Jump Start # 2619

Mark 5:19 “And He did not let him, but He said to him, ‘Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.’”

This is a special Jump Start that is designed for you to copy, put your name at the bottom and send to a family member or dear friend who may not be a Christian. Even during this difficult time of social distancing, we must be evangelistic. The Gospel message is not bound by walls, oceans, calendars, or even pandemics. We hope that you will find this to be a useful tool and a bridge to help others come to know the Lord as you have. This is just one way to tell ‘your people’ what great things the Lord has done for you.

We have known each other for a long time. I have come to appreciate you, respect you and always enjoyed the times we could be together. There is something that I have been wanting to share with you for a long time, and that’s what the Lord has done for me. I know the subject of God, religion and the Bible can be very uncomfortable and even very confusing. But you know me and the Lord is so important to me. He has changed my life and has helped me so much.

Please understand, this is not a guilt trip to get you to come to church. You have come to know me and respect me and what you see in me is how the Lord has shaped me. I haven’t always been this way and I am far from perfect now, but I have come a long, long way through the love and grace of Jesus. Worship is important to me, you know that. But this is so much more than just sitting in a church building on Sunday morning. Through the Bible, I now see things so much differently than ever before. In these uneasy times of that our nation is going through, I feel a sense of calm and peace because I know the Lord sits upon the throne. And, no matter what happens, I have a confident hope that someday I will be with the Lord in Heaven.

The subject of Jesus is not limited to just salvation. It’s a way that one looks at life. It’s a perspective that sees eternity. And, because of that, this has shaped my choices, my values and my heart. The Lord has been good to me. There has been storms in my life. There has been dark periods of my life. You may know about some of these. But, the Lord has always been there.

And, because of the Lord, I have been able to meet some of the kindest and best people in the world. They are not perfect, but they are certainly trying to be like Jesus. There is a goodness that comes from being with them. And, what I have learned from the Bible has been amazing. It’s a great book that reads as if it were written just for today.

It just wouldn’t be right for us to be friends as we are, and me never to tell you about the greatest thing in my life. I remember how uncomfortable I was when someone first talked to me about Jesus. And, the first time I walked into that church building, I thought everyone was staring at me. I didn’t know a thing. I had so many questions and I fought and resisted for a long time. Every question I asked was answered with a passage from the Bible. It was all there. Things started to make sense and fall in place. I was baptized because I believed and that’s what I found in the Bible. I wasn’t sure if I could stick with it, but I have, and what a difference it has made. I find my life so much better today. I thought I was happy, but now I really am. I don’t worry as much as I used to. I don’t try to figure everything out. I don’t get as upset as I once did. And, I certainly do not get afraid as I once did. The Lord has changed me.

I would like to just sit down with you and have you talk to me. Where you are now is where I once was. I remember. But where I am now, I would love for you to be. There is such a joy in being a child of God. I am not interested in judging others, comparing churches, but only looking in our Bibles together. The only thing that matters is what does God say. I’m not going to twist your arm, talk you into something that you do not believe, nor be upset if you are not interested. If you found a sure way to save money, I’d hope and even except you to share that with me. That’s what friends do.

This is why I am sharing this with you. I do love you. I hope you will find a time for us to sit down, have some coffee and talk about these things. You will never hurt my feelings. You are my friend.

Much love to you…