In Loving Memory of Grandma; Lector Mae (Bailey) Piper

I love this photo of my grandmother, Lector. This beautiful Wednesday morning, my lovely wife Nikki and I attended her funeral in Creedmoor, NC. I heard individuals share hilarious memories of my grandma, knowing that she was smiling down at us from Heaven. Although we heard stories that made us laugh, the stories that truly resonated with me this morning, were those told by an elderly cousin of mine, whom preached the ceremony, stating how he could recall as far back as 60 years ago, my grandma diligently serving in the church and community for the Lord. The pastor spoke of how Mrs. Lector Mae (Bailey) Piper was always willing to serve the Kingdom, and how even to this day she would run into him, asking "Are you still a'preaching?" 

Throughout the service at the church, I felt my grandmothers presence; I knew that she was watching and listening to every word. I was able to speak at the gravesite for the final ceremony. I shared with family members and friends how, growing up, Grandma Piper was constantly talking about the Lord...but as a rebellious child and adolescent, it went through one ear and out the other.. But that didn't stop her from praying for each and every one of us; how I know that those prayers have helped me become the man that I am today; that after hearing countless testimonies of how my grandmother was a genuine follower of Christ, a true servant, I truly realized that her faith in Christ truly reflected through her life....that Christ came to this Earth to serve the people and my Grandmother did the same for us.

I closed the ceremony with these verses:

"I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also."

2 Timothy 1: 3-5

Grandma, thank you for the prayers. Thank you for never giving up on me.

Humble Inspiration; "Twelve Ordinary Men".

I have recently started reading a book titled Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur.  The back cover of this book states the following description:

"When you take a fresh look at the disciples, you'll be faced with a stunning fact: The men the Savior chose were ordinary.  Hopelessly human.  Remarkably unremarkable.  But they were available and obedient to the Master's call.

And, under Jesus' teaching and touch, they became a force that forever changed the world...The message of Twelve Ordinary Men is clear.  If Christ can accomplish His purposes through the lives of common men like these, imagine what He has in store for you!"

I have only read about twenty or so pages of this book....and those twenty or so pages are packed with  lines that I literally scribbled 'Amen!' beside.  Here is an excerpt from Twelve Ordinary Men that reminded me of these verses:

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.  Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were noble of birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.  It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Excerpt:

"So there are no intrinsically qualified people. God Himself must save sinners, sanctify them, and then transform them from unqualified into instruments He can use. The Twelve (apostles) were like the rest of us; they were selected from the unworthy and the unqualified. They were, like Elijah, men "with a nature like ours" (James 5:17). They did not rise to the highest usefulness because they were somehow different from us. Their transformations into vessels of honor was so\>lely the work of the Potter.

Many Christians become discouraged and disheartened when their spiritual life and witness suffer because of sin or failure. We tend to think we're worthless nobodies-left to ourselves, that would be true! But worthless nobodies are just the kind of people God uses...

Satan may even attempt to convince us that our shortcomings render us useless to God and to His church. But Christ's choice of the apostles testifies to the fact that God can use the unworthy and the unqualified...They turned the world upside down, these twelve (Acts 17:6). It was not because they had extraordinary talents, unusual intellectual abilities, powerful political influence, or some special social status. They turned the world upside down because God worked in them to do it.

God chooses the humble, the lowly, the meek, and the weak so that there's never any question about the source of power when their lives change the world.  It's not the man: it's the truth of God and the power of God in the Man. (We need to remind some preachers toady of this. It's not their cleverness or their personality. The power is in the Word-the truth that we preach-not in us.)" 
-John MacArthur, "Twelve Ordinary Men".