Death

He Died To No One’s Regret

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25 ESV
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The Bible is written to give us examples for life, but some of them are not good ones, but rather warnings. Recently, my wife and I read about a King named Jehoram. He killed off all his brothers, brought back idol worship and even though it became obvious that he was on a collision course with disaster, he still insisted on his own way. At the end of his short and dismal reign, he died of a terrible disease. Then the scripture ends the account of his days with the statement, “And he died to no one’s regret.” That struck us as both darkly humorous and an awful kind legacy we definitely do not want to leave behind for our children. He lived the opposite of today’s verse. Instead of building his house on a rock, he threw away all the blessings his family had given him and built on the quicksand of his own desires.

Though we usually think Jesus is talking about our individual lives, the term house can also be used to describe an entire family. (as in household). What kind of foundation we have built for our families? The answer to that will not be shown by how we make it through sunny days, but by how we weather storms. Though we may have every privilege handed to us on a silver platter, what will describe our legacy is whether we put our trust in Jesus and His words or we have decided to do our own thing. If we will stand together for God, no matter what comes, rather than, ““They died to no one’s regret.” May our children be able to say, “We know they are with Jesus, because they lived for Him, and we can’t wait to see them in Heaven!”

Getting Back in the Boat

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Matthew 14:32 NKJV

This short verse from Matthew’s gospel held a promise for me that I had overlooked till I desperately needed it. My mother was just sixty-two when she died of breast cancer and her passing left me feeling like I had been run over by a truck. The years struggling to rebuild our relationship, the prayers and the conversations were suddenly over. I felt as if I were locked in a room with barely enough air to breathe. I sleepwalked through months of guilt and regret for what had never been. I had often thought about God challenging me as He had challenged Peter to get out of the boat. At other times I had been comforted knowing that just as Jesus had reached out his hand to save Peter, He would take my hand in the middle of a crisis. But it was just as important for me to learn that Jesus wanted to help me back into the boat and restore calm when this storm had passed. I do not know how it happened but gradually light began shining in the dark places of my heart. I woke up to find that though I might never understand the why behind the pain, knowing only God knew had become enough

Do we struggle to see God as more than just challenging or rescuing us? What a wonderful surprise awaits when we realize that He is also delighted to help us back in the boat and calm our winds to a hush.

Getting Back in the Boat With Jesus

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Matthew 14:32 NKJV

This seemingly insignificant verse from Matthew’s gospel held a promise for me that I had overlooked till I desperately needed it. My mother was just 62 when she died of breast cancer and her passing left me feeling like I had been run over by a truck. The years struggling to rebuild our relationship, the prayers and the conversations were suddenly over. I felt as if I were locked in a room with barely enough air to breathe. I sleep walked through months of guilt and regret for what had never been. I had often thought about God challenging me as He had challenged Peter to get out of the boat. At other times I had been comforted knowing that just as Jesus had reached out his hand to save Peter He would take my hand in the middle of a crisis. But it was just as important for me to learn that Jesus wanted to help me back into the boat and restore calm when this storm had passed. I do not know how it happened but gradually light began shining in the dark places of my heart. I woke up to find that though I might never understand the why behind the pain, just knowing that God knew had become enough. Do you struggle to see God as more than just challenging or rescuing you? It is a wonderful surprise that waits when you realize that He is also delighted to help you back in the boat and calm the wind to a hush.

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