New Heart English Bible "For, 'Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" (Romans 10:13)

Today. That's the one we have before us and it's the only one we can do much with, as in, one day at a time. It is Friday, May 17, 2019, and I bid you welcome to today's episode. Here's a story I wrote about twelve years ago. I am thankful for God's provision through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ:

(May 16, 2009, The Power of the Gospel): I received a phone call Monday night from an African American pastor friend of mine informing me that a young man in our inner city Bible club had been tragically killed. While I was talking to him the local news came on and I saw a picture of the eleven-year-old on the screen. I immediately recognized those bright eyes and his broad smile. The pastor was telling me that at our last Bible club meeting this young man attended he had prayed with one of the coaches and confessed Christ as his Savior and Lord. According to the news account, this young man had been with a group of boys hanging out around a neighborhood and a homeowner thought he would scare them by pointing a shotgun at them. He said he didn’t know it was loaded but it discharged, shooting the eleven-year-old in the back and killing him instantly. I thought about how tragic and how sad. At the same time, I thanked God for the Bible club ministry we have been involved in for many years. Going every Tuesday evening during the school year and working with children who often are not the most well behaved can be challenging. Being honest, I will admit at times I’ve wondered if we really are making a difference. The children we minister to in this program are well aware of how fragile life is. Most of them live in an atmosphere that’s hard to describe. My way of picturing it is by saying they often live in what appears to be an unending episode of Cops. We come each week and provide game time competition, songs, a Bible lesson, memory work, and a time of one on one counseling. What a blessing it is to pray with these little ones as they share their struggles, hurts, and concerns! Each week we present the good news of the Gospel as simply as we know how. We tell them that God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son to die on a cross to pay for the sins of every person and that whoever responds by believing in His Son becomes His very own child and will live eternally with God forever and ever, Amen. I can tell you from firsthand experience there’s power in this message even as it goes forth to an eleven-year-old boy. ~

My dear friend, Bro. Kim Williams, the African American pastor, later was able to speak to many hundreds at that boy's memorial service. He shared that same Gospel with them. It is the Good News because it tells a lost and dying world how they can be made right with God and live eternally with Him, forever and ever, Amen. That account of what happened twelve years ago shows the power and provision of God, therefore, I am not going to muddy up the waters with anything else for our time together today. What a story! What a God! Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. As God provides, I plan to be with you come next Monday morning. Until then, may God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.