My Father's passing

Thank you to all of you who offered prayers for our family and sent us words of consolation on the recent passing of my father on January 9, 2014.

It was a rough road with many decisions to be made. Dad was well taken care of in the hospital and hospice. He was comfortable.

My brother said it well in the funeral service which we had in the same church where mom and dad were married. My brother's remarks drew a wonderful parallel analogy. He told me these were not from him, but that they came to him in a dream. He related how my dad was well known for helping so many people by getting things for them and fixing things for them. But, as my brother related, my dad often would get frustrated at things while working on them. He would yell at them and talk to them in frustration. So, it wasn't that he enjoyed the actual work, but he did it in order to help people and have a relationship with them. He was a people person.  The analogy that my brother related was from my dad to God. My brother related that God also didn't necessarily enjoy being crucified for us, to save us from our sins (when we wander from him), but Jesus Christ made the sacrifice because he wanted a relationship with us. He cares for you. Consider allowing him to come into your life.

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Scripture Verses for the New Year

Last night, Ruth and I were part of a team that restarted a New Year's Fellowship Gathering in our church. Apparently, years ago, it was done every year.

We shared refreshments, had some  "Minute to Win It" type  games, Wii, board games (mostly travel scrabble, sequence, and Uno), and dodgeball. We also shared in a nice time of worship for 30 minutes up until midnight. We shared some songs, testimonies, prayer, and scripture.

Here are a few scriptures that are noteworthy for a new year.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22, 23 ESV)

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19 ESV)

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21 ESV)

assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:21-24 ESV)

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. (Revelation 21:5, 6 ESV)

Here are a few other lists of scripture:

http://lynndove.com/2013/01/01/25-encouraging-scripture-verses-for-the-new-year/

http://christianity.about.com/od/holidaytips/qt/newyearbiblever.htm

http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/new-year's-bible-verses/

Do you have any verses you like to meditate on in the new year? Please comment!