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I've Got Something to Say
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The title of the first chapter in the book The Purpose Driven Life is a slightly different variation of that question: "What on Earth am I here for?" This blog's title comes from a video clip currently found on the website of First Baptist Church Maryville (IL) as Pastor Fred answers the question, saying that each of us are created by God, in the image of God, but cannot be eternally with God unless we accept His offer/gift of eternally life the following a few simple steps - steps that can be outlined by ABC.
A-admit you are a sinner. Romans 3:23 says, "We all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory" and Romans 6:23 goes on to say, "The wages (payment) of sin is death"
B-believe, not just knowing the right facts about God, and still die in your sins. To believe means to accept the gift of salvation from God.
C-confess Jesus as our Lord. Romans 10:13 says, "Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved" God's desire is for each of to receive His gift - if it is our desire to receive that gift.
It was a little eerie as the video of Fred sharing this information began to play, since Fred had been shot and killed six days ago, and I was sitting in the worship center at First Baptist Church Maryville at his funeral (aka life celebration). There were so many things shared during this 2-hour service, and I have shared some of them with my wife and friends over the last several days, but the biggest things I came away with are, a) the peace of God has been manifested upon this congregation and Fred's family, and b) to answer a question my older sister raised, God is not through with the witness & ministry of this church. Part of the service content included the encouragement of FBC Maryvile to continue down the road they have before them, with some long range plans Pastor Fred had laid out before them just a couple weeks prior. And as one speaker mentioned, God could very well be using Maryville, IL as the place where sometime down the road in the future someone somewhere in the world will come to a realization of the mighty hand of God at work and will trace it back to a work that He had began in Maryville, IL in the days & weeks that followed March 8, 2009. As Joseph said to his brothers in Genesis 50, after their father had died, "Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
Fred may be gone from this world, but those of us that are still here exist to carry out the message and love that Fred had shown and exhonerated Jesus' followers to live by.
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