Ailene is a charter member of one of our local churches. She has been a christian most of her life. She just turned 100 this past August. I want you to experience Ms. Aileen's life so you can see why God touched my heart to start a ministry to the aging here in Savannah, GA called Living Legacies Inc - a ministry dedicate to honoring the aging.
I met Aileen back in 2006. She was just 94 and living in one of our local retirement facilities. I was her pastor and I preached every Sunday at that facility. She was at every church service - to not see Aileen meant something was wrong! She tithed faithfully and always had a kind word after my sermon. Even when her health began to go down hill she was a role model for me and the other aging men and women. She wasn't one to complain about her problems. She'd rather praise the Lord than anything else in her life.
It was in 2010 that her arthritis began to get the best of her. I watched her as she began to grimace in pain. It took a lot for her to get out of her chair and to her walker to make her way back to her room. As time went on my wife and I had to assist her to get up from the chair and once she was up she was able to make it back to the elevator and up to her room. After a while we even had to go to her room to get her and then take her back again.
Aileen now 98 was losing her independence and needed to count on other people to do what she once did for herself. At 94 Aileen moved into the retirement home just after her husband passed away. The next four years she lived by herself tending to her own needs. At 98 years old she no longer could do the things she once did. Now she had to move to an assisted living facility. Luckily she transferred to one of the five extended care facilities that I minister to in Savannah through Living Legacies Inc. Aileen told me after the move, "this is going to be quite a transition but with the help of your ministry I believe I can make it".
It in fact was quite a transition. 98 years and she never had a room mate - had her husband and didn't need anyone. She lived alone in the quietness of her retirement home. Now she enters a place of business where a room by yourself is not an option. The care givers come in regularly day and night, phones ring and voices come over the intercom "Susan, you have a call on line two." "Nurses needed on the west wing - room 294." You would think after the business day ended then you would get some rest but the second shift arrived and the cleaning crew arrived and now the buffers begin to run up and down the halls. Quiet to chaos overnight it seemed. Noises and voices always in your mind. It's enough to drive any man crazy!
Aileen is now 100 years old and very depressed. She doesn't read her Bible because there is no silence or solitude anymore. I have to comfort her often when she says "I am embarrassed to say pastor, I just wish it would all come to an end." I just have to stop what I am doing at that point and remind her that things can always be worse. You can always find someone worse off than you are. I took Ms. Aileen around and showed her other residents who did not even know we entered the room. "Alzheimer's Ms. Aileen", I told her. Then we went back to her room.
I said Ms. Aileen you are 100 years old and you have your mind intact. You can think about your children, and your grandchildren, and even your great-grandchildren. You know them when they come into your room and you can enjoy their laughter, many people are unable to do that you know. That always sparks a conversation and I get to hear about her life when she was 17, how she came to know Jesus Christ, when she met her husband and how long they were married, what careers her children chose, the wives they married and the grandchildren she loves. Oh! How Ms Aileen loves talking about her family!! It brightened her mood and her day.
It's little things like this that help the aging. It is little things like this that makes a ministry great. It's about honoring the aging by giving them a chance to tell their story. It's about being there for them and with them. Seven years ago when I began pouring my life out as a sacrifice of service for the elderly's faith I learned a very important lesson. Every person has two basic needs to love and be loved. I thought I was there for them and it was about me pouring out my love on them. But I quickly learned that I am not just there to love them but I am also there to give them someone to love. I am just one man loving the aging and I have found that the aging community loves me. I have found through this ministry that you cannot out give God. The more you sow the more you reap. Two of the best things about Living Legacies ministry to the aging is I get to love the aging community and I get loved in return.
I've already received more than I deserve but I want to continue being there for the aging community as they enter our extended care facilities. Everyone needs money and with the economy in the shape that it is in I've been told I am crazy for starting a business. I just trust God and want to continue what God has prepared me to do over the last seven years. It is people like Ms. Aileen who get me up each day and give me meaning and purpose in this life. I really covet your prayers in this matter. Pray that God would provide the funds for me to continue what I do. It's not really about the money. It's about people like Aileen. It's about pleading for her and advocating for her. It's about using my strengths and abilities to help those who are losing theirs.It's about being God's eyes, feet, voice, hands and heart. We are the body of Christ and I wouldn't want Ms. Aileen to think God abandoned her because the Body of Christ abandoned her. So I continue to go - In His Name and For His Glory. Thanks for keeping Living Legacies Inc in your prayers.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Message Given on 2/12/12
I started preaching through the Epistle to the Philippians at the beginning of the year in Savannah. One of the themes in Philippians is Joy. Therefore I have been giving the aging community principles of joy found in the Book of Philippians. Last week I spoke on the the third joy stealer PRIDE. Paul uses Jesus as an example of humility. If Jesus is God based upon His inward essence and He chose to hold onto that essence loosely or humbly then we who are sinners should not hold to firm to our pride. God did not make mirrors. Man did! God never intended for us to dwell on ourselves as much as we do. God has placed within each of us the desire to dwell on things much bigger than ourselves. We find a sense of wonder and awe when we look at the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, or when we look through the Hubble Telescope and see the galaxies. God never intended for us to dwell on or focus on ourselves.
We think if people would make much of us then we would find joy and happiness but God creates true joy in a more profound way - by dwelling on His Son. In fact our esteem, our joy, our satisfaction are not found in looking in the mirror esteeming and making ourselves look and feel bigger than we really are but our esteem and joy are linked to how high we esteem Christ and how much joy we find in Christ. When we make much of Jesus then God makes much of us. We are joint heirs with Jesus. We are united to Christ in such a way that we receive exaltation from God the same way Jesus received exaltation from His Father. It was through His humility that God "highly exalted Him".
Paul challenged us to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). The key word in this text is "work out" because in Philippians 2:5-8 we studied the word "morphe". From this root word we get metamorphosis. This is the transformation we see in a caterpillar when it becomes a butterfly. There is the inward reality or essence of a butterfly in the caterpillar. After it is "morphed" it leaves the cocoon a butterfly. It could not have become a butterfly unless it had the essence or potential to become a butterfly. The inward essence or reality was there and the metamorphosis was the outward expression of the inward reality. Likewise Jesus was man yet He had the essence of deity within. He is God and the outward expression of humility and sinlessness are directly related to His inward essence. I believe in the impeccability of Christ which means Jesus could not have sinned because He did not have a sin nature as we do but rather He has the very essence and nature of God because He is God.
We must "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" because "it is God who works in us to will and to act according to His good pleasure"(Phil. 2:13). The key words here are "works in". God works into us a true and real essence of a divine nature through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit becomes a real reality in the believer. The outworking of this inward reality is proof we have a divine nature and saved. God will highly exalt us when we outwardly express a humble spirit.
What does this humble spirit look like? God highly exalted the name of Jesus Christ so that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:9-11). In other words Jesus' name was highly exalted so that whoever is saved will be humbled to bow the knee and confess Jesus as Lord. God works humility into us so that we will "will and act" according to His purpose and pleasure of bending our knees and confessing Him as Lord. No prideful man will enter Heaven!!
Obedience to His Lordship will be the test of true faith. The Philippians made Paul rejoice because he saw their salvation as consistent obedient Lordship. Philippians were not Paul pleasers but God pleasers. They expressed the inward reality of their salvation by outward humble obedience to His Lordship. Paul said to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling because if you were not expressing outward obedient Lordship then you did not have the reality of the inward essence of a divine nature by the Holy Spirit. The outward reality of Lordship reflected upon the inward reality of the Holy Spirit. If we are embarrassed to obey then perhaps we are not saved. If we are afraid to obey then perhaps we are not saved. If we refuse to obey then we are not saved. Faith without works is not true faith because faith without works is a faith with no inward essence or substance making it impossible to obey. You cannot reflect the Holy Spirit in your life until you have the Holy Spirit in your life.
Examples of humility:
1. Look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others (Phil. 2:4).
2. Jesus made Himself of no reputation (Phil 2:7).
3. Blameless and harmless children of God... being lights to the world (Phil 2:15).
Paul found joy in pouring out his life as a sacrifice. Paul also found joy when he saw others pouring out their life as a sacrifice. When people stop being rivals and hold onto themselves loosely/humbly then the Gospel advances because much is made of Jesus and the Gospel and little is made of self.
Living Legacies Inc is not a rival ministry in Savannah, GA. It is not in competition with other churches and ministries in Savannah. It is for the aging community as I pour out my life as a sacrifice to the aging by advancing the Gospel and preparing people to meet their maker. I preach the Gospel confidently, holding onto my theology humbly, seeking to see people come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. I desire to see everyman bend their knee in humility to Jesus' Lordship and to profess His Lordship with their tongue all for the exaltation of Jesus Christ.
We think if people would make much of us then we would find joy and happiness but God creates true joy in a more profound way - by dwelling on His Son. In fact our esteem, our joy, our satisfaction are not found in looking in the mirror esteeming and making ourselves look and feel bigger than we really are but our esteem and joy are linked to how high we esteem Christ and how much joy we find in Christ. When we make much of Jesus then God makes much of us. We are joint heirs with Jesus. We are united to Christ in such a way that we receive exaltation from God the same way Jesus received exaltation from His Father. It was through His humility that God "highly exalted Him".
Paul challenged us to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). The key word in this text is "work out" because in Philippians 2:5-8 we studied the word "morphe". From this root word we get metamorphosis. This is the transformation we see in a caterpillar when it becomes a butterfly. There is the inward reality or essence of a butterfly in the caterpillar. After it is "morphed" it leaves the cocoon a butterfly. It could not have become a butterfly unless it had the essence or potential to become a butterfly. The inward essence or reality was there and the metamorphosis was the outward expression of the inward reality. Likewise Jesus was man yet He had the essence of deity within. He is God and the outward expression of humility and sinlessness are directly related to His inward essence. I believe in the impeccability of Christ which means Jesus could not have sinned because He did not have a sin nature as we do but rather He has the very essence and nature of God because He is God.
We must "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" because "it is God who works in us to will and to act according to His good pleasure"(Phil. 2:13). The key words here are "works in". God works into us a true and real essence of a divine nature through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit becomes a real reality in the believer. The outworking of this inward reality is proof we have a divine nature and saved. God will highly exalt us when we outwardly express a humble spirit.
What does this humble spirit look like? God highly exalted the name of Jesus Christ so that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:9-11). In other words Jesus' name was highly exalted so that whoever is saved will be humbled to bow the knee and confess Jesus as Lord. God works humility into us so that we will "will and act" according to His purpose and pleasure of bending our knees and confessing Him as Lord. No prideful man will enter Heaven!!
Obedience to His Lordship will be the test of true faith. The Philippians made Paul rejoice because he saw their salvation as consistent obedient Lordship. Philippians were not Paul pleasers but God pleasers. They expressed the inward reality of their salvation by outward humble obedience to His Lordship. Paul said to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling because if you were not expressing outward obedient Lordship then you did not have the reality of the inward essence of a divine nature by the Holy Spirit. The outward reality of Lordship reflected upon the inward reality of the Holy Spirit. If we are embarrassed to obey then perhaps we are not saved. If we are afraid to obey then perhaps we are not saved. If we refuse to obey then we are not saved. Faith without works is not true faith because faith without works is a faith with no inward essence or substance making it impossible to obey. You cannot reflect the Holy Spirit in your life until you have the Holy Spirit in your life.
Examples of humility:
1. Look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others (Phil. 2:4).
2. Jesus made Himself of no reputation (Phil 2:7).
3. Blameless and harmless children of God... being lights to the world (Phil 2:15).
Paul found joy in pouring out his life as a sacrifice. Paul also found joy when he saw others pouring out their life as a sacrifice. When people stop being rivals and hold onto themselves loosely/humbly then the Gospel advances because much is made of Jesus and the Gospel and little is made of self.
Living Legacies Inc is not a rival ministry in Savannah, GA. It is not in competition with other churches and ministries in Savannah. It is for the aging community as I pour out my life as a sacrifice to the aging by advancing the Gospel and preparing people to meet their maker. I preach the Gospel confidently, holding onto my theology humbly, seeking to see people come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. I desire to see everyman bend their knee in humility to Jesus' Lordship and to profess His Lordship with their tongue all for the exaltation of Jesus Christ.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Should I Be Cremated?
One of the questions often asked when contemplating end of life decisions is: Is it OK for me to be cremated? The Bible says we were made from the dust and we will return to dust (Gen. 2:7; 3:19; Eccl. 3:20). Cremation then speeds up the natural process of decay. If God made man from dust then He certainly can perform the task once again upon the resurrection. There are many ways in which men have died. They have burned to death, died in ship wrecks and left in oceans to be consumed by fish, mutilated beyond recognition in car accidents, and crushed in situations like the World Trade Center catastrophe. God will redeem and raise all of these bodies to eternal life or eternal punishment (1Corinthians 15:35-55; 1Thes. 4:16). Therefore although I do not believe anything is wrong with cremation there are several things each person should take into consideration when considering this option.
First, there isn't one account in the Bible of this kind of burial. In fact we find in the Old Testament dishonor in not giving a person a proper burial. Although some have suggested that burning to death was an act of punishment I do not see cremation as burning to death rather burning the already dead. I also believe you can give proper honor to a loved one and still cremate.
Second, cremation in many cases is more for selfish reasons than moral or immoral ones. The family cremates because it is less expensive than burial. The person dying wishes to be cremated because they can't think of themselves decaying in a grave.
Third, Living Legacies Inc is dedicated to honoring the elderly and Cremation does not allow for the honoring of that person's life. Where will the grave stone be placed in honor of your loved one? How will the life of your loved one be memorialized for future generations? Therefore the "Legacy" of the Christian should be honored in a very tangible way whether you choose burial or cremation. Cremation makes it possible for the ashes to be spilt, lost or stolen and each of these situations would be dishonorable to the deceased.
Finally, a believer should always be considerate of the living before the dead. It is part of the grieving process and the healing process to have a funeral. It gives the family members an opportunity to look the family member in the face and say their final good-byes. The family member who may have never asked for forgiveness may look into the casket and ask their loved one to forgive them. All of these opportunities may be lost if you choose cremation. Therefore I believe this is the strongest reason for not getting cremated - for the sake of those still living. A funeral is not just for the dead but for the living as well!
The Bible teaches us "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Many lost people ignore the reality of death and funerals make us confront death. A good Christian person's funeral can be the last testimony of a life well lived and it offers a visual for the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think every true Christian who is concerned about their families salvation would want their life to be used for the salvation of their loved ones. It is why I always give counsel to the believer to consider not being cremated and allow your life to speak from the casket during your memorial service and pray before your death that God will use your death to bring Glory to God one last time. As Paul himself said "as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or death" (Phil. 1:20)
First, there isn't one account in the Bible of this kind of burial. In fact we find in the Old Testament dishonor in not giving a person a proper burial. Although some have suggested that burning to death was an act of punishment I do not see cremation as burning to death rather burning the already dead. I also believe you can give proper honor to a loved one and still cremate.
Second, cremation in many cases is more for selfish reasons than moral or immoral ones. The family cremates because it is less expensive than burial. The person dying wishes to be cremated because they can't think of themselves decaying in a grave.
Third, Living Legacies Inc is dedicated to honoring the elderly and Cremation does not allow for the honoring of that person's life. Where will the grave stone be placed in honor of your loved one? How will the life of your loved one be memorialized for future generations? Therefore the "Legacy" of the Christian should be honored in a very tangible way whether you choose burial or cremation. Cremation makes it possible for the ashes to be spilt, lost or stolen and each of these situations would be dishonorable to the deceased.
Finally, a believer should always be considerate of the living before the dead. It is part of the grieving process and the healing process to have a funeral. It gives the family members an opportunity to look the family member in the face and say their final good-byes. The family member who may have never asked for forgiveness may look into the casket and ask their loved one to forgive them. All of these opportunities may be lost if you choose cremation. Therefore I believe this is the strongest reason for not getting cremated - for the sake of those still living. A funeral is not just for the dead but for the living as well!
The Bible teaches us "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Many lost people ignore the reality of death and funerals make us confront death. A good Christian person's funeral can be the last testimony of a life well lived and it offers a visual for the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think every true Christian who is concerned about their families salvation would want their life to be used for the salvation of their loved ones. It is why I always give counsel to the believer to consider not being cremated and allow your life to speak from the casket during your memorial service and pray before your death that God will use your death to bring Glory to God one last time. As Paul himself said "as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or death" (Phil. 1:20)
Saturday, February 4, 2012
So, What's The Hype Concerning the Aging?
To understand the hype and why we need a Nursing Home Ministry that cares for the aging in Savannah, GA begins with understanding why there is an excessive increase in elderly adults. First we have to understand each generation and what has occurred within that particular generation's history. The generation we are most concerned about at Living Legacies Inc is the Baby Boomer Generation. This generation includes all people born between 1946 and 1964. Living Legacies is concerned about this generation because 1946 plus 65 equals 2011, therefore in 2011 the first of the Baby Boomers will reach retirement age. This still doesn't reflect the concern and need of a ministry that reaches out to the aging in Savannah, GA. Therefore lets look at some statistics.
In 1999 only 30% of the population was over the age of 65, only one in every eight people were 65 or older. Two million elderly lived in 20,000 Nursing Homes costing the tax payer $53 billion per year. However the estimates for the year 2030 is one in every five people will be over 65. Five million people will need Nursing Homes costing the tax payer $700 billion.
http://www.aoa.gov/aoaroot/aging_statistics/Profile/2010/4.aspx.
Now lets do the math! In 1900 there were four million people over 65. In 2000 there were 12 million people over 65 therefore in the last 100 years there was an 8 million person increase in the aging community. The estimate for the future is staggering! There were 12 million people over 65 in the year 2000. The estimate for 2050 is 86.7 million people over the age of 65. In the first 100 years there were only an eight million person increase. But in the next 50 years there will be a 74.7 million person increase. (Administration on Aging, US Department of Health and Human Services)
The government is concerned because of Social Security. The plan for Social Security is people would put into Social Security every year while they worked until they reached 65 and then they could retire and begin to take out of Social Security while others are still putting into Social Security. The problem is there are more Baby Boomers taking out than the next generation is able to put in -bankrupting Social Security. The ultimate problem stems from abortion. We've killed 58 million unborn babies since 1973 wiping out our future. The Presidents' answer to the problem is give the aging pain medication so they can die painlessly treating millions of our people like non-persons. My response is if we are made in the image of God and Jesus Christ died for us all then those who believe in Jesus Christ should be the first to stand up and care for the aging, honoring them as Jesus commanded and treating them like the persons they are.
This is my heart beat. This is why I started Living Legacies Inc "dedicated to honoring the aging". This is why a ministry like this is needed in Savannah, GA. This is why I started this blog to inform you the reader on how you can support this incredible need. Living Legacies Inc is a front line ministry to the aging. The need is great and in the next 50 years it will become even greater. I hope by starting this ministry now we will be able to meet the needs of the future. I hope you will follow me on this blog as Living Legacies Inc begins it's ministry to the aging here in Savannah, GA.
In 1999 only 30% of the population was over the age of 65, only one in every eight people were 65 or older. Two million elderly lived in 20,000 Nursing Homes costing the tax payer $53 billion per year. However the estimates for the year 2030 is one in every five people will be over 65. Five million people will need Nursing Homes costing the tax payer $700 billion.
http://www.aoa.gov/aoaroot/aging_statistics/Profile/2010/4.aspx.
Now lets do the math! In 1900 there were four million people over 65. In 2000 there were 12 million people over 65 therefore in the last 100 years there was an 8 million person increase in the aging community. The estimate for the future is staggering! There were 12 million people over 65 in the year 2000. The estimate for 2050 is 86.7 million people over the age of 65. In the first 100 years there were only an eight million person increase. But in the next 50 years there will be a 74.7 million person increase. (Administration on Aging, US Department of Health and Human Services)
The government is concerned because of Social Security. The plan for Social Security is people would put into Social Security every year while they worked until they reached 65 and then they could retire and begin to take out of Social Security while others are still putting into Social Security. The problem is there are more Baby Boomers taking out than the next generation is able to put in -bankrupting Social Security. The ultimate problem stems from abortion. We've killed 58 million unborn babies since 1973 wiping out our future. The Presidents' answer to the problem is give the aging pain medication so they can die painlessly treating millions of our people like non-persons. My response is if we are made in the image of God and Jesus Christ died for us all then those who believe in Jesus Christ should be the first to stand up and care for the aging, honoring them as Jesus commanded and treating them like the persons they are.
This is my heart beat. This is why I started Living Legacies Inc "dedicated to honoring the aging". This is why a ministry like this is needed in Savannah, GA. This is why I started this blog to inform you the reader on how you can support this incredible need. Living Legacies Inc is a front line ministry to the aging. The need is great and in the next 50 years it will become even greater. I hope by starting this ministry now we will be able to meet the needs of the future. I hope you will follow me on this blog as Living Legacies Inc begins it's ministry to the aging here in Savannah, GA.
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