July 10, 2026, 5:00 PM
Greetings once again and I hope and pray you've had a good week so far.
I have been trying to get "back in the swing of things" after vacation and the 4th of July holiday weekend.
I've also been planning a "Celebration of Life" for my father Jim Herriford tomorrow (Saturday, July 11th) at First Christian Church.
When I stop and think about one's life, I think about what was most important.
For instance, no one has ever been known to say on the deathbed that they wished they had spent MORE time at work!
We naturally think about questions like: Did we ONLY accomplish a lot of things, make a lot of money, win a bunch of trophies, and have numerous plaques on the wall? Those things WILL NOT last for eternity.
So what is a truly successful life? How do we determine whether or not we are living a truly successful life?
Jesus gives us what I believe is a great definition of a truly successful life when he is asked in the Gospels by the Expert in the Law, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus says if you want to be a true success, if you want to live a life with no regrets, if when you come to the end of your particular road you want to be able to finish well with a sense of accomplishment then these are the things that you should focus on -- LOVE GOD with every PART OF YOUR BEING and LOVE PEOPLE!
We are to invest our lives in two primary things: GOD and PEOPLE. These are the things that WILL last for eternity.
Over 30 years ago, I was strongly influenced by something said by the late Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family.
He urged people to apply an “end-of-life test” to everything they did or thought about doing. Dr. Dobson contended that at the end of one's life, only three things truly matter: “Those whom you love, who loves you, and what you did together in the service of the Lord.”
I came across an interesting passage when doing my devotions this morning. In 2 Kings 13:21, I read this: "Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet."
It seems, even in death, the prophet and man of God Elisha showed great power in helping transform people's lives!
I pray the same would be said of you and me. You and I know the truth and, if we have Jesus, we have the "words of life." We have the opportunity to share these words and see God change people, bringing them from death to life!
Even after we are dead, I pray that the example of our lives will inspire others!
Now that truly is a wonderful legacy to leave! It reminds me of the kind of legacy that Abel from the book of Genesis is said to have left. Hebrews 11:4 says, "And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead."
Are you concerned about what kind of legacy (if any) you are leaving behind?
If we heed Jesus' words and invest in God and People, we can be sure we will leave the best kind of legacy. One that matters way more than money and possessions. And one that will never fade!
I am grateful to have had a father who made time to spend with me and invest in me. THANKS, Dad!
I am also grateful for the last 11 plus years where our roles were sort of reversed. It was an honor to help get you across the finish line. I hope and pray to be reunited with you and many other loved ones one day!
Even though he's not here, Dad STILL speaks to me! I pray our loved ones can say the same of us after we're gone.
This coming Sunday (07.12.26), I will be starting a new series of sermons! The series is called, “Head for the Hills” -- Meeting God on the Mountains of Scripture. This new sermon series is centered on mountains as a memorable way to trace God's work throughout Scripture. In the Bible, mountains are often places of revelation, testing, covenant, worship, victory, and transformation.
I pray we will see you at FCC this coming Sunday. We will be talking about having REAL Faith and looking at Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah.
God bless and have a great weekend!
Your friend,
Greg Herriford
