Every Person is Precious to Our Lord

Pastor Dewey Moede

5 years ago

The last 3 years I have been so very blessed to preside over many funeral services. God has called me into this ministry. I am very touched by every service I am blessed to do. I learn so very much about God and people. Each individual and their families are so very precious. When God called me and Sharon into ministry, He told us to shine His light to one person at a time.

Everyone has a story. Everyone needs love. Just think of all the people that are going to heaven today. All of the families that are going through the loss of their loved here on earth. Hearing the stories of the deceased and their families reminds me of how fragile life is here on earth. It reminds me to do the best I can for God and people, it is simple as that. We have made life so very complicated. God made it simple, we polluted the waters of life.

I learn something each time I do a service. God has blessed me so much with an education that is far better than any seminary. I am in “God’s School” and when school is dismissed, He will call me home.

In the mean time, I thank the Lord for using me as a tool for His glory!

I learn from every person….I learn from there families, I learn love, acceptance, forgiveness, I learn about regrets that people have, I learn about dreams that people had, I learn each time that everyone has a story to tell and it is worth listening to. We are so busy in this world, Doing what?, all I know is every person can teach us something, every person is precocious to our Lord, and we should feel the same.

You talk about a life that was well lived, Chief Master Sgt. (Retired) U.S. Air Force, Linda Kay Alley!

Yesterday, I presided at the grave side service for Linda at Daniels Funeral Home Cemetery in Rio Rancho, behind Intel. They have a Veterans Cemetery there, where couples and their children can be laid to rest beside each other, unlike the National Cemeteries, where it is just for husbands and wives.

Last week there was a service for Linda at the Chapel at Daniels…….here is my post from last week…..

I was very blessed to do the funeral service this week for Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Retired) Linda Kay Alley. Linda entered the USSAF in 1969, when the Women’s Air Force was known as WAF (Women’s Air Force). Linda retired from the USAF, after 28 years of service, at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. Linda continued to serve her country as a civilian for many years, as she did her Church. She retired from Civil Service in August of 2018. Most everyone referred to her as “CHIEF” out of much love and respect.

This was read by a lovely lady who served with Linda in the Air Force……..I asked her if I could have the Creed, I will type it as it is…..IT PREACHES! This really touched me…..it is missing in many. I am so blessed by the Lord to do funerals, if we pay attention to God speaking to us during the service, we will learn much. I learn as I preach and listen to loved ones.

The Words, The Chief’s Creed.

Chief Master Sergeants are individually to be regarded as people….

Who cannot be bought

whose word is their bond;

who put character above wealth;

who possess opinions and a will;

who are larger than their vocations;

who will not lose their individuality in a crowd;

who do not hesitate to take chances;

who will be honest in small things as in great ones;

who will make no compromise with wrong;

whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires and interests;

who will not say they do it, “because everybody else does it”

who are true to their friends through good report, and evil report, in adversity as well as prosperity.

who do not beleive that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success;

who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for truth when it is unpopular, who can say “no” with emphasis, although all the world is saying “yes”

The Creed preaches, but, Linda’s life preaches even more, a life of service.

What will you and I be remembered for?

When folks do not have a Pastor or Church, I am blessed to get a call at times to serve. Thank you Lord for using me for your Glory! May I never embarrass You!

Everywhere we go, we should always shine the light of Jesus, which is LIGHT! The goal for us all should be that people see Jesus in us! LOVE LIKE JESUS! Please do not speak mean words, show LOVE, the LOVE OF JESUS!

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.
–John 13:34-35

You know that since 1997 I have been doing Dewey’s Daily Cup. It has been a letter to all my friends worldwide. I so much enjoying writing to you all about God and people. The Lord has moved me at this time to share this wisdom from Dr. Jim Denison:

One of Satan’s subtlest strategies

Reflecting on Christmas, Oswald Chambers asked: “Have I allowed my personal life to become a ‘Bethlehem’ for the Son of God?” Then he noted: “The characteristic of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that Christ is formed in me. Immediately Christ is formed in me, His nature begins to work through me.”

Chambers concluded: “God manifest in the flesh—that is what is made profoundly possible for you and me by the Redemption.”

Here’s the point: we cannot be like Christ without the help of Christ.

God’s ambition for us is not that we would try harder to avoid sin and imitate Christ. The character of Jesus—”love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”—is the “fruit of the Spirit” and thus made possible by the power of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23).

It is only when we “walk by the Spirit” that we “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (v. 16). As Chambers notes, “To walk in the light means that everything that is of the darkness drives me closer into the center of the light.”

One of Satan’s subtlest strategies is tempting us to resist his temptations in our strength. In this way, he uses our desire to be godly against us. The more we resolve to do better, the less we depend on the only Power that can truly make us better.

Then Christianity becomes just another religion—another attempt by humans to reach up to God—instead of a relationship in which our Father transforms us to “become like his Son” (Romans 8:29 NLT).

“The central miracle asserted by Christians”

How can we be certain that our Father can do this? Because of the reality of Christmas.

C. S. Lewis: “The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.”

Lewis explains: “Every natural event is the manifestation at a particular place and moment of Nature’s total character”—i.e., gravity, three-dimensionality, the laws of physics, etc. In the same way, “every particular Christian miracle manifests at a particular place and moment the character and significance of the Incarnation”—i.e., the fact that God can enter nature and do in it what he wishes.

If he could enter human flesh, he can heal human flesh. If he could feel physical pain, he can help us with physical pain. If he could withstand temptation, he can empower us to withstand temptation.

In short, if God could become one of us, he can make us one with himself.

What Kirk Douglas told Johnny Carson

A number of years ago, the actor Kirk Douglas was a guest on Johnny Carson’s late-night television show. The two celebrities discussed the experience of being recognized everywhere they went, with people pestering them because of their fame.

Then Douglas told about the time he was driving his car and stopped to pick up a hitchhiking sailor. When the sailor opened the door, looked in and saw the famous actor, his jaw dropped and he exclaimed, “Do you know who you are?”

Douglas said that it was a good question, one he’d been thinking about ever since.

Christmas tells us who God thinks you can be. Do you agree?

NOTE: Today, it’s challenging not to think about what 2020 may hold, but I know one fact will remain true: “God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne” (Psalm 47:8). Because he is in control, we can confidently yet compassionately seek to change the culture for his glory and our culture’s good. When you join our movement of building culture-changing Christians by giving today to the Denison Forum, your donation will be DOUBLED (up to $175,000) by a generous matching grant. So, please join the movement today.