The Conference Is Over, Now What?

I'm back, dog tired and I loved every minute of the Desiring God Conference 2009.
It centered around John Calvin's 500th birthday. I really didn't know much about Calvin, I do now. John Calvin is a great man that got a lot of bad press and 450 years after his death he still is. The theme was "With Calvin In The Theater Of God"
Calvin was about exalting God, suffering for God and enjoying God. Calvin was not a perfect man although none are, (One exception)
Calvin had the highest view of #1- Scripture #2- Jesus (Not necessarily in that order)
Many great speakers at the conference, Mark Talbot was awesome, he is a philosophy professor at Weaton College. Who new a professor could be so interesting! Julius Kim preached his guts out, so so very good! But at the end of the day nobody was better than Dr. Piper, bar none the most intelligent, humble and kindest man I have met in my life.
In a day when the above qualities are rare to find in pastor or preacher, I have found one. I had the opportunity to go by his church "Bethlehem Baptist" I wandered for an hour just looking and although the church was not a huge "Mega" church, as I thought it might be, there was a great feeling of humble kindness and willingness to help in everyone that I met. And there wasn't a sign, picture, book or mention of the name John Piper ANY WHERE!
His opinion is that God should be exalted, not him. Now that is different.
He lives in the inner city of Minneapolis as the church is located there also, he walks the eight blocks to work and Church, for those of you not following along Same Thing!
He doesn't accept any money for any books he writes all the money goes to the church ministries, He has written over 25 books, he could be wealthy, he chooses not to be.
But some will say after all that, "Yes, but he is a Calvinist" And to that I say...... read the Bible, so was the Apostle Paul and I'm quite sure Jesus was to!
(Yes I know Paul and Jesus predate Calvin, you figure it out!)
John Piper is not God, nor should he be praised. The difference is that HE KNOWS IT!
Well that sums it up, the conference was worth going to and again next year.

When Giants Fall

I am saying good bye to one of the greatest men God has allowed me the honor of knowing. Jerry Graham was and still is a giant in my life, He passed away approximately 24 hours ago, a void that can only be filled by the Lord Jesus Christ. He will be missed so very much.

I preached a message a couple weeks ago that I know why God had me preach that message. It was on “persevering to the end” And I made the point that It wasn't about “The First Days” in your life as much as it is about the last day. I didn't know Jerry on many of those first days of his life, although I had the high honor of spending some time with him on his last day. I want to say how grateful I am to his family for sharing his last day with me, I will cherish it.

I think life is about the last day, how you lived your life as a man, husband, father, friend and child of God. Jerry Graham lived his last day with extreme integrity, as he did in life. His thoughts and concern were with us all and mostly with his God. Jerry's greatest love was for his Savior Jesus Christ. He made Jesus a priority in his life and as I had the privilege of watching he became more like his savior as the years passed. He loved his wife Jean. My wife and I have always said that It would be great to have a marriage like Jerry and Jean have. Thank you for being a great model for young people starting out in life.

Jerry and Jean have raised two godly sons both devoting their lives to Christ.

As I have talked with many folks about Jerry, all called him one of the best teachers of God's word that they had ever heard, I agree. God blessed Jerry with incredible wisdom and understanding that many never reach.

As I flipped through some old journals that I have written over the years, I found some notes I had taken on a message Jerry had preached. His message was titled a “Turning Point” it was living a life in Christ through Grace. That was typical of Jerry's thought pattern, he loved the Gospel of Christ and taught on it any chance he got. I will keep those notes forever.

I remember the day I heard that Jerry was very sick. It shocked me. He was always a very athletic strong man, Although God had and has a plan in all of this, I know it.

Jerry was blessed with a new granddaughter. I hope she will know what a great man her grandpa was. He has two other grandchildren that will miss him tremendously, they were blessed to know him.

I say farewell for awhile to my friend Jerry. Pray for his family they loved and will miss him greatly,

Any that knew him were blessed by God and are greater people for it.

I will bring a message this Sunday on this text:

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13-14

Today Jerry has acquired possession of the great inheritance in Christ Jesus. I bet he has already seen Jesus face to face. What an awesome thought

Derrick