 His legacy |
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Remembering Zack at Christmas and always
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The Heart
This came from an email I received. It made me cry because it was of comfort to me.
"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began,"I'll open up your heart...""You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted. the surgeon looked up, annoyed "I'll cut your heart open," he continued,to see how much damage has beendone...""but when you open up my heart, you'll find Jesus in there," said the boy.The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly. "When I see how much damage has been done, I'll sew your heart and chest back up, and I'll plan what to do next.""But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The hymns all say Helives there. You'll find Him in my heart."The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart.I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels.And I'll find out if I can make you well.""You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there."The surgeon left.The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes from the surgery,"...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscledegeneration.No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy:painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis:here he paused, "death within one year."He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. "Why?" he asked aloud."Why did You do this? You've put him here; You've put him in this pain; and You've cursed him to an early death. Why?"The Lord answered and said, "The boy,my lamb, was not meant for your flock for long, for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be. Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you can not imagine.His parents will one day join him here,and they will know peace, and My flock will continue to grow."The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. "You created that boy, and You created that heart. He'll be dead in months. Why? "The Lord answered, "The boy, My lamb,shall return to My flock, for He has done his duty: I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb. "The surgeon wept... The surgeon sat
beside the boy's bed; the boy's
parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes," said the surgeon.
"What did you find?" asked the boy.
"I found Jesus there," said
the surgeon.
Author Unknown - Celebrate Jesus in 2007
If you aren't ashamed to do this,
please follow the directions
listed below:
Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of me,
I will be ashamed of you before
my Father."
I Am Not Ashamed.
Pass this on only if
you mean it. "Yes, I do Love God. He is my source of existence and
Savior. He keeps me functioning each
and everyday Without Him, I will be
nothing. Without him, I am nothing,
but with Him I can do all things through
Christ that strengthens me."
(Phil 4:13)
This is the simplest test. If you Love
God, and are not ashamed of all the
marvelous things he has done for you.
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What John Piper says about bridges collapsing and death
Thursday, August 02, 2007
A Word from John Piper
Putting My Daughter to Bed Two Hours After the Bridge Collapsed
What Do Tragedies Like This Mean for Us?
By John Piper
August 1, 2007
At about 6 PM tonight the bridge of Interstate 35W over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed. I am writing this about three hours after the bridge fell. The bridge is located within sight of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Most of us who minister at the church cross this bridge several times a week. At this point I don’t know if any staff was on the bridge. Desiring God offices are about a mile from the bridge.
There are no firm facts at this point about the total number of injuries and fatalities. When we crossed the bridge Tuesday on our way out of town, there was extensive repair work happening on the surface of the bridge with single lane traffic. One speculates about the unusual stresses on the bridge with jackhammers and other surface replacement equipment. This was the fortieth anniversary of the bridge.
Tonight for our family devotions our appointed reading was Luke 13:1-9. It was not my choice. This is surely no coincidence. O that all of the Twin Cities, in shock at this major calamity, would hear what Jesus has to say about it from Luke 13:1-5. People came to Jesus with heart-wrenching news about the slaughter of worshipers by Pilate. Here is what he said.
"There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.'"
Jesus implies that those who brought him this news thought he would say that those who died, deserved to die, and that those who didn’t die did not deserve to die. That is not what he said. He said, everyone deserves to die. And if you and I don’t repent, we too will perish. This is a stunning response. It only makes sense from a view of reality that is radically oriented on God.
All of us have sinned against God, not just against man. This is an outrage ten thousand times worse than the collapse of the 35W bridge. That any human is breathing at this minute on this planet is sheer mercy from God. God makes the sun rise and the rain fall on those who do not treasure him above all else. He causes the heart to beat and the lungs to work for millions of people who deserve his wrath. This is a view of reality that desperately needs to be taught in our churches, so that we are prepared for the calamities of the world.
The meaning of the collapse of this bridge is that John Piper is a sinner and should repent or forfeit his life forever. That means I should turn from the silly preoccupations of my life and focus my mind’s attention and my heart’s affection on God and embrace Jesus Christ as my only hope for the forgiveness of my sins and for the hope of eternal life. That is God’s message in the collapse of this bridge. That is his most merciful message: there is still time to turn from sin and unbelief and destruction for those of us who live. If we could see the eternal calamity from which he is offering escape we would hear this as the most precious message in the world.
We prayed during our family devotions. Talitha (11 years old) and Noel and I prayed earnestly for the families affected by the calamity and for the others in our city. Talitha prayed “Please don’t let anyone blame God for this but give thanks that they were saved.” When I sat on her bed and tucked her in and blessed her and sang over her a few minutes ago, I said, “You know, Talitha, that was a good prayer, because when people ‘blame’ God for something, they are angry with him, and they are saying that he has done something wrong. That’s what “blame” means: accuse somebody of wrongdoing. But you and I know that God did not do anything wrong. God always does what is wise. And you and I know that God could have held up that bridge with one hand.” Talitha said, “With his pinky.” “Yes,” I said, “with his pinky. Which means that God had a purpose for not holding up that bridge, knowing all that would happen, and he is infinitely wise in all that he wills.”
Talitha said, “Maybe he let it fall because he wanted all the people of Minneapolis to fear him.” “Yes, Talitha,” I said, “I am sure that is one of the reasons God let the bridge fall.”
I sang to her the song I always sing,
"Come rest your head and nestle gently,
And do not fear the dark of night.
Almighty God keeps watch intently,
and guards your life with all his might.
Doubt not his love, nor power to keep,
He never fails, nor does he sleep."
I said, “You know, Talitha, that is true whether you die in a bridge collapse, or in a car accident, or from cancer, or terrorism, or old age. God always keeps you, even when you die. So you don’t need to be afraid, do you.” “No,” she shook her head. I leaned down and kissed her. “Good night. I love you.”
Tonight across the Twin Cities families are wondering if they will ever kiss a loved one good night again. Some will not. I am praying that they will find Jesus Christ to be their Rock and Refuge in these agonizing hours of uncertainty and even loss.
The word “bridge” does not occur in the Bible. There may be two reasons. One is that God doesn’t build bridges, he divides seas. The other is that usually his people must pass through the deadly currents of suffering and death, not simply ride over them. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you” (Isaiah 43:2). They may drown you. But I will be with you in life and death.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life . . . will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-38)
Killed all day long. But not separated from Christ. We go through the river. Not over it. He went before us, crucified. He came out on the other side. He knows the way through. With him we will make it. That is the message we have for the precious sinners in the Twin Cities. He died for your sins. He rose again. He saves all who trust him. We die, but because of him, we do not die.
"Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.'" (John 11:25)
Talitha is sleeping now. But one day she will die. I teach her this. I will not always be there to bless her. But Jesus is alive and is the same yesterday today and forever. He will be with her because she trusts him. And she will make it through the river.
Weeping with those who weep, and those who should,
Pastor John
Psalm 71:20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again.
© Desiring God
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by Desiring God.
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The Believers Comfort in Death preached by Bro. Todd Gray, First Baptist Church Oak Grove, KY
Our family was blessed beyond measure by a sermon our pastor preached this past Sunday. It simply explains what happens to our loved ones at death.
1. There is a relocation of the one who passed away. Paul tells us this in 1 Thess 4:13, NLT. Paul was comforting the Christians in this text. The Bible says that our children are asleep in Christ. This condition is temporary. In Phil 1:21, NLT we are told that "For me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better. In Phil 1:23-24 NLT, we learn that Paul was "torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me, but it is better for you that I live."
In 2 Cor 5:6-8 (NKJV) we learn that "So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."
We can find more encouragement in 2 Cor 4:16-18 (NLT). "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won't last for long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever."
2. The Dead in Christ Shall Be Resurrected. In 1 Thess 4: 13-18 (NLT) Paul comforts Christians with a promise. "And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.
In 1 Cor 15: 35-36 (NLT) we are told "But someone will ask, How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have? What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn't grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a little seed of wheat or whatever it is you are planting. Then God gives it a new body-just the kind he wants it to have. It goes on starting at vs. 40 to say "There are bodies in the heavens, and there are bodies on earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the beauty of the earthly bodies. Vs 42-48: It is the same way for the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies, which die and decay, will be different when they are resurrected, for they will never die. Our bodies now disappoint us, but when they are raised, they will be full of glory. They are weak now, but when they are raised, they will be full of power. They are natural human bodies now, but when they are raised they will be spiritual bodies. For just as there are human bodies, so also there are spiritual bodies. Every human being has an earthly body just like Adam's, but our heavenly bodies will be just like Christ's".
3. There will be a future reunion with our loved ones. In 1 Thess 4:17 (NLT), Paul gives us the promise of a reunion! "Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever So comfort and encourage each other with these words".
Our children are safely with God. They are not angels (they are above the angels!). They are not sitting in Heaven watching us (they are worshiping the Lord!). They aren't missing us; they are with Jesus!
"We can either live in the past or live in the present
with the hope of the future."
- Bro. Todd Gray
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2007 Christian Law Enforcement Summits at Glorieta, NM and Ridgecrest, NC
Last October our family went to the Christian Law Enforcement Summit at Ridgecrest, NC. We had recently lost Zack that July. I felt led to share our testimony so that it may save the lives of other children. During that summit, several officers told us that they would lock their weapons up. God fulfilled his mission through our tragedy. He is the one that gave that testimony; not us.
As a result, we have joined the planning team for the 2007 Christian Law Enforcement Summits. As part of Zack's ongoing legacy, we will be there to share with others and to let God work through us to help others.
Please pray for your local police officers daily. If you see one, thank them. Tell them about the law enforcement summit coming up this October in Ridgecrest, NC.
You can find out more about the upcoming summits by visiting the following website:
http://www.lifeway.com/lawenforcement. Thank you and God bless you.
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A Poem I found that says just how I feel about my Bubba
Fingerprints
Your fingerprints are on my heart.
Fingerprints that teach me about caring.
Fingerprints that teach me about love.
Fingerprints that teach me about courage.
Fingerprints that teach me about hope.
Fingerprints that bring me closer to my loved ones.
Fingerprints that bring me closer to myself.
In the time I cared for you my whole life changed --
never to be the same again
All this from tiny fingerprints that touch my heart.
You will live in my heart forever - never to be forgotten.
I will always love you.
You are my child.
-- Copyright © 2001 by Tom Krause
www.coachkrause.com
Used with permission of the author
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My baby boy
Zack will always be my baby boy. He completes me. I love him with all my heart and soul. His tragic accident touched many lives and hopefully will change many. There were over 300 people at his visitation. His funeral procession was over a mile long with 47 police cars and a firetruck. The Marines were waiting for him at the VA cemetery. He rests in peace with veterans and other children of veterans.
Zack will always be remembered and treasured in our hearts. Zack was a member of First Baptist Church Oak Grove. He loved Jesus and now stands in his presence. I'm sure he is in awe! All the things he learned in Sunday School and church and what we taught him at home, they are all a reality to him now.
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