FROM Merril Radford, called by the will of God as a minister of the Gospel,
TO the saints of God at The Freedom Centre Church:
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
I hope and pray that my greeting to you in this month’s letter raises both curiosity and excitement for our future. Not just our future as a church, but your future, our community’s future, and our world’s future. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Many in our world are not looking to the future with hope. Paul writes, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) How are you looking to your future today?
I hope and pray that this greeting draws you into a realization of your position in the world: of you being part of God’s great plan and purpose in reaching the world with the Gospel of His love, mercy and peace. The greeting above is in quotes without reference because this is Paul’s greeting in all of his letters. As far removed as we are from the saints of God two thousand years ago, our call and commission has not changed over that time. You ARE the saints of God. We HAVE been called as His ambassadors and given the ministry of reconciliation to plead with people to be reconciled to God. (2 Cor. 5:18-20) This realization can change and revitalize how we think, how we pray, how we live.
I want to leave you with the words of the song “God Of This City” that was written by the members of the Irish Christian band Bluetree and has been popularized by Chris Tomlin:
You're the God of this City
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are
You're the Light in this darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
God is calling us all to embrace the future with Him. Greater things are still to be done.
The grace of God be with you all,
Merril
“God Of This City” Ó2006 worshiptogether.com songs & sixsteps Music
CCLI #50475