Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
This past Sunday evening we had the opportunity to go to the Franklin Graham Route 66 God Loves You tour in Amarillo. Of course, we were blessed to get to hear the Newsboys sing as well.
I can’t tell you all the songs that they sang but it was great. God’s Not Dead and We Believe were a couple of the songs they sang that are so great. I really like them both, but We Believe is just a song that speaks to my heart. They also sang a new song called ‘Stand’ that they wrote during the beginning of the pandemic.
Then Franklin Graham shared a message from Mark 10 when blind Bartimaeus was on the side of the road. When he found out what all the people were so excited about he called out to Jesus asking him to have mercy on him.
It was in that moment that Jesus stopped and asked what it was that Bartimaeus wanted. In Mark 10:51-52, Bartimaeus said, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” In that moment, Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.
Franklin focused on the faith that Bartimaeus showed in calling out to Jesus, coming to Jesus and then following Jesus. He shared that it is by faith that we come to Christ and find the freedom from sin in our lives.
He shared that it is by faith that the person who has never been saved comes to Christ. By coming to Jesus and asking forgiveness of sins and asking Jesus into their hearts they can be saved. God loved us and sent His Son to die on the cross for the sins of all people so that all who will call upon Him can be saved.
Franklin then called for all who were present that had never been saved but who desired to be saved to stand. People all across the park stood in that moment. He led them in a prayer. I can’t tell you how many made the decision to ask Jesus into their hearts, but I can tell you hearts across that park were changed in the name of Jesus.
Then they remained standing as counselors brought books to them and shared with them the steps they needed to take in their lives. I was overwhelmed seeing people giving their hearts to Jesus and finding forgiveness of their sins.
He also shared with those who had trusted Christ but were not living for Christ. He urged every Christian to look into their hearts and know that they were being faithful and obedient to the call of Christ in their lives. It was a time where each person had the opportunity to look at where they were in their walk with Jesus.
I realize that if you weren’t there you won’t realize the fullness of all that God did in that time. Yet the message on Sunday evening remains the same every day. God loves you and His desire is for all people to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He wants every person to know they are loved and find forgiveness in Jesus.
John 3:16 says it all – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Regardless of who you are or where you are in life, God loves you! His desire is for you to be in a life changing relationship with Jesus.
As you go through each day just remember that ‘the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 6:23). 9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved, 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Rom. 10:9-10).
Just remember – God loves you!
JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, there IS something about that name!!
Christ only, always,
Bro. Paul
