Jesus did not have to die on the cross. He did not have to suffer the terrible agony.
He could have avoided returning to the capital city of Jerusalem. He could have left those desecrating the temple alone. He could have avoided confrontation with His critics. He could have gotten rid of His betrayer. He could have escaped arrest. He did not have to proclaim and reiterate He was the Son of God, Messiah. He could have kept a low profile and celebrated Passover with His friends.
He could have completely destroyed His opposition. He could have called for rescue and received an immediate overwhelming response.
He could have made all His pain stop. He could have abandoned this sin-drenched planet to die in all its evil proclivities. He didn’t have to let His death pay the penalty for all your sins. He didn’t have to do it. But He did, because He loves you. The rest is history.
Now it’s time for you to do your part. Jesus willingly died a horrible death to pay the penalty so that your many sins might be forgiven, but you must put your full trust in Him to receive this gift. You don’t have to do it, but time is short, and your eternal life is at stake.
Here is a suggested prayer: “Lord Jesus, I need You. I open the door of my heart and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Forgive my sins; I turn away from them now. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. As an expression of my faith, I now thank You for coming into my life and for hearing my prayer. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, please share your decision with someone.
May God bless you!
Bob Cosby, M.D.
Birmingham, Ala.
“Wholeness can be described as soulfulness, a life that’s centered … engaged, open, creative, connected … (has) A sense of mission.” Author and Christian counselor Chuck Degroat
“My prayer is that even in the midst of such a tumultuous time of war and geopolitical unrest, the Ukrainian people see with clarity that their future is not this crisis, but their future is an eternal future that Jesus Christ secured for them. It is a life without pain, tears and death,” said Bogdan Kipko, pastor of Forward Church in Irvine, California, who immigrated with his family from Kazakhstan 30 years ago.
“Jesus didn’t send the hungry people packing. Even though we might have a temptation to wash our hands of the responsibility, it’s not what Christ teaches us. We want to be closer to Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven, not to this world,” said Joanna Marcyniak, a Polish Baptist volunteer.
“Maybe it really took a tragedy like this to wake up the sleeping giant that is [Christ’s] Church. I am just happy we are united by this love we have received from God and we can serve others in need,” said Thomas, a representative from the Baptist Union of Latvia.
While some have reached a firm conclusion that they are not interested in faith, most are open to hearing about faith when someone can show it matters or when it is shared by someone who matters to them.
Scott McConnell
Lifeway Research
“[We] share the love of Christ with them whether they are followers of Christ already or don’t have any relationship with Christ. They don’t leave that day without hearing from [someone] about why we are where we are and Who has allowed us to get to where we are,” said Tim Carrie, outreach director for Kingdom Racing.
“We’ve said all along we want to be a church for the unchurched and the de-churched, the skeptics who just don’t trust the church,” Colby Wallace, pastor of West Oaks Church in West Columbia, Texas. “What has been really cool is to see people who were burned by the church begin to come back, and life being breathed into broken marriages and people coming to know Jesus.”
“Neither flood, nor fire, nor death or plague, nor hurricanes and disasters have deterred the commitment of the servants called by the Lord. The classes, lunch and tech labs each week have focused on building faith-based skills for life, work and healthy relationships,” said Bobbie Shaffett, a Christian Women’s Job Corps site coordinator in Walker, Louisiana.
Many times people do not need to be told what to do but how to do it.
Morris Murray Jr.
Jasper, Ala.
From the Twitterverse
@micahfries
Too many today have confused compassion and sympathy. Compassion isn’t actually compassion until you cross the street to give up your time, talent & treasure to care for those in need. —@ChristineCaine
@PastorOnTheFly
We pray international prayers because we serve an international God. Every tribe. Every tongue. Every nation.
@PaulTripp
Corporate worship is designed to open your eyes to the reality of sin and temptation while it comforts you with the truth of God’s forgiveness and protection.
@DailyWillard
“Why is it that we look upon our salvation as a moment that began our religious life instead of the daily life we receive from God?” —Dallas Willard, ‘The Spirit of the Disciplines’
@jenniferwilkin
Parents, before we can tell our child to love others as their neighbor we must view and treat *them* as *our neighbor*. Fully human, albeit still growing and maturing. Deserving of respect. Never to be treated contemptuously in thought, word, or deed. Bearing the image of God.
@jordaneasley
When you believe God created all things, you won’t find it difficult to believe that God controls all things and can do all things.
@MichaelCatt
Pastors are in a battle. They stand in the gap on behalf of their sheep, their families are under attack. Pharisees hate a true shepherd. Your pastor needs study breaks, vacation and sabbaticals. Take care of the pastor & he will better feed your soul.
@timkellernyc
Thesis: On Twitter you find at least two kinds of overly sensitive people: (1) Those who have been badly hurt — so we should be patient with them (2) Those doing it deliberately as a way to gain followers thru a narrative of injury. Challenge: discerning which is which.
