In Titus 3:7, the Apostle Paul mentions two things that are so remarkable. In fact, when you read them, it feels almost too good to be true:
“So that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7
I want to consider two truths:
Truth #1: We are Justified.
Truth #2: We are Heirs.
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(In previous posts I have shared my journey through grief and the many ways the Lord has walked with me. This is my latest entry in that collection. These posts have been helpful for me to write and look back on. When intense waves of sadness come, I read them. In the same way, I hope that in your times of sorrow, they can help you as well.)
Over the last year, I’ve read a book series I’ve fallen in love with. But recently, I’ve had to take a break from it. You see, as much as I love the story, I am equally dreading what will happen next. Without giving away any spoilers, I will just say this….the story is not ending how I want it to.
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Christmas is indeed the most wonderful time of the year! But, the day after Christmas… not so much. Admittedly, all the excitement that went into putting up the Christmas lights is now nonexistent. The time has finally come to take them down.
But certainly, don’t let December 26th be the day you put all of the excitement of Christmas away until next year. Instead, ponder the incarnation of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. It means He has come to illuminate our lives today and forevermore.
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Yesterday (October 23) marked three years since my father passed away. In previous posts, I have shared some of the things the Lord has guided me through so far on this path of grief. With that in mind, today will be the latest entry into that diary.
But first, a story. As children, my brother and I would oftentimes get our dad a t-shirt for his birthday. We’d get ones with his favorite rock bands on them. I always wanted to wear them to school, but they were obviously too big for me. However, as I got older, I began to grow into the shirts that once drowned me as a child. Today, I still have most of my dad’s shirts. You’ve probably seen me wear many of them often.
These memories have me reflecting on this thought:
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“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” –John 6:35
I love bread. When I am not eating it, I am for sure thinking about when I will eat it again. Additionally, I am very blessed because my wife knows how to bake fantastic bread, and does it a lot! Lately, there have been days where we don’t have just one or two, but sometimes THREE, fresh, hot loaves of bread to partake of throughout the day.
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We’re wrapping up our “Delighting in God’s Word” series at church, and I get the privilege of preaching our last teaching. As I’ve read and reflected on the verses, one thing comes up repeatedly. The author has such a refreshing relationship with the Lord that it literally changes every aspect of his life. This is equally true for each of us and is unique to the Christian faith.
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My next-door neighbor (Mr.Grant) is an 89-year-old firecracker. He loves Jesus and has endless opinions (as you can imagine an 89-year-old man would have). Recently, his wife of 70 years passed away. I can’t imagine his grief.
Our family prays for him and loves him dearly; we offer to help him in any way we can. Unfortunately for us, he is one of them old boys who “doesn’t need any help from no one.” So, it can be difficult. Recently, however, I saw my children serve him in some beautiful ways.
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The other day, I received some great encouragement from a dear friend of mine. It wasn’t much more than a simple text message. However, with just a few sentences, it was enough to totally change the mood I was in that morning. It reminded me about the sermon I recently preached from Hebrews. We read this verse, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” — Hebrews 10:24-25
As a husband and father, as a pastor and friend, I need encouragement! Giving and getting encouragement is important for all of us. When it is absent in the lives of the brothers and sisters we do life with, it’s not long before we can absolutely feel unloved, unnoticed and forgotten. I was feeling quite discouraged that morning; but, at just the right time, my faithful friend sent that text message unannounced. It radically changed my outlook on the day. It didn’t take much, but it changed much.
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I am absolutely blown away by the responses from the first blog I sent out a few weeks ago. I have received so many encouraging emails, texts and phone calls from friends and loved ones about how helpful my thoughts were. Thank you for taking the time to read it. I’ve also received many inquiries about the other thoughts (I’d mentioned I’d written down). Since I gave you part one, I thought I’d give you part two. (Hey, who knows, maybe I’ll write a book one day?)
Here are some more of my thoughts on grief.
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On October 23, 2020, as I was sitting in the passenger seat of my father’s car, my dad went into cardiac arrest behind the wheel. This Saturday will mark one year since his passing.
This last year has been a whirlwind for me. In my mind and in my heart, every day has felt like I’m locked up inside of a room with a vacuum running amuck; it refuses to turn off. (That is my best attempt to try and explain what we call “grief”.)
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