Frank "Pete" Green

Fought A Good Fight, Now A Crown of Righteousness

Pray.....................

Before I begin, I got 2 things.......I only knew Frank as Pete and so to keep it simple for me, because I have been known to mess things up, I will call him Pete today. Second....... I would like to say that is an extreme honor to represent Pete, today! It is also an honor to represent the family! Might I also say that what a family it is! I will leave someone out if I name you all, but this whole family is a great example of love and devotion and to represent Pete and all of the family is truly and honor!

It meant so much to me, an only child, after I lost my dad 2 years ago, when Pete called me and told me that he was sorry about Dad and with tears said that he has always consider me family, he had never known no different.

I am thankful to be in this family! Brought in not by blood, but by love!

The entire family is special and Pete was special, truly one of kind!

As you heard testimony of these before me, Pete meant a lot to many people! Cathy was telling us last night that he touched Pete people in a great way all over the place! She said that all the texts she had recieved about Pete, the phrased used for Pete was that he was a “Great Man”!

I was going through my texts that I had with him, after he believed that Jesus was his Lord and Savior he said, “I want to be more like you, Tommy, and my dad.”

I have come to the conclusion that, as far as I am concerned, I wish I could be more like Pete!

I wasn’t going to use this verse, today, because it seems I use it quite frequently in this setting. However, it is very fitting for this time. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The reason I love this verse, is because of the power the Word of God has to teach us!

It is so easy for us to allow the negative thoughts to enter and dominate our thinking, our emotions, and our lives.

Paul is telling this church in Philippi to think on the things that are praiseworthy, the things that have virtue.

If there be anything good, anything that is worth praising, dwell on them.

I happen to believe wholeheartedly that Jesus contains all of those qualities: things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and the things that are of good report.

One of those things of good report was that the Lord gave us Pete for a time.

What a blessing he was to his Cathy, Kelsie, Kirby, Marko, and Thomas, as they were to him!

What a blessing He was to his mother, Sis Ann, his brothers, sisters, and all his family, as they were to him!

What a blessing he was to his friends, as they were to him!

Let us not suffocate the things about Pete that were virtuous and praiseworthy, with the negative!

The negative just came, but way more effort was put into the good.

Think on the good things! From the food that he cooked, the chow chow that they gathered together to make and give out, the laughter that he gave us, the help he always offered, the friend that he was, and many more things, all the way to the love he poured out........those are good things that God gave us in Pete.....James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,........”

Dwell on those things!!!!

This brings me to the message for us today, it is a testimony, a testimony of a “great man” that needed a “Greater Man”! This last almost 2 year struggle for Pete, was tough and we can dwell on just how tough it was for him and the family! However, there was something greater that happened during that time, that I will say means more than anything!

I thought immediately of a few verses that are used in funerals, often...........2 Timothy 4:6-8 “6.] For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7.] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8.] Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

This is the apostle Paul’s last letter, he wrote it to Timothy as his final days in this life was approaching.

Verse 6 Paul tells us that he is ready to be offered....”poured out” as drink offering, they would take the wine and pour it completely out over the altar.....His journey in this life was approaching the end.

Verse 7 Paul speaks of the “fight”, that is where I want to pick up Pete’s testimony......He fought a good fight......

There was a lot going on in Pete’s physical life and he definitely fought a good fight! However, there was an even greater battle that Pete was fighting, it was the spiritual battle!

I have often said that through the Person and finished work of Jesus Christ, He made the way easy, but the decision for us is difficult.

Pete, like myself, was raised in a godly home, it just took us a while to truly believe!

This was his battle during the toughest physical struggle, it was the fight of faith!

Might I say he fought a good fight! Through many prayers, many witnesses from Tommy, Diane, to his wife Cathy, he came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!

He finished his course, he completed his race, despite what most would think the race is complete when he would overcome the disease, I am here today to declare that the race was completed and won! Jesus won it for Pete and all he had to was believe in Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God!

That he did, in Sept of last year! I sent him a text after I heard the news with this passage of Scripture: Luke 15:8-10 “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

This is just a side note, when I told some that Pete had gotten saved one dear brother said: “I thought Pete was saved!” The way Pete treated people, truly displayed that traits of a follower of Christ!

No matter what physical joy that we are given on this earth, there is no greater joy than someone to those who turn to Jesus Christ! There are great ramifications for this belief, the negative part of not believing is unbearable to think on, but the benefits of believing are even greater than the horrors of not!

Pete’s response to my text was: “I finally have a sense of peace!” The race was complete and won!

The fight the true struggle for life was over and that fight was won by faith in Jesus Christ! Pete kept the faith!

It was not, nor is it an ideal situation in our eyes to have to go through this tough battle and sometimes we wonder why?..........

A.W. Tozer wrote this: “To the child of God, there is no such things as an accident. They travel an appointed way. Accidents may indeed appear to befall them and misfortune stalk their way, but these evils will be so in appearance only and will seem evils only because we cannot read the secret script of God’s hidden province and so cannot discover the ends at which He aims........The person of true faith may live in the absolute assurance that their steps are ordered by the Lord. For that person, misfortune is outside the bounds of possibility. They cannot be torn from this earth one hour ahead of time which God has appointed, and they cannot be detained on earth one moment after God is done with them here.......The Lord does all things well and He asks us to trust Him.”

That Pete trusted in Jesus Christ, in turn.....gentle through his entire battle, patient......Pete kept the faith!

I love what Cathy posted on FB, that during this fight they never wanted for anything......Pilots for Christ was so helpful with travel, everything seemed to be laid out for them.......Diane was telling me about all the people that was touched by Pete and in turn was so good to them!

God new the struggle besetting this family and He prepared the way!

Victory come from this struggle......the greatest victory of all!!

Hence the next verse.......Henceforth........although Paul’s life on earth was coming to an end, Paul look past that in saying, “Henceforth”.......meaning that he will be continuing!

I love Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

Faith does not come without rewards, the greatest reward is life everlasting in the presence of God Almighty, the God that is LOVE!

Henceforth is laid up for Peter a crown of righteousness......that crown that Jesus won for us.....It has been granted to Pete because of his faith in Him!

Pete has received his crown, ya’ll!!! His life is continuing forever!

I read this: “You need never to ask ‘why?’, because Calvary covers it all. Because Jesus gave Himself on the cross, we can trust Him to have all the answers to all the ‘whys’! When before the throne we stand in Jesus, complete, all the riddles that puzzle us here will fall into place and we shall know in fulfillment what we believe in faith.......that all things work together for the good for them that love the Lord, in His eternal purpose. No longer will we cry “Why?’ Instead, our expressions of sorrow will be turned to Hallelujahs, all question marks will be straightened into exclamation points , sorrow will change to singing, and pain will be lost praise!”

A couple of verses come to mind about Pete’s victory:

2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Revelation 3:5 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

No greater confession that there ever will be when The Son of God confesses your name before His Father!!!!!

Pete overcame by faith in Jesus Christ and his name is written in the Lamb’s book of life!

Matter of fact, Jesus on our date Feb. 16, 2022 confessed Eldridge Frank Green Jr. to the God the Father!

Sis Ann asked me the other day what you reckon Frank Sr. said or was doing, I could only think of one thing........after Jesus declared Pete’s name to God, Bro Frank said welcome Home, son!!!

Pete told them that when he got home he was going to cook up a storm.....There is a greater feast in Heaven called the marriage supper of the Lamb, in which Frank Sr., Frank Jr. and many others are enjoying right now!

Romans 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Now to the final part of this verse.....this “crown of righteousness” is available to all those who love the appearing of Jesus Christ!!

Pete so wanted to give his testimony to as many as would listen, I will be honest I would loved having hi come to the church and give his testimony! Some might say that he wasn’t able to, I say different........God didn’t give him that sweet and easy personality for nothing!

People loved him and no matter how this turned out folks would know, Who Pete put his trust in!

He would tell all of us to place our faith in Jesus Christ and come be with him at this glorious marriage supper of the Lamb, Jesus Christ!

I am not sure if they have chow chow there or not, but it makes no difference because you will be in the presence of God, which is greater than anything you can ever witness here!

I will sum the essence of it all with this verses: 2 Corinthians 4: 14-17 “Knowing that God which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to 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. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”

Oh the glory Pete is witnessing now!

Pray??????

Kelsie.........

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

Pray.....................................