FIND US FAITHFUL: HE LIVES! HE LIVES! MY REDEEMER LIVES!

This is Franny Stetser. In June, Franny went on to his eternal home, with his awesome GOD, after a brain hemorrhage took him from this life. Franny was 46 years old and had only been born again since April 2007. Yet, to those who knew Franny well, his conversion was truly life changing.
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In May, Franny was replacing the upstairs toilet in our house and he and I were visiting. He asked me if I knew his "story" and I said maybe just a little. He went on to tell me about his relationship with Rich, one of our deacons and the owner of the construction company he worked for. Franny and Rich had been friends for 18+ years. Franny said that there were many things he had done to Rich that were not good and that he was not proud of, yet "through all the times I disappointed Rich, he never stopped loving me." Over the last couple years, Rich has brought some of his workers from his construction company to the LORD, Franny was one of them. Franny understood that it was only JESUS who could give him eternal salvation, erasing all of his sins. Rich and Franny had recently started sponsoring AA meetings in our Pitman church building on Monday nights. Let's fastforward to tonight...

This is the back of Kristi's shirt from when she was part of the Camden Extreme Makeover - Home Edition. Notice how she covered up 'home' with 'life'. That's because tonight Kristi had an extreme life makeover. My REDEEMER, the CREATOR and SAVIOR of the world, who lived in Franny and lives in me - now lives in Kristi, too. When Franny had a life transformation, Kristi noticed. Franny's life and death planted the seeds that took root in Kristi's heart tonight!
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Actually all three of these adults watched Franny live his new life in Christ and were amazed by his transformation. Their lives were so influenced by this man who emptied himself out and allowed Jesus to move in. He allowed JESUS to take up residency and presidency! Tonight, at the Pitman church of Christ, they made the decison to do what Franny had done last year. Here is Kristi with her husband, Tim, and mom, Sandy, and son, Jason after the three adults had their Redeemer come to live inside of them. That would mean that this picture includes two new Transformed Moms and one Transformed Dad! Read on...
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Earlier in the day, I saw it over and over again ...evidence that My Redeemer, the Creator and Savior of the world lives! In the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, 15 of us joined in singing with around 20,000 women who were also there because they believe that HE LIVES!
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We discussed among ourselves the many different things that impacted us. I will share those over this next week. I'm overjoyed to share the following which will include the rest of the story about Sandy, Tim, and Kristi...
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Throughout the day, a few of us looked at, discussed, and commented on these scriptures. Please read them:
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SCRIPTURE #1:
John 4:22-24
"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the FATHER in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the FATHER seeks. GOD is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
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SCRIPTURE #2:
1 Timothy 4:16 "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."
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COMMENT: We want to be women who make their spirit/life of equal importance to the truth/doctrine AND visa versa!
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SCRIPTURE #3:
Romans 10:13
"...for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.'
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COMMENT: We heard a little bit yesterday and today that the above verse means that the way to salvation is to "pray JESUS into your heart" or "say the sinners prayer" based on the above verse and others like it. If we continue to search and "piece the puzzle together" the Bible gives us the entire answer. Read on...
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SCRIPTURE #4:
Acts 22:16
"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name.'
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COMMENT: And that's just what Tim, Kristi, and Sandy did! They were convicted by some of the scriptures below, also. So, they said, "No need to wait...we want to give ourselves to JESUS in complete obedience." So, they did! Tonight, they "called" on the name of JESUS through baptism.
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FIRST SANDY:
SCRIPTURE #5:
Galatians 3:26-29
"You are all sons of GOD through faith in CHRIST JESUS, for all of you who were baptized into CHRIST have clothed yourselves with CHRIST. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in CHRIST JESUS. If you belong to CHRIST, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."



NEXT, TIM:
LAST, KRISTI:

SCRIPTURE #6:
1 Peter 3:20-22
"GOD waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward GOD. It saves you by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at GOD's right hand-with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him.

COMMENT: After reading the above verse, along with the verses below, these three were convicted that their "good moral lives" OR "calling on/claiming Jesus as their LORD with their mouths" was not all that God has asked of them. And, their response was to finish what they had started...
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SCRIPTURE #7:
Acts 2:38-39
38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of JESUS CHRIST for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the LORD our GOD will call."

EARLIER IN THE WEEK: Lela had already put her LORD on in baptism as her "Transformed Mom" Eastla and Grandmother watched.

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COMMENT:

This week, these 4 people "got it". They got the knowledge and the understanding that Jesus died for their sins, was dead in a tomb for 3 days, and then came back to LIFE! And now they, too, can say:

• "HE LIVES!
• HE LIVES!
• I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES..."

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SCRIPTURE #8:
1 John 2:3-6
"We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, 'I know Him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But if anyone obeys His word, GOD's love is truly made complete in Him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as JESUS did."
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COMMENT:

• Eastla chose to call upon the LORD through baptism, be clothed with Christ, and "walk as JESUS did" and Lela followed.
• Years ago Rich chose to call upon the LORD through baptism, be clothed with Christ, and "walk as JESUS did" and Franny followed.
• Franny chose to call upon the LORD through baptism, be clothed with Christ, and "walk as JESUS did" and Sandy, Kristi, and Tim followed.

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Who's Franny?

.Franny was child of the King, the husband of Sandy, step father of Kristi, father in law of Tim, AND grandfather of Jason. He led the way for his family!

SCRIPTURE #9:

Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER and of the SON and of the HOLY SPIRIT, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
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