Happy Thursday

Does Jesus Forgive People Like Me?

I remember how uncomfortable I was walking through the church doors. I was no longer an innocent little girl holding on to my mom's hand while my father led us to our seats. I was a grown woman now, living life on the wild-side; a wild-side that produced addictions, divorces and many bad habits and behaviors in my life.

I was a woman that was afraid to come to God. My heart was full of guilt and shame and I still didn't know if I was ready to give up my lifestyle. A huge part of me wanted to give up the old life but there was always this voice in my head that kept telling me there was no way I ever could.

I walked in the church doors desiring God but felt this heavy blanket of unworthiness that covered me. I kept thinking, "God doesn't love or forgive women like me. There is no way He will forgive my sins. I've done too much, gone too far, fallen out of the realm of grace." I wanted God but my head kept telling me that God didn't want me.

That is so typical of our enemy, the devil. He will do anything and drop all kind of thoughts in your mind to keep you away from Jesus Christ. He isn't up to anything new. He does not want you free from your sins and saved by grace. He wants you fearful to let go of your old lifestyle and wants to hinder you from completely surrendering to Christ.

He will fill your mind with thoughts like, "You are un-forgivable, the Christian life is boring, there is no way your life will change, God doesn't love sinners like you, you are too young, you are too old....and on and on and on.

The devil is a liar. Jesus Christ died for us even while we were still sinners. When we were his enemy, He went willingly to the cross to save us.....because He loves us that much! When you come to Jesus, He forgives your sins and remembers them no more, never to hold them against you again. When you come to Jesus, He makes all things new.  

You will experience that newness of life by following Jesus. Your freedom is in the following. You have to come to Him to begin your journey, but you must follow Him to experience your freedom.

What are you waiting for? Reach for Him right now, wherever you are, and give your life to Him....Completely!

    

 Going Deeper: Weekly Word "Reading" Plan:     

      

Romans 5:8       2 Corinthians 5:17    Micah 7:18    Hebrews 8:12     Hebrews 10:17        Romans 11:27                           

  

The bible changes and restores the whole person. These weekly emails are designed to help you understand the bible and to lead you into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

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With Love, Encouragement, and Belief in You,

Tracy Strawberry

Forward this Eblast and Encourage Someone Today! www.strawberryministries.org

Are You Ready???

We Shall Behold HIM
The sky shall unfold
Preparing His entrance
The stars shall applaud Him
With thunders of praise

The sweet light in His eyes, shall enhance those awaiting
And we shall behold Him, then face to face

O we shall behold Him, we shall behold Him
Face to face in all of His glory
O we shall behold Him, yes we shall behold Him
Face to face, our Savior and Lord

The angel will sound, the shout of His coming
And the sleeping shall rise, from there slumbering place
And those remaining, shall be changed in a moment
And we shall behold him, then face to face

We shall behold Him, o yes we shall behold Him
Face to face in all of His glory
We shall behold Him, face to face
Our Savior and Lord
We shall behold Him, our Savior and Lord
Savior and Lord!

Daily Smile:
WHY MEN ARE SO COOL:

- Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
- We know stuff about tanks.
- A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
- We can open our own jars.
- We don't have to learn to spell a new last name.
- We get extra credit for the slightest of thoughtfulness.
- Wedding plans take care of themselves.
- One who forgets to invite you to something can still be our friend.
- Our underwear is $10 for a three-pack. Even less at Walmart.
- If you're 34 and single, nobody notices.
- Everything on our face stays the same color.
- We can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passenger seat.
- Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
- We don't have to clean the apartment if the meter reader comes.
- Car mechanics tell us the truth.
- We can quietly watch a ball game with a buddy for hours without ever thinking: "He must be mad at me."
- Wedding dress - $2000. Tuxedo rental - $80.
- We can drop by a friend without having to bring a little gift.
- If another guy shows up at the party in the same outfit, we just might become lifelong friends.
- Our friends can be trusted to never trap us with: "So, do you notice anything different?"
- We are not expected to know the names of more than five colors.
- We are unable to see wrinkles in our clothes.
- The same hairstyle will last for years, maybe decades.
- We don't have to shave below our neck.
- Our belly usually hides our big hips.
- We have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
- Christmas shopping can be accomplished for 25 relatives, on December 24th, in 45 minutes.


In The News:

Gay Activists Demand Tebow Cancel Speech at Liberty University
Gay rights activists demanded last week that Tim Tebow back out of a speaking engagement at Liberty University, just two weeks after pressuring the New York Jets quarterback to cancel an appearance at First Baptist Church of Dallas, Todd Starnes reports. Tebow spoke this weekend at Wildfire, a men's conference hosted by the conservative Christian university, and his remarks were closed to the general public. Tebow is well-known for sharing his faith in Christ, but in recent weeks he has come under fire from the media and gay rights activists for speaking in churches that follow biblical teaching. More than 10,000 people signed a petition launched by Faithful America calling on the quarterback to cancel his speech, and the Huffington Post, which called Liberty a "notoriously conservative private college with an anti-gay reputation," said, "Due to Liberty University's reputation for intolerance toward the LGBT community, some might interpret the athlete's appearance as a tacit acknowledgment of similar values." Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality urged Liberty and Tebow to stand firm -- and warned that homosexual activists cannot be appeased. "Their goal is to marginalize and to discredit Christians," LaBarbera said. The university declined to address the controversy.

Christians in North Korea Face More Uncertainty After New Sanctions Imposed
A fresh set of sanctions agreed by the United Nations last week will impose further restrictions on North Korea and increasingly limit its ability to function in the international community. According to Open Doors USA, Christians also could be impacted as uncertainty and threats of attacks against the United States and South Korea increase. The new resolution instructs North Korea to cease all nuclear and missile testing. It contains measures that will block financial transactions, impound cash, empower countries to inspect suspicious cargo, and expand a blacklist of items that North Korea is prohibited from importing. The sanctions place new constraints on North Korean diplomats, raising their risk of expulsion, but they do not allow countries to stop and inspect North Korean shipments on the high seas or force down aircraft suspected of moving contraband -- acts that could set off a violent confrontation. "The situation is unclear, North Korea may not be allowed to receive any form of external assistance anymore," said a member of the Open Doors field team. "But since Open Doors does not have any 'above ground' projects, the immediate future of our work should not be impacted by the new sanctions. We work in secret and will continue to do so." North Korea has been No. 1 on the Open Doors World Watch List of the worst persecutors of believers for 11 years in a row.