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Touch Points - Jesus Is Polite
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Trek 2008 – Give ‘em Heaven
Touch Points – Jesus is Polite
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
In Lake Erie State Park in New York
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Rom 10:13-14 KJV
It was the perfect setting to hear someone’s testimony. As the simmering light of the sunset danced across the water of the Great Lake Erie, a woman told me how she met Jesus.
“I’d been to church all of my life. I am Lutheran. I went through confirmation, prayed, and read my Bible. I was distraught after my second divorce and needed something. I found a simple prayer where I confessed my sins and asked Jesus to become a part of my life. I don’t really understand what happened but all of a sudden, I could feel the Holy Spirit with me.”
“You were born again,” I explained. “That experience is what Evangelicals call being born again. It comes from a scripture that says no one can see the Kingdom of Heaven unless they are born again. You can study about Jesus and even talk to Him but Jesus is polite. Until you invite Him into your life, He doesn’t come in.”
“I’d spent my life praying to Him about the things in my life but had never experienced Him,” she said. “After that short prayer, everything changed.”
“I can’t tell you how many children go through the entire Confirmation process and miss that one simple thing – you have to pray to invite Jesus into your life. That minute that you did that is when you became a Christian.”
She looked worriedly at the three children playing on the beach. One was her daughter. The other girl was her niece and the boy was the son of her boyfriend. “They are starting that process. I don’t want them to miss it.”
“Then tell them,” I said. “Tell them your story and share the prayer.”
The preteens came bounding up the cliff, wet and muddy. This mother met them at the top of the cliff. “Cheryle and I have been talking about Confirmation. She says that children can go all the way through it without ever meeting Jesus. I want you to hear what you need to do.”
I laughed at their stunned faces. They had playing on their minds – not a sermon. They were polite too. They stood there frozen until I finished my little speech. I knew that I needed to be polite and keep it short.
“Jesus is polite. He won’t come into your life unless you invite Him. You can believe that He was born, died for your sins, and rose from the dead without ever becoming a Christian. To become a Christian you have to pray, ‘Lord Jesus, I believe you died for me and rose from the dead. I confess my sins and would like to invite you into my life.’ When you do that, the Holy Spirit will come into your life.”
The mother added, “The Holy Spirit will help you make good decisions.”
I think they were listening. “We’re done now,” I said, releasing the captives. They gratefully ran off.
From Heart Talk – North American Mission Board
Hope: God has plans for you – plans to prosper you and to give you a future. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
Believe: God loved you so much that He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die for you. (John 3:16)
Turn: You have to turn to God for your sins to be wiped out. (Acts 3:19)
Call: It is not enough just to believe. You must confess with your mouth and believe with your heart. (Romans 10:9-10)
Dear God:
Hope: I know you have plans for me and I want to place my hope in you.
Believe: I believe you love me and sent Jesus to die me.
Turn: Please forgive me and help me to turn from my wrong doings.
Call: I want you to lead my life.
Amen
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Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.
This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road as a traveling missionary, send your tax deductible contribution to Pocket Full of Change Ministries, POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.
© Pocket Full of Change Ministries
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