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ALTON/EAST ALTON - In the most recent episode of “You’re Beautiful” with Brian Trust, Pastor Justin Bell spoke about repentance, following the Word of God and finding purpose through Christ.
Bell, a pastor at Block Church in East Alton, explained that the best action one can take is to give oneself over to God. While this can be difficult, Bell noted that it’s an important part of building a relationship with God and learning from Him.
“The best ability that you will ever have is simply just saying yes to God. Saying, ‘Yes, God, I’m here, what is it that you want from me?’” Bell said. “How many times have I failed God, failed to trust Him and maybe turned and went my own way? But God didn’t give up on me. So in turn, when I go out into the world, I’m not to give up on people. I’m to love them in the way God loved me.”
Bell relies on the scripture Romans 2:4 NLT — “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that His kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” — and often reminds his congregation of these words.
He recognizes that some people experience “church hurt” or have challenging experiences in the church. But he encourages folks not to let these experiences harm their relationship with God. He believes one’s faith needs to be in God, not other people. If your faith is in God, Bell said, you won’t be disappointed.
For those who are struggling with this, or for people who are new to the church, Bell advises them to return to the Bible. He also believes it is important to have a church or a community of at least a few people with whom you can discuss your relationship and beliefs.
“The most important thing is listening to the Word of God,” Bell explained. “It’s through the Word of God that God speaks to you. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. That’s where faith comes from. So if you’re not hearing the Word of God, it’s hard for that faith to rise in you.”
This wasn’t always easy for Bell, who said he had “a lot of stinking thinking” in his early days as a Christian. But through engaging with the Bible and building his relationship with Christ, he has found his purpose.
Bell believes that repentance and purpose go hand in hand. When a person repents and allows God to change them, they can get a clearer understanding of their purpose and how they want to live.
“God wants us to live on purpose because of purpose,” Bell said. “Purpose has found its place in my heart. God has come to live in me. And now I see differently, I walk differently, I act differently, I think differently, and this is now how I live my life. That’s where faith will take you. It took me a long time to get where I’m at.”
Ultimately, Bell encourages people to keep learning. He pointed out that the goal is to become a disciple of Christ, and a disciple is a student who is learning from God, the teacher. He said people are called children of God for a reason. Like a parent guides a child, God will help people find their purpose as they build a relationship with Him.
“Jesus told His church 2,000 years ago, and it’s the same message today. It’s what I am doing as a pastor and it’s what all churches should be doing. Go into the world, preach the Gospel that’s told about Jesus, and make disciples,” Bell said. “We’re just learning about God and then we’re growing in that. Jesus is the good teacher, and He uses the Holy Spirit to teach us. We’re like the students. We’re following Jesus.”
Visit RiverBender.com/Beautiful to watch “You’re Beautiful” with Brian Trust at 2 p.m. every Thursday.
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