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  document.writeln("<span class=\"body\"><b><span class=\"headings2\"><span class=\"actsititle\">Welcoming Arms </span></span></b><br>");
  document.writeln("<span class=\"actsilinks\"><a href=\"#\" onclick=\"window.print()\">Print this page</a></span>");document.writeln("<br><div id='actsartcl1'>");document.writeln("<font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">\'€œDo not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way");
document.writeln("you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be");
document.writeln("measured to you.\'€<sup>1</sup></span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">\'€œThere is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able");
document.writeln("to save and destroy. But you \'€&#8220; who are you to judge your neighbor?\'€<sup>2</sup></span></p><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;A couple of years ago, I attended a night of worship with several Christian artists. While the worship was beautiful, there was one");
document.writeln("moment that night that stuck with me since then. </span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">I had taken my daughter to the restroom, and on our way out");
document.writeln("I saw a staff member who was tidying up the restroom. I said hello and she quickly");
document.writeln("commented, \'€œI have been listening to the worship songs. They are so beautiful.\'€");
document.writeln("She then asked if I attended a Christian church and some other general");
document.writeln("questions. About two minutes into our conversation she said, \'€œI have been");
document.writeln("wanting to go to a church, but I am afraid.\'€ I asked what she was afraid of,");
document.writeln("and she responded, \'€œI know that the way I am living is wrong, and I am afraid");
document.writeln("to be turned away.\'€ My heart sank! Here I was face to face with someone who");
document.writeln("desperately needed Jesus, and she was holding back from coming to him because");
document.writeln("she was afraid to be turned away by the people in church. </span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">I put my arm on her shoulder and told her, \'€œI am nobody to");
document.writeln("judge you. I have sinned in more ways than one, but God loves me and has");
document.writeln("forgiven me! He loves you too and will forgive you when you come to him. He");
document.writeln("will never turn you away! I am sorry that we (Christians) have given you that");
document.writeln("impression, but that is not who God is. He has his arms wide open for you.\'€ We");
document.writeln("talked for a bit longer, she asked me to pray for her, and we went our separate");
document.writeln("ways.</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">I walked out of that restroom feeling so thankful for that \'€œGod");
document.writeln("moment\'€, but also feeling so saddened for the impression some churches have on non-believers. If we are to be God\'€™s hands and feet in this world and bring others");
document.writeln("to him, we need to be sure to model his example. Jesus does not condemn us, but");
document.writeln("instead has come to save us. John 12:46 says, \'€œI have come into the world as a");
document.writeln("light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.\'€ People are");
document.writeln("ready to come to the light of Christ, but are we, as Christians, ready to");
document.writeln("welcome them with loving arms? The Bible says we have all sinned and therefore we are separated from God. We were as lost and hopeless as anyone else. But thanks be to God for Jesus! It is only because");
document.writeln("of Him that we have hope. <span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">&nbsp;</span></span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Suggested prayer: Dear God, help me never forget where you");
document.writeln("have brought me from. I was lost in darkness, but you adopted me into your");
document.writeln("family through Jesus. Use me to be your hands and feet to those who need you");
document.writeln("most. That they would feel your love so tangibly through me that they cannot");
document.writeln("resist you. In the name of Jesus I pray,");
document.writeln("amen. </span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><ol style=\"list-style-type: decimal; direction: ltr;\"><li style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"><p style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Matthew");
document.writeln("7:1-2 (<i>NIV</i>). </span></p></li><li style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"><p style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 8pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">James");
document.writeln("4:12.</span></p></li></ol><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in 0in 8pt;\"><span style=\"line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Today\'€™s Encounter was written by: Crystal B. </span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
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  document.writeln("<p style=\"font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 10pt;\">This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes <a href=\"http://www.actsweb.org/archives.php\" target=\"_blank\">can be read online</a>.<br><br>Copyright &copy; 1990 - 2025<br /><a href=\"http://www.actsweb.org/\" target=\"_blank\">ACTS International</a></p>");
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