Stand-John Piper

Would like to share with you an excerpt from a John Piper book called "Stand"!!The book is a compilation of different Pastors sharing about their "Stand" in the Gospel.Very touching and a real blessing.John MacArthur shares-
My Dad went to heaven in 2005 at the age of ninety-one, and into his ninety-first year he was still teaching a Bible class every Sunday.His father,my grandfather,died at a much earlier age from cancer,and I clearly remember standing by his bedside.I think I was about nine or ten , and my father said to him, "Dad,is there anthing you want?" He replied, "I want to preach one more sermon." You see, he had prepared on and didn't get to preach it but was feeling like the prophet Jeremiah, who said,"There is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding in it, and I cannot." (Jer:20:9).So my dad took his father's notes, printed them and passed out the sermon at the funeral. The title of that sermon was "Heavenly Records" So my grandfather preached on heaven from heaven.

As I read about these Godly men I knew that was where I wanted to be.Not to preach -but perservere to the end, with that burning in my heart for my All Sufficient God!!Then I had one person come to my mind-it was my grandfather-he also passed in recent years.He had the feelings of Jeremiah-it was on his face incessantly.As I grew up he had a bus ministry in the Church.He would go every Saturday to the poorest part of our Area and he would go to each house, encouraging those little ones to come to church the next day!!Sometimes, I would go along and it was always fun, I looked forward to it,and the kids loved him.See Grandpa taught me a wonderful lesson very early on, because you see,I also lived in this very poor area. He taught me that things and stature in life don't matter one iota,but the richest of men, are the ones that are called of God and are privledged to serve him!!His heart was with the Lord and not in this World.Having a conversation with Granpa that didn't include the Lord was not an option!When it came to the work of the Lord -he was tireless and always with Joy!!Even in his last years he had a form of demetia,he couldn't remember who I was-but he could still quote the Holy Scriptures and I had joy knowing,he, like Paul had fought the good fight,finished the race,and kept his faith !!!The fire was still burning in his heart!!
I cannot count in my adult years how many people have came up to me and said "I love your Grandpa,you know he picked me up every Sunday for Church" many times the tears will well up in their eyes, thankful that God had sent Grandpa to them!!