Day: June 26, 2015

I am watching the funeral of Reverend Clementa Pinkney on MSNBC right now and what and inspirational funeral this is. They are singing, “It Is Well With my Soul”. Even President Obama is joining in. I am amazed by the love and faith this church has. It is extremely humbling for me and what an awesome testimony for the world. They are sharing the gospel with the world and showing the true love of God and the forgiveness we must all have. I’m pretty sure that many won’t want to listen to Obama’s speech, if you don’t, then that is OK. But, it was an awesome speech about God and God’s grace and forgiveness.  Listen To Part of Speech and Amazing Grace. Entire Speech

• John 3:16-21, 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God

While their hearts are broken, tears are shed they are standing strong and bringing their burdens before the Lord. The church is packed and to watch this kind of a service on the news is beyond anything I could imagine. These 9 lives and this church has the opportunity to show what it means to love the Lord and to have the kind of faith that will bring them through the darkness and into the light.

My heart has a hard time understanding why someone would choose to do what this young man did. My prayers is that this young man has a change of heart. He sat in the Bible study for an hour. I pray that whatever words were spoken will fall on his heart. I have no doubt that people can change. I have seen it happen over and over again. This young man has many years left and God has a way of putting the right people into our lives.

• 2 Corinthians 15:54,55 — So *WHEN* this corruptible has put on in corruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, THEN* shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

As I am listening to all the songs, sermons and messages, I would hope that I would be identifiable to those who don’t know me. Would they know I am a person of faith and my faith is in Christ alone. When they talk about how in this world, we are just passing through. My home is not here, I am passing through.

In closing I just want to say that I have been put in situations and I felt that it was better for me to not say something or hurt someones feelings. There were times I should have stood up for my faith in Christ. I have missed opportunities to witness to others. As a Christian I have the responsibility to share my testimony and what God has done in my life. Even though this young man killed these 9 people in Charleston, S.C. “He didn’t know he was being used by God. God can turn bad things into good and it is evident in Charleston.