronomy 6 NKJV

1 ¶ "Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess,

2 "that you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.

3 "Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’

4 ¶ "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!

5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

It was a New Day, A New Beginning for the Children of Israel and Moses wanted them to be successful. These were his parting words.

Around 1500 years later, near 30 miles across the Jordan River from where Moses made this speech to his successors, there was another New Day approaching for God’s chosen people.

Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God, had completed His earthly ministry and was ready to be offered up as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.

He, like Moses, was ready to move off of the scene and leave the continued work of God to His successors and future generations.

He also, like Moses, understood the costs of a New Beginning and all that a New Day promises.

Jesus also wanted His followers to succeed.

Matthew 22 records Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem during the last week of His earthly ministry.

During that week Jesus made the time to remind those who were entering into this New Day what it would take to be successful.

Like Moses, Jesus chooses to go over the Ten Commandments with these future leaders one more time.

In Mark 12 Jesus sums up God’s requirements for being successful in this New Day. He does so by expounding on what Moses had said centuries earlier. This duplicated example demands our attention.

Lets read from Jesus’ summation out of

Mark 12 NKJV

29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.

* Recognize that from Deuteronomy 6:4? … It’s an evident pattern for a New Beginning. Jesus continues:

30 ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

31 "And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these."

Reading Matthew’s account it is recorded that Jesus concludes:

Matthew 22:40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

What is Jesus doing? He is summing up the Two Tables of Stone

Whether seeking a Fresh Start, A Second Chance, A New Day, A New Beginning or A New Year, the admonition from Moses in his day, Jesus in His and the Holy Spirit in our today is the same.

If we are to put the past behind and reach toward a greater future and lasting success, we must resolve to keep these commandments of God. (Not the letter, but the spirit - the intent)

He Who framed the law had an intent around which He framed it. This intent cannot be understood or adhered to by the letter, but by the spirit. This is evident from: Romans 2:29; 7:6 & 2 Corinthians 3:6.

The intent of God’s commandments is this: That we, His Children, would live as examples, showing that we:

1. Love God more than we do ourselves

2. Love others as much as we do ourselves

On these two principles hang all the will and purpose of God for mankind. These are the cornerstones of any New Beginning.

What about you, are you resolved to begin your New Year right?

Make your declaration: “As for me and my house …”

Four Miracles of Christmas - Part Four

Four Miracles of Christmas

Gtcotr/ss122406 Part Four – The Miracle of Participation

Key Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12 ¶ And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry

December has been our month of miracles.

1. The Miracle of Incarnation

2. The Miracle of Reconciliation

3. The Miracle of Salvation

Today we look at the fourth miracle of Christmas:

The Miracle of Participation

The miracle of earthly involvement

From Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and wise men, to the angels in heaven, God involves others in His plan. He is a: Whosoever will; He that hath an ear; Lest at any time kind of God. God always planned to include each one of us in the Miracle of Christmas.

Let’s look at the Christmas Story from the familiar book of:

Luke 2 NKJV

1 ¶ And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 ¶ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

The Miracle of Participation

The miracle of earthly involvement – as stated earlier,

From Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and wise men, to the angels in heaven, God involves others in His plan. He always has and always will. God always plans to include you.

In fact it’s all about you! God made Christmas all about you.

The Christmas Story is retold in this manner by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Church in Corinth.

2 Corinthians 5 NJKV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God has a plan

· His plan is that all men might hear the Good News by credible witness

· And having heard, that each one experience the Holy Spirit tugging on the heart to believe, embrace and endure.

He will succeed

· God will not be denied justice on the day of judgment

· Every person will have had a spiritual opportunity to accept God’s plan

We all have a chance to participate

· God reaches through people to people

· We are His arms extended, His love reaching out

God wants to involve you in His unfolding Christmas story.

Our key scripture indicates that God will enable the faithful and place them into the ministry. What ministry? The ministry of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ …

… with the word and ministry of reconciliation – The Good News!, not the negative stuff.

The Christmas Story demands that we who have received the Good News Ambassador from Heaven, become Good News Ambassadors for Heaven.

Decide right now that you will tell someone the Good News this Christmas. Lets all make this Christmas about the Christ Who came, born of the Virgin Mary in a stable manger in the town of Bethlehem over 2000 years ago and is coming again.

This Jesus the Incarnate; Jesus the Reconciler; Jesus the Savior wants to partner with us as we participate together in His Father’s plan.

What will be your answer? Will you participate?

Let God know your answer right now as we pray together.

Four Miracles of Christmas - Part Three

Part Three: The Miracle of Salvation

The past two Sunday Mornings we have studied two miracles:

1. The Miracle of Incarnation

2. The Miracle of Reconciliation

This morning we continue our Christmas journey by reading a portion of the traditional Christmas story looking for the third miracle of Christmas:

The Miracle of Salvation

Luke 1 NKJV

26 ¶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.

32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

33 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"

35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

36 "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.

37 "For with God nothing will be impossible."

38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Mary is the perfect example for us. She showed the whole world how to be saved.

Verse 38 simply told God’s messenger: (NLT)

"I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever

He wants. May everything you have said come true."

This is every person’s proper response to what God wants.

What does God want? All people to be saved! (1 Timothy 2:4)

John 3 NKJV

16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Ephesians 2 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God

Romans 10 NKJV
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10 NKJV

13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Will you follow Mary’s example today and everyday?

Four Miracles of Christmas - Part Two

Part Two: The Miracle of Reconciliation

Gtcotr/ss121006

Last week we discussed the first miracle of Christmas:

2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ …

We re-discovered The Miracle of Incarnation

The Word of God became flesh and lived among us. (John 1:14)

The Son of God and The Son of Man

23 Chromosomes of human genetic design

23 Chromosomes of divine genetic design

Combined to produce Jesus, the Messiah, born of a virgin, Son of God. The Miracle of Incarnation.

Imprinted with both the DNA of man and the DNA of God

But what did the miracle of incarnation accomplish?

Let’s read more of our:

Key Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5: 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself …

The miracle of incarnation made way for the miracle of reconciliation.

Just as the birth of Jesus accomplished the miracle of incarnation

The death of Jesus brought about the miracle of reconciliation

The death of Jesus did not save every person, but did make salvation a possibility for every person. This is the miracle of reconciliation.

Romans 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

From the preponderance of scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments, (Leviticus 16:20; 2 Chronicles 29:24; Ezekiel 45:15; Ephesians 2:16; Hebrews 2:17), it is clear that reconciliation does not mean salvation.

Reconciliation has little to do with winning the sinner back to love and loyalty to God.

Reconciliation speaks to the restoration of God’s forfeited favor and the removal of His merited wrath. God’s anger was appeased.

Sin demands death; Justice demands punishment; Reconciliation demands sacrifice. Jesus restored God’s opportunity to forgive.

Justice was satisfied, anger appeased, the wall of separation was abolished, all by the death of our Savior, God’s Son, Jesus the Messiah.

The miracle of reconciliation restored man to a place where God’s favor and grace could be accessed by sinners who were once disallowed appeal and pardon.

The death of Jesus satisfied justice and made God friendly toward sinners, at peace with mankind, no longer enemies and opened the door of salvation to all who would sincerely apply.

Reconciliation makes salvation a possibility.

(The story of the Korean woman whose daughter played the harlot.)

· She saw her daughter through the cross of Calvary

· In Christ’s death, her anger was appeased, grace and favor returned, justice was satisfied, accounts were settled

· Given the opportunity, relationship was restored

Text:

2 Corinthians 5 NKJV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Both the miracles of incarnation and reconciliation were acts of God on behalf of all mankind.

Through these miracles God made a way for us to be saved.

God is waiting for us to make the connection. He is not mad any longer, but loves us and hopes we make the right choice.

Salvation is only one decision away … and that decision is yours.

Will you be reconciled to God today.

He came more than halfway, He came all the way, now you only have to open up your heart and let Him in.

I am an ambassador for Christ speaking on God’s behalf, pleading with you: I implore you, be reconciled to God before it’s too late.

Ask God to accept you into His family, to pardon your sins and save your soul. Confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Give God your life and become a new creature in Christ Jesus today.

Seed Time & Harvest

Gtcotr/ws112906

God has ordered all creation to live after the law of sowing and reaping

Key Scripture: Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

In the beginning God set the laws of life in motion.

One of these laws is the law of ‘after it’s kind’

Genesis 1 KJV

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

God’s pattern of creation is

‘Seed in itself bearing fruit after it’s kind’

This is true with both man and animal, plants and trees, fish and sea creatures.

God created all living things to increase and reproduce by the seed sowing principles of His Kingdom.

After the flood, God restated His commitment to this law of life.

Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

So far tonight we see this law of life confirmed by three separate and very credible witnesses.

1. The creation story

2. The New World story

3. The New Testament Kingdom Principles

Let’s look at a familiar story in the Bible which confirms this law in a practical, yet miraculous way.

1 Kings 17 NKJV

1 ¶ And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word."

2 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

3 "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

4 "And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."

5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.

7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8 ¶ Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink."

11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

12 So she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die."

13 And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.

14 "For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’"

15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.

16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.

One can imagine that this was quite a stretch for this woman to sow in her time of famine. In her desperate need, God made a way for her when He first created the world.

God’s law of sowing and reaping demanded that she participate in her miracle.

God demands that we participate in our miracle.

When God needs someone to be blessed, He often finds someone who needs a blessing to bless them.

This perpetuates the miracle and keeps the blessings flowing.

From the life sustaining body heat shared in the desperate cold of an artic winter to the forgiveness we give after we have been terribly wronged ---

We get when we give.

Just like this woman in Elijah’s day,

We have what we need to sow a seed.

For as long as the earth remains, this law of life will not cease.

Do you or someone you know need a blessing or a miracle from God?

Sow! Despite what we may think: We have seed for our need.

Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before

The Upward Call

Gtcotr/ss111906

Key Scriptures: Philippians 3 NKJV

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Christianity is a journey that begins when we say yes to Jesus.

Many people love Jesus but feel that their past somehow excludes them from being used in His service.

We will be going to the book of Luke in a moment, Chapter 5.

In 63BC, a Roman military commander and political leader named Pompey, allied with Gaius Julius Caesar, laid siege to the Temple Mount and conquered the city of Jerusalem thus expanding the Roman Empire to the East. For the next four centuries Rome ruled Israel.

It became the practice of Rome to appoint the Jewish High Priest from among those religious leaders who collaborated with the Roman government. It was also a part of the occupation strategy to hire Jews who were sympathetic to the Roman rule for key positions throughout Israel.

One of the most important and powerful positions in the land was that of a tax collector. At certain established sites of commerce and trade, customs receipt houses were set up and operated by Jews who were often unscrupulous in their practice of assessing taxes.

The common Jew held great contempt for the tax gathers and viewed them as traitors to both their country and their God. The King James New Testament term, Publican, refers to the person who ‘farmed’ the taxes from the Jews and then paid the Roman government a certain percentage of what was collected. These Publicans hired tax collectors from the local population so as to not be tricked or deceived by the local inhabitants.

These often corrupt tax gathers were the most hated of all. They were considered to be sinners of the worst sort.

It was about the year 26AD or thereabouts, when Jesus began His public ministry. In Luke 4 we see Jesus preaching in His home church in Nazareth. After being dragged out and almost thrown off a cliff, Jesus departs for the Sea of Galilee. Luke 5 introduces Peter and James and John and tells about the healing of multitudes that came to Jesus.

Continuing in Luke 5 Jesus is teaching in a filled house in Capernaum when a few men tear a hole in the roof so they can get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Jesus heals the man and astonishes all who witness. The people of the city are shocked at His doctrine.

Luke 5: 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!" (NKJV)

They were shocked alright, but not as shocked as they were about to be. Look at what Jesus does next!

Luke 5 KKJV

27 ¶ After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me."

28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.

30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

31 Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

32 "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

This Levi is none other than Matthew, Apostle of the Lamb, and writer of the first book of the New Testament.

What must it have felt like for Jesus to walk by and, knowing who and what Matthew was, to nonetheless look beyond his sinful past and offer him a God-filled future.

Jesus called Matthew to become a disciple.

Jesus is calling some of you today.

What can you expect if you answer the call?

What happens after you say yes to Jesus?

It may not mean a job change as it did in Matthew’s life, but it will certainly mean a life change.

Here is what you can expect if you want to be a follower of Christ.

1. A Calling

* Called to follow

Matthew 16:24 ¶ Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

2. An Equipping

* Equipped to lead – it’s basic discipleship

Acts 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (NIV)

3. A Sending

* Sent to serve

Matthew 20:26 … but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

Matthew 25 NKJV

34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

36 ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. …

Christians are simply:

Called to follow

Equipped to lead

Sent to serve

Without regard to our past, Jesus wants to use each one of us.

He has a special place just for you. His plan includes you.

Won’t you answer the upward call. Say yes to Christianity. Jesus is calling. Let Him know you will follow Him today.