In Memory of my Dad

Message I preached at my Dad’s funeral on 10-20-20…
My dad would have wanted each of you to hear this voice of truth at this time.
In John 3:16 (NKJV) we read the promise that, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” In just a little different version it reads…John 3:16 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Another word, or phrase, for everlasting life is eternal security. God in His faithfulness promises that those who place their faith and trust in Him alone will have everlasting life / eternal security. I have no doubt that my dad is fully experiencing this truth at this very moment…for all eternity. Throughout my dad’s life he struggled with insecurities…with fears and self-doubts. His challenge for us would be, that in light of eternity those insecurities were a waste of time. They were a hindrance to everything else he put his efforts towards. That if he could go back and do it over again he’d have his focus more so on the richness and benefits of eternal security, rather than on his temporary insecurities. But it’s not just my dad. Each of us struggles in this area. You’ll notice in life that the prettiest never feel pretty enough. The successful never feel successful enough. The wealthiest never feel wealthy enough. The skinny never feel skinny enough. The athletic never feel athletic enough. The smartest never feel smart enough. And the list could go on and on. If not in check…if not careful, then it can become a habit, a way of life, to allow those insecurities to become our security, and our everlasting life / eternal security become a distant thought. Oh, how my dad right now would desire for each of us discontinue thinking on the temporary / distracting insecurities. Stop making them an idol our lives.
Another phrase in John 3:16 is only begotten son, or one and only son. See, in our family I was that one and only son. What brings me joy is knowing that for periods of time throughout my dad’s life I allowed him to be freed from dwelling on his insecurities. Times when he’d come to my ball games and cheer for me as loud as he could…his voice, clapping and cheering stood out above all others. These moments allowed him to temporarily eliminate thinking on his insecurities. These moments brought him joy as he was able to watch, cheer on, and pour confidence into his one and only son. That confidence he shared wasn’t just in the arena of athletics, but in my spiritual journey as well. My dad was the one who led me to the Lord. He was the one who mentored me. He was my role model and example of what it looked like to be on fire for the Lord. He gave me that confidence in sports, business, family life, and most importantly in ministry. His desires became mine. His passions are now mine as well.
Undoubtedly my dad is fully experiencing not just God’s faithfulness, but how truly great God’s faithfulness really is. How fitting it was that his favorite hymn was Great is Thy Faithfulness. God’s promises never fail. If He promises everlasting / eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Him, then everlasting life / eternal security it is. And now he’s in His Savior’s presence forevermore…and one day his one and only son will join him in eternal celebration.
So what insecurities, fears, self-doubts are holding you back from being all that God’s designed you to be? What’s holding you back from placing your faith and trust in the God of all confidence? What’s holding you back from experiencing eternity and security in Him alone? What in your life has become your idol other than God Himself? God is a jealous God, He wants all of you. He wants you to cast your insecurities at His feet because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us to Cast, or “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (NLT). He genuinely cares, and He keeps His promises.
Will you act on any of those previously mentioned questions today? Remember, we’re not promised tomorrow, but those who have placed their wholehearted faith and trust in Him shall not fear tomorrow.
At the completion of my challenge…my oldest sister led us in singing together the hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness.
Additional passages that also influenced the challenge I brought to those in attendance…
Insecurities (the lies we give ear to) in comparison to Eternal Security (truths from a faithful God)…

• Luke 14:26 (NLT) “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.
• *This includes hating, by comparison, yourself as well…
  • John 12:25 (NLT) Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.

The voice of truth…THE ONE we need to be listening to and following after.

• John 14:6 (NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

He provides the confidence we need…

• Philippians 1:6 (NASB) For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
• Proverbs 14:26 (ESV) In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

Confident in our eternal security…

• 2 Corinthians 5:4-8 (NLT) 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.
• Ephesians 1:13 (ESV) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
• Ephesians 4:30 (ESV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

We’re not promised tomorrow…

• Proverbs 27:1 (NLT) Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.
• John 4:13-14 (NLT) 13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Fact about insecurities…

• Insecurities can in time become your security (examples: being apart from family distance wise because God is calling you elsewhere geographically…so you choose to remain close to home;  addictions; athletics; career; education; relationships; self-harm; etc.)…insecurities have the potential to become your base/refuge/safe place…see the last part of Proverbs 14:26 above and discover where / Whom you should be confidently finding your refuge in.

How to have peace with God / place your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ: Steps to Peace by Billy Graham
Hymn: Video with Lyrics to Great is Thy Faithfulness by Chris Rice
Song: Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns
Please let me know if you accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior / placed your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus today…would love to celebrate with you.
Nate

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