Have you come home yet? I mean that in a number of ways that can be applied to your own life right now.

Lately, we've been on a journey to find out what "Welcome Home!" means for a people called NewHeart. But the question, "have you come home yet?", goes deeper than that.

One way it can be applied is spiritually ... have you found your eternal home yet? It's not here on this earth, and isn't now at this time, but it's coming for us all. Whether we pass on from this earth physically, or Jesus comes back before we do, we're all headed somewhere.

Jesus' promise, secured by the gift of His laying down His life for you and me, is found in John 14:2-4, where Jesus says, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

If you haven't given your life to Christ yet, what are you waiting for? Secure your eternal home with Him now! If you HAVE given your life to Him and haven't taken your first step of obedience by being baptized in water yet, what are you waiting for? We offer the opportunity on the first Sunday of every month and it's a precious way to declare that you've come home. Just call the office to sign up for it.

Another way it can be applied is for those who have turned your heart over to Christ but haven't really been living your life for Him on a daily basis. OR, there are certainly those who, for whatever reason(s), have made a conscious decision to not live out your relationship with God on a daily basis.

Maybe this is the season to set aside the reason(s) and find your way home. There's a fantastic example of how openly and lovingly God is just waiting to welcome you back to Himself in Luke 15:11-32. It's the story of "The Prodigal Son", one in which we can find a bit of ourselves in each of the sons, not just the Prodigal himself, but the older brother as well.

Another way the question, "have you come home yet?", can be applied is the simple issue of joining on a regular basis for fellowship and relationship with your church family. I realize that some reading this article may not be regulars at NewHeart, and I'm talking to you too!

Maybe you're reading this, you're not a regular attender or member at NewHeart, but you find yourself disconnected from whatever church family you were once an active part of. Can I just ask you, on their behalf, "why don't you come home?"

I know we all have our reason(s), issue(s), and whatever for making a decision to disconnect or distance ourselves. Sometimes it's over a leadership decision, sometimes it's because we got offended, and sometimes it's even because we got offended that someone else got offended, and sometimes it's just because the habit has been broken and replaced with other "stuff".

Whatever the case, rarely have I found a really valid reason, and certainly not a Scriptural one, for disconnecting from fellowship with other believers. Maybe you've just gotten out of the habit of being together with your church family. Now is a good time (ANY time is a good time!) to start afresh.

I want to encourage you to find your way home this Harvest season! Come on back and find your place in the family of God. Allow God to breathe His fresh breath of life upon you for a new season of friendships, relationships, and growth!

WELCOME HOME!