Christian Living

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Dear Friends,



The following obit concerning my long time friend Steve Goens is the cause for my prayer request. I had the privilege of giving Steve his first job in the Lord's work 35 years ago at Avon. He remained the dearest of Friends. Word came to me Sunday morning just as I was ready to begin the Morning Study hour at our church. Lyman Taylor was to preach and the secretary from Bedford Baptist Temple called, and Lyman started weeping, we went to our little office and there Lyman, Kathy, Joyce and I wept as Steve has been such a great factor in our life.



I really need your prayers for the Lord's help that I will conduct the Life Celebration with dignity. After reading the Obit, please read the following copy of the Last Daily Internet Letter Steve sent last Friday. It was his last and perhaps his last written words. Please notice the last phrase in his letter. Perhaps he knew.



Larry



Stephen C. Goens

Jan. 2, 1950 — Nov. 21, 2010

BEDFORD — Stephen C. Goens, 60, of Bedford, passed away Sunday at his residence.

Steve was born on Jan. 2, 1950, in Indianapolis, to Carl Spencer Goens and Mildred (Bennett) Goens.

He attended Plainfield High School and received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree.

He was a veteran of the United States Air Force.

Steve pastored the Bedford Baptist Temple where he had been since 1978. He also taught at Fellowship Baptist College for the past five years.

Steve went home to be with his Lord on Sunday morning. He left the legacy that he loved his God supremely, loved his family and loved the church that God allowed him to pastor for the past 32 years. The ministry to the Philippines was a special gift that God gave Steve in the past few years. His burden and heart’s desire was to help train the Filipino pastors to develop their ministries to reach their country for Christ.

Steve spent thousands of hours counseling and trying to help people see that there is no hopeless situation … Because He Lives (Jer. 33:3). His passion was to help people who were suffering and to show them the love that only comes from knowing Jesus Christ. His daily devotional, Life is for Living, reached thousands of people worldwide. He loved to make people smile and to help lighten their load.

Steve married Sharon Sowders on March 30, 1969, in Beech Grove, and she survives him. Also surviving is one son, Stephen Todd Goens and his wife Kris of Brownsburg; three daughters: Heather Good and her husband Mike of Westfield, Julie Rougeux and her husband Matthew of Creedmoor, N.C. and Desaray Wilson (adopted in 2002); three granddaughters, Avery Kay Good, Josie Elizabeth Good and Ainsley Clementine Rougeux; two grandsons, Jacob Michael Good and Kai Walker Goens; two brothers, Harry Goens and wife Lillian and William (Bill) Goens and wife Judy, all of Plainfield; and one sister, Edie Hilton of Speedway.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the Bedford Baptist Temple with Dr. Larry Lilly, the Rev. Wayne Ward and the Rev. Lyman Taylor officiating. Graveside service will be conducted at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, where military rites will be accorded at the grave.

Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. on Tuesday at the Bedford Baptist Temple.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bedford Baptist Temple.

Family and friends are invited to sign the guestbook and light a candle in memory of Steve at www.daycarter.com.



Life is for Living

Friday, November 19, 2010

2 Corinthians 4:13:18



I never really struggled with the existence of God. What I did struggle with was His interest in me. While living in Massachusetts I would often lay in bed and pray, "God if you are real and concerned about me, show yourself at the end of my bed." I prayed that prayer, every night, for months and never one time did He show up. Not once!

I thought about those days that I wanted to walk by sight, but since I have walked by faith now for over 38 years I see the blessings, reality and reasons of these verses written in 2 Corinthians 4:13-18. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

As we begin this extremely brief look at this entire passage let us begin at verse 14. "Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you." We are looking for that day that either we die, and will be with Jesus - "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord," or we will be raptured out of this world - "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." We anticipate one of these two things because Jesus was raised up. Death does not end it all!

In verse 15 we learn that "all things are for your sakes . . ." This life is not all about you, however the work of Jesus Christ on your behalf is all about you. Because of His great work, the "abundant grace" produces thanksgiving for the glory of God.

"for which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." We do not quit because things get tough. In fact, the man of God who walks by faith knows and considers these tough times as "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." The problems and trials that make one that does not walk by faith, give up, only strengthens the man of faith because he knows that the troubles are temporal; but walking with God, day by day, is an eternal walk. For those that are saved, therefore we endure, therefore we fight one more round, not for the temporal, but for the eternal. Our houses are on earth, they are temporal. Our homes are in Heaven, that is eternal. Our presence is on earth, that shall pass away. Our hearts are in Heaven, where we shall forever dwell with our God.



Because He Lives

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