People came out on a cold day in Concord...

On a bitter cold morning we opened the van and set up tables with clothing, coats, gloves and hats. Some people came to receive gifts...socks, deodorant, soap. Some came to pray with us and hear what all the excitement is about - a message of hope...

"Many of us have grown up with a false idea of who God is and how he feels about us. We picture a god with a big stick just waiting for us to screw up so he can strike. If this coincides with your view of God, I have good news for you. This is NOT the true God of scripture. I am not saying that God doesn’t care whether we mess up our lives or not. In fact, he cares greatly and desires that we get it right. So, how are you doing?

GAL 3:22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

1TIM 4:9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance [10] (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

You see, God isn’t waiting around for us to get it right. Before the earth was created, he chose to send his Son to get it right for us, and then – after living a perfect life – to die in our place, paying for the sins of the whole world. He didn’t die just for those who now believe; as this scripture says, he died for all. He didn’t pick out his favorites. Jesus gave his life for every individual, past, present and future.

In return, he asks for only one thing, that we will accept the reality of his love and forgiveness. BELIEVE in HIM! Believe that he is both Lord and Savior. Believe that he loves you with a timeless love. Believe that his forgiveness is greater than any sin you might perpetrate. He wants us to live our lives in the glory of his presence. But we can enjoy his love only when we believe that he loves us. We can enjoy his forgiveness only when we believe he has forgiven us.

JN 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

We come here, week after week, for the opportunity to share with you the light that he has placed in us. We love because he first loved us. Whatever love, whatever goodness you see in us is merely a reflection of His love, his goodness, greater by far than our own. Believe it!"

- Message given at the Reach van by Pastor Thom Friedrich