Our dad finished his race last evening at 5:08 PM on October 31. We were with him when he died. It is hard to believe that my sister and I had the privilege of seeing both our mother and father take their last breaths this side of heaven. A true mercy from the Lord.

Growing up, we celebrated Halloween by carving pumpkins, dressing up, and trick or treating.  We have done the same with our own children.  It’s all so fun! 

However, as I got older, I learned that October 31 is also Reformation Day, an infinitely more precious day than Halloween, and truly a perfect day for the Lord to call our dad home.  Our dad loved the Lord.  He came to salvation in his 30’s and made it his goal from that time on to share his faith with a gentle boldness with anyone and everyone.  You didn’t have to spend too much time with him before hearing about his faith in Christ.  Suffering gave him an incredible platform on which to share the hope that was within him.  The place where he lived these last three years called him Mr. President because he had charge over the house bringing his Bible and devotional to the table every morning and reading to the staff and other residents as well as praying before each meal.  Each staff could testify that he shared his faith with each of them.  Last evening, one of the male residents told me that our dad was a prince of a man.  He truly was. 

What is Reformation Day? On this day in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Roman Catholic Church in Wittenburg, Germany which sparked the Protestant Reformation. Jeff Robinson, pastor and teacher writes, “The Reformation boils down to a recovery of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We are justified by faith in the substitutionary death of Christ. That’s the gospel. Remove it and you derail the engine that propels the train of eternal salvation. Remove it and you leave the body of Christ without a beating heart. Remove it and the Christian faith evaporates like a summer mist. The gospel was the battleground of the Reformation. No wonder the seed of the serpent attacks it in every generation. I want my children to know that without the gospel, they cannot make sense of life in a fallen world. Without the gospel, there’s no hope in this life or the next, no real purpose to our days and seasons. Calvin said justification is the hinge on which the door of salvation swings. I want them to keep a close watch on that door.”

Here it is summed up in what is called “The Five Solas.”

Sola Gratia: Salvation is by grace alone, 

Sola Fide: through faith alone, 

Solus Christus: in Christ alone, 

Sola Scriptura: on the authority of Scripture alone, 

Soli Deo Gloria: for the glory of God alone!

For those of you who believe, keep pressing on and for those of you that don’t, I believe my dad’s prayer, now more than ever, is that you come to the Lord by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, on the authority of scripture alone, for the glory of God alone.

Blessings to you,

Heather

Even though life changes, one thing does not.  Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

When You Pray…

Each day: 

1. Pray for yourself.
2. Pray for you spouse.
3. Pray for your children.

Weekly:

Sunday – Government

Monday – Immediate Family

Tuesday – Your Church 

Wednesday – Your Extended Family

Thursday – Your Spouse’s Extended Family

Friday – Your Friends

Saturday – Variety

Feel free to go back and review in more detail the weekly prayer points.