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I wanted to post this in memory of my friend who passed away just a couple of days ago. I have been asked to euogize him and have accepted. I want to post my euology and my message here in memory of him.
In fond and loving memory of my dear friend:
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come to you today, during this solemn occasion to remember our friend and Brother James Michel Evatt. We ask Father that your presence be among us. That you would lead us. That you would be with us in a mighty way. We ask for your guidance. Be with us during this of loss. And let this time remind us Lord that our time here is short. Be among us as we honor our departed. And let all that happens bring glory and honor upon your kingdom, and your name, and to the building up of your kingdom. For we ask this in the name that is about all names, we ask this in Jesus precious name. Amen.
A lot of you know Jim Evatt, many of you know a different Jim Evatt than I do, but Id like to take the time to tell you of the Jim Evatt that I knew. The dictionary defines a friend as:
Friend A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts. An acquaintance. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; comrade. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement.
In this life, friends take any one of the dictionaries meanings. My brother Jim could have easily fit any one of these. Anybody could be considered a friend if it meant only a person whom one knows. I know the president George Bush, but he isnt my friend. I know Queen Elizabeth, but she isnt my friend. To me, a friend means much more.
Included also is the meaning likes and trusts. My brother Jim would easily have fit this description. Getting to know Jim was easy and simple. And he was easy to like. He had no trouble fitting in either at work or any where he went. He made friends easily in the work place and in life. And Jim was a person in whom trust did not come easy. You had to earn it. But once you had earned his trust, it was a trust he didnt betray.
Jim was my friend. He was a comrade. Because Jim was my friend and comrade, often growing up, we fought the same enemies. His bullies quickly became my bullies. Because Jim was my friend, when they would pick on him, they would pick on me also. And it stands to reason that when Jim got into trouble, I got into trouble.
One time in junior high, Jim and I had been bullied for several weeks. Several times it almost led to a fight. But thank goodness it didnt. But Jim and I came up with a plan. These bullies had told us that if we came outside after lunch, they would beat us up. We quickly put our plan into action. After eating our lunch, we excused ourselves to the bathroom. While in the main building, we got the chains they used to lock the doors, and we went around the building and chained and locked the doors that led in from the outside. I dont if Vivian and Carl ever found out about that one or not.
A friend is also defined as one who supports. Jim also fit that description. I remember that right after one of the lowest times in my life Jim was there to support me when I felt absolutely worthless. To look at me now, and see the miracles God has done in my life, you would never have known that I had been to prison. It is nothing Im proud of, it is nothing I have ever tried to hide, but at the same time, I have never gone out of my way to reveal it either. When I came out of prison, Jim was there to lift my spirits, and he led me to a church where that part of my life did not matter.
A friend is also defined as one who sympathizes. I first met Jim in 1972. We were teammates at union Rd. Optimist Club. We played baseball together. Jim and I could sympathize with each other because often, the worst players were put in the outfield and batted near or at the bottom of the line-up. And guess where we were? Yep, at the bottom. But we worked hard during the next year and by the next season; we were batting near the top, and had moved to the infield.
A friend is also defined as patronizes a group, cause, or movement. Jim was a civic minded person. For a brief period of time, Jim and I served together as volunteer firemen. We served together on a rescue squad. And we served together in the Civil Air Patrol. Of course, this came about because of Jims love of flying. We worked together at Charlotte Municipal Airport. We worked 2nd shift and Jim became quite friendly with the pilots who flew cargo during the late night time. He would often fly out with them on their short runs. And he would often ask me to fly with him, but I dont like flying and would often decline. Whenever and wherever Jim saw a chance to help or serve his fellow man, he would do so.
But to me personally, Jim was more than a friend, he was family. He was for all intents and purposes, my brother. But he was much more than that he was also my brother in Christ. Jims mother and father were like my mother and father. They treated me as they would have treated one of their own. I could just as well been at home at Jims house as I would have been at my own. And I know my family felt the same way about Jim. In the course of this life, friends come and friends go, but every once in a while, if your lucky enough, one will come along and you will remain friends for life. And that is the Evatt family that I personally came to know. Jim Evatt was my friend, my buddy, my comrade. His mother and father were my mother and father. They always were, and always will be. And I was blessed to know Jim Evatt and his family for 35 years.
I just briefly want to take the time to preach at you. Jim wouldnt forgive me if I didnt. I remember telling him when I was licensed to preach, he was so excited and happy for me. So I would do his memory an injustice not to take a few minutes to preach Jesus Christ.
James 2:23 tells us:
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we ask for you to be with us as we break the bread of life. Let the Spirit move among us. Let His presence work among us. Take this simple little message and apply it to our hearts and minds. For we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.
Hebrews 11 is a roll-call of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the OT of faith. Abraham and his wife Sara are found in verses 8 through 19. More is spoken of Abraham and Sara and their faith than there is of Moses and his faith.
Abraham received a promise from God and he believed. Hebrews 11:1 says:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Abraham had the promise of his seed being as the sand, and as the stars in heaven. The promise of a son as evidence of things not seen. And because Abraham believed God, put to the account of, it was imputed to him for righteousness. And Abraham became know as the Friend of God.
In the Greek, that title is philos theos. How great is that? To be known as the philos theos. But I say to you, if you do not know God, or if you do not know His Son Jesus Christ, you now have a chance to know Him in a personal way.
If you would just believe:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Then you too can have the righteousness of Jesus imputed unto you. You too can become a philos theos". But you have the opportunity to become much more than that. You have the opportunity to become a child of the King. A saint and an heir. Jim was one of these. He has passed on, gone on to be with his heavenly Father, his earthly mother and father. And we have to carry on. And I can take solace in knowing this.
For those of us who are left behind, we can rest on Jesus promise:
In my Father's house are many dwelling places: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
We as Christians have Jesus promise that since He has gone to prepare for us a place, He is coming back to receive us unto Himself that where He is, there we will be also. That is our promise. And that could be your promise too. During this time when we are gathered together to celebrate Jims life and his going home to a better place, lets make this a double celebration. Ask Jesus into your heart before He comes again and it becomes too late.
Prayer: Heavenly father, we ask you once more to be among us, to let you Spirit work here in the minds and hearts of those who might not know you. We ask dear Lord that this sorrowing be enabled so that we become aware of the hopes and promises of your Holy Word. Let the bereaved find solace in it for the days, and months, and years to come. Be with them that morn and comfort them in their loss. For we ask this in Jesus precious name. Amen.
In fond and loving memory of my dear friend:
James Michael Evatt
Sept. 15, 1961-Oct. 24, 2007
Sept. 15, 1961-Oct. 24, 2007
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come to you today, during this solemn occasion to remember our friend and Brother James Michel Evatt. We ask Father that your presence be among us. That you would lead us. That you would be with us in a mighty way. We ask for your guidance. Be with us during this of loss. And let this time remind us Lord that our time here is short. Be among us as we honor our departed. And let all that happens bring glory and honor upon your kingdom, and your name, and to the building up of your kingdom. For we ask this in the name that is about all names, we ask this in Jesus precious name. Amen.
A lot of you know Jim Evatt, many of you know a different Jim Evatt than I do, but Id like to take the time to tell you of the Jim Evatt that I knew. The dictionary defines a friend as:
Friend A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts. An acquaintance. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; comrade. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement.
In this life, friends take any one of the dictionaries meanings. My brother Jim could have easily fit any one of these. Anybody could be considered a friend if it meant only a person whom one knows. I know the president George Bush, but he isnt my friend. I know Queen Elizabeth, but she isnt my friend. To me, a friend means much more.
Included also is the meaning likes and trusts. My brother Jim would easily have fit this description. Getting to know Jim was easy and simple. And he was easy to like. He had no trouble fitting in either at work or any where he went. He made friends easily in the work place and in life. And Jim was a person in whom trust did not come easy. You had to earn it. But once you had earned his trust, it was a trust he didnt betray.
Jim was my friend. He was a comrade. Because Jim was my friend and comrade, often growing up, we fought the same enemies. His bullies quickly became my bullies. Because Jim was my friend, when they would pick on him, they would pick on me also. And it stands to reason that when Jim got into trouble, I got into trouble.
One time in junior high, Jim and I had been bullied for several weeks. Several times it almost led to a fight. But thank goodness it didnt. But Jim and I came up with a plan. These bullies had told us that if we came outside after lunch, they would beat us up. We quickly put our plan into action. After eating our lunch, we excused ourselves to the bathroom. While in the main building, we got the chains they used to lock the doors, and we went around the building and chained and locked the doors that led in from the outside. I dont if Vivian and Carl ever found out about that one or not.
A friend is also defined as one who supports. Jim also fit that description. I remember that right after one of the lowest times in my life Jim was there to support me when I felt absolutely worthless. To look at me now, and see the miracles God has done in my life, you would never have known that I had been to prison. It is nothing Im proud of, it is nothing I have ever tried to hide, but at the same time, I have never gone out of my way to reveal it either. When I came out of prison, Jim was there to lift my spirits, and he led me to a church where that part of my life did not matter.
A friend is also defined as one who sympathizes. I first met Jim in 1972. We were teammates at union Rd. Optimist Club. We played baseball together. Jim and I could sympathize with each other because often, the worst players were put in the outfield and batted near or at the bottom of the line-up. And guess where we were? Yep, at the bottom. But we worked hard during the next year and by the next season; we were batting near the top, and had moved to the infield.
A friend is also defined as patronizes a group, cause, or movement. Jim was a civic minded person. For a brief period of time, Jim and I served together as volunteer firemen. We served together on a rescue squad. And we served together in the Civil Air Patrol. Of course, this came about because of Jims love of flying. We worked together at Charlotte Municipal Airport. We worked 2nd shift and Jim became quite friendly with the pilots who flew cargo during the late night time. He would often fly out with them on their short runs. And he would often ask me to fly with him, but I dont like flying and would often decline. Whenever and wherever Jim saw a chance to help or serve his fellow man, he would do so.
But to me personally, Jim was more than a friend, he was family. He was for all intents and purposes, my brother. But he was much more than that he was also my brother in Christ. Jims mother and father were like my mother and father. They treated me as they would have treated one of their own. I could just as well been at home at Jims house as I would have been at my own. And I know my family felt the same way about Jim. In the course of this life, friends come and friends go, but every once in a while, if your lucky enough, one will come along and you will remain friends for life. And that is the Evatt family that I personally came to know. Jim Evatt was my friend, my buddy, my comrade. His mother and father were my mother and father. They always were, and always will be. And I was blessed to know Jim Evatt and his family for 35 years.
I just briefly want to take the time to preach at you. Jim wouldnt forgive me if I didnt. I remember telling him when I was licensed to preach, he was so excited and happy for me. So I would do his memory an injustice not to take a few minutes to preach Jesus Christ.
James 2:23 tells us:
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we ask for you to be with us as we break the bread of life. Let the Spirit move among us. Let His presence work among us. Take this simple little message and apply it to our hearts and minds. For we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.
Hebrews 11 is a roll-call of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the OT of faith. Abraham and his wife Sara are found in verses 8 through 19. More is spoken of Abraham and Sara and their faith than there is of Moses and his faith.
Abraham received a promise from God and he believed. Hebrews 11:1 says:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Abraham had the promise of his seed being as the sand, and as the stars in heaven. The promise of a son as evidence of things not seen. And because Abraham believed God, put to the account of, it was imputed to him for righteousness. And Abraham became know as the Friend of God.
In the Greek, that title is philos theos. How great is that? To be known as the philos theos. But I say to you, if you do not know God, or if you do not know His Son Jesus Christ, you now have a chance to know Him in a personal way.
If you would just believe:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Then you too can have the righteousness of Jesus imputed unto you. You too can become a philos theos". But you have the opportunity to become much more than that. You have the opportunity to become a child of the King. A saint and an heir. Jim was one of these. He has passed on, gone on to be with his heavenly Father, his earthly mother and father. And we have to carry on. And I can take solace in knowing this.
For those of us who are left behind, we can rest on Jesus promise:
In my Father's house are many dwelling places: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
We as Christians have Jesus promise that since He has gone to prepare for us a place, He is coming back to receive us unto Himself that where He is, there we will be also. That is our promise. And that could be your promise too. During this time when we are gathered together to celebrate Jims life and his going home to a better place, lets make this a double celebration. Ask Jesus into your heart before He comes again and it becomes too late.
Prayer: Heavenly father, we ask you once more to be among us, to let you Spirit work here in the minds and hearts of those who might not know you. We ask dear Lord that this sorrowing be enabled so that we become aware of the hopes and promises of your Holy Word. Let the bereaved find solace in it for the days, and months, and years to come. Be with them that morn and comfort them in their loss. For we ask this in Jesus precious name. Amen.
