(About a new friend, now forever in Christ.)

I KNOW A MAN IN CHRIST.
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Actually I don’t know that man, that’s a man described in a biblical letter to the church at Corinth. But I REALLY DO KNOW A MAN IN CHRIST, particularly a friend, a fairly new friend, who said, and I quote: “The joke in my family is “Heaven doesn’t want me and hell is afraid I’ll take over.” You see, this man in Christ has had 108 major surgeries and 112 other procedures since he was twelve years old. Yeah! That many! And this man continually praised the Lord. He ALWAYS praised the Lord.
A man in Christ. I will boast about a man like that.

I know a man in Christ who said: “It’s in Christ that we know that even though we may not always see or talk to each other, we know that we can count on one another… We are fortunate that we can communicate because not everyone has that ability, which I find can be a blessing especially, in times of crisis, or grief… His spirit lifts us all.”

I will boast about a man like that.

I know a man in Christ who said: “My faith NEVER weakens because I know I shouldn’t be here but for any other reason than his love and grace.”
I will boast about a man like that.

I know a man in Christ who said: “A lot of people don’t realize that ‘Trial by fire’ can apply to everyday life, and to everyday people. If they did, they would take the heat much more easily and realize that God is testing them, and also strengthening them at the same time. There is an old saying that God will not give you anymore than you can handle. Although there are times that I wish he wouldn’t trust me with so much, I somehow know that in the end I’ll have made it through until the next time, and the one time that I don’t will be because he took me home. Either way I’m alright!”

I will boast about a man like that.

I know a man in Christ who said: “I believe that not all miracles are things that everyone can see, but some are things that nobody else notices but that small circle of people in your world. This is the proof that God’s works are not flashy or boastful, just there. I will follow him all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
I will boast about a man like that.

I know a man in Christ, who is now WITH Christ. I know a man in Christ who is NOW dwelling in the House of the Lord FOREVER. 
This man may have said “Heaven doesn’t want me” (yet) – but in my opinion knowing God in truth, I think Heaven wanted him witnessing here on earth for a long time thru those trials and thorns… God wanted us to know him, for us to hear this man witness, and for us to see the power and grace of the Lord and to be strengthened. God wants us to know that we too can endure the pain of this world and that the weaknesses in us are only built stronger by Christ. 

This dear man in Christ, our dear man in Christ, LOVED the Lord and PRAISED the Lord all the more with his 108 plus 112 thorns in his side. Our dear man in Christ, who is now WITH Christ, is whom I will boast about, and all the more of whom I will say that his witness showed me God strength and Christ Humility. 
I know a man in Christ whom Christ called Heavenly Home, on Christ’s Holy Thursday, on ‘Remembrance of Me’ Day, on ‘Fools for Christ Sake Day’, on his ‘Now Forever With Christ Day’, 04/01 I will boast about a man like that. 

I will remember Christ in him and remember Christ thru his witness. I will remember Christ’s Grace is sufficient for all of us. Christ is sufficient for me. I will thank the Lord for introducing this man in Christ to me. I met him once maybe twice but surely thru Christ I will know him forever. Amen and see you one day again in Heaven, my brother in Christ. Until then, I will continue YOUR BOAST, which was and is forever about God’s Grace and Mercy, a boast about Jesus, a Man who was God as well as a God who became a man. Jesus did this just to bring us Home. 

Amen 

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FYI This memory writing is about a friend Paul, whom suddenly went home to the Lord. Well, Paul now IS with Jesus. I had last chatted with him by text only 2 days prior to his sudden passing. And I really only met him once maybe twice, and he really did say all those spiritually super things over text messages to me, witnessing to me the course of the last month. He saw my local newspaper magazine article [about my Aunt Mary] and he wrote me to tell me how he loved the article. I am forever grateful and blessed… He said: Your article [about Aunt Mary] made me smile as I thought back to when they [his aunts] were still here. As I reminisced I felt a smile on my face. Thank you for brightening my day. It was like a ray of sunshine on a dreary day.  Hope I can do the same for you someday.”

That day he DID brighten my day, and every time I remember Paul I know Holy Spirit WILL brighten my day with the ray of sunshine of knowing Jesus better. He lived in faith, I will boast about a man like that. He showed me Jesus strength. I will boast about a man like that. I will praise Easter morning Glory and Holy Thursday remembrance.  I will boast about OUR SAVIOR, FOREVER.

Amen Amen

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Totally fitting scripture: 2nd Corinthians 12:2-10 a letter from Apostle Paul:

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know — God knows.  And I know that this man — whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows — was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.  I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.  Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Amen Amen Amen 

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(my friend Paul said that he lived this Psalm)

Psalm 30

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David.

I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit.

Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.”  Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit?

Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.  

Lord my God, I will praise you forever.