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"13 Years Ago Today,
My Father Went Home to Be with the Lord. What have I learned so
Far?"
by Steve Shultz, Publisher
The Elijah List
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This used to be a very sad day to recall. It was
1991 on this day, March 22, that My father went home to be with the
Lord.
He lived a tough life. I honor him. His Death was the hardest event
in my life to this day.
However, I can honestly say the following about the six children he
raised, including myself. . . While we have some good memories of my
father, nevertheless, he was not a very good father. He would have been
the first to admit this at the end of his life. Much damage was done
through his life. And yet, he left me a good legacy of loving the Word
of God and of teaching others.
Some of the "goofy" humor my select friends see-- came from him . .
. . probably.
He got into Heaven-- where I believe he now is-- by the "skin of His
chin." Many of his sins are so bad, they could never be published here
or anywhere else. But then, that is not an accurate statement
at all. It's not accurate because the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who
DIED FOR HIS SINS AND ALL OUR SINS paid for every sin my father ever
committed--in full. He was not partially saved but FULLY
SAVED.
Just prior to his non-successful heart surgery, some pastors came and
anointed him with oil. He came to a place of great peace during that
meeting. I don't know if salvation came "to his house" on that visit,
or if he had it all along and finally received peace from the torturous
guilt he felt for his life. But it doesn't matter. He did get peace,
he IS saved, and I will see him in Heaven.
When I watched The Passion of The Christ, I could not
help but realize that the incredible brutality Jesus went through--
every stripe he received, every drop of blood spilled, --is what allowed
my Father in Heaven. Prior to my dad's heart surgery in Anchorage, Alaska,
he asked my mother to read to him from the book of Revelation where
it says that all tears and pain will be wiped away.
"We need to deal with the reality," he told my mother, "That we may
not see each other again until we get to Heaven."
There were many tears in the room at that time. My father was "ready"
to go.
I pleaded and I begged God. I prayed, fasted, spoke in tongues and even
Believed God for my Father's healing but in this case, the healing did
not come.
I know more now why this prayer was not answered. The healing continues
even to this day from damage done through his life. Can you identify
with this? Does this sound like yourself or someone you love? If so,
then keep this thought in mind. . . not ONE of us is good, according
to Scripture and not one of us deserves heaven in any way. Many
if not most who read this article are on their way to heaven, but not
because they have finally gotten their act together but because Jesus
got his Life and Death together.
The Gospel is central around this point, as penned by the Apostle Paul:
1 Tim 1:15
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
KJV
Jesus tells the story of the man, the sinner who went to his house
JUSTIFIED:
Luke 18:9-14
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down
on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the
temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The
Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I
am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this
tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look
up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me,
a sinner.'
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified
before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he
who humbles himself will be exalted."
NIV
When I think of my own father's life, I have two heart-felt thoughts:
1) "Thank you Lord, that no matter what he did, He is with you Now!"
and:
2) Lord, be merciful to ME, Stephen Shultz, a sinner.
I feel that every reader has someone in their life that has gone to
be with the Lord, being "barely" saved, just as the thief on the cross
was. The good . . . no, the GREAT news is that being "barely saved"
is the same as being FULLY SAVED!"
All of our attitudes should be the same as this prayerful declaration
to the Lord:
"Thank you Lord for your great and unfathomable mercy. Because
I too, am a sinner so I too, need your mercy-- as much as anyone I've
ever met!"
Blessings to you all!
Steve Shultz
THE ELIJAH LIST
To donate by regular mail, use this
address:
Elijah List Ministries (Now
a Non-Profit Ministry)
528 Ellsworth SW
Albany, OR 97321
or call: 1-8.6.6-881-0477 or
1-541-917-0484
If you donate $15 or more to
Elijah List Ministries, we will send you our current tape of the Month
NO_CHARGE. Any amount over $15 will be tax deductible.
Permission is granted
(and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy
form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them
on your own websites. We ask only that you keep Elijah List website,
email contact info, and author contact information intact. Thank you
and blessings, Steve Shultz, Publisher, The Elijah List
http://www.elijahlist.com
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