Memorial Service 7-10-23
“Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.”
Ecclesiastes 7:2 (NLT)
Hi Men:
In light of everything going on (in your family, city, nation & world), I pray that “…… the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Of course we are all familiar with Philippians 4:6-7. These verses begin with, “Be anxious for nothing……” Question: Are you anxious for NOTHING? Do you ever think about the following: What if I or a loved one gets cancer? … What’s going on with the youth today? …. What if I get robbed in a parking lot? ….. What if I have a financial crisis? …. What if I lose a child? Those of course are significant events, but so are these: “If only my wife would understand, things would be better”…… or….. “I can’t talk to my kid anymore, he refuses to listen to common sense.” So how well are you doing to be “anxious for nothing?” The solution lies in the remainder of verse 6. How faithful are you in what God is asking you to do? Men, we all need to take time to reflect and ask God to show us how we can be more obedient to the command in verse 6. These are areas that help us develop an “eternal mindset.”
HOUSE OF MOURNING……… “I knew I had to share the Gospel”
On Monday I attended the memorial service (photo above) of man who was one of my assistant scoutmasters during my scouting years (1998-2007). His son Nick asked me to speak at his dad’s funeral service. Robert was his name and he died suddenly and unexpectedly. The son, Nick, was my last Eagle Scout before I stepped down as Scoutmaster. There was no question that I had to share the Gospel, but how to do it effectively and still talk about my years working with Robert. There was also one other area I had to navigate, the person conducting the service was a Catholic priest by the name of Fr. Steve. In praying to the Lord how to do this, He gave me what I needed…… just share the story (while looking at Fr. Steve) of how close I came to wearing a Roman collar when I went to the Catholic seminary in Tucson to become a priest. Then tell them what happened under that tree in my backyard in 1991. I had been praying that those in attendance might scratch their heads and wonder why I needed to surrender to Jesus Christ if I was headed to be a Catholic priest in my youth. Anyway, I held up Steps To Peace with God and said this is the Gospel and it changed my life. I also said if anyone wants one, I will have them after the service. Here’s the crazy part: I brought (75) of these Gospel tracts and after the memorial service, one of the Christian sisters, Sally, helped me hand them out. Most people willing accepted them and a few came even up to me asking for one. Almost all of them were given out. My prayer is that many will read them and God, through His Holy Spirit, will touch some. Afterwards I went to Nick’s step-moms home and had more conversations. Ecclesiastes 7:2 is true…… “It is better to go to a house of mourning…….. “ Why? Because people are thinking of their own mortality! I also had a few conversations about the “string & the hair.” (E²Vegas.org/Friday-Mens-Group-11-20-20 If interested, about 4 paragraphs down)
Above Photos: Catholic Priest conducting the service and my Eagle Scout, Nick
If you care to read “The House of Mourning” in the Blue Book,
See attached PDF.
Longing for THAT DAY!
Dan
(Gal 2:20)
“Do you acknowledge that God brings pain into your life, and when He does, do you affirm that He is good?”
“Make it a habit to regularly give thanks to God “in everything” – even your pain.”
Men:
In light of everything going on in the world today, you need to refresh yourself on these (2) devotionals.
Feeling Sorry for Yourself & The Human Tendency to Complain – Red Book Day 191-2
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”
A Great Video To Send To Your Unbelieving Friends
“What Happens When I Die?”
Watch on YouTube (2:16)
“I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith,
so that you will have a full understanding of every
good thing we have in Christ.”
Philemon 6
Excerpt from Voice of the Martyrs, Extreme Devotion
Missionaries are often mischaracterized as some sort of special forces – a unique troop in God’s army of faith which acts on our behalf. The truth is, every believer is called to be a missionary. Some of God’s most valuable work may take place around the kitchen table, having coffee in a next door neighbor’s house. The heart of our mission remains the same wherever our mission may take us.
Men:
I’m going to encourage you to watch this man’s 31 day journey in his surrounding neighborhood. Put aside your various prejudices for a moment, and ask yourself if this man is fulfilling the Great Commission in sharing the Gospel and Making Disciples. It is 1hr 38min documentary. If you can’t watch it now, please bookmark it. This is what one of the brothers said after watching it,
“Dan, this is the only thing you should put in your men’s group this Friday. Regular brothers meeting unattractive, troubled, question marks that nobody else would even want to know!”
The One Who Hears :: A Call to Obedience
You can watch it for free on these formats:
SEND THIS VIDEO TO A FEW OF YOUR CHRUCH BUDDIES.
ASK THEM WHAT THEY THINK OF IT
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Atheists Don’t Have No Songs
On a lighter note
Men: You will love this short 54 second song with Steve Martin and the Blue Grass band, Steep Canyon Rangers.
This song will put a smile on your face.
(YouTube 0:54 Sec)
If you want to listen to the whole version, here is the link:
(YouTube 3:25 min)
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for My sake,
he is the one who will save it.”
Luke 9:24-25
Commitment to Vision
[35 minutes]
If you still haven’t listened to this short teaching by Walt Henrichsen, I couldn’t encourage you more. Just 35 minutes of your time.
Take notes!
