By Faith Alone

J. Irvin Overholtzer, founder of CEF, grew up believing that a strict set of guidelines followed to the letter was the way to salvation. He just KNEW his salvation was not guaranteed. He just knew he couldn’t be saved as a child. But then he started reading the words of the Bible and memorizing verses that explained the truly free gift of salvation. His life would fundamentally change all the way down to shaving his beard and wearing different clothing.

But if we teach salvation is a free gift, what’s the point of living a sanctified life?

Mr. Overholtzer had an amazing revelation that I thought was really eye opening. Part of his struggle was a concern of how would people be motivated to do good works if there wasn’t a fear of losing salvation? He found once he took salvation as the free gift it was always meant to be, it was even easier to follow God’s desires. When you aren’t repaying or striving for God’s love, you want to please Him. You want to do good things, help people, share the Gospel. It wasn’t a hindrance as he had so long believed but a deliverance from the bondage of the law of works.

This really hit me because I think we do tend to forget salvation is a free gift. In our society of always working, always pushing, never resting, we forget that Jesus GIVES us this joy. We don’t have to work for it, but we show our appreciation by doing the work of sharing the gospel. When you really think about it, what better way to show appreciation than to be like Jesus? People have this mental block of it being scary to share something so life-altering, but CEF has the tools and training to help with making it as easy as having a conversation!

This is why I love Child Evangelism Fellowship. Mr. Overholtzer realized that children can understand their need of a Savior, and it is our duty as Jesus’ followers to share this amazing, wonderful, life-altering Good News.

As we are fully into 2020, I am spending time in daily prayer to make sure I remember the free gift I have been given and asking for guidance on how to share this amazing gift with literally everyone I can. I pray you join me!

With you in the mission,
Naomi Kemp

P.S. Blatant plug for our upcoming Spring 2020 Good News Club training at which Savannah is teaching the seminar “Drawing in the Net”, a guide to creating a brief and coherent Salvation invitation during your club hour! www.cefcentralalabama.org/events