Some people have fallen on their knees and wept with joy when they first heard about Jesus giving His life to make it possible for them to go to Heaven. Others have heard many times about Jesus’ gift to us but have not decided to believe Him. What causes a person to make a decision to believe in Jesus and to practice what He taught? Is it the Holy Spirit or the Christians they have known? Or perhaps the prayers of others? Probably all of these things.
     Some people joyfully respond to Christ’s invitation to follow Him but others hear and ignore what He taught. They may even be convinced that Christians are foolish or deceived.
     Christians also have different responses to Christ’s invitation to follow His example. Some believe and accept His gift of forgiveness and are thankful for what He does for us but never seem to grasp the significance of what He asks us to do.
     Jesus gave His life for us and asks us to use our lives to help others know Him. When we understand what He has asked of us, we hopefully promise to help get the Good News to others.
     He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).
     How can we do this? We need the Holy Spirit to give us the necessary zeal to fulfill His command. If you believe in Jesus as your Savior, I urge you to ask God to fill you with the same Spirit that Jesus had. Study what He taught until you too are willing to give your life to help others know Him.

 by Merlin Carothers

     God was willing to sacrifice His own Son so that you and I might be with Him for eternity. He asks us to invite His Holy Spirit to control our lives so that we want to lead others to Him. Then we serve Him because of our desire to do so. Pray for zeal to fulfill God’s call on your life.
     Jesus doesn’t push us. He leads us as a shepherd leads his sheep. When we decide to follow His example we must make up our minds about how zealous we want to be. We could put off making our decision until it is more convenient for us as Governor Felix did. He told Paul:
Go away for now. When it is more convenient, I'll call for you again (Acts 24:25 NLT).
     OR, we can decide right now: “I give my life to help others receive Jesus as their Savior.” It is not important what we do, but it is important that we serve God in whatever ways He makes available to us. At first these opportunities may not seem to be very important, but God tests and tries His servants until they are ready for His next step. He sees when we are learning to:  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and all your mind  (Deut. 6:5 NIV).

by Mary Carothers

     So, why are we here? What’s the meaning of this life? What purpose does each of our lives have?
     For starters, you were planned in the heart of God long before you were conceived in your mother’s womb (Eph. 1:4). What’s the purpose and meaning of each of our lives? God Almighty wants many sons and daughters (that’s us, those of us who believe in and trust Jesus to be our personal Savior). He also wants a loving relationship with you, me, each of us.
     I Peter 1:6-7 tells us that the all kinds of trials we experience will ultimately bring us praise, glory and honor from Him. Well, that is, if we let God accomplish what He wants to, in our lives and hearts.
     Here is where the sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15) comes in. The very real sacrifice of giving up our desire to complain, in order to let God fulfill His will, His plan in our lives.
     Did you know that in several places the Bible calls Christians the Bride of Christ? Check out Isaiah 62:5, John 3:29 and Revelations 19:7&8.
He has a glorious future planned for those who follow and obey Him.
     When we enter into eternity and hear those thrilling words from our Lord, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, we will be so very glad we let God be Lord in our lives.