A Sobering Moment Of Reflection

Today, I received the news that I had an aneurysm of the aorta. It is what a famous actor, John Ritter, died from a few months ago. And no, I'm not in a panic and afraid I'm going to die. I also do not know how serious it is for the moment. In fact, I believe the Lord has given me further time to finish my course on this earth. I am also not afraid to die, should the Lord call me home at any time. I am at perfect peace with eternity.

But, there has been a serious and sobering time of reflection about my life and the things that are of real value. Being 77 years of age does not promise a ple£1i.ora of years to come, nor the physical abilities I possessed when much younger. But Oh, the treasures these 77 years have given, and how grateful I am for them. As I reflect, I would not trade one day, of both good and bad, even if I could, for the eternal value each day brought. I would like to share with you some of these real treasures.

First, I am grateful for the privilege of being the son of John F., Sr. and Wilma Moreland. No son has ever been blessed more than I was as their son. Their love, which surely included their discipline, is one of the finest gifts two parents ever gave to a son. Their love for the Lord, and commitment to Him proved one of the greatest motivations and examples I could have had. Their influence is still a major factor in my life. Thank you Lord, for letting them share their lives with a son, who at times was most ungrateful and rebellious.

Third, what would my life be without my children, Tom, Jim, Stephen and Susanne? They have given so much to me in return for simply being their father. They continue to bless and give meaning to my life. Tom's Libby and Jim's Julie are two of the most precious daughters-in-law (daughter-in-Iove) any father could ever hope for. Susanne's John, my (favorite) son-in-law, has taken his place among the "blessers" in my life. Steve is unmarried, but if he was, I'm sure we'd love her as we do the ones the Lord has already given. I'm no less grateful for the grandchildren, and now the great grand daughter the Lord has given. Thank You Lord once again, for only You could have blessed me in this manner.

Next, I am grateful for my spiritual family the Lord has placed in my life over the years. They are far too numerous to mention, but their significance is immeasurable. The spiritual fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters I've been privileged to know and walk with have made me the most blessed man on earth. They have given reality to the meaning of Christ's body and His household. I would have never known this reality without their love and care over the years. In so many ways they have made Your love so special and real, and still do! Thank You Lord for such a special spiritual family!

Next, it brings the realization that I need to be sure things in my life are in order. Lord, give me grace to clean up the messy things, the clutter, physical or spiritual. Help me keep things in proper focus, and jettison anything that would keep me from running the good race.

But most of all, I want to thank You, Lord that You loved me so much to make it possible to know You and walk in an intimate fellowship with You. My days without this, even with all the other You've so graciously given, would have ultimately been empty and savorless. To have found You as my life has given meaning, purpose and significance to me. Any manner of life without this would now be unimaginable and dreadfully empty. Any day apart from Your life and presence would simply not be worth living. Thank You Lord for loving me before the foundation of the world with your matchless, glorious, unspeakable love, and for making Yourself and Your love such a reality in my life.

John Fouts Moreland, 78, a minister and spiritual father for over fifty years, passed away Tuesday, March 15, 2005 in Bedford.

John Moreland was a good and gracious man who always had a song in his heart. His deep voice was always comforting and reassuring. John showed concern for all he met.

When I told my youngest son, Joshua, about John's passing, he said he had never forgotten John's visits in our home and that he would never forget to "stop and smell the roses"! John, while sitting around the table, would look at Josh, clap his hands and, to a little tune, sing "you've got to stop and smell the roses". John - he got the message!

Sue and I left our older children at the beach to come here today. Our daughter, Rebekah, sent her love and sympathy especially to you Susanne. Our son, Bobby, felt a real closeness to all the Full Gospel and Foundation Ministry ministers like they were family - and we were. Bobby said he wished he could be here today to hug everyone and to tell Sue he pictured John dancing around heaven, kicking up his heels, doing things that he probably hadn't been able to do in the last few years.

Tom, Jim, Steven - John loved you guys and - of course, his 2 ladies, Sue and Susanne. He loved his family and the Church, the Body of Christ. Since Joe and Herb couldn't make it here today from Montana - John loved Montana - its mountains, its eagles. He often told me that Montana is the best kept secret in the United States.

John was an humble man with a true servant's attitude. He had no problem yielding to younger men in the faith, not only in his respect, honor and love for Bob Terrell, but he would call me in Lawton from Wichita Falls to ask my advice on ministry matters. It surprised and humbled me that he would ask my advice. John just made you feel good, encouraged and comforted when he was around you.

John and I would minister for each other and we got to know the people in the other's congregation. The church building across from the state hospital in Wichita Falls brings back memories of the lady with the poodle, the man jumping out the back window to escape "deliverance"; and, of course, the man with the split personality. This man would shave half of his face, wear different colored shoes and socks but he loved John because John loved him and would correct him in love. On one occasion when I was ministering the man just stood up and shouted out in the middle of my message, "Who is God?". Of course, my flow was broken and I couldn't speak. John loving but firm answered, "Jehovah God, J.L., Jehovah God". That settled him and helped me get back on track.

If you ever shared a room with John on a ministry trip, you know he would snore. His snoring was known in most ministry circles far and wide. It embarrassed him and he would always say for you go on to sleep first. Well, of course, you couldn't and as soon as John's head hit the pillow, he snored.

John loved to teach out of Ephesians and made the book come alive. He loved to write, finding computers a great asset. Most of all he loved music and singing. My picture of John is sitting at a piano teaching a new song or singing a familiar hymn before starting his teaching.

To sum it up, John loved and like you, I loved John and will never forget him.

In all these years of walking with John as a part of Foundation Ministries with Brother Bob and as a friend and co-laborer and fellow teacher, I came to know him as a wordsmith, as one who loved to write and one who wrote well. And John was skilled in his knowledge of the word of God. What John wrote was well worth reading and considering.

Every time I was ever around John, he always had something exciting he had seen in the word. John loved the word, loved to study, probe, plumb its depths and most of all he loved to write down what he discovered and share it with the body of Christ.

In the year 2000 I asked John to accompany me to Africa to teach in an "All Africa Conference" we were holding in Nairobi, Kenya. One hundred sixty five men and women were attending from twenty five nations. John was happy to oblige and looked forward to teaching and sharing in an entirely new arena. Many of the ministers in attendance felt like they knew John as I had been sharing his written teachings with them for years.

All of us shared hotel rooms to keep our costs down and I asked John to room with me. Somehow when you room with someone for a week, you get to know them much better than before. John and I shared in a way we never had. Every night we talked until bedtime and sometimes even after the lights were out. Somehow it deepened our love and respect for each other. John had a wonderful time as older men like John are well respected and listened to in Africa. John came home with a determination to try even harder to get his thoughts into print.

I have no one else quite like John in my life. I loved him and respected him, and most especially appreciated his gift as a wordsmith. He filled a special place for me and I shall miss him. So shall we all.

The first time I met John Moreland was in the summer of 1973. It was a hot Sunday morning in a little church building across from the loony bin in Wichita Falls, Texas. He told me he was writing a book on the Kingdom of God. I was just tagging along with Bob Terrell, driving the car and tending to minor details. Just before the meeting began Bob turned to me and said, "You've got the message" (for the service today). Well... at that time I only had one message, and in those days I could tell everything I knew three times over in thirty minutes. What I said is hardly worth remembering, but what I shall always remember is John's genuinely heart felt and enthusiastic response to what I had to say.

Now, he was no cream puff. He could tell you the truth when you needed to hear it. But no matter how hard it was to take, you knew that he loved you. John's life was a testimony that, love makes the bitter bearable, and the sweet so much sweeter. That love makes the rough road passable and the highway, a joy to travel. Love makes life worth living.

John loved the Lord. He loved his wife, and he loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved you and he loved me. What greater legacy can anyone leave behind?

He loved the Word of God, and he loved to preach it and teach it. He loved the Kingdom, and he loved to talk about it. He loved the Body of Christ, and he loved to serve her. John loved to sing and worship the Lord. It excites me now to think of the pure and powerful praises that would roll out of him like thunder, like the echoes of heaven resounding in the earth, lifting us to glory.

My oldest son has exhorted me to mention John's hugs. When John hugged you, you knew you had been hugged by a father. Paul wrote that we do not have many fathers. This day (in which we live) tells us that they are indeed rare, and that life is so short and we have so little time in which to honor them.

To me John was a father, but he was also my great friend. It is fitting that these last years of his life and ministry were, I think, his best. Today, I would like to congratulate him on being a great man, and for having a life well-lived.

John Moreland wrote a book in 2003; it was called In the Fullness Of the Times on Ephesians.  It addresses something timeless that invades time itself in order to accomplish an eternal purpose. To catch a glimpse of the timeless - the eternal- one must understand a bit about time. Time is the opposite of timeless, so if we understand more about time, we may deduce from its opposite, some infinitesimal bits about the eternal.

Here are some quotes about time that will offer a springboard into this matter:

You see, time is only a shadow - a mirror-opposite of what is true reality - eternity.

What remains a mystery or that which transcends finite thought processes cannot be defined. It can only be described. When our Lord Jesus, the Christ spoke of the Kingdom of God, as recorded in the Gospels, He never defined it; He could only describe it. Whenever He approached the mysterious subject of the Kingdom of God, He would say, "The Kingdom of God is likened unto..." That is to say, "it is somewhat like..." or: "It can be seen in the actions of..." or: "The nature of it can be seen in..." It was only descriptive.

How can the infinite or the eternally transcendent be administrated through humans, bound by time-space? How can the finite be given to serving and administrating the unfolding processes of the eternal?

John Moreland undertook the task in ministry and manuscript of addressing the stewardship of the treasure of the ages deposited in earthen vessels. How I admired this man who pursued these mysteries, during the many years of his ministry.

John was an apostle, teacher, pastor, husband, father, and lover of the Word and his God. He was also a friend to many. He learned well from his spiritual father, the late Robert F. Terrell. John walked with Bob and learned from him.

But the Holy Spirit also unlocked the uniqueness found only in John Moreland from before his birth. This man carried a precious and priceless cargo within him that was from the other side of time and space. Those of us, who touched and tasted that bounty, could not have loved it without loving him.

This week, it became the fullness of time for John. Now he has gone to the other side to view, enjoy and perceive the mysteries about which he spoke and wrote. We here, are left to continue trying to comprehend those matters through the veil of our humanity. He and Bob now have much to talk about and review from their years upon this terrestrial ball.

In the last few years, he had an almost urgency to get his insights and discoveries on computer and then into print. He would call me with a new thought he had just crafted into words. He wanted to bounce it off me for biblical accuracy and personal impression as to the way he had written it. He didn't seem to consider whether or not what I was doing was important. He seemed to think what he was doing was more important than anything else. For him and his mission, it was.

He was grappling with the mysterious for which his spirit yearned. I could see him drawing nearer and nearer his seam in time. It seemed just a matter of time until he would make his departure. I was allowed to catch a Spirit-glimpse of his impending departure that I was not permitted to disclose to anyone else.

It was exciting to me, and I was honored to hear the overtones of an approaching divine appointment John had with the eternal.

Now to the family, I want to say that you are left with memories of John, but the Holy Scriptures offer you comfort if you choose to embrace it.

"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. ...The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold." (Psalms 46:1-7; 48:1-3)

Although we mourn with you and stand with you in your loss, we say to you that this river refreshes and comforts. It flows from God's throne to heal your hurts and mend your broken spirit. Drink of the life of our Lord Jesus from that river and He will nourish you.

John is in a very good place. Although he loved you in this life, he really doesn't have any concerns for you now. He knows more than you that God is in control of your lives and you will join him in due course. If he could say anything to you now, he would say:

"It's all good! Don't worry, be happy. Trust in the Lord and await God's sure provision."

Now, let's all trust the Lord, and let's continue to move on into the life prepared for us in Him. John awaits, not only your arrival on the other side, he awaits your arrival to the realization that time and the timeless are not that far apart. Enter now into the provision of our Lord and touch the eternal as you have opportunity.

Scripture Read by Alfred Knowles

"I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

(1 Corinthians 15:50-58 NIV)

In the bottom of an old pond, lived some grubs who could not understand why none of their kind ever came back from crawling up the stems of the lilies to the top of the water. They promised each other that the next one who was called to make the upward climb, would return and tell what happened to him.

Soon one of them felt an urgent impulse to seek the surface. He rested himself on the top of a lily pad and went through a glorious transformation which made him a dragonfly with beautiful wings. In vain, he tried to keep his promise. Flying back and forth over the pond, he peered down at his friends below. Then he realized that even if they could see him, they would not recognize such a radiant creature as one of their number.

John Moreland has made the climb. If we could see him this side of our own transformation, we would not recognize him in his beauteous, eternal state. He has a new form, and a new address - he now moves in a different realm, What we have here, at this grave, is a tent of clay in which he dwelt for these few years.