GOD believes in you...

another basis for confidence is in philippians 1.6 (niv), being confident of this that HE who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of JESUS CHRIST.

maybe some of you feel like you've given up the faith. you were raised in church but you've given up on GOD. but GOD's never given up on you.

at easter we talk a lot about believing in GOD. have you ever realized that GOD believes in you? HE believed in you enough to send JESUS CHRIST to die on the cross for you to make a difference, to find a purpose for your life.

it doesn't matter why you think you came to the front porch today. the fact is GOD brought you here so HE could say one thing to you: you matter to ME. there is more to life than just making money, retiring and dying. there's a lot more to life. GOD brought you here so HE could say, “you matter to me.” JESUS loves you this much.

some of you say, “i felt close to GOD in the past, but i've drifted away.” but regardless of your background, whether you have a protestant background, catholic background, jewish background, mormon background, buddhist background, nothing background... GOD wants to say to you at easter time, “you matter to me! and i really care about you.” regardless of your situation, no matter where you are in relationship to GOD, this is what GOD wants to say to you.

isaiah 54.7 (tev), GOD says, “with deep love i will take you back.”

that's why GOD brought you here today. HE wants to say to you, “i'll take you back. you matter to me.” and nobody's ever going to love you as much as GOD does. JESUS CHRIST died on the cross to prove it.

my number one goal in the ministry is to introduce people to JESUS CHRIST and help them grow SPIRITually. but my second greatest goal next to that is to raise the self-esteem of everybody i come in contact with. i just want to be an encourager.

i see most people down deep inside, really don't like themselves. that is a SPIRITual problem. it's a SPIRITual issue. confidence is a SPIRITual problem. you've got to start with the right foundation. the right foundation is you were meant to know GOD. you were meant to be loved by GOD and to love HIM. i'm not talking about religion. i'm talking about a relationship, a relationship to GOD where you come into contact with the ONE who made you. you begin to understand that HE put you on this earth, not just to take up space, not just to breathe, grow old, die, and leave everything to your kids. as rick warren says, HE has a purpose for your life.

just a thought from the front porch…