The X Factor

Emmanuel Kelly and his brother, Ahmed, of Melbourne, Australia, were born in the middle of a war zone in the country of Iraq.  The two boys were abandoned by their parents and found in a shoe box in a park in Baghdad.  They were both born with severe limb deficiencies.  They were taken to an orphanage in Iran.

Amazingly, Moira Kelly of Australia, director of Children First Foundation, came in contact with the two little boys, brought them back to Australia for some surgeries,
and later adopted them.

Flash forward several years to August, 2011, when Emmanuel, age 17, auditioned for the television talent show, “The X Factor – Australia.”  Despite the disadvantaged start to his life, Emmanuel’s life story and his grand performance left many of the judges in tears and the audience on its feet in thundering applause.  He wowed the judges and audience with his heartfelt performance of John Lennon’s Imagine.  You may view his performance at: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=W86jlvrG54o&

From the bleakest of circumstances to instant stardom, Emmanuel’s life story is quite astounding and inspiring, and it illustrates another “Factor” that can bless our lives greatly…

Due to our own wrong choices, our sin left us in dire circumstances: spiritually lame and left for dead.  We could cry out with the Apostle Paul: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

But Someone loved us so much that He came a great distance – from Heaven to
Earth – to save us!  God loves us so much that He gave His Only Son to come to us, experience life with all of its trials and temptations, and then to die on the cross to pay the price for our sins and give us the abundant life now and eternal life to come (John 3:16; 10:10; Ephesians 1:7).

He (the Son of God) was called “Immanuel,” which means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

In order to accept His offer of life and salvation, we must: place our faith
and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).

When it comes to our salvation, Jesus Christ is “The X Factor,” for if we will submit our lives to Him, He will save us from sin and, one day, will take us home to live with Him for an eternity (see John 14:1-6).

Won’t YOU accept His offer on His terms?

David A. Sargent, Minister