Daddy's Heart-Part 7 {warning-very long blog}

Daddy went to be with the LORD on Thursday morning around 9:15 Jan. 19, 2012.  It was such a peaceful time.  As Mother & I kept checking on him, he was snoring like a baby.  I didn't need to do anything for him.  His sheets & pillows were all in place.  As I passed through the last time I kissed his forehead & told him that I loved him & walked out.  Between the time Mother & I fixing & eating our breakfast he past away.

John & Penelope missed him by 15 min.  We didn't know how they would react.  John burst into the room with a big bear hug around Mother & I.  I was reaching for Penelope.  What he said changed the mood in the entire home.  He cheered out saying, "He made it!  He crossed over!  He is in glory!"  We cried & stood there a few moments, then we had our time around Daddy.  More tears & laughter.

                     Daddy showed us how to walked out Ps 23:4
Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.


How could Daddy do this with such a positive spirit, gratefulness, courage & victory?  
             Here is his Statement of Faith:

I believe that in the beginning God, as the Supreme Being who has always been and always will be, created all things. I believe that in the beginning God not only created all material things but He also established laws and principles which govern everything He made.  I think two of the most fundamental truths He gave are:  First, without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Secondly, without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. These were established in the beginning.

2,400 years after God created man, He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. The laws are holy and good and God holds man accountable to every one of them. He that breaks one is guilty of all. It is by the law that we know what sin is.  We know it is impossible for man with his human nature to faithfully keep the law. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. In 2 Corinthians 3 the law is called the ministration of death. Since God in the beginning gave the eternal law that without the shedding of blood it is impossible to have sins forgiven, Jesus, His only begotten Son, came to give Himself and shed His unspotted blood to save us. This I believe. His deed on the cross is called an act of grace. For by grace are you saved through faith and this is not of yourselves.  It is a gift of God lest anyone should boast; it is a God-given salvation.

To complete His mission on earth, I believe Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, revealing Himself for some days and then He ascended back to heaven and is now at the right hand of the Father in a glorified body. This is such an important part of the gospel message for it is our message of hope.  This is the good news - Jesus having been raised from the dead means that we who have put our trust in Him shall also be raised and have an eternal body as He has.  "Beloved, now are we the sons of God.  But it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him."  "We look for our Savior to come from heaven.  He will change these earthy bodies and make them like His own glorified body, using that power by which He is able to bring all things under His rule."

The Gospel message is not complete without a belief in the resurrection. "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith.  That if thou will confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou will be saved."  The Old Testament prophet said, "I believe, therefore have I spoken.  I also believe; therefore, I speak."

The rest of the story: THE CONVERSATION

One night in Dec. while in bed God spoke to Daddy's heart.  God told him that He has been preparing a place for him in heaven & now is the time for him to come home & fill it.  Also, that He had a wonderful plan for his life, & although it would not always be easy, He would be with him all the way.  He had been with him through each heart problem (which God listed out for him) & He would be with him through this.  God also told Daddy that he should not fight, but trust in Him & let God have His way with him.

For me the powerful part of this was that Daddy really thought he heard comforting and reassuring words from the Lord that strengthened his faith to face the future and his imminent death.  How amazing is our God!!!


The last commit that my Daddy wanted to leave us with concerning his life that my brother shared at the serve was:

     "In closing, I would like to share with you how Daddy saw his life near the end.  He said,  “I try to face the future taking the words of the Psalmist as my own:  ‘Failed but forgiven.  Flawed but not forsaken.  I have been such a fool, but in spite of all my foolishness, I know God still loves me and He is holding me by His right hand.  And I have confidence He will guide me the remaining days of my life and afterwards receive me into the glories of His heaven. I have gotten old, my health is failing, my strength is waning, but God remains.  He is the strength of my life and He is mine forever." 

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Amen! Yea!

                    I love you & will miss you.

              John Pittman (Jack) Batts, Sr.-- 86 yr old
                                               ann :)