Dr. Fred Winters of First Baptist Church of Marryville, Illinois was killed on yesterday while preaching during moring church services. A 27 year old gunman opened fired on him while he was preaching from the pulpit. He attempted to shield himself with his Bible as the gunman opened fire. He recieved gunshot wounds to his chest. The pistol then jammed. He then pull a knife out and lashed out at church members, who tried to subdue him. Some were injured in the attempt. The gunman then, stabbed himself. Dr. Winters however, is the only reported death at this time.
May the Lord keep, strengthen, and comfort the Winter's family and the First Baptist Church of Maryville, Illinois' church family. Our prayers go out to them in the tragic loss of their husband, father, and pastor on yesterday. May He display His glory in the midst of this moment of tragedy!
May he use this time to alert all of us to the reality of the uncertainty of the next moment. But the glorious certainty of a definite destiny with Him to those who know Him, and a tragic damnation of a definite destiny without Him, to those who know Him not. This is without doubt, a time for these and others, when they are in need, of our showing forth godly love and support.
Always remember, "Except for the grace of God, there we would be!"
God knows how do display His glory and grace even in the midst of this tragic situation. His grace is upon all who believe even in death. The Apostle Paul said to the Corinthian Christians, "....absent from the body, and present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8b-c --KJV).
That same grace is available even to those who remain, "For we walk by faith, not by sight:)" (II Corinthians 5:7). Remember David says, "(15) The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry; (17) The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. (18) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (19) A righteous man may have troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;" (Psalm 34:15, 17-19 --NIV).
We pray for God's justice to be done in this murder of this pastor. As David says in Psalm 34:16, "the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth." But we are tempered with an attitude of prayer for the salvation of the soul of those to whom justice will be, and should be done upon (Genesis 5:5-6). For God would rather see the wicked turn from the sin and error of their ways, and turn to Him rather than die in their sin (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11).
Let us not forget that the young man that commited this act has family who are also affected by the tragic repercussions of the actions he carried out.
