Man has this not been an incredible morning of worship. We appreciate these guys, our worship team as they've led us this morning. And I've gotten here three times because I get to introduce the guest speaker. Y'all didn't know, did you? So, Pastor Matt is in the penalty box this week. He's finishing up his quarantine. So having contact traced and his name showed up. So, this morning, we have a special friend in the ministry, who will come and bring the message. And it's been an awesome morning. So, God has really had His hand on him. Most of you know or you've heard from me and our discovering Burnt Hickory class about, you know why we associate as a Southern Baptist Church. And that is because we gather with likeminded churches who believe the authority of God's Word who believed that we're on a mission to take that word and the gospel throughout all nations. And because of that, I mean, we are still autonomous.  Pastor Matt doesn't report to someone up the totem pole in Baptist life. But, by coming together with likeminded churches, both locally and at the state level, nationally, internationally, we are a part of some amazing things that take place. With our resources alone pooled together, we have the largest missionary force in the world, taking the gospel to places that we can't even get to. It's pretty amazing. Well, this morning, our guest speaker, he is executive director of the Georgia Baptist mission board, which is the group of 34-3500 churches here in Georgia. And so that's quite a great ministry that he has and before that he was senior pastor of First Baptist Alpharetta. Before that he worked with a North American Mission Board helping put together evangelistic plans on how we take the gospel out and beyond. So, this morning, you're in for a treat. We have a special speaker, come on up here. This is Thomas Hammond and he's got his wife with him this morning as well and that's Carrie, we welcome you as well. Let's give him a good Burnt Hickory welcome.

Thank you Marty I appreciate it. What an incredible blessing today has been. I've had the chance with Marty to listen three times to the worship team and every time it's just incredibly refreshing to hear God honoring and God focused worship. And thank you for the joy of really partnering with you.  Your pastor, Brother Matt is a dear friend, I love the fact that he's so innovative, creative, he's willing to do whatever it takes to reach this area of Cobb County and East Paulding and whatever it takes to reach Georgia with the gospel. In fact, we are as Georgia Baptists partnering together, you're a part of us, as Marty said, 35, almost 3600 churches that have gathered together.  To give you a point of reference, there aren't 600 McDonald's in Georgia, okay, you say well wait a minute, I see a McDonald's on every corner. Yes. But there are six times the amount of Georgia Baptist churches, one in 10, Georgian is a Georgia Baptist.  Isn't that wonderful? And together, what we have decided is we can do a whole lot more than we could by ourselves. And because of that, when you give a tithe, we give offerings, a portion of that goes to what's called a cooperative program and through that, we literally have 1000s of missionaries all over the world. And they're in places in which if they're found out, because it's really against the law for them to share the love of Christ in their countries that they're living in right now. They are there with their children. And if found out there'll be at best imprisoned, or possibly worse, many missionaries over the years have been martyred for the faith. But they're there because of the conviction that they have of God's call upon their life, to take light into darkness and to be Jesus in a community that doesn't have a church doesn't have a preacher. And some of them don't even have Bibles. And so be praying for that. And just think about the fact that you're a part of this team in Georgia where there's a lot of things that we're doing together. In fact, several of the ministries through mission Georgia are focused on foster care adoption right now. 15,000 plus, kids are in the fostering program in Georgia, many of them right now need places to be tonight, Georgia spent over a million dollars on hotel rooms last year for children, because there wasn't a place to put them and so Georgia Baptist wants to be the solution to this problem. And to also help their parents get their lives back together so that they can be reunited with their kids. But there's also other needs like trafficking.  Sadly, Georgia is one of the leading states in trafficking. And we want to partner with ministries that are fighting this and making it more, I guess, more of an awareness and Georgia's to understand that this is a real problem that we have here in Georgia. In fact, sadly, it's probably in every county in Georgia, it's not an Atlanta problem. It's in every area of our state. So, we're partnering there to do that.  Literacy is another area that we're working in.  Did you know that if a fourth grader doesn't read at the fourth-grade level, by fourth grade, that they're going to be 70% more likely to be involved in crime, to be involved in gangs, or to be on welfare for the rest of their lives? And so, reading is really important. So, what we're encouraging through the mission, Georgia efforts and literacy efforts is to partner with schools that are at risk to help kids that are at risk, because we want them to be able to read so that they can read the Word of God.  You see, our desire is to not just show the love of God, but also to tell them why we do what we do. And we earn the right by ministering to them and caring for them and, really being light in darkness and living a life of an example. I'll give you another example that I think will also encourage you.  In just a few weeks, Georgia Baptists are going to give away $4.9 million. And we're going to be doing that out of the health care foundation that was established years ago. And we're going to be giving it to ministries that provide health care for the indigent, the poor, and the needy, but also partnering with alternatives to abortion. And those, there's actually here in Cobb County ministries that are supported through this as well. And so, who else has given away $5 million next month? Huh?  I mean, think about it. This is something that you as a Georgia Baptist need to be aware of, because when you know what we're doing, you're really excited about what God's doing through all of us. So there's so many other things we could share, but I'm here to preach, not to do any more information on that. But your church, thank you for the partnership, because together we are seeing God do some great things in the midst of a pandemic.

So, if you have your Bibles, I'm going to be preaching from the book of Acts, and actually going to go through chapter 3, just the first 10 verses there. Your pastor next week is going to start a sermon series on the disciples and when you look at the book of Acts, oftentimes, it's described as the Acts of the Apostles. But I will tell you this, it's the act of God through the apostles. In fact, when you're studying with your pastor over these next few weeks, the different disciples, what you're going to find out is, all of them were a group of just ordinary guys, average Joe's or sometimes even below average in many ways. But yet, there was an extra ordinary God who took ordinary people to do amazing things to really impact the world. And so, it will be an incredible study, I would encourage you to come back for that. But I think Acts chapter 3 will give us really a glimpse into two of these disciples who became apostles, and one was Peter and the other John.  These were polar opposites and personality, but because of their partnership in Christ, they were unified in every way. But looking in chapter 3.  What we see is two men going to prayer meeting. In fact, for the Jews, it was custom that they would pray, and they prayed every day, three times a day. In fact, this time that we find them in Acts chapter 3, it's the ninth hour, which means it's three o'clock in the afternoon. This is the last prayer time. This is the time actually when sacrifices were offered during that hour of prayer as well. And so, what we find them doing now is entering into the temple for prayer. Look now with me, Acts chapter 3, I begin reading in verse one. The Scripture says, "Now Peter, and John went up together to the temple, at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb, was carried whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who enter the temple, who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked for alms.  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John said look at us. So, he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, silver and gold I do not have but what I do have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up. And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So, he leaping up stood and walked and enter the temple with them walking, leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God than they were. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the beautiful gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him." You know, when we read Scripture, oftentimes we put ourselves there and this is one of those moments where you're thinking, what would that have been like to go to a prayer meeting and have it disrupted by a miracle, an act of God. And as they are, there and about to start prayer meeting, they look over there. And there's a guy that they have known that he has been la for me his whole life. They know him to be a beggar. And now they're seeing him in a different light. And they recognize him going, wait a minute, what are you doing?  What has happened to you? You know, the reality is for all of us. We know people that are in situations and difficulties. And the truth is, you can drive all across West Cobb, and go through street after street, neighborhood after neighborhood see house after house, listen to me, and in every one of those homes, there are needs, there are hurts, there are pains, there are questions. There may be even spirits of depression, and hopelessness. And you know what?  We have been given the privilege to be.  Light in the darkness.  We've been given the privilege of being the ones who can lead by example, in our life, as we're empowered and energized by the Holy Spirit. And as, listen and as we're called out, to be those that are engaging as ambassadors of Christ, to help a lost hurting world find hope, find Jesus. In that reality friend, there's a couple of things I'm going to share with you from the Scripture here, the text that we just read. And I believe with all my heart as we read it, it's going to be very challenging for us personally, okay? The Word of God is challenging, right? Hebrews chapter 4:12 said it, “For the word of the Lord is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  I mean, my goodness, something like that should bring it on us a challenge, and even sometimes conviction, or a strong encouragement to go further or farther than ever before. So that's what I pray today is for me and for you. Let's go to that next step in our walk with Christ, to serve, let's pray together as we prepare our hearts for time in the Word.  Father, thank you so much for these that are here and for those who are watching on their devices. God, I pray that your Holy Spirit would speak to all of our hearts and that you would find us receptive that we would have ears to hear. And I pray that we will respond to everything that you speak to us about, with a way that honors you. So use this now as a time to challenge us to strengthen us to encourage us. And I pray, Father, that You and You alone will be glorified. in Christ's name we pray, Amen. 

So as we look at this text, I want to bring to you three things that I believe that we'll find, that will actually be emulated in our lives, if we want to be those that are used to change our world, those that can be used to influence whether it's a classmate or a coworker, or a family member, or a neighbor, who doesn't know the Lord and desperately needs Him. The first thing I want you to see is this, we have to have the eyes to see the needs.  We have to have that vision that sees the needs around us. Cobb County is filled with needs. The problem sometimes is that we don't see them and the reason we don't see them, may be because we have our eyes on ourselves. I mean, you might be thinking, Thomas, in the midst of a pandemic, I'm just trying to hold my own here. You mean to tell me that we could be moving forward as the body of Christ? Absolutely. In fact, in the midst of something like a pandemic, is where the body of Christ should be thriving and growing and ministering and caring. In fact, what we see right here in this text is a situation that was heartbreaking. What was happening was Peter and John were about to go into the temple to pray and they were entering what in Scripture tells us was the gate that was named Beautiful. And what an ironic contrast between what was the gate and what was outside the gate. The gate: it was splendid. It was 75 feet tall, 60 feet wide covered, and what was known as Corinthian brass and gold plates. It took 20 men to open the gate and close it each day.  There is this incredible entryway into the temple. But on the outside was what was known as beggars’ row. You see, in this day that we're reading in the book of Acts, there wasn't a welfare system or any system that would take care of the needy. So, what was happening was those who could not take care of themselves, maybe because of an illness, or because of maybe some type of old age or blindness or something, they would be placed in areas of the city where there was high traffic, they may be out of the gates of the city, or sometimes people would be placed at the gate of a wealthy or rich man's house. But the prime property, if you will, would be to have a family member, a friend, or someone that would take you and put you right outside one of the gates of the temple. Because what would happen every day is everybody three times a day would be going into the temple to pray. And this was a place to find somebody who's trying to, you know, be right with God and if you know, Judaism, these people were working their way to please God. And so, my goodness, a couple of dollars to help somebody out in that day and time might help me as I go into the prayer meeting. So that's what's happening, you have what's unofficially known as beggars’ row, right outside of the beautiful gate. So here's Peter and John, walking in together, and they are doing what they've done every day. They're passing people that they pass every day. But I can tell you right now, there was probably a variety of responses to the cries of help to the beggars. I mean, just imagine that we encounter that in our life, but not at this level. But I'm sure that there were some who've walked past it so often, they've heard the cry so often, that they no longer even hear the cries. I mean, it's become kind of background noise, if you will.  I imagine that there were some that heard it, but just ignored it, because my goodness, they're going to church, for prayer meeting.  I don't have time to help the needy, I've got to go pray.

And then there were probably some and knowing people like you, I'm sure there were many that would work all day to prepare some food or maybe some water or something that they would take to those that were all along what was known as beggars’ row. And here's some food and here's something.  Tomorrow, I hope to bring more, you can imagine that there was even a larger number of responses and larger variety of responses than just those three. But what's interesting to me is, here's Peter, and here's John and they've walked past and through this gate many times, and they've walked past this group, many times. But I want you to see Peters response that we've been through in the text it says in verse 4, "and fixing his eyes on him." The word fixing means more than just seeing as a casual glance, or it may be something out of the corner of your eye. It literally means to be arrested by the sight. But it's far more than just a visual, it has far more than just the visual impact. It actually means to see with your heart to emotionally become connected to what you're looking at. But more than just your heart, your mind, your thinking, now about the plight of this person and the needs of this person. But it's more than just his heart and his mind, Peter now is seeing this with his faith, as well. In other words, through the power of Christ, something could be done. You say, well, why in the world is Peter seeing it different this day? Well, if you just go back one chapter in your Bible, chapter 2, there was an experience called Pentecost. You remember Jesus before he ascended to the Father told all of his followers, I must go. And because when I go, I will send you the helper.  The helper is the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. See, no longer does the Spirit of God dwell in tabernacles and temples, now He dwells now in the hearts of minds of people and in the bodies; we're now the Holy Spirit's temple.  You with me?  And so everywhere we go, we now have Jesus with us. So now Peter is seeing his world with a brand-new set of eyes. Peter now is seeing his world and hearing his world now with a brand-new set of ears. And now Peter, his heart is filled with more compassion than ever because now the Holy Spirit of God is leading him and helping him. So now he sees this need and the scripture says he's locked in and can't take his eyes off of him. You probably have had experienced something like that in your life where you saw something that just stuns you. Years ago, when I had the privilege of being the pastor of First Baptist in Alpharetta, we wanted to become better connected with our community. We wanted to find out more what the needs were so that we could meet those needs as the body of Christ, and then really raise our presence in our community so that we can share the love of Christ. And so we had an emphasis called impact, pray serve tell. So, we literally spent a year praying for our community. And we prayer walked every street in Alpharetta, we had a map on a wall in one of our hallways, and it was divided up into quadrants. And so every Connect group or Sunday school class or Bible study group, they had their own quadrant, and as they would prayer, walk it, they'd come back and they would color in the lines where they'd already prayer walked and so we were preparing them for this incredible experience, because we were in the training, telling them when you're out praying, God's going to be speaking to your heart, as you're praying house to house or praying for businesses and business owners, and those who work in these restaurants or whatever it may be, or you're praying for corporations that were there, or you're praying for schools, or maybe a fire station or police department, you get the picture. But I will say this to you. As we trained them, we also said that there's going to be an experience which you're going to have or you're going to see needs because there are things that you and I see whenever we're walking and praying that we don't see when we're driving. So when God speaks to your heart about something, come back and share it with us because what we had in our heart mind is we wanted to adopt four streets that we wanted to hit with the love bomb, if you know what I mean. In other words, let's find four areas of Alpharetta where we can as a church just go in there and just love on those people.

So, our church was prayer walking, and the impact was obvious. People would come back weeping going, I've never seen this part of our city. And God was moving in their hearts to people. One afternoon a lady named Miss Paula, she came up to me she said, Pastor, I've been prayer walking and I just prayer walked Marietta Street and I believe that God wants us to do something on Marietta Street. What a powerful statement that is. You wanna hear it again. I believe that God wants us to do something on Marietta Street. Friend, if you and I are going to be used by God, to change our world, here's the first thing that has to happen, you ready, we have to see the need. We have to have that moment in which our eyes are fixed on something, we have to be continually led by the Holy Spirit to look around and see our world through the eyes of Christ. And that's what just takes place here. Peter and John going to pray, can't take their eyes off the need and situation of this lame beggar. But there's another step, if you will, there's another level. You see, seeing the need is just one part of it. But here's the second thing. And this is where we struggle sometimes because it's a big leap from this one to the next one.  To see the need, are you ready, and then get involved.

That's, oh!  I'd rather just write a check. I mean, you actually want me to get involved.  There's something in the Christian life that can only be experienced when you step out in faith. Knowing is great.  Doing it is better. Let's look together at this text. So, it says here that, fixing his eyes on him with John. Peter said, you ready. "Look at us." Now, I just gave you those words in preacher talk, but let me make sure you understand that that's not how it was said because this scene that we're reading into and seeing with our mind's eye is far different than what we have right here today. This was human carnage, if you will.  These people were brought out here in the morning. And now it's three o'clock in the afternoon. You with me? The sights, the smells, the sounds, you understand that every beggar is competing with the beggar next to them, for the attention of those who are going into the temple, I mean, if you're going to receive something from someone who's compassionate, you've got to get their attention. So, you got to be a little louder than the person next to you, you got to go, help, help!  I'm starving!   You understand this was chaotic. So, the Scripture says that the lame man saw Peter and John going in, and he asked for alms. But it's obvious that he's now taken his eyes off Peter, and John, and he's going for the next person saying help. Because Peter and John now have stopped, and he doesn't even know that they've stopped. Peter and John are looking at him. And he doesn't know that they're looking at him. So now Peter has to has to get his attention. And so, he says to him, look over here.  Look at us.

What a powerful statement that is. When you make a statement to someone who's in need, like that, you're telling them I'm ready to get involved. Look at us, you know, as Georgia Baptist, we want to tell a state that has over 7 million people who don't go to church, look at us. But we need to make sure that we are giving them a clear picture of Christ. Look at us. Let's read the Scripture. Now what it says here. So it says in verse 5, "So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them," which is ordinary, but now watch this in verse 5, then Peter said, Man, I'm broke. As you notice, the beggar went, Well, great, I'm telling you, I finally found one man who wants to help me out, and he's broke. That's my luck. Is Peter really broke? Did he really not have silver and gold or was he just kind of giving that answer that we sometimes give? If you go back to chapter 2 again, all those 1000s of people that gave their life to Christ, they’re at Pentecost, many of them were experiencing persecution, some of them have been exiled from their families, some have lost their jobs that have no way of providing for themselves or for their families. Some of them were admits of persecution. And so what they all did was, they all took the money that they had, and they put it in a pile and they give it out as people had needs. So literally, Peter and John, were telling this man, we just emptied our pockets a little while ago. I don't have any money, but aren't you glad he didn't have money? What if he had $1? You know, sometimes the world asks us for things far less than what the body of Christ could give them. Their friends, I want to feed the hungry. I want to feed their bodies, but I will tell you what I want to feed more than their bodies, I'm gonna feed their souls. I want to feed what's eternal.

Back to Marietta street for just a moment. So, after a couple of weeks, this group of lay folks came back to me and the staff and said, we've got an idea. I'm like, man, I want to hear it. What if we provide tutoring for the families on Marietta street for all their kids that are going to school? We'll come by and pick them up at three o'clock in the afternoon on Wednesdays, and we'll bring him here we'll do tutoring. And then we'll take them to we have dinner at our church on Wednesday nights. And afterwards, they can go to Awana or they can go to Bible studies, in what whatever age grade is appropriate for them they can go to?  That'd be great. I mean, I love the idea. So, we had some folks in our church. Quite a few Latino families already in our church and so Bernardo, who's a businessman in our church began to lead out and so we literally went through that entire area. That community began to pass out flyers saying starting next Wednesday. We'll come by with a van and our church, will pick up your kids and, we'll take you over to our church, we will tutor them in their classes. We want to do this every week. And so, the first week we went through there, I think we picked up three. And then the next week we went through there, I think we picked up five. And then the next week, eight, and then before long, it's packed. And what an amazing sight to go in and look at this room that's filled with a bunch of beautiful Latino children. And then there's a bunch of folks, adults that are teaching them and helping them with their math and with reading and whatever subjects they're studying. But to see a man like Richard Graham, 75-year-old man, down on one knee, looking at an eight year old boy, telling him, God loves you. God has made you so special. And God has big plans for you. I'll tell you something, you'll never have that moment by only seeing the need. You have those moments by also getting involved. A couple of months after starting the ministry, I I got a phone call on my cell phone. I answered it and the lady said to me, are you the pastor at First Baptist Alpharetta? I said Yes, ma'am. My name is Thomas Hammond. Yes, sir. Are you the church that's ministering to the children that are there in Marietta street? And I said, Well, that depends. Is this good news or bad news? Because if it's bad news, the Methodist are doing it.  She said no, it's good news. I said, Well, yes, ma'am, we are. She said, I just want you to know that the whole school is talking about the transformation that's taking place in the kids on Marietta Street. She said, I'm the principal at the school. And I just had to call you and tell you, thank you. And I don't know what you're doing, but please keep doing it. Because their behavior is all better. They're all doing their homework now for the first time and their grades are all going up. And we're all just amazed. And I just said, Ma'am, we're just showing them the love of God. We just are trying to show them how important and beautiful that they are.

Friend, if you're not going to be used by God, there's a third thing that needs to take place. You see, when we see the need and we get involved, there's something that must be enacted upon. Let's look together at this third thing.  I want you see it here.  You see a verse 6, he says silver and gold I do not have but what I do have I give you, watch this, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, do what you cannot do on your own. Do what's beyond your physical ability. Get up, rise up and walk. You know what that is? That's Peter. And here's the third thing, stepping out in faith. You know, the Scripture tells us that it's impossible to please God, without faith. Faith engages us in God's power. It enables us to do and accomplish the work of God without faith. We can't please Him without faith. All we can do is what we can do. But there's a call upon us as followers of Christ, as those who dwell with the Holy Spirit, to live beyond our abilities, and to step out beyond our comfort zone, and to sacrifice and to die to ourselves.

It's a powerful thing to tell someone to do something they cannot do. But when you do it, in the name and power and authority of Jesus. Don't you believe Jesus changes lives, amen?  That it should be seen in the way in which we live, not just in our talk. I want you to see how Peters actions match his words. It's one thing to say in the name of Jesus, get up and walk.  Man, I hope this works. I want you see what Peter does look at the faith. You see faith is always revealed in what you do.  Tomorrow, you can live out your faith. It says then verse 7, "He took him by the right hand." Some scripture verses say that Peter seized him.  In other words, Peter said, Hey, in the name of Jesus, get up and walk. Come on, come on. In other words, Peter knew that this was about to happen. Friend, if you're ready for Cobb County to start looking at what God's doing with wonder and amazement, you know what it's going to take?  You seeing the need, you getting involved, you stepping out in faith, where your words and your actions match. Two months after the phone call from the principal, we had a gathering of all the families from Marietta street at our church. And it was a dinner that we had planned for them to celebrate all that the kids were doing. It was a fun night. And Bernardo was translating for me because my Spanish is limited to: Amigo. Como esta? Bien. That's it. I'm done. So, what we did was we took those families, and we showed them a room in our church and said, this is the room where you will come on Sunday at 930. This is your room, and we had a decorated for them. And we said, this is where you will study the Bible and Bernardo will teach you. Okay?  So, we'll see you Sunday at 930. They all went, okay. And guess what? They came. That night, I shared the gospel with them with the help of Bernardo translating for me, and 18 of the parents asked Jesus Christ to come into their lives. And this was the launching of our Latino ministry.  And one year later, we had another street, an apartment area where we had invited another group of our city to come for a time of just celebration. And a year later, one of the couples that had given their lives to Christ was sharing their testimony with the group that came. So they're standing there, I'm behind them kind of standing on the wall there. And they both have the microphones and Benardo is whispering in my ear, translating what they're saying. And I was like, I want to hear what they're telling them. And they said a year ago, we were where you are right now. But we want you to know something, all the things that you're feeling right now we understand because we felt them. But we want to tell you about these people. You ready for this?  Bernardo’s translating.  These people know God. And when he told me that, it just hit me.  These people they know God.  These people will love you.  They want you to be a part of their family.  The reason why we know that is because we are a part of the family.  See the need, step out in faith as you get involved.  Let's bow our heads together.  

Hey, would you pray this with me right now?  Just ask God.  Say God would you use me? Would you use me to bring glory to your name?  Help me to see where you're working. Strengthen my faith so I can step out and use me to be light in darkness.  Maybe you're here watching by device or maybe you're here in the auditorium. And you've never taken a step of faith to really surrender your life to Jesus. And maybe today, you feel like the Holy Spirit of God or something is speaking to your heart about this and you know that you need God in your life, but you don't know why. Well, the Bible tells us so clearly, that we're all separated from God, because of our sin. The penalty of sin, the scripture says, is death, that's spiritual death, meaning, the spirit, or our soul is separated from God. But the Bible says that Jesus God's Son, God in the flesh, came to live the sinless life and then died on the cross. And he died a death that was in your place. He died for you to pay your sin debt. And so, if you will place your faith and trust in Jesus, the Bible says so clearly that your sins can be forgiven. And that God will give you a clearer picture and understanding of what His purpose is for your life. You say, I'm ready to give my life to Jesus, what do I do? The Bible is also clear about this, you need to ask, because the price has been paid, and the gift of eternal life is found through Jesus. So, you reach out with the hands of faith and accept it, you say, I'm ready right now. That's true for you. Then pray this with me pray it with all the faith that you have.

Pray this, Dear Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God. And I believe that you died on the cross for my sin. And right now, I ask You to come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and cleanse me. And today, I acknowledge You as the Lord of my life today, I will follow You. And I declare right now that I am Yours. And You are mine.

If you would just look up at me for just a moment, I want to say this to you on the screen right now. There's a number it's a phone number that you can actually take your phone and text the word next to.  Today, if you prayed that prayer with me and you say I meant it with all your heart. Or maybe you're here saying, I didn't pray it, but I've got questions, then go ahead and take the moment, send that word next in a text to that number. Somebody will contact you in the next 24 hours and begin to help you with questions that you need that you want to ask with give you answers, or help you take the next steps in your brand-new wonderful life with Jesus. Just take the moment and send that text or maybe you're with somebody who you can share your decision with maybe it's a parent or maybe it's a friend who brought you, then share with them so that they can help you in this. May God be glorified in Cobb County never be the same because of the commitments that we make today. Let's pray. 

Father, galvanize these commitments in our heart. Help us to be moved and stirred when we see needs to action. Grow us, strengthen us, use us. I pray this in Christ's name. 

Amen.