A Note From Our Pastor:
Thank you for the privilege to tell you a little bit about my background and the vision that God has put on my heart as your Pastor at SET FREE.
My Background: I left home when I was 17. My Dad said that “I would never make it.” I took that as a challenge. I was stubborn and my pride got the best of me. I began dealing drugs and blew off a full ride academic scholarship to UCLA. Why? I made a lot of money dealing drugs. My thought, “Who needs a degree.” I partied every day, having fun, or so I thought. I began using and giving away more drugs than I was selling and soon I lost everything. I lost my family, friends, all my possessions, everything! The Bible says, “Pride comes before the fall or destruction” (Proverbs 16: 18). I ended up with a backpack and a change of clothes.
After hitchhiking for 4 hours, an elderly couple picked me up. If you had seen me back then you wouldn’t have picked me up. But this was God working in the hearts of man. This man shared Jesus Christ with me in a way that I have never heard. He said that Jesus Christ paid the price for my sins at the cross and that He conquered the result of sin when He rose again. He told me that if I believed in Jesus Christ and lived my life for Him that I would have a new life. The man and his wife invited me to their cabin for lunch. I accepted. The man brought out a Bible and showed me what he was talking to me about. I took one look at my life and saw what a mess I made of it and I thought maybe God could do better. I prayed and accepted Jesus Christ and decided to live for Him.
I thank God for giving me a new beginning in life and restoring my relationship with my family. I now had a new identity and a new purpose for living (2Corinthians 5: 17-20). I thank God that when I die that I will be with Him forever and ever.
My Vision: God has given me a heart to reach out to those who have been where I came from. How would you define a Christian? A Christian has a loving relationship with the living God. This was made possible when God Himself sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to show us how to live for Him and how to treat others. He not only sent His only Son to show us how to live but to die for our sins, so we can have a loving relationship with His Father. You see, our heavenly Father is holy and pure and He cannot have sin in His presence. His Son died and rose from the dead so we can live in God’s presence forever. When you give your life over to Jesus Christ, God see’s His Son in us. He sees perfection! Hard to believe but it is true. We become a new person with a desire to live for Him and not for ourselves.
If you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, pray this prayer from your heart! (John 3: 16)
Dear God. I know that I am a sinner and that I need your forgiveness. I now turn from my sins and ask You into my life to be my Savior and Lord. Please forgive my sins and give me Your gift of eternal life. Thank you for dying for me and saving me. Thank you for the changes that You are going to make in my life. Help me to live for You every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen
If you gave your life to Christ, please contact us at SET FREE and let us know so we can pray for you and help you grow in your new life. You are no longer a prisoner of sin but now you are set free in Christ. Welcome to God’s Kingdom! God will never leave you nor turn His back on you - count on it!
