EGM TIMES VO L U M E 9 I S S U E 4
J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 2 1
EXPOSING | ENCOURAGING | EMPOWERING E LO H I M G O S P E L M I N I S T R I E S
AMAZING GRACE
PRAY
FOR AFGHANISTAN SEND YOUR PRAYER REQUEST
The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.
- Evg. Billy Graham
MEET OUR WRITERS
Christie Thomas, Alberta Christie Thomas was the Director of Children’s Ministries at her church in Alberta, Canada, for over ten years. She now homeschools her three children and helps Christian moms share the Gospel with their families through her work at littleshootsdeeproots.com. Her Christian picture books include Quinn’s Promise Rock and Quinn Says Goodbye. Christie is also the author of multiple devotional books for children and families.
Melie Williams, Huntigton Beach Melie Williams is a writer and audiobook narrator. While she often writes about grief, she chooses to dwell in joy and believes that finding humor in any situation is possible. Learn more at meliewilliams.com.
Ashwin Sathy, Ooty Ashwin is a Christian worker involved in a movement founded by the late B.A. Belliraj and now spearheaded by Pastor Ananthakumar and the ministry team. This movement is geared towards the Badagasa, an indigenous group of people native to the Nilgiris and has established churches all around the district. He is passionate about the love and glorious Grace of God, which propels him to do that which God wants of him. He loves meeting people, especially young people, who are on fire for Jesus. He desires to be the change that the society longs for. He lives in Kotagiri with his wife.
Leticia Naidoo, Durban Leticia Renelle Naidoo serves God as the Operations Officer at The Embassy Church in Durban, South Africa. Raised as a Pastor’s Kid, Leticia has always been drawn to fulfil her calling of serving God. She is a qualified Environmental Specialist. However, her focus now is on creating atmospheres of worship and ensuring the spiritual climate of her world is in tune with heaven. She believes that her role as a “Mother” is important and her role as a mom to her two little children is a top priority in her life. You can find her journey of Christian parenting in her blog www.365joy.co.za.
- Daya Raja
– George Vilgi Oommen - Melie Williams - Christie Thomas
16
– Leticia
13
08
24
28
– Ashwin Sathy
19
All Bible references are from New International Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, King James Version. EGM Times is published by Elohim Gospel Ministries, USA & India. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. EGM Times has no subscription price and is supported through contributions worldwide. Because all EGM Times editions are preplanned, we are unable to accept unsolicited manuscripts. For more information or to subscribe, visit: elohimgospelministries.com
President: Evg. Jacob Vilgi Oommen Chief Editor: George Vilgi Oommen Associate Editor: Gideon Pingkihan Content Creator: Effie Ochago Designer: John Udang
CONTENTS
Stay Connected INSTAGRAM elohimgospelministries.com egminspirations.com
YOUTUBE
editorial Grace – one of the most powerful characters of God. Christianity is a unique experience because salvation is available to everyone because God is gracious enough to offer it through His Son at the cross. We don’t have to do anything to receive this salvation. This ‘Amazing Grace’ sustains us each day. Apostle Paul explains this beautifully in Ephesians 2:8,9 (NIV) - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” We are excited to share more about this Amazing Grace in this edition of EGM Times. Writers share their thoughts and insights based on the theme in this edition. We are grateful to each writer for sharing different perspectives of Amazing Grace. I am sure you will be blessed by this edition, focusing on the theme Amazing Grace. Happy reading. God bless you. George Vilgi Oommen Chief Editor
EXPENSIVE
GRACE - Christie Thomas
Several years ago, I felt called to donate a kidney to a perfect stranger. It was an odd, unexpected situation, but I told God I would keep following the path until He told me to stop. Along the way, there were zero red flags. My kidney was perfect, I was in good health, and my family was willing to hold down the fort for a few weeks while I recuperated.
On a dark March morning, over a year after beginning the journey, I lay on gurney, shivering under a blanket. The nurse pulled my glasses off just before we got to the pre-op room, and as I stared at the fuzzy world around me, the realization of what I was actually doing deepened my chills. It was not smart. It was dangerous. I was putting myself at risk to help a perfect stranger. I was still trembling when they wheeled me into the operating room and lifted me onto the table. “Last chance,” said the Doctor.
When I woke up to the harrowing sense that someone had alternated inflating and chewing up my abdomen, I knew it was still worth the pain. Through all of the build-up to the donation, I knew that there was a specific person who would receive my kidney and be granted a second chance at life. For the sake of anonymity, I was never told who it was. I have heard many stories of wonderful friendships blossoming between donor and recipient and of joyful meetings where the recipient gratefully fell into the arms of the donor. As I lay in my bed, groggily scrolling social mediI looked forward to meeting this person seday. Only, my recipient never called and never wrote. ot even a short thank-you note. There were no friendships to be had, no gratitue to be heard. Silence!
I inhaled deeply. It was worth the pain.
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 08
“He’s going to keep offering it whether you accept it or not. That’s what grace is: an undeserved gift.”
It reminded me of the time Jesus healed ten lepers, and only one came back to say thank you. I can only imagine why the others didn’t return to say thanks. Perhaps they were simply too busy getting on with their lives. Maybe they didn’t quite believe it to be true at first. Then when they finally did believe, it felt too late and too awkward to say thank you. We’ll never know what motivated them not to look back, and I’ll never know what happened to the recipient of my kidney. Perhaps they were simply too busy getting on with their lives, assuming they’d bothered me enough. Perhaps by the time they recuperated, they felt it was too late and too awkward to say thank you. It’s been three years, and I still don’t know. But here’s the shocker: when Jesus healed those ten lepers, they were all equally healed, even though only one returned in gratitude. When I gave that kidney, the gift was fully given even though no one wrote me a thank-you note. A gift is given with no expectations in return? That’s grace - an undeserved gift.
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 09
The lepers did nothing to earn the gift of healing from Jesus, and their lack of verbal gratitude didn’t negate the gift. The gift was still given. Whoever received my kidney didn’t do anything to earn my kidney either, and their lack of obvious gratitude doesn’t negate the gift. My gift is still given; frankly, I don’t want the kidney back. The grace Jesus offers through his work on the cross works the same way. Jesus died and rose again so we could have forgiveness, and that forgiveness is a gift. Whether we accept it or not, the gift of God’s forgiveness is freely given and will never be retracted as long as we live. God doesn’t snatch the gift of forgiveness back, annoyed that we haven’t bothered to say “thank you.” Nor does He belittle us for neglecting to accept the gift. He waits with all patience, proffering the gift with his pierced palms and whispering words of love to our hearts. It’s our choice whether we accept this gift or not. Sometimes people take advantage of God’s forgiveness, accepting the gift only to keep on sinning. We call it “cheap grace.” But grace is never cheap for the giver. Grace costs a lot. For me, grace costs an internal organ and the possibility of long-term damage. At least once in human history, grace cost a life. Today, you have the choice to accept God’s grace or not. He’s going to keep offering it whether you accept it or not. That’s what grace is: an undeserved gift. However, the best way to experience the wholeness and freedom of God’s forgiveness is to fully accept his gift. Today, consider writing God a thank-you note so you can live out of gratitude for the incredible gift you’ve been given. May your eyes be open to the grace you’ve been freely given, and to the ways, you can freely give grace to the world around you.
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 10
Matthias replaced Judas to be one of the twelve apostles in the early church time. The incident is recorded in the book of Acts 1:23-26 – “So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”
- Melie Williams
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10 ESV We all know the hymn “Amazing Grace,” but have you ever thought about how truly amazing grace is? Grace is the free and unearned favor of God. It’s getting what we don’t deserve in the best sort of way. There’s nothing we can do to achieve grace, which is why it feels like such a foreign concept. If you’re like me, you like to work hard and see rewards for your work, and yet, the greatest reward we can ever receive comes with no strings attached and without doing anything to earn it.
Unfortunately, many of us are familiar with how the reverse of grace feels. Getting pain or rejection we feel we don’t deserve. Have you felt this? When you want to cry out against the injustice of a situation that makes absolutely no sense? It could be a friend who lied about you, a job promotion you know you deserved but for some reason didn’t get, or a relationship that goes up in flames like a dumpster fire and you aren’t sure why. There are things that happen in this life that we won’t be able to explain or understand now and possibly won’t at all during this life on earth.
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 13
If you’re going through a dark time, one of the most helpful things you can do is focus on the grace of God and His presence in your life. When I’m going through a trial, focusing on what I know to be true about God’s grace centers me, comforts me, and gives me hope. My prayer for you is that thinking through these things will help you as well.
God’s grace cannot be earned We’ve already briefly touched on this, but it’s worth repeating. There is nothing you or I can do to earn God’s grace. It’s a free gift to us, but it’s not without cost. God paid the ultimate price to give us this gift, so imagine what it does to His heart if we stubbornly presume that we can earn it. The incredible thing about grace is that since we can’t earn it, it’s completely not dependent on us. When you’re tempted to try to do it all or feel as though you need to “earn” grace, remember this verse, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8 ESV)
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 14
We deserved a punishment, but we received mercy instead. We deserved to be shut out of the kingdom of God, but we’re being welcomed as adopted sons and daughters.
God’s grace is all we need Life circumstances can feel tough sometimes. So tough that we might want to throw in the towel. I know that feeling well. I recently went through a painful divorce that brought me to my knees. I can honestly say that I’ve never felt as low as I did the day my ex-husband told me he was leaving. As if that wasn’t enough, shortly after the divorce was finalized, I also lost an important friendship. What I’ve come to realize is that even though I almost desperately wanted those things in my life, I didn’t need them. All I need, and all any of us need, is God. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking that we need God plus something else, but God’s grace is sufficient. I’m not saying that our friends and family aren’t important, but God’s grace gives us the strength to get through anything we face. Will we face trials? Yes. Every human being will face trials whether they are Christian or not. But as Christians, we have the amazing promise of God’s grace that will get us through whatever we’re facing.
We experience grace through our salvation God didn’t need to save us. Have you ever thought about that? He created us and gave us this amazing gift of life, but after Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, He could have left us to our sin. But God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. That’s grace, and it is amazing. Our salvation hinges on this concept of grace, so it’s an important one to understand. We deserved punishment, but we received mercy instead. We deserved to be shut out of the kingdom of God, but instead we’re being welcomed in as adopted sons and daughters. Life is guaranteed to bring both good and bad. That’s the nature of the world we live in, but through God’s grace we can experience peace and joy even when things don’t make sense on this side of eternity. When you face trials or tribulations in this life (and we all will) run to God, lean into the truth of His grace and love for you, and remember that “...all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV)
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 15
# O P I N I O N
He never sleeps…
– George Vilgi Oommen
The last few weeks have been a life-changing period in my life (and my wife’s life, too!). We had our first baby girl a few weeks ago, and we are learning many things in life. One of the main tasks for us was to look after her throughout the night without sleeping. As first-time parents, we wanted to make sure that she is doing fine at night and wanted to be alert all the time. I had many sleepless nights in the process (and sometimes half a night’s sleep). I never thought I would be able to do that for so many nights continuously (I was that guy who always wanted to sleep long and well in the night). However, it happened! Our baby girl slept peacefully while I held her in my hands. My sleep just melted away from me. I was more focused on taking care of her. I am not sleeping so that she can be safe and sleep well. My eyes were wide open and alert all the time to make sure that she is doing well at night. Slowly I found joy in seeing my baby girl sleeping well even though it deprived my sleep. However, as a human being, I have limitations. I cannot always do that. My wife also shared the responsibility with me. We try to sleep for some time in the day to catch up on some sleep we lose in the night. This ‘Dad experience’ made me think about our heavenly Dad. A dad who is always awake to make sure that His children are safe and well. A dad who never sleeps. Psalms 121:4 (ESV) says, “Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Yes, God is looking after all of us so that we can live well, work well, travel well, sleep well and one day… to be with Him! P.S – Things are getting better as the baby is growing and doing well at night. We are still deprived of sleep. But not as much as a month ago!
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 16
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9
Amazing Grace – Ashwin Sathy
“Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits upon the undeserving. It’s use to us sinful men is to save us and make us sit together in heavenly places to demonstrate to the ages the exceeding riches of God’s kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” -A. W. Tozer
The word ‘Grace’ has been misunderstood, overused and watered down in some circles of Christianity. Mainstream Christianity has been deluged with creative clichés of the use of the term grace. On the opposite extreme, the concept of unmerited favor is shunned completely not on purpose, but because of a deluded understanding of scriptures (Belief in works-based righteousness). What does Grace truly mean? To understand this, we need to delve into the scriptures as that is where the answer truly lies. Grace is a person – the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:17) – for the law was given through Moses; ‘Grace’ And truth came through Jesus Christ. Paul also makes mention of this in 1Timothy 1:14; Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 6:18 etc. Grace offers salvation impartially – Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11 Grace is unmerited favor bestowed upon unworthy folk – Ephesians 4:7; Romans 5:8-10 Grace empowers us to live pure – Titus 2:12; Hebrews 4:15,16 Grace liberates and establishes freedom. Grace calls the things that are not as though they are. Grace makes the seemingly impossible possible. Grace garlands the mundane with the extra ordinary. Grace outwits the presumptuous and exalts the humble. Grace seeks and saves the lost. Grace devours the predator and protects the saint. Grace prodigally forgives without expectations. Grace redeems the fallen and uplifts them. Grace is the power of God unto salvation. Grace is deservingly amazing. When Paul proclaimed 'I am what I am by the grace of God' (1 Corinthians 15:10), he had experienced the best of both worlds. Paul, Jewish by origin, was trained in the mosaic law by Rabbi Gamaliel and was extremely passionate about the law of God. His zeal for the law of God overrode everything else in his life, so much that he persecuted believers. Paul later encounters Christ, the embodiment of grace and as a result, his life takes a complete turn. He becomes a passionate preacher of the gospel and authors several books of the bible as inspired by the holy spirit. The New Testament would not be the same without any of Paul’s epistles. This is a true testimony of grace; that a religious zealot is transformed into a man entrusted with the gospel of Christ. Paul’s story can be ours as well if we accept and receive grace. EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 19
“God longs for us to run to him to receive grace whenever we are in need.”
David too, despite living in the old testament had a glimpse of the grace of God. The steadfast love (Grace / ‘Chesed’) of the Lord never ceases was the Psalmist’s constant refrain (Psalm 118:1). The Psalms are littered with passages containing this (Psalm 5:7; 6:4; 13:5; 17:7; 23:6 etc.) and it goes to show the reverence and awe David had for the grace of God. This was a man who was after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) and was empowered by grace to stare down Goliath and the Philistines with boldness. Even though David had a number of shortcomings, he was sustained by God’s grace and is recorded in history as an ancestor of Jesus. The gospel of grace is glorious. Scripture records that if the ministry of death (The law) had a measure of glory, then the ministry of grace that imparts righteousness excels in glory (2 Cor 3:9). We are reminded of the instance where Moses’ face shone with the glory after spending time in God’s presence. The bible goes further to say that Moses covered his face with a veil because he did not want the Israelites to notice that the glory on his face was fading. Today, you and I are privileged to be under the new dispensation where we are being transformed into the very image of Christ as we behold Him, and we are moving from one brighter level of glory to another. Hallelujah! God longs for us to run to him to receive grace whenever we are in need. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23), and His unmerited favour never runs out. I end with a poem that flowed from my heart as I marvelled at God’s grace.
My heart has grasped the unknown. My soul's thirst quenched by the unseen. In the darkest night, I am unafraid, relying not on conjured up courage, but in a loving Father who arrays me in Grace, without ever forsaking me. When the world you inhabit confounds you, a God of love runs to you. His peace, which surpasses all understanding, comforts you, while the storms that rise, seek to derail you. Fear trembles in His midst, while anxiety ceases to exist. There is Joy unspeakable and grace unquenchable in His presence alone where He waits with open arms!!
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 21
A Story of
Redemption – Leticia Naidoo
In the beginning, God had a plan for communion with mankind. His desire was for us to walk in intimacy with him. We are God’s intended community, created to bask in his love and goodness. Nevertheless, the enemy was determined to separate man from the position of intimacy with God and started working to break this relationship. The devil thought he had succeeded when he got Adam and Eve to sin against God, but little did he know that God was preparing a perfect plan for restoration out of his great love for mankind. Throughout the Bible, we see God weaving together a story of grace. He orchestrated restoration of mankind from sin and empty religion to being sons of God. The Bible is full of people who would easily be considered as flawed, yet were chosen and used by God because of His grace. When God called Noah, he understood that Noah was human, who would later get drunk and disgrace himself, yet the word of God says he found favour in the eyes of God, and goes on further to call him righteous and blameless(Gen 6:9). God favoured Noah and used him to restore humanity despite his weaknesses. We see God extend His hand of Grace to Abraham and Sarah as He uses their lineage to seal our fate. Abraham was humanly flawed too and once lied to the king of Egypt (Gen 12:10-13), yet God still declared him righteous because he believed in God. (Gen 15:6)
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 24
Presently, he is regarded as the father of faith. Leah was the unwanted sister. Nobody paid her attention or glanced in her direction. Even so, God was gracious to her in opening her womb and using her to birth a nation of greatness. It was that very same nation that birthed Jesus, our restoration plan. When we meet Ruth in the bible, she was a widowed nobody, but God redeemed her and used her to birth the lineage of Jesus. Overlooked by everyone, including his own father, David proved the most unlikely king or hero, yet God called him a man after His own heart and elevated David to become one the greatest servants, kings and heroes. Grace noticed the unnoticeable and favoured the unfavourable. God’s amazing grace finds you when you are least deserving and sets your feet on high places. Just like these Biblical heroes, who received God’s grace, we are also recipients of this undeserved favour, because Jesus fulfilled the restoration plan. In the days of the law, an unblemished lamb would be slain in order for God to accept the praise offerings of the people and forgive their sins. This practice is observed by thousands of Jews all over the world today. It was a picture of Jesus, God’s sinless lamb who would be slain for mankind to receive salvation. When history encountered Jesus, the world’s destiny was changed. Jesus became the ultimate lamb, unblemished, pure, a perfect sacrifice that was slain on a cross on Passover to allow the wrath of God to pass over us and allow righteousness to be restored.
We are all in need of salvation. The law of God holds the flesh of man to an unattainable standard, and if we measure ourselves by these standards, we will never feel worthy enough to enjoy fellowshipping with God, or to receive his blessings. His desire is for us to have that unbroken communion with him, and Jesus was the answer to the problem of sin. Where sin kept us apart from God, Jesus became the sacrifice that reconnected us with God by fulfilling the requirements of the law. That is why in Romans 8: 1-2 the Bible says “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death”. We now have the freedom and access to God through Christ Jesus. Through Christ, we receive unmerited favour with God. Today you have the freedom to talk to God, who is longing to listen to you and answer your prayers. Accepting Jesus is accepting the grace of God. Accepting Jesus is accepting the salvation that was made possible by the sacrifice on the cross. We are no longer trapped by sin because Christ broke the curse of the law. We are now children of God, seated with Him in heavenly places with His spirit living in us. All you need to do is receive Jesus, get acquainted with his word, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform your heart and life.
“The Bible is full of people who would easily be considered as flawed, yet were chosen and used by God because of His grace.”
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 26
- Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
HOME BOUND – Daya Raja
Across the world, if there is a feeling or a phase that we are all mutually experiencing, it is grief. I lost few friends to Covid-19 and some of my close friends lost their families. The worst bit is, I could not do anything to stop it. I couldn’t go to their homes nor do something about it because of lockdown. Frankly speaking, I don’t think I have ever felt this helpless in life. If you lost someone recently or know someone who lost their loved ones, you will understand the frustration, heaviness and the meaninglessness that creeps in after death. It numbs us and sometimes it fills us with the deep longing to get Home. Suddenly everything we invested in, worried about and desired seems purposeless. And it is powerful enough to serve as a change of direction if we pay attention to it. After all, what are we doing here? What are we investing in? Where are our minds? Our hearts? Emotions and affections? What do we look forward to every single day? What does our aspiration look like? Bible says we don’t belong in the world. It also says Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us and once He is done, He will come back and take us along with him. Get the point? A home is getting ready for us. But how much do we yearn for this place? How much of our each day goes into thinking about it? How much of our prayers are, ‘Jesus, I can’t wait to be home with you.’
If you are anything like me, as times goes by and when things go normal, you hardly think about your life with Jesus at the end of time. But when something unexpected happens, it shakes you and makes you have a good look at yourself. Looking around, last year shook as all. We all experienced pain in one way or the other. Some of us lost our families, some lost jobs, some lost savings- it is just an endless list of losses. But just when things are getting better, what is our focus? Are we trying to build back everything we lost or have we acquired a new way of looking at life itself? We have had a real taste of the brevity of life, the helplessness of humans and the inherent flaws of our system. Any moment we could lose our lives or our loved ones’. We could lose jobs and just everything we think is sustaining our lives. Or things could go normal as well. Unfortunately, we don’t know. But one thing is true, the life we have here is not permanent. We should prepare ourselves to leave. But eternity and life with Jesus might sound like a fairy tale or a distant reality if we lack passion for it. As in, if our affections are not rooted in Jesus, time here could look really pleasant and we might get too comfortable building a life and thrilled at everything the world offers us. We might even use scripture as a tool to make our lives here a little cozier wrapped in our fantasies. The truth is, if we live pregnant with dreams and desires of our lives here, we might not know when Jesus comes and we could miss out on Him and Bible is very clear on that.
“Bible says we don’t belong in the world. It also says Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us and once He is done, He will come back and take us along with him. Get the point? A home is getting ready for us.”
Time, dear friend, is at hand. Everything we are going through is God’s way of pushing us to see how fickle our life here is. He is nudging us to get ready. He is at the door and we have to leave. How about then living each day here as though we are home-bound? How about making more time in our daily lives to get ready to leave? God bless.
Daya Raja, Bangalore
Daya thinks it’s absolutely cool to be known by Jesus. She deeply appreciates nature, art and silence. Currently, she is pursuing Masters in Development in India. Her dream is to fall in love with Jesus and humanity every day. Daya can be reached at dayaraja95@gmail.com
EGM Times | elohimgospelministries.com 29
Final Word Dear friend,
Thank you for making it to the end of this edition. We hope you are inspired by this edition of EGM Times. The amazing grace of God is powerful, and accepting salvation through this grace can make an eternal difference. If you are reading this and have not experienced the love and power of God, we encourage you to embrace His love – offered as salvation through Jesus Christ. In His unending affection for us, God has a lot in store for your life and longs to have you as part of His family. We also encourage you to rededicate your life to God if you were born again but drifted away from the call. Make the following prayer and accept Jesus as your savior: “Lord Jesus, I come before you today. I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and my sins have separated me from you. Today, I believe that you are the son of God and that you had me in mind when you got crucified and died. I believe that you are resurrected and seated at the right hand of the Father. I accept you today as my Lord and savior. Thank you for paying the price for my eternal redemption. I am now the righteousness of God in Christ. I now ask you to fill me with your spirit. Amen.” Congratulations on surrendering or rededicating your life to God. You are now a new creation in Christ. We encourage you to join a family of believers (church) in your area, and we pray that you get established in your faith through studying the word by the grace of God. We at the EGM Times team love you and would like to hear from you. Send your feedback, comments, and constructive criticism to egmtimes@elohimgospelministries.com. See you in the next edition. God bless you!!! Team EGM Times