Funeral

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Tears No More!

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. Rev 21:4 Continue reading →

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Think about living!

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 Continue reading →

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Get Ready for the Day!

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, Heb 9:27 Continue reading →

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Buried With Him

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Rom 6:4 Continue reading →

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Excuse me – part 1

Excuses are a part of everyday life. You may make one to someone else and they may make one to you.

Every teacher has heard excuses for why assignments were not done and homework not turned in. And just so you will know, the dog doesn’t really like to eat homework.

God hears excuses all the time as in the case of a parable that Jesus told.

It seems a man invited his friends to a great supper. He went to the time an expense to prepare and cook for them. It was probably a very impressive spread.

When everything was ready the man called his friends to come and eat. I don’t know about you but if someone invites me to supper – I’m there! But that’s not what happened in this story.

But they all with one accord began to make excuses. Luke 14:18

Though each man had his own excuse, they all made them together. I’m already suspicious about the truthfulness of each reason for not going to the supper. I have discovered that many excuses are just lies.

Don’t get me wrong. I know there can be legitimate excuses. I recently was asked to do a funeral but I turned it down.

It seems the daughter of the man that died thought we were really close friends. I explained I haven’t seen him in at least 40 years and that I didn’t remember him in high school at all. That most of my memories of him were from elementary school – around 50 years ago.
It was the truth and she understood.

But how can someone make an excuse to the Almighty?
Find out through the next series of Morning Thoughts.

Abba, I made many excuses to not be saved but I am glad I quit and accepted your gift of love, grace, and forgiveness. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Touching others.

Linda and I went to the funeral home last night to pay our final respect to Mr. Jeanes.

The parking lot was full when we arrived as this man touched a lot of lives. He was well known in the community, in church, at the local school, and in the county. Continue reading →

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The Funeral

I’ve done many funerals in my time as a pastor. Each varies in length with how much the family tells me about someone, how much I know about the deceased, and what God lays on my heart.

I like to honor the one that has died, which is easier and much more joyful when the person knew Jesus as Savior.

It’s really not much different from a sermon – taking anywhere from twenty to forty-five minutes.

So I was a bit surprised by the amount of time the Bible spent on the death of a great man of God – a Patriarch of the Hebrews, Abraham.

Just forty-three words.

This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Gen 25:7-8

But when you think of the words of Jesus, who said,

“Have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Matt 22:31-32

Abraham did not have a funeral – but a homecoming!

And so it is with all that die in this life to wake up in NEW LIFE!
Death is not the closing of one’s eyes and seeing the darkness – it is closing your eyes and seeing the Light!

And Abraham’s life speaks for itself in the descendants he left behind, including a Child born into his family under the family of Judah – Jesus!

Abba, when I die, may the words at my funeral be “He lived for Christ!” YES&AMEN