Zac's Eulogy

By Manny H. Moe

7/21/2010

How I met Zac:

In February, 2010 - I started a Bible Group in Buckeye, AZ, meeting two nights a week – Wednesdays and Saturdays: it was a small group of men and women, who needed the Word of God. The fact that my wife is not with me here in Buckeye -- I was always praying that God would provide me someone to help me in the Ministry. Then Zac came along one Saturday night (that was around March or April).

First time I met Zac, I noticed a few good things about him right away: he was well equipped; not only that he had his Bible with him, but also a pen and paper; when he opened his Bible – I noticed the highlights, the notes, the writings in his Bible and a few pieces of paper; and lastly, I saw his heart – he was VERY EXCITED to discuss the WORD of God. I could feel his excitement; I could feel the Holy Spirit in him, especially when I asked him to read the passage that we were studying that night.

I remember after our Bible Study that Saturday night, I spent time with Zac and one guy (named Robert) in the garage. Zac was excited to find out how I got saved. That’s one thing I liked about Zac – he knew the significance of Salvation; he knew the significance of a testimony. I like that! Without hesitation in my part, I pulled a chair and sat down to tell my story. Zac and Robert were all ears!

The following day (Sunday morning) – I picked up Zac (and another guy, Anthony) for church. We used to go to Western Avenue Baptist Church in Goodyear. That morning, I noticed again the good things on Zac: the smile; the excitement; the desire in his heart to return to the House of God (he said it’s been a while since last time he went to church) – he was nervous, but excited, so I reminded him the story of the prodigal son; I told him that God will always be right there, with His arms outstretched to receive him, so no worries; and the last thing I noticed: he brought his Bible with him. This guy was ready, indeed, for revival!

That morning also, as we drove from Buckeye to Goodyear, where the church is – I asked Zac to tell me (and Anthony) his testimony of how he got saved: (and,” oh boy!” – he was, indeed, prepared; he was ready – talking about being “instant in season” as mentioned in 2Timothy 4:2. He delivered his Testimony…Boom! Boom! Boom!... with tears in his eyes. His Salvation was GENUINE! He was truly SAVED. He was BORN AGAIN. He backslid, yes! But, as the Bible describes: “Once a person is saved, he/she will always be saved.” Like the prodigal son, Zac returned to the Father, that very day! 

This is why (deep inside) I am happy, because I know (for sure) that my friend, Zac is now in Heaven with the Lord! And, for those of you who are Bible Believers…I’m sure you know John 3:3 by heart, which says (as Jesus was talking to Nicodemus), “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Zac (of course) had been born again, as explained by his testimony – therefore, he now sees the kingdom of God! How about you? If you die tonight, will you see the kingdom of God? Will you see Zac again in Heaven, someday? I know I will, and I am absolutely sure about that.

Good Things about Zac:

1.  Zac was, indeed, a true Christian – As some of you know -- “There is no true conversion, unless there is true conviction.” During his first couple of weeks in Buckeye, he was so excited about his job at the Telemarketing place. Few times he called me on the phone, he was excited on his many blessings at work (as he made a few sales that the Owner commended him and made his rent paid for from his sales commission, or something). But, one day he called me again on the phone, he was concerned about losing that same job. He told me that the Owner (or someone) was asking him to lie on the phone, simply to make the sales. Convicted as he was, he told me that he was having a problem doing that (his voice shaking on the phone when he told me). He could not lie. He asked my opinion, and I told him that he was doing the right decision for not lying, in exchange for a few bucks. I told him not to worry about his job, because if worse comes to worst – (I told him this) “you can start knocking on peoples’ doors and ask them if they have anything you can do for them, for money or no money. The blessings will come, one way or another.” I saw the true conviction in Zac’s heart. I saw the true conversion in him as well.

2.  Zac had a good heart – One Sunday morning, Zac, Anthony, and I went to Church again. After church, we went to Mesa to minister with Robert -- Robert was homeless, but his Good Samaritan friend paid his 3-night stay in Motel 6. After picking up Robert, we went to lunch altogether at the best Chinese buffet in Mesa. Then, after lunch, I took the 3 guys to Fry’s so Robert could buy some foods and stuffs, so he could get by for a few days. In Fry’s, I told Zac and Anthony to get some stuffs they needed as well, and I would pay for them. Zac told me he didn’t need anything. On the way out (however), he had a couple of bags in his hands with two gallons of milk – he paid by his own money. Two good things I saw in his heart at the time: (a) he said he bought the milk for the guys in the house where he lived, and (b) he didn’t take advantage of my offer to pay for the milk. He paid using his own money. Zac had a good heart!

Zac and I witnessed with Robert that same afternoon in his room at Motel 6, where Robert accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour. Zac and I were excited!!!

3.  Zac knew the meaning of LOVE – (a) He loved his family. Many times Zac had shared to me how his family meant a lot to him: he mentioned about his love to Mark; he mentioned his very special love to his Mom (Peggy); and to his brothers and sisters, as well. He wanted you guys to be proud of him, someday. (b) He also loved his martial art teacher, and lastly (c) He loved me, as his Christian brother. He respected me not only as a Minister, but as his Bible teacher and friend.

In fact, I will never forget our last exchange of text messages (a week before he died):

Sent 7/6/2010 @ 8:43pm

(MHM) -- God Bless you always, Zac. I love you man!

Received 7/6/2010 @ 8:44pm

(Zac) -- I love you too my brother!

Sent 7/6/2010 @ 8:51pm

(MHM) -- You’re a great blessing to me tonight!

Received 7/6/2010 @ 8:53pm

(Zac) -- You are a strong rock to me always!

Sent 7/6/2010 @ 8:53pm

(MHM) -- Praise be to God!

Received 7/6/2010 @ 8:54pm

(Zac) -- Amen

Sent 7/9/2010 @ 9:06pm (my last message of encouragement to Zac)

(MHM) -- (1 Peter 4:7) But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

4.  Zac knew the meaning of FRIENDSHIP – The last time I talked with him on the phone, I mentioned to him that I spent the 4th of July weekend in Sedona Mountains: no laptop, just my cellphone and my Bible. I told him it was my way of communing with God. Right away, he told me that next time, he and I would go together and commune with God in Sedona, and that he would also take me to a “secret” place that not many people had been or seen. This guy had “quality.” He knew how to entertain a good friend. This is why (and I’m not saying this, just to be nice or something) I am “so proud” to be counted as his friend.

5.  Zac was serious about serving God – Many times Zac had expressed to me his willingness to be my disciple in the Ministry. He was always excited to study the Word of God with me. He had a vision to be God’s servant. I kept reminding him that God had allowed us to experience the dark side of our life, for a certain reason: and that is, so we can use our experiences in reaching out to others. God could turn our dark experiences into blessings – just like Paul, who used to be a murderer before he got saved, but turned out to be one of Christ’s best disciples in the Ministry. To me, Zac could have been another Paul. He even had a vision of writing a book: more than two times he mentioned to me, that someday he would be happy to help me write a book about the things he learned and experience in this life – so others could be blessed and be saved. What a vision he had! I would, definitely, be honored to write that book for him!

6.  Zac was a good inspiration to me -- In my last telephone conversation with him, it was on July 6th (Tuesday night) – he called me around 6:00pm and we talked for about 2 hours (more or less) and I was teaching him on 2Chronicles 20:17, which says “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.” I also taught him that no matter what kind of problem we face, we should always see the salvation of the Lord with us – no matter what! He was very receptive of what I was teaching him over the phone. This inspired me to write a devotional article about it. Zac was such an inspiration to me!

Closing – A Message for Zac’s Friends and Families:

In honor of Zac today, I’d like to leave you with a couple of verses:

John 11:35: Jesus wept.

Philippians 1:21: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

God loves you! Jesus loves you! Jesus wept for Lazarus because He loves Lazarus (as mentioned in John 11:36 -- Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!). I wept for Zac, when I got the news from Mark and Peggy last Wednesday evening. I wept, because I love Zac as my brother in Christ. I wept, night after night after night. Jesus would also weep for you because He loves you. He died on the Cross, for you!!!

For those of you, who do not have personal relationship with Christ -- There is hope! Jesus is your only hope!

Lastly -- In Philippians 1:21: For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain – Paul knew that “to die is gain.”

DEATH is gain because God rejoices when the saints die (and He’s rejoicing right now for Zac), and because death is our enemy.

○Psalms 116:15 says, Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. 

○1Corinthians 15:26 says, The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

○Psalms 48:14 says, For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

Zac wanted to serve the Lord, because he wanted to lead people to Christ! . . . including his friends, and families!

Zac is now with the LORD!!!

Zac may be gone now, but he was a very good example of a prodigal son. He lived his life after he got saved, but he returned to the Father before he died … and now … he is with the Lord in Heaven! No doubt!

*****

Manny H. Moe is a Christian Minister and Founder of The Young Pigeons Ministry, from Raleigh, North Carolina – http://youngpigeons.blogspot.com/

Mark 10:45 -- For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.