Month: September 2010

Over the years, Matthew 25:31-46 has become one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture. Jesus is teaching about the serious reality of life and death and faith and works and heaven and hell and judgment. The passage is so attention-grabbing. I cannot help but really get focused when studying it. Here is what…

Several years ago, I had a new young teenager come to our church. Valeria and I took him out to dinner, and he was really looking for help. Over the course of our conversation, I asked him “so, what do you need? How can we help you?” He replied, “I dont know. At this point,…

Today I had a little more time to myself than usual. It was nice. I took a walk to the gas station to get a drink. ( I found 5 different coins on the way.) While walking and praying for Fairdale, God brought to my mind that great old chorus “Sanctuary”. I remember years ago,…

Proverbs 3:4 “So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.” Proverbs 3 is one of my family’s favorite chapters in the whole Bible. We love it. This statement in verse 4 is loaded.  ‘favor and good success in the sight of God and man’ wow! That is a high…

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” Let me tell you a story… We recently had a lady come to faith in Jesus. She was baptized a few weeks ago and will…

Often times when people repeat things over and over again, they are doing it intentionally because they really want you to get the point, the message, the emphasis. Notice what Jesus keeps repeating: Matthew 18:4 “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 20:26 “It shall not be so…

“I have no greater desire than for my children to know and love and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.” Ministry is a blessing. And I do hope and pray that God would be pleased to use me to lead others to Him. But when it comes to my very own children, my passion is deep…

With our third son on the way and due very soon, we needed to get JJ moved out of a crib and Eli moved into JJ’s room. We did that this past weekend. Here is a video of us surprising JJ with his new bed. There are countless joys in parenting. This is one!

After preaching on Fasting recently, I’ve learned this about fasting: (it comes from Matthew 6:16-18) How not to fast: do not look gloomy do not do it to be seen by others do not do it looking for earthly reward (which is praise of man) How to fast: anoint your head wash your face do…

Life is not about you. This quote is good. We need to not be so selfish. “To consider persons and events and situations only in the light of their effect upon myself is to live on the doorstep of hell.” -Thomas Merton