You're Beautiful With Brian Trust! Ft: Larry Bell
ALTON - On a recent episode of “You’re Beautiful” with Brian Trust, Larry Bell spoke about God’s forgiveness.
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Bell shared that he has gone through dark times when he felt completely alone. He realizes now that God was with him always, and He helped Bell through these challenges. Bell acknowledged that he is far from perfect, and God has forgiven him for every mistake he makes.
“I’m not this super Christian,” Bell said. “I’m just a sinner that is still trying to walk and ask God for forgiveness on a daily basis for Him to help me to be a better person and to live my life for Christ.”
Bell comes from a long line of pastors, and his son, Justin Bell, is currently a pastor at Block Church in East Alton. But when Bell himself decided to enroll in Bible School, he quickly realized that pastorship was not for him.
He explained that he never enjoyed tests and schoolwork, and he disliked these elements of his Bible education. He made it through one semester. On the first day of his second semester, he sat through three classes and then went to the registrar and quit.
Bell laughed while recounting this story. Bible School and pastoring were not his destiny, but his relationship with God has always been strong.
Through some of the most difficult times of his life, Bell saw God working to teach him lessons and help him through his challenges. His faith has been strengthened by these experiences.
“There were so many dark times in my life, so many dark times when I thought the world was coming to an end,” Bell remembered. “At the time, it was so dark, as though there was no way out. But there was that little light at the end of the tunnel, and it was just God. Through that, through those difficult times, is what helped me to grow and to learn to trust God and realize He is in control.”
Not only did God help Bell through these experiences, but He also gave him the chance to help other people. Bell believes that God helped him grow, and in turn, he is able to guide others through similar circumstances.
“God came in and gave me peace and helped me through that and helped me to develop, and that helped me to grow,” he explained. “Those hard things that I had to go through helped me to grow, to learn that, hey, I can get through this, and I can help others that face some of the same things.”
On difficult days, Bell calls on John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” This scripture reminds him that God loves him and will forgive all trespasses.
Bell knows a lot of people who feel unworthy of God’s mercy or worry that they don’t belong in the church. To these people, he recounts John 3:16 and encourages them to seek God’s forgiveness. He believes God will forgive all as long as you accept Him into your heart.
“A lot of people feel like, ‘I have done too much. I have been so terrible that I can’t be forgiven for that.’ And that is a lie from Satan,” Bell said. “God will forgive anyone for anything. He sent His son for our salvation.”
Watch or listen to “You’re Beautiful” with Brian Trust at 2 p.m. on Thursdays at RiverBender.com/Beautiful.
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