Hello First Family,

Today’s Code word devotional comes from our newly ordained pastor, the Reverend James Freeland. Enjoy!

See you tomorrow on our Journey to the Cross,

Pastor Kevin

Good day church family!

Today’s code word is Welcome.

“Excuse me, I think you might be sitting in my pew.” Perhaps you’ve heard these words in church before. Or worse, perhaps you’ve said them. Either way, this is just one of a myriad of examples of an unwelcoming heart found in churches the world over. In my mind, this is merely an opportunity to speak to someone I may have never met. It might even be a way to get to know a regular church member that I haven’t had the opportunity to connect with before. Maybe, just maybe God could use this interaction to foster a relationship with another lost soul, or a soul that is hurting, or a soul that could just use a smile and a kind word. Maybe this is just one more chance to shake off that negative attitude, hand over your pew, and be Jesus to someone. In Galatians 3:28 we read, “There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Friend, the Lord isn’t concerned with the status of a person before they know His Son, and He is certainly not concerned with whether or not you get to keep your pew! So, scoot over, and allow both the person next to you, and the Lord Jesus Christ to dwell there. I promise you won’t regret it.

Pastor Jimmy