Heaven I’ve
known Mike Ammons for 2 ½ years. I am privileged to have called him a close, dear friend;
and it is an honor to share with all those gathered here today a celebration and remembrance of a life well-lived.
Many of you have known and loved Mr. Mike for the 50 years he lived, loved, and contributed to our
community in Myrtle Beach.
I regret having known him for only the last 2 ½ years of a too-short life. Mike and I met and served God together at
church and then within the Christian
Tae Kwon Do Ministry. I guess that I am more qualified to talk about the quality man he became through life’s many trials and joys, rather than recounting the 47 years of history
that many of you know better than I.
God’s word (Mat
7:20) tells us that we can see a man’s character by the fruit he bears,
Mr. Mike’s character was shaped by the trials and tests of life, but God tells us in Rom 5:4
that these sufferings in our lives produce
perseverance, and perseverance produces character, and character building produces hope. That hope is based on the character of Christ produced in us that allows us
the full measure of a personal relationship with our Savior.
The
fruit that Mr. Mike’s character bore was obvious to those who knew him. GAL 5 lists the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Mr. Mike’s life evidenced
them all.
• LOVE- His childhood sweetheart and
love of his wife Cindy. How he so deeply loved and respected her, and he often expressed to me how grateful to God he was to have her in his life. Their marriage withstood
the tests of time and all the trials thrown
at them. Mr. Mike valued her beyond words. *His love for his 2 boys Rhett and Ryan. They were
raised with love and a Godly Discipline to become 2 of the finest young men in our community.
•
JOY – As his sons grew into Godly young men Mr. Mike had the appropriate pride and joy of a job well-done in a
role and responsibility given to
him by Almighty God. * Joy in appreciation of God’s creation. He beamed with joy recounting exploits hunting,
fishing and camping. Many of you sitting
here today shared these enthusiasms with him. * Mainly Joy in his pursuit of God’s word and will in his life.
• PEACE – Mr. Mike was a peacemaker, a voice of calm and reason in times
of distress and conflict. His feet were truly fitted with the peace of Jesus Christ as he walked the paths God chose for him on this earth. •
PATIENCE - Working with and helping teach and disciple CTKDO students; teaching Sunday School children;
and mentoring in youth groups.
His patience inspired and instructed me personally, for as you probably already know I am sorely lacking in patience.
• KINDNESS – With my daughter Hannah he always had time and kind words as
he lit up her heart with his love. He also was well-loved and respected by the many CTKDO children to whom he showed great kindnesses, many who lack
fathers in their lives.
• GOODNESS – Mr. Mike was generous to a fault. Always willing to give
time, talent and resources beyond what anyone could
reasonably expect, or even what he could afford. During the re-location of the CTKDO Dojang Mr. Mike’s generosity
in time, resources, and expertise
was invaluable. He always sought God’s will and word to grow in goodness and complete the good works God had prepared for him described in Eph
2:10.
• FAITHFULNESS - We encounter
few people in our lives with integrity, that are truly reliable regardless of circumstance. Mr. Mike understood faithfulness and loyalty to God, his family and to his friends. No matter
the situation he was a strong, steady
man and they are few and far between. Mr. Mike was a man of honor and integrity.
• GENTLENESS - His time spent one-on-one with CTKDO, Sunday School, and youth
group children and adults showed his gentleness.
I made it a habit of entrusting to Mr. Mike the responsibility of introducing new students to the rules
and loving atmosphere of the CTKDO
ministry. He spent time with new students and they experienced the loving, patient ways that came so natural to him. In his business he was all go, but he would notch it down to humbly help
a new 3 year old Little Lion with the
“deer-caught-in-the-headlight” look on his face, and any other incoming student.
• SELF-CONTROL - Mr. Mike’s example of self-control when mistreated
in unfair business and personal affairs should be modeled and admired. He held his tongue in situations most could and would not. He put his trust
in GOD and guarded his words.
These fruits Mr. Mike bore made him important in our lives. He knew humility and forgiveness
and never forgot where he came
from and how much we all need forgiveness. (1 Jn 3:18). Above all he loved in action and in truth. Mr. Mike took
his relationship with Jesus Christ as the most important thing in his life and he continually worked at bearing the marks a true Christian that Paul describes in ROM 12:9-21
READ 1
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling
to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the
Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient
in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14Bless
those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud,
but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18If it is possible, as far as it depends
on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[b]says
the Lord. 20On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[c] 21Do
not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Who can forget
the Mr. Mike smile that lit our hearts. Or his sense of humor, playfulness, and practical jokes that brightened our days and lives.
This very day it is Mr. Mike’s life that is brightened. Brightened by an unimaginable
light. He stands in God’s Holy presence, in the light and glory of Jesus Christ’s forgiveness and grace.
READ
2 ROM
8:28-39 28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called
according to his purpose. 29For
those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined,
he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31What, then, shall we say in response to this?
If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33Who will bring any charge against
those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand
of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered
as sheep to be slaughtered."[c] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor
life, neither angels nor demons,[d] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus himself tells us in the Gospel of John chapter 6 37All that the Father gives me will come to
me, and whoever comes to me I will
never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall
lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. This means that for Mr. Mike and
all believers in Jesus Christ, Heaven is not our goal, it is our destination. It is where we are bound for.
Here on earth, Mr. Mike showed us through his life the ambition God prescribes for us all in
1 THES 4:11-12 : 11Make it your ambition
to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you
will not be dependent on anybody.
Today as we
celebrate a life well-lived, we will also remember and miss Mr. Mike’s love, caring, service, kindness, faithfulness, and humor in our daily lives.
Mr. Mike has moved. He has moved from the earthly tent of his body talked about in 2 Pet 1:13,
to his permanent home, the heavenly
Jerusalem.
From the Book of HEB 12:22: 22But
you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church
of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator
of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled
blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
As
believers in Jesus Christ we share in this same heavenly destination and inheritance, and can look forward to a time when
we see our beloved Mr. Mike again
in heaven.
JUDE 24-25 24To him who
is able to keep us from falling and to present us before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power
and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! In the name of Father, the Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. | 
