Benny Clyde Lovett, 79, resident of Bethel Acres, Oklahoma passed away on Friday, August 14, 2020 at home.

He was born December 31, 1940 to Bradley and Ruby (Foster) Lovett in Wewoka, Oklahoma.

Benny grew up in Wewoka and graduated from Wewoka High School, class of 1959.

He married Sharon Johnson on June 14, 1963 in Nicoma Park, Oklahoma. He has resided in Bethel Acres for the last 43 years.

Benny was an Oklahoma City police officer for 21 years, retiring in 1984. He then went on to work as the Director of Law Enforcement for the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission from 1984 to 2003. He then retired to his shop.

He enjoyed keeping busy and was a jack of all trades. He spent a great deal of time in his shop with his dogs working on art pieces, listening to country music, and completing projects. He enjoyed sports of all kinds and was an avid OU fan. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and Lakeview Church of Christ.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister (Joyce), and brother (Jim).

Survivors include his wife of the home, Sharon Lovett; son, Randall Lovett of Shawnee, two daughters, Julie Tucker of Shawnee, and Carrie Kite of Shawnee; 13 grandchildren, Shayla, Brendan, Dylan and Ashten, Morgan and Cherrish, Ashley and Logan, Dominick, Colton, Allison, Tianah, Alfie, Christian, Deyla, and Christa; 5 great-grandchildren, Fern, Penny, Clyde, Rowan, and Easton; brother, Kenneth Lovett and wife Laura of Tulsa; sister-in law, Carol Lovett of Claremore; several nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at Lakeview Church of Christ with Marty Lewis officiating, under the direction of Cooper Funeral Home of Tecumseh. 

Judgement - Matthew 13

This week, Jesus gives us another window into kingdom life. In Matthew 13 starting in verse 47, Jesus delivers a prophecy concerning the end of all things. He says the kingdom of God is like going fishing, making a big catch, but then having to sort through which ones can be kept and which ones need to be tossed aside. 

The parable serves as a wake-up call. It should get our attention. One day, we will be judged. Jesus gives us warning: not only that this judgement is coming, but also how to be found in good favor with the one that judges. 

I hope you can join us this morning as we examine this parable and find out what it means, what it doesn't mean, and where do we go from here.

 

Kingdom Trust

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Faith can often be understood in terms of trust. Faith is more than just belief, more than just knowledge, it's a deep understanding and connection that leads you to action. Faith expresses itself in various ways. A faithful person has a few tendencies we associate with Christians. You might describe a person that studies a lot, or prays a lot, or worships a lot as a person that is faithful. Maybe if you see a person living a life of good deeds, or a quiet life free of unnecessary drama you would consider them to be faithful. These sorts of manifestations of faith are the result of the individual trusting in the Lord to take care of the future. Someone like this might not be so concerned with or caught up in the fear of what's next that is so prevalent in our society today. Someone like this seems to have this almost mystical quality about them that you just kind of scratch your head and ask yourself, "How do they do it?!?"

Trust is a hard thing to manage in the anxious mind. Anxiety, worry, fear, and doubt, these things sometimes show a lack of trust. Jesus, in Matthew chapter 6, brings to His listeners a serious challenge. Many of them were poor, hungy, and without certainty as to where their next meal would come from or where they might sleep that night. Jesus challenges them not to let worry control their thoughts. We might say they had a lot to worry about, especially if they didn't have these basic necessities. But Jesus pushes them, and us, to trust.

Trusting in God doesn't mean we are careless, or that we don't use the skills and abilities He has given us to provide for ourselves and our families. No, it means just that: trust. Fear, doubt, and worry: these are not welcome in our thoughts. Instead, trust tells us that the Lord will provide our needs. Sometimes, we might have a hard time seeing what's right in front of us and we just quite haven't figured out how to see the path God has laid out for us. In these times, the Bible teaches us to pray: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6). When we just don't know what to do or where to turn, the Bible teaches us to pray: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." (James 1:5-6). 

When we want to trust, but we just aren't sure or don't know, the Bible teaches us to pray: "The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”" (Luke 17:5).