Eulogy for Bobby Ingram

Text:

James 1:12 AV

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

It amazes me that through everything that Bobby went through and endured, he never lost his faith! He suffered, there were times yes that he may have felt isolated, there were times he felt down, but through it all he never lost his faith in God! It was evident because he went through various ordeals, but he never lost his smile, he may have been in agony but he never stopped serving God.

James 1:12 AV

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Blessed - God’s favor rests

God’s favor rests on the man that endureth temptation. How? When God’s favor rests on you, the scriptures declare:

2 Corinthians 4:16 AV

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

When you belong to God, when you have His name on you, when you’ve been baptized in His Spirit, God’s favor will rest on you........yes even in temptation, even in trials, God’s favor rests on you. Make no mistake about it, it’s good to have money in your pockets, it’s good when you have things going your way, but there is something about when a believer suffers.......God has a way of letting you know that even though you’re suffering, even though you’re hurting, even though you are alone......I’m still with you! I believe that Bobby didn’t give up because God’s favor was on Him! The Lord was with Bobby and even though he didn’t receive his healing on this side.....the Lord made good on His promise:

John 14:18 AV

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

I won’t leave you as an orphan, I won’t leave you by yourself.

Jesus told his disciples in Matt 28:20 I’m quoting a portion of this scriptures “and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world”. This promise just wasn’t for the 12 disciples, this promise is for all His disciples! God made a promise, that He will be with us unto the end of the age!

So now, does that mean that if we suffer that God is no longer with us? No....No....No......his favor rests on those who endureth temptation. The key word here is “endureth” and this is why we can celebrate today. Because even in the face of death, Bobby passed in victory! When you have suffered like He suffered and been through what he been through and still maintain your faith in God, and still have the presence of God working in your life, it should be a cause of rejoicing. I believe that Bobby would want us to rejoice, yes we are going to miss him, yes death is painful, but yet in the case of the believer......the believer dies in victory!

In this last chapter of the life of Robert “Bobby” Ingram, if you were to get anything out of his story it should be “make sure the favor of God rests on you”. How do I have the favor of God resting on me? You got to have this thing like Bobby had it, you gotta have this thing like his Momma had it, you gotta have this thing like his Daddy had it. What thing.......SALVATION! You need to have what Mother Ingram use to say an Acts and 2:38’s.

Acts 2:38 AV

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Now that after Bobby suffered, now that after Bobby endured, James says “for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

Crowns were giving to those who competed as athletes and that won. These crowns were not metal crowns but wreaths that were placed on the victor’s head. James uses this illustration to allude to the fact that those who endure, those who are tempted, those who go through trials but endure, those who suffer but don’t give up will be given a crown of life. In other words, your reward for hanging in there, your reward for not giving up, your reward for not back-sliding is eternal life!

So as we leave here today, although our hearts our heavy, although death has invaded once again, although Bobby may have suffered, we leave today rejoicing, we leave here today walking in victory.

4 reasons why:

Because of his labor.

Because Bobby is resting from his labor.

Because of the victory Bobby has through Jesus Christ.

Because the hope and inheritance that he has waiting for him.