Saturday mornings make for some good times with 2 little boys. This morning a serious war broke out.
2 dinosaurs took on 10 farm animals which took on 10 African safari animals which took on 12 mini primates. It was awesome!

There is a lot that has been said about Tiger’s public apology.  I don’t have many thoughts or comments about it.

Here is what I came away thinking after his speech – the Bible is so true!

The Bible says “all have sinned.”                           
The Bible says “no one understands.”
The Bible says “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick.”
The Bible says there are those who are “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
The Bible says “the way of peace they have not known.”
The Bible says “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
When speaking as someone who did not listen to his father’s instruction on adultery, the Bible says “How I hated discipline, and  my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors.”
When speaking of someone who falls into adultery, the Bible says “With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.”
The Bible says “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Just watching and listening to Tiger’s apology made me think of the reality of all these Biblical truths.  What I find so heavy and heart-breaking is that Tiger would believe and affirm all of these Biblical truths that I have quoted above. (His speech proved it.)

Oh, how I pray that he would believe and affirm all that I will quote below.

In the Bible, Jesus says “I  told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that  I am he you will die in your sins.”
In the Bible, Jesus says “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
The Bible says “He (Jesus) is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him.”
The Bible says  “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”
The Bible says “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
The Bible says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
The Bible says “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away…”
The Bible says “there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
The Bible says “unless you repent you will like wise perish.”
The Bible says “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see; They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell; They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”
The Bible says “the LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love…The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. he fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; he also hears their cry and saves them.”

Please join me in praying that Tiger may know those truths and know the God of those truths.

We have all been in the situation when someone is trying to tell us something we need to hear and we can hardly hear what they are saying because we will not be quiet longing enough. We must get our 2 cents in. (Perhaps you have been on both sides: sometimes you are the one trying to talk & sometimes you are the one who will not be quiet.)

Well the Bible gives us tremendous insight for these occasions.
Hear the advice from God’s Word.

Proverbs 18:2 “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”

Proverbs 15:32 “Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.”

James 1:19 “Know this my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”

Lets deny ourselves. Stop thinking that we are always right. Lets listen better. Lets listen first and then speak after we have thought it through. In doing this, we will be the people of God who love instruction and correction, and those who value the wisdom of God.

This is a picture I took from my cell phone of a mother gorilla holding her new baby. It was born February 6th at the Louisville Zoo.

It was so amazing to observe this mother and baby. The mother was so loving and protective. We stayed there for nearly 30 minutes just staring at them. The entire time we were there, the mother kept the baby wrapped up in her arms. Even while the mom was eating.

As I watched I could not help but think of how awesome God is. God created gorillas. He created them to be the way are. He created that mother gorilla to be so motherly. It is for God’s glory.

Seeing the mother gorilla with her baby did not cause me to ask any questions. In fact, it made me further love and worship God because of his magnificent wisdom.

Our church just finished reading the entire New Testament. I was amazed how much Jesus and Paul both speak about caring for the poor. In America, we do not see many poor people. At least not as obviously as someone does in a third world country. But never-the-less, the Bible calls us to be mindful and helpful and serving and generous to the poor.

Lately in the Proverbs I’ve seen it again.

Proverbs 14:21 “Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.”

Proverbs 14:31 “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.”

How we act toward the poor says a lot about our religion!

Without any excuses, How are you doing in this area?

1 John 5:12 “whoever has the Son has life, whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

What does it mean to “have the Son of God”?

Whatever it means, it is absolutely critical and must be paid attention to. Life is the object. To not have the Son means no life. Whatever it means, we must get the Son. We all want life…eternal life.

To have the Son of God is to possess Him.
The Bible says that Jesus gave up His life, laid down His life in love as a sacrifice for His own, His children.
His own and His children are those that believe in Him. They have by grace denied themselves, repented of their sins, and turned to Jesus for forgiveness and new life.

Once this happens, Christ is your life. Through redemption from the cross, Jesus has done everything necessary to make you a child of God. You have united with Him in His death, and you are united with Him in newness of life. You are His and He is yours. You are in Christ.

What does it mean to “have the Son of God”?

It means that the Son of God has you! And if the Son of God has you then you certainly have Him. And if you have Christ, then you have life… new life, eternal life, and abundant life!

I am thankful to God for the precious wife He has given me.
I love Valeria!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Lately, I have been a part of a lot of funerals.  This is both good and bad for obvious reasons.
I enjoy observing and preaching funeral services.

They cause me to really think about many different things. Here are 2 good thoughts.

What will be said at your funeral? What will all of the people that attend say?Will they be happy? Will they be hopeless? What will the preacher say? Will he have to be clever with his wording? Will he be able to speak freely?  Do you want people to attend your funeral? Do you think people will be able to celebrate the life you lived?

Also, what songs will they play at your funeral? Will they play songs that do not match you at all? Will they play songs that are inappropriate? Will they play songs that clearly go against God and his truth? Will the people attending your funeral feel uncomfortable because of the obvious disconnect between the message of the songs and the message of your life?

Will you please take time to think through these two questions? Truly stop and think them through. Before you log off this website, think this through. If we were to have a funeral service tomorrow for you, what would we say?

Lets live our lives now with these great questions in mind. Does your life count? Is it worth anything? What are you living for? Do you like who you are? Does your family like who you are? Do your friends like who you are?

Funerals make me think this way… I thank God for that!

Spend some time thinking on these verses…
and be strengthened!

Revelation 13:8
“All who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

Revelation 17:8
“and the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast because it was and is not and is to come.”

Revelation 20:15
“and if anyones name was not found written in the book of life he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Revelation 21:27
“but nothing unclean will ever enter it nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

IS YOUR NAME IN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE?

Make sure it is, and then be strengthened that it is- and that these verses are speaking of you.

Please leave a comment telling me how you spend your snow day?

For the third time this winter already, we have a good accumulation of snowfall. We have over 6 inches already, and it continues to snow heavily.

Notice how hard it is snowing. Also, listen closely for JJ asking me if I like it?

As I wrote last time it snowed, consider selfless ways to enjoy the snow. It is easy to think of building a snowman, making snowcream, or staying in pajamas to watch rivalry week on espn. All those things are good. ( I actually plan to enjoy all three with my wife and boys.) But please also remember that many of your neighbors may not have anyone to retrieve their mail, shovel off their sidewalk or driveway, or assist them in any other way.
So, by all means enjoy the snow that God so beautifully gives, but think of ways to look like Jesus during these times.

I would love to hear how you spend your snow day. So if you can, please leave a comment telling me what you do.
Thanks!