Luke 1 v.26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" 46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me- holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

Luke 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

SON OF HOPE

MY STORY - by David Berkowitz ---- May God bless everyone who is reading this message! My name is David Berkowitz, and I am a prison inmate who has been incarcerated for more than twenty-two years. I have been sentenced to prison for the rest of my life. My criminal case is well known and was called the "Son of Sam" shootings. It was eleven years ago, when I was living in a cold and lonely prison cell, that God got a hold of my life. Here is my story of Hope...

CHILD OF TORMENT ---- Ever since I was a small child, my life seemed to be filled with torment. I would often have seizures in which I would roll on the floor. Sometimes furniture would get knocked over. When these attacks came, it felt as if something was entering me. My mother who has long since passed away, had no control over me. I was like a wild and destructive animal. My father had to pin me to the floor until these attacks stopped. When I was in public school, I was so violent and disruptive that a teacher, who had become so angry at me, grabbed me in a headlock and threw me out of his classroom. I was getting into a lot of fights, too. Sometimes I started screaming for no reason. And eventually my parents were ordered by school officials to take me to a child psychologist, or else I would be expelled. I had to go to this psychologist once per week for two years. Yet the therapy sessions had no effect on my behaviour. During this period of my life I was also plagued with bouts of severe depression. When this feeling came over me, I would hide under my bed for hours. I would also lock myself in a closet and sit in total darkness.

A FORCE WAS AT WORK ---- Occasionally this same evil force would come upon me in the middle of the night. When this would happen, I felt an urge to sneak out of the house and wander the dark streets. My parents would never know that I was gone. I continually worried and frightened my parents because I behaved so strangely. At times I would go the entire day without talking to them. I would stay in my room talking to myself. My parents could not reach me, not even with all their love. Many times I saw them break down and cry because they saw that I was such a tormented person.

FIGHTING THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE ---- Thoughts of suicide often came into my mind. Sometimes I spent time sitting on a window ledge with my legs dangling over the side. We lived on the 6th floor of an old apartment building. When my dad saw me doing this he would yell at me to get back inside. I also felt powerful urges to step in front of moving cars or throw myself in front of subway trains. At times those urges were so strong that my body actually trembled. I remember that it was a tremendous struggle for me to hold on to my sanity.

MY MOTHER WAS DEAD ---- When I was fourteen my mother was stricken with cancer and within several months she was dead. I had no other brothers or sisters, and so it was just me and my dad. He had to work ten hours per day, six days per week. So we spent very little time together. For the most part, my mother was my source of stability. With her now gone, however, my life quickly went downhill. I was filled with anger at the loss of my mom. I felt hopeless and my periods of depression were more intense than ever. I also became even more rebellious and began to cut out of school. Yet my dad tried to help as best as he could. He managed to push me through high school. The day after I graduated I went into the Army. I had just turned eighteen, several weeks earlier. I joined the Army, in a sense, to start a new life and get away from my problems. But even in the service I had trouble coping, though I did manage to finish my three-year enlistment.

THE FORCE STILL HAD ME ---- I got out of the service in 1974 to start life again as a "civilian". All my friends that I knew before had either married or moved away. So I found myself alone and living in New York City. In 1975, however, I met some guys at a party who were, I later found out, heavily involved in the occult. I had always been fascinated with witchcraft, Satanism and occult things since I was a child. When I was growing up I watched countless horror and satan-type movies, one of which was "Rosemary's Baby". The movie in particular totally captivated my mind. Now I was aged twenty-two and this evil force was still reaching out to me. Everywhere I went there seemed to be a sign or a symbol pointing me to satan. I felt as if something were trying to take control of my life. I began to read the Satanic Bible by the late Anton LaVey who founded the Church of Satan in San Francisco in 1966. I began, innocently, to practise various occult rituals and incantations. I am utterly convinced that something satanic had entered into my mind and that, looking back at all that happened, I realize that I had been slowly deceived.

THE HORROR BEGINS ---- Eventually I crossed that invisible line of no return. After years of mental torment, behavioural problems, deep inner struggles and my own rebellious ways, I became the criminal that seemed was my destiny to become. Looking back it was all a horrible nightmare, and I would do anything if I could undo everything that happened. Six people lost their lives. Many others suffered at my hand, and will continue to suffer for a lifetime. I am so sorry for this. In 1978 I was sentenced to about 365 consecutive years, virtually burying me alive behind prison walls. When I first entered the prison system I was placed in isolation. I was then sent to a psychiatric hospital because I was declared temporarily insane. Eventually I was sent to other prisons including the infamous "Attica." As with many inmates, life in prison is a struggle. I have had my share of problems, hassles and fights. At one time I almost lost my life when another inmate cut my throat. Yet all through this (and I did not realize it until later), God had His loving hands on me.

HOPE WAS COMING ---- Ten years into my prison sentence and feeling despondent and without hope, another inmate came up to me one day as I was walking the prison yard, one cold winter's night. He introduced himself and began to tell me that Jesus Christ loved me and wanted to forgive me. Although I knew he meant well, I mocked him because I did not think that God would ever forgive me, or that He would want anything to do with me. Still this man persisted and we became friends. His name was Rick and we would walk the yard together. Little by little he would share with me about his life and what he believed Jesus had done for him. He kept reminding me that no matter what a person did, Christ stood ready to forgive if that individual would be willing to turn from the bad things they were doing and would put their full faith and trust in Jesus Christ and what Jesus did on the cross - dying for our sins. He gave me a Gideon's Pocket Testament and asked me to read the Psalms. I did. Every night I would read from them. And it was at this time that the Lord was quietly melting my stone cold heart.

A NEW LIFE BEGINS ---- One night I was reading Psalm 34. I came upon the 6th verse, which says, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his troubles." It was at this moment, in 1987, that I began to pour out my heart to God. Everything seemed to hit me at once. The guilt from what I did... the disgust at what I had become... late that night in my cold cell, I got down on my knees and I began to cry to Jesus Christ. I told Him that I was sick and tired of doing evil. I asked Jesus to forgive me for all my sins. I spent a good while on my knees praying to Him. When I got up it felt as if a very heavy but invisible chain that had been around me for so many years was broken. A peace flooded over me. I did not understand what was happening. But in my heart I just knew that my life, somehow, was going to be different.

A DECADE OF FREEDOM ---- More than eleven years have gone by since I had that first talk with the Lord. So many good things have happened in my life since. Jesus Christ has allowed me to start an outreach ministry right here in the prison where I have been given permission by prison officials to work in the "Special Needs Unit" where men who have various emotional and coping problems are housed. I can pray with them as we read our Bibles together. I get the chance to show them a lot of brotherly love and compassion. I have worked as the Chaplain's clerk and also have a letter writing ministry. In addition, the Lord has made ways for me to share with millions, via TV programs such as Inside Edition in 1993 and A&E Investigative Reporter in 1997, what He has done in my life as well as to warn others about the dangers of getting involved in the occult. I have also shared my testimony on several Christian TV programs such as The 700 Club in 1997 and The Coral Ridge Hour (Dr. James Kennedy) in 1999

THERE'S HOPE FOR YOU TOO ---- One of my favourite passages of Scripture is Romans 10 v.13. It says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Here it is clear that God has no favourites. He rejects no-one, but welcomes all who call upon Him. I know that God is a God of mercy who is willing to forgive. He is perfectly able to restore and heal our hurting and broken lives. I have discovered from the Bible that Jesus Christ died for our sins. Yet He was without sin. He took our place on that cross. He shed His blood as the full and complete payment God required for our wrong-doing. The Bible also says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3 v.23). Furthermore, it says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6 v.23). These passages make it clear that everyone has sinned. Yes, some like me did so more than others. But all have done things wrong. Therefore we must all make the decision to acknowledge our sins before God and be sorry for them. We need to turn from our lives of sin as well as believe that Christ was and is the Son of God. You must believe that Jesus Christ died and was buried, and on the third day He rose again in victory, for death could not hold Him. Ask Christ to forgive you. Declare Him as Lord of your life and do not be ashamed to do so. To reject Jesus Christ and His work on the cross is to reject God's perfect and only gift of salvation and eternal life. ---- God bless you and thank you for reading this.

Word Out Productions is a City Church Newcastle backed project, founded and pioneered by Gavin Dowd. Word Out Production's vision is to put evangelistic tools in the hands of God's people, by producing evangelistic videos and uploading them to our website for everyone to view, as well as producing DVDs and looking for new ways to promote the Gospel through the media.

We believe that Jesus is God and that He is the only way to heaven. When Jesus died on the cross, He took all the sin of the world upon Himself.  Not only that, God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day to prove to the world that He was sent by God and spoke the word of God.  Jesus loves you so much that He died for you, when Jesus died on the cross he took the blame for everything that you have ever done wrong.

The Bible says that we must come to Jesus realising that we are in need of forgiveness for all the wrong we have done in our life.  When we acknowledge Jesus as God and receive His forgiveness, the spirit of God comes and lives within us and transforms our life. The Bible calls this being born again. Jesus said that unless a man is born again he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. (John 3 v.3 )

Putting it in plain English, if you died without receiving the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and coming into a personal relationship with Him, you will be lost for eternity without Him.  But God loves you so much that He has provided a way of forgiveness and a whole new life for you in Jesus Christ.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. " (John 3 v.16)

Our heart is for you to receive all that God has for you in your life.  "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future "(Jer 33 v.3)

God's Healing Power! – Look up these Books in your Bibles.

1) Matthew Ch 8 v.5 - 15 2) Matthew Ch 10 v.1 3) Luke Ch 5 v.17 - 26 4) John Ch 4 v.46 - 53 5) 1 Corinthians Ch 12 v.7 - 11

Note from the Editor
I want to close this Issue of Set Free with this verse (Matthew 6 v.14):

Maybe this Christmas you should examine your own life and make the Christmas message a reality in your own life by accepting Christ today.

If you want to accept Christ into your own life then pray this following prayer. God Bless.

"Dear Father, I know that I am a sinner and that I need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died for my sins. I am willing to turn away from my sin and now I invite Jesus to come into my heart and life as my personal Saviour. I am willing by God's Grace to follow and obey Christ as Lord of my life.

If you have prayed this prayer and have accepted Christ into your heart and life, please let us know, so we can pray and help you in your new life in Christ.