February 2018
Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s always a real joy to share God’s love with you. The U.S.A., U.K., Canada, Australia, and Brazil were the top five countries from where viewers visited the site last month. We’re humbled by all the praise reports from around the world. The Psalmist David proclaimed,
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.” 1
A Tattoo Artist Responds…
It amazes me to hear through a couple of letters how the Lord has softened Aaron’s heart from his hardened past. He writes,
“I pray you had a good Christmas and New Year. I got to eat dinner with mom & dad and little brother. After being such a screw up in the past, still, I have a great family who never gave up on me.
“It’s snowing, so my boss-man said to sleep in, though we’re supposed to be redoing a barbed wire (a type of tattoo). Instead, I’m reading your website about Susan coming to visit you, but I didn’t know there was a video about her forgiveness, and man, I broke down and cried. I could feel the emotion and love in forgiveness. It was real!
“It reminded me when I told my parents that I was addicted to fentanyl. I was so scared and ashamed, and they forgave me. As I sat there crying like a child, jut as I had been forgiven by Jesus, they forgave me and got me the help I needed. They never left just like Christ, always full of love. Just telling you that got tears of love in my eyes.
“I want to thank you for the inspiration, and it being cool to love Christ. It you would have asked me that years ago, I’d have laughed and said, “hell no!” Being covered from knuckles to neck in tattoos and trying to be the “tough guy” was the only thing I cared about, but not anymore.
“Speaking of tattoos, I’ve always liked religious style artwork, so when I was 21, I got a portrait of Jesus on my neck and like I said, I wasn’t religious by no means, but I’m glad I got it. I can wake up every day and see the tattoo and know I/we are not alone.
“Sorry for such a long letter, but I feel like I can talk to you about anything. I love sharing my experiences. It’s nice to be able to have someone actually hear and know what hell I went through with drugs and booze – no faith. I want to thank you again brother, be blessed!” Aaron, TN.
What’s Your Response?
Are you able to identify with Aaron, who was in a place of “no faith”? Unknowingly, we had a misplaced faith in booze, drugs and sex o medicate our pain during our mental and emotional struggles with the difficulties of life. The Lord defined His children in the Old Testament as “…a twisted generation, children without integrity.” 2
Regardless, as Bible teacher Andrew Womack wrote, “people don’t go to hell because of their sins. They go to hell because they rejected God’s payment for their sins (refuse to believe and receive Jesus as Savior).” 3
Aaron found it “cool” to love Christ. As children of God, once we experience His love and forgiveness through faith, we fall in love with Jesus, committing our life to Him. Otherwise, we’ll be accountable for our sins and have to pay for them ourselves, when Jesus paid it all. As Scripture reveals,
“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.” 4
This Wonderful Message…
Aaron shares a wonderful message himself of how his parents like Christ never gave up on him, forgiving him and staying by his side. I can identify how my parents did the same, always sharing the wonderful message of reconciliation.
In county jail, my parents sent me a Bible through the chaplain, telling me that God loved me! How He sent Jesus to take my place for sin, so I’d have home to continue in the struggle. It was almost six years later when I truly believed and received Christ, being reconciled to God. Immediately, I experienced peace, acceptance and harmony with God because Jesus took my sin and gave me His righteousness.
“For He [God] made Him [Jesus] wo knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 5
It’s faith in the truth found in God’s Word, the Bible that sets us free from sin. 6 Isn’t this a wonderful message? The message prophesied hundreds of years ago, that Jesus would be called our “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end.” 7
We are Ambassadors for Christ…
I am not for sure if our parents recognized that they were representatives of God or not, but they were. God was using them to share his love with us, being his hands and feet. He is doing the same today through us, reaching out to you in Ireland, Germany, France, Japan and the Netherlands, rounding out the top 10 countries.
“So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ, when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” 8
God loves you! I had heard this as a child, memorizing John 3:16 and singing, “Jesus loves me this I know”, but I didn’t really realize it until I was born again, experiencing His love in the depth of my heart.
Aaron and I plead with you today, “Come to God, by confessing with your mouth, and believing in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead!” God‘s word promises, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 9
A Prayer for You…
Simply pray out loud, “Father, I thank You for placing all my sin upon Jesus so I can have righteousness, peace, be accepted and be in harmony with You. I confess that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead to give me eternal life. By faith in Your word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me! Amen.”
Scripture References:
1) Psa. 26:7KJV
2) Deut. 32:20, “no faith” KJV
3) Andrew Womack’s book, “The War is Over” Ch. 2
4) 2 Cor. 5:19, NLT
5) 2 Cor. 5:21, NKJV
6) Jn. 8:32
7) Isa. 9:6,7a, NLT
8) 2 Cor. 5:20, NLT
9) Rom. 10:9,10,13, KJV