 God's Call"'Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.'" (Isaiah 55:6-7 ESV)  About being in God's familyWe can all look pretty good when we compare ourselves to other people - at least we're not as bad as a lot of people. But, like a guy trying to throw a frisbee from San Diego to Hawaii, we all fall short of the mark, which is the absolute purity and righteousness and holiness of God Himself.We do not love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. We often do not love our neighbor as ourselves. We dole out a little to help the hungry and hurting of the world, while keeping most for ourselves and our comfortable lifestyles. Or if greed is not our weakness, some other form of selfishness is. God's verdict: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23 KJV) That's me, you, and even Billy Graham and Mother Teresa.  Why did Jesus say we must be born again?There are many good writings on this subject; here are links to some of the best ones: THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS ; also, see Billy Graham's Steps to Peace With God. For a more personalized walk-through, take a look at needhim.org. Another good and clear presentation is at Let's Pray . Find out about moving from knowing about God, or even believing in Him, to having a personal relationship. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (Psalm 34:8 KJV) Coming into the family of God is called a new birth, and rightly so, because we start out as spiritual infants needing to grow. We are told, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." (1 Peter 2:2 KJV) There is great treasure in God's Word, the Bible, and those who are wise will spend much time there. "Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life." (Proverbs 4:13 ESV) Another vital thing is staying in communication with God by talking with him throughout the day. "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah." (Psalm 62:8, KJV). And, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:6-7 ESV) And lastly, don't try to be a "Lone Ranger" Christian. God made us to function best as part of a team. Encourage others and be encouraged as you worship together. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb. 10:24-25 NIV) World Vision: My World Vision Page Another wonderful Christian organization, FOOD FOR THE POOR, is meeting urgent needs in the Caribbean/South America region. Food for the Poor Check my "Outreach" page for a small but growing list of more.  Credits for Bible translations: The King James Version of the Bible is in the public domain; quotes from it are marked KJV Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright (c) 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NIV), and the Bible Verse Banners quoting 2 Cor. 12:9 and Jer. 29:11 are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. The Bible Verse Banner quoting Lam. 3:21-23 is based on the KJV. The Noah Webster Translation is public domain.
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"'Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.'" (Isaiah 55:1-2 ESV)
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