August 12, 2007
Excerpt from Sermon delivered at Zion Lutheran Church, Albion, NE
Prepared and Delivered by: Rick E. Meyer
(Genesis 15:1, 25:24, Isaiah 41:10, 43:5)
Bombs were exploding; torpedoes constantly approaching, bullets flying about. My Uncle LaVerne and his shipmates in the Aleutian Islands during WWII believed this was the day, the moment they were joining their Savior in Heaven. Logic offered no survival mode from this Japanese onslaught.
SUDDENLY, as my Uncle described the events to his daughter LaVerna, a distinct voice, of no human origin, spoke to him and probably to all of the others on that ship, saying, “Fear Not, for I AM with you Always”. Uncle LaVerne said instantaneously, he and to the best of his knowledge all his shipmates, were saturated with Peace. They were living in Faith of Almighty God just as Abraham and all the Godly men of the bible did before them.
Uncle LaVerne married my dad’s oldest and youngest sister in the late 1940’s; they enjoyed life on the farm. They raised cattle, hogs, corn, wheat, grain sorghum, LaVerna, several other children not theirs biologically and much laughter. LaVerne and Berniel were never wealthy financially, yet their spiritual wealth was immeasurable. I knew them for 39 years, they were always content; always taking life in stride, but not for granted. I was not aware of the events in the Pacific until a day or two after LaVerne’s passing when I was asked to speak at his funeral and my now ex-wife and I, were asked to conduct the graveside service outside of Portis, Kansas.
However, I was very aware of the life of Faith, the life of Fear Not, which LaVerne and Berniel lived every moment. It mattered not whether the markets were up or down, the weather dry or wet, or even when a massive hail storm knocked out every window in their farm home; they ‘Feared Not’; knowing that their Heavenly Father was with them every step of the way. They knew the same Lord who promised and delivered Abraham, who delivered Moses and the Israelites out of the Pharaoh’s hand, who deflected missiles, bullets and torpedoes around the United States Navy ship in the Aleutian Islands in the 1940’s, held their life in His loving hands every moment of their life.
LaVerne and Berniel worked hard, prayed, and worshipped even harder. They knew their efforts did not produce a profitable crop or livestock herd, just our efforts do not produce anything worthwhile, rather our Lord Jesus Christ working through their efforts and our efforts. “It is not I, rather Christ who is in me”!
Most reading this probably never met LaVerne Anderson; however some of you may know a Veteran with a similar experience or you may have experienced an event where evil was casting full power trying to take your physical life. Each of us, as followers of Christ, are continually being bombarded upon in a Spiritual warfare by the enemy trying to kill our Faith in God Almighty with doubt, envy, greed, lust, gossip and every other form of sin. Just as my Uncle LaVerne and his shipmates could do nothing to save themselves, except turn to and trust in God; we are to do the same. Logic and reason may offer no solutions to your difficulties. Listen for God’s voice, saying, “Fear Not, for I AM with you Always”. You, like Uncle LaVerne, will have an inner peace surpassing all human understanding. Fear Not – Live in Faith!
Make it a Great Day in Christ!
Rick
Rick’s Website
Excerpt from Sermon delivered at Zion Lutheran Church, Albion, NE
Prepared and Delivered by: Rick E. Meyer
(Genesis 15:1, 25:24, Isaiah 41:10, 43:5)
Bombs were exploding; torpedoes constantly approaching, bullets flying about. My Uncle LaVerne and his shipmates in the Aleutian Islands during WWII believed this was the day, the moment they were joining their Savior in Heaven. Logic offered no survival mode from this Japanese onslaught.
SUDDENLY, as my Uncle described the events to his daughter LaVerna, a distinct voice, of no human origin, spoke to him and probably to all of the others on that ship, saying, “Fear Not, for I AM with you Always”. Uncle LaVerne said instantaneously, he and to the best of his knowledge all his shipmates, were saturated with Peace. They were living in Faith of Almighty God just as Abraham and all the Godly men of the bible did before them.
Uncle LaVerne married my dad’s oldest and youngest sister in the late 1940’s; they enjoyed life on the farm. They raised cattle, hogs, corn, wheat, grain sorghum, LaVerna, several other children not theirs biologically and much laughter. LaVerne and Berniel were never wealthy financially, yet their spiritual wealth was immeasurable. I knew them for 39 years, they were always content; always taking life in stride, but not for granted. I was not aware of the events in the Pacific until a day or two after LaVerne’s passing when I was asked to speak at his funeral and my now ex-wife and I, were asked to conduct the graveside service outside of Portis, Kansas.
However, I was very aware of the life of Faith, the life of Fear Not, which LaVerne and Berniel lived every moment. It mattered not whether the markets were up or down, the weather dry or wet, or even when a massive hail storm knocked out every window in their farm home; they ‘Feared Not’; knowing that their Heavenly Father was with them every step of the way. They knew the same Lord who promised and delivered Abraham, who delivered Moses and the Israelites out of the Pharaoh’s hand, who deflected missiles, bullets and torpedoes around the United States Navy ship in the Aleutian Islands in the 1940’s, held their life in His loving hands every moment of their life.
LaVerne and Berniel worked hard, prayed, and worshipped even harder. They knew their efforts did not produce a profitable crop or livestock herd, just our efforts do not produce anything worthwhile, rather our Lord Jesus Christ working through their efforts and our efforts. “It is not I, rather Christ who is in me”!
Most reading this probably never met LaVerne Anderson; however some of you may know a Veteran with a similar experience or you may have experienced an event where evil was casting full power trying to take your physical life. Each of us, as followers of Christ, are continually being bombarded upon in a Spiritual warfare by the enemy trying to kill our Faith in God Almighty with doubt, envy, greed, lust, gossip and every other form of sin. Just as my Uncle LaVerne and his shipmates could do nothing to save themselves, except turn to and trust in God; we are to do the same. Logic and reason may offer no solutions to your difficulties. Listen for God’s voice, saying, “Fear Not, for I AM with you Always”. You, like Uncle LaVerne, will have an inner peace surpassing all human understanding. Fear Not – Live in Faith!
Make it a Great Day in Christ!
Rick
Rick’s Website
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