Listening to Your Heart Part 4
The Day of the Funeral...
What a day! We arrive at the church before the visitation around 9:30am-ish. As soon as I walked in to the Sanctuary there hanging on a easel was a tapestry blanket with a big picture of my Dad on it and it was Navy themed. It was beautiful! The funeral did that because my Dad was a veteran. Very sweet. Today the blanket is on my mother's bed at her assisted living home. She has always adored that blanket and I don't blame her. It has her hubby bigger than life on it!
We put up all the photos my family had prepared for this day and what did I do? I forgot the flowers for the family to put on the casket at the grave site! I believe Donovan saved the day and went and got some from the local grocery store. It was really different seeing my dad there at the church then at the funeral home the evening before. He just seemed more peaceful. He always wanted to get better so he could go back to church. He loved serving the Lord and telling others about Jesus. I know he missed doing the senior luncheon and being head usher. Well he was at the head of the church all right. All for everyone to view.
Now for the funeral service. It was simply beautiful. We sang Dad's favorite hymns, especially, Victory In Jesus! Which was my Dad's favorite hymn. I can just hear him and picture him singing it now like he really meant it, because he did! My niece was baptized by the Pastor. She had been waiting for Dad to get better and go back to church so he could baptize her. But it happened a little differently. He went back to church, she was baptized and he was watching from heaven. It truly was an amazing thing to see at my Dad's funeral. One that was a testimony to my Dad's life.
You see, baptism is a symbolism of what Jesus did for us. He was buried in the likeness of man (going down under the water) and raised in the likeness of His resurrection (coming back up out of the water). When we trust the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we get baptized to show people this picture of Jesus and that we are identifying ourselves with it. All you have to do to come to Jesus is as easy as ABC. A-Admit that you are a sinner and that you are separated from a Holy God. Romans 3:23, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23, For the wages (payment for) of sin (all the wrong things we do) is death (we all deserve everlasting punishment); but (Amen there is a but!) the GIFT (something we take and receive) of God is eternal life (everlasting life in heaven with Jesus! for eternity! You read that? Right? For ETERNITY!) through (this is how it happens to be an option for us) JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! Can I get an AMEN! That is only A and we learned so much!
Now for B-Believe in Jesus and what He did for you! Do you believe God sent Jesus as a baby who grew up humbly and at 33 gave up His life for us by letting himself get beaten, accused of something He did not do, His beard torn, spit upon, His clothes gambled for, His back torn to shreds, He should've already been dead but was still able to carry a heavy cross to Calvary on which He would die upon! And then nails pounded in his feet and wrists to the cross and hung there to die for you and me! When Jesus died the day turned dark for 3 hours and God had to turn His back on His own son because He could not look at the sin that Jesus was bearing for us. Jesus was buried and 3 days later He rose from the grave He was entombed in and many saw him that day, Alive forevermore! And hundreds saw Him after that. He did all this for you and me! Do you believe it! Do you know it is real and that He wants a relationship with you! John 3:17, For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved!
SO...C-Confess Jesus as Your Lord and Savior! Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. He will! And ask Him to lead you from this day on. Ask Him to take the throne of your life and follow Him all the days of your life! Romans 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall (not might! But shall!)be saved! John 3:16, For God so loved the world (YOU, put your name there!) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) That whosoever (anyone) believeth in Him, shall not perish (that means you will no longer be separated from God and will no longer face eternal punishment) but have everlasting life! John 10:28, And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
So that's it! God has offered you the gift of eternal life through His Son and all you have to do is reach out and ABC receive it! This is what my Dad was all about! He a soulwinner all His Christian life. He wanted everyone to know Jesus as their Savior. For Jesus alone is the Only Way. We can't do anything to earn it, we just have to believe and take it, and live for Him! And pass the Good News along to those who need to Hear the Gospel message.
That was a lot to take in... but if you have known Christ for awhile it is always good to be reminded that we have this commission given to us by Jesus in Matthew 28:19, 20 (I'll let you look that up on your own if you are not familiar with it). If you just trusted in Jesus as your Savior, please tell someone! Tell me! I would love to pray for you. If you are sitting on the fence, What are you waiting for? It is simple. So simple. That's why we need child-like faith to believe and receive. As adults, we complicate things more than they need be but as a child we see them for what they truly are. Jesus loves You! and wants You to accept His gift of salvation today!
Dad, I know you would be proud! I am so grateful for the ways of the Lord you have taught me. I am so grateful I came to know Jesus at a young age because of Mom and You, talking to me about Jesus, taking me to church, showing me what it is to love like Jesus and to serve like Jesus and to share like Jesus!
So, the funeral neared the end and I was the last to say something about you before the preacher and I shared the loved you had for Jesus and how you love to share His Good news. Thank you, Dad. Eternally! I will see you someday! Keep shouting Hallelujah's and Amen!
Until next time, the grave side service. Share God's love with someone today! Peace be with you!
What a day! We arrive at the church before the visitation around 9:30am-ish. As soon as I walked in to the Sanctuary there hanging on a easel was a tapestry blanket with a big picture of my Dad on it and it was Navy themed. It was beautiful! The funeral did that because my Dad was a veteran. Very sweet. Today the blanket is on my mother's bed at her assisted living home. She has always adored that blanket and I don't blame her. It has her hubby bigger than life on it!
We put up all the photos my family had prepared for this day and what did I do? I forgot the flowers for the family to put on the casket at the grave site! I believe Donovan saved the day and went and got some from the local grocery store. It was really different seeing my dad there at the church then at the funeral home the evening before. He just seemed more peaceful. He always wanted to get better so he could go back to church. He loved serving the Lord and telling others about Jesus. I know he missed doing the senior luncheon and being head usher. Well he was at the head of the church all right. All for everyone to view.
Now for the funeral service. It was simply beautiful. We sang Dad's favorite hymns, especially, Victory In Jesus! Which was my Dad's favorite hymn. I can just hear him and picture him singing it now like he really meant it, because he did! My niece was baptized by the Pastor. She had been waiting for Dad to get better and go back to church so he could baptize her. But it happened a little differently. He went back to church, she was baptized and he was watching from heaven. It truly was an amazing thing to see at my Dad's funeral. One that was a testimony to my Dad's life.
You see, baptism is a symbolism of what Jesus did for us. He was buried in the likeness of man (going down under the water) and raised in the likeness of His resurrection (coming back up out of the water). When we trust the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we get baptized to show people this picture of Jesus and that we are identifying ourselves with it. All you have to do to come to Jesus is as easy as ABC. A-Admit that you are a sinner and that you are separated from a Holy God. Romans 3:23, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23, For the wages (payment for) of sin (all the wrong things we do) is death (we all deserve everlasting punishment); but (Amen there is a but!) the GIFT (something we take and receive) of God is eternal life (everlasting life in heaven with Jesus! for eternity! You read that? Right? For ETERNITY!) through (this is how it happens to be an option for us) JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! Can I get an AMEN! That is only A and we learned so much!
Now for B-Believe in Jesus and what He did for you! Do you believe God sent Jesus as a baby who grew up humbly and at 33 gave up His life for us by letting himself get beaten, accused of something He did not do, His beard torn, spit upon, His clothes gambled for, His back torn to shreds, He should've already been dead but was still able to carry a heavy cross to Calvary on which He would die upon! And then nails pounded in his feet and wrists to the cross and hung there to die for you and me! When Jesus died the day turned dark for 3 hours and God had to turn His back on His own son because He could not look at the sin that Jesus was bearing for us. Jesus was buried and 3 days later He rose from the grave He was entombed in and many saw him that day, Alive forevermore! And hundreds saw Him after that. He did all this for you and me! Do you believe it! Do you know it is real and that He wants a relationship with you! John 3:17, For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved!
SO...C-Confess Jesus as Your Lord and Savior! Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. He will! And ask Him to lead you from this day on. Ask Him to take the throne of your life and follow Him all the days of your life! Romans 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall (not might! But shall!)be saved! John 3:16, For God so loved the world (YOU, put your name there!) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) That whosoever (anyone) believeth in Him, shall not perish (that means you will no longer be separated from God and will no longer face eternal punishment) but have everlasting life! John 10:28, And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
So that's it! God has offered you the gift of eternal life through His Son and all you have to do is reach out and ABC receive it! This is what my Dad was all about! He a soulwinner all His Christian life. He wanted everyone to know Jesus as their Savior. For Jesus alone is the Only Way. We can't do anything to earn it, we just have to believe and take it, and live for Him! And pass the Good News along to those who need to Hear the Gospel message.
That was a lot to take in... but if you have known Christ for awhile it is always good to be reminded that we have this commission given to us by Jesus in Matthew 28:19, 20 (I'll let you look that up on your own if you are not familiar with it). If you just trusted in Jesus as your Savior, please tell someone! Tell me! I would love to pray for you. If you are sitting on the fence, What are you waiting for? It is simple. So simple. That's why we need child-like faith to believe and receive. As adults, we complicate things more than they need be but as a child we see them for what they truly are. Jesus loves You! and wants You to accept His gift of salvation today!
Dad, I know you would be proud! I am so grateful for the ways of the Lord you have taught me. I am so grateful I came to know Jesus at a young age because of Mom and You, talking to me about Jesus, taking me to church, showing me what it is to love like Jesus and to serve like Jesus and to share like Jesus!
So, the funeral neared the end and I was the last to say something about you before the preacher and I shared the loved you had for Jesus and how you love to share His Good news. Thank you, Dad. Eternally! I will see you someday! Keep shouting Hallelujah's and Amen!
Until next time, the grave side service. Share God's love with someone today! Peace be with you!
Comments
Post a Comment