Letters From Grandpa #340

LETTERS FROM GRANDPA

• 340

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will deal with accepting who you are. God is the Potter and we are the clay. He has the right to make us any way He wants to (Rom. 9:19-21). God knitted us together in our mother’s womb! (Ps. 139:13-16). He decided when and where we would be born and the exact place where we would live (Acts 17:26-28). Your happiness, both now and forever, depends upon whether you choose to accept the way God made you, or whether you choose to rebel. Common sense compels us to acknowledge that rebellion against God is irrational!

When the disciples of Jesus saw a man born blind they asked Him: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned . . . but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” (Jn. 9:3). Please consider that God made you the way you are for the same reason.

While there are literally millions of inspirational examples of people who have chosen to accept the way God made them, this letter will focus on a godly man named Daniel Richie. This following quotation comes from his website.

“I was born without arms and spent the majority of my life being told that I was a hopeless mistake and woefully insufficient to lead a full life. Yet, at the age of 15, God used a preacher to tell me of God’s love for me and that I was “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139) and I accepted Christ as my Lord. From that moment on, the work of the Spirit has blown me away. Where there was once bitterness and anger, God was bringing out love and joy. Where fear had once reigned, Christ was assuring me that He is always with me. The work of the Spirit was showing itself in very visible ways. One year after getting saved, I submitted my life to a full time call to ministry. God opened doors in my teenage years to preach across the South and take part in a few internships. All along the way, God has allowed me to serve in camp ministry, as a student pastor, conference speaker and writer.

I now spend my time traveling, preaching & speaking at churches, conferences, youth events, corporate events, colleges and professional sports teams in the United States and abroad. My first book, My Affliction For His Glory, released in April 2018 and my second book is set to release in late 2021. I have had the tremendous opportunity to write for outlets such as Desiring God, For The Church, Rapzilla, Church Leaders, Youth Leaders Only, The Gospel Coalition and Fox News among others. I have been featured on TV programs such as The Story with Martha MacCallum, The 700 Club and The Encouraging Word.

Beyond the ministry aspect of my life, I am a married man and father. I have been married to my best friend Heather for 14 years and we have two remarkable kids: Teague and Elliott, ages 8 and 5. I love playing & wrestling with my two kids, reading, drinking coffee, watching football and enjoying the outdoors.”

It is absolutely amazing that Daniel can do more with his feet than many people can do with their hands. To hear Daniel give his testimony click on https://vimeo.com/263644344

In case you haven’t noticed, from man’s perspective, life isn’t fair. That’s why we need to see things as God sees them! Consider persecution for example. The first Christians were not rewarded for choosing to serve God, they were persecuted (Acts 8:1-3). This was true of many Christians in the

First Century and it is still true today. Paul’s first inspired letter was to the church in Thessalonica and they suffered from their own countrymen the same things the churches in Judea suffered from the Jews (1 Thess. 2;14). Paul considered this proof that after we die there will be a judgment. While life may not seem fair to you, God is fair! At the Judgement God will rectify all the wrongs we presently suffer. Paul reminded the Thessalonians of this and wrote: “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgement is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled and to us as well” (2 Thess. 1:4-7).

Since God is good, and God is fair, it has to be this way! Justice is not done here, but hereafter. Jesus once told the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk. 16:19-31). In this life the rich man enjoyed good things, and Lazarus suffered bad things (Lk. 16:25). But in eternity Lazarus was rewarded and the rich man was punished. Which of these two would you choose to be?

The Scriptures are clear: “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people, and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Heb. 9:27-28).

Everyone on earth has a “destiny”. A part of our destiny is to die and then to face judgment. In the Judgment God will be vindicated, evil will be punished, and the children of God will receive their eternal inheritance. It is not only essential that we believe in God, we must also believe that He will reward those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6).

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce