Prayer
Marty and I would like to Thank you for coming and showing your love and support for us and to our son and Brother in Christ.
Grief is the last act of love we have to give those we loved. Where there is deep grief, there was great love
Read Obituary………. Steve Myers born jan. 15th 1964 Passed away nov.18th 2015 he is survived by his Wife Diane 3 children Christopher, Josh, Katie. 3 brothers and 3 sisters Steve gave his heart to the Lord, in 1969 and followed in baptism
I didn’t understand why
Song Elvis Elvis Presley – Farther Along.mp3
Just like the song said we don’t understand the sting of death.
How does God decide who dies and who lives?
We don’t know so we have to just trust in God because he does know best.
God is in control even when circumstances are out of control
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In our text that bro. Ron read the Bible says that God has foreknowledge of the decisions that we make…. and therefore predestines us to be conformed into the image of His Son.
One of Steve’s greatest fears (and most everyone) was that he wouldn’t be able to live the Christian life,
We all know that he had many struggles and a lot of battles that he was fighting.
Some folks have sins in their life that are easier for the world to see.
So it is human nature to think bad of that person. We can judge a person’s actions. But we don’t have the right to judge a persons heart
All sin is equal in its effect on our relationship to God.
In Matthew 5:21-28, Jesus equates committing adultery with having lust in your heart and committing murder with having hatred in your heart.
God predestines (or pre determines) that those who accept His son as Lord and Savior of their lives, he justifies (that means we are made just in the eye’s of God) and they will be like His Son.
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Steve’s Battles are over – the second that Steve slipped into eternity…. he received the complete reward of eternal life that God promised to us.
All that God has promised became a reality for him.
What he believed in he is now seeing.
No more tears, no more pain, no more battles… And from personal experience no more of those bad shaky hangovers there gone forever
SONG Go rest high _Go Rest High On That Mountain_
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I read a compelling story of a young pastor whose son was very sick and not expected to live long.
Night after night the pastor and his wife would put their boy to bed and say a prayer hoping for a miracle. That would save his life.
One evening, the boy looked at his father and said, "Daddy, what does it feel like to die?"
The dad said a quick prayer for courage, put his hand on the face of his child and said, "Son, it’s something like this.
Night after night you go to sleep on the couch watching your favorite tv shows.
You don’t know it, but I find you asleep and come and take you in my arms and place you in the room I built for you with my own hands."
"And, son, one of these days........you are going to fall asleep here, but don’t be afraid.
Jesus is going to come and pick you up and take you to a special room He has built just for you."
John 14:1-6 Jesus said, "I go and prepare a place FOR YOU."
You see as born again Christians we already have property in Heaven we have loved ones our soul is there
We all have had People that we loved to die.
And it is hard for us to let go, it is not nearly as bad when we realize believers who have died are much better off in heaven, Than they would ever have been in this life here on earth.
Their death is our loss, not theirs.
As penniless as he was he is far better off than all of us put together.
In fact it is so good we don’t have the ability to understand just how good it is..
Christians have received the ultimate inheritance, An inheritance only possible through death because “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”
One day, that wonderful inheritance – the kingdom of God – awaits us as well.
It’s so great, it’s to die for!
Have you accepted Jesus as your lord and saviour?
When you die are you going to Heaven?
Matthew 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.'"
It is comforting to know that Steve is with the Lord;….. Let me refer back to Rom 8:Vs. 38-39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. You know what I just said . NOTHING can take that from Steve.
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But what really matters now is what we do with that information.
We can find comfort for our loss;… we can take steps to continue with our lives.
But most of all we can see the faith that Steve had, and the reality that he faced that he could not clean up enough, or be good enough to be saved on His own and that he realized that he needed a savior.
You and I need a savior, we cannot do it on our own either. You cannot work enough donate enough or you cannot be good enough..
Though we may all face different battles We all deal with mistakes in this world. – we still cannot go it alone.
John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
===Did you ever get a love letter..
Here is God’s love letter to the world, to you!
John 3:16 says “for God so loved the world that He gave his Only begotten Son, (because he loved you) that whosoever should believe in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.
3:17 say’s “for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”
LISTEN Everlasting life ..We all will have everlasting life.
The only choice you have is where you spend it. Heaven or Hell
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Today as we celebrate the life of a dear loved one, a good man.
Let us remember that Steve did not go to heaven because he was a good man, he was a good man that went to heaven because of what Jesus Christ did in his life.
And he is willing to do the same in yours TODAY.
"Think not of death as the extinguishing of life, but rather the snuffing out of a candle because dawn has come."
Something a little different …Explain salvation
ALL STAND please T Graham Brown - Softly & Tenderly.mp3
Ron Cauthon closed in prayer
