When it comes down to it, who is your life and friendship and parenting emphasizing?

For everyone who knows you, do they think of Jesus when they think of you? Do your conversations leak Jesus? Are your friendships and family influenced by Him? Do your kids have an overwhelming sense that Jesus is so important?

Colossians 1:16-17 “all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

These verses are talking about Jesus. Life is unquestionably ALL ABOUT JESUS! To understand something else or to not understand that statement is really really bad and wrong.

So that brings me to asking and thinking what is it that we are really about? Him or something else?

The other night Valeria and I got to go eat at the restaurant that I worked at through seminary. That has been several years now. It was like 2003 through 2005. I got to see several people who are still working there that I have not seen in a while. They were all shocked that Val and I have three sons now. That made me proud. One of them stopped by to chat for a bit. In a 3 minute catch-up conversation, he asked me 4 different questions about sports. This really got me thinking. Did I work there for three years and all he remembers about me is sports? Not Jesus?

It could be that since he isn’t a believer, he didn’t want to bring up Jesus. I don’t know. But it got me thinking… what does my life emphasize?

When it comes down to it, lets be sure that we emphasize Jesus!

As a father of three young boys, I am extremely nervous and prayerful about raising them well. I thank God daily for a wife who is so good with them. She makes up for the many areas where I am lacking.

But I am always eager to find a good book or article to help me improve on training my boys to trust Jesus.

Here is a great little article about talking to your kids after church.

I can remember back in the day when my mother would get on me for something, and she would ask me for my excuse.

For instance, she would get on me by asking, “why did you not mow the yard like  I had asked you to?” And then she would follow that up by saying “and don’t you begin to tell me …”

We are people with all kinds of excuses. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard someone say “well, I didn’t know.” Perhaps, every teenager ever has used that one. But we all know that most excuses do not work.

Worse is when our excuse becomes our assurance. A false assurance. In churches (and out of churches) today, we have so many people thinking that they are saved due to a weak excuse. A false assurance.

I know people who think they are saved and going to heaven because they 1) grew up in church, or 2) they have been baptized, or 3) they walked the aisle, or 4) they prayed the prayer, or 5) their dad is a deacon, or 6) their grandfather was a minister, or 7) they are pretty good person.

The Bible only teaches that faith and repentance toward Jesus is what saves you.  None of those excuses or any others will work. If you are trusting in those or something like those, then you have a false assurance.

In Luke 3:8, John the baptist tells the folks who are coming to baptized to “bear fruits in keeping with repentance”. In other words, live a life that looks like you are saved. But then after that he warns them, “And do not begin to say to yourselves ‘we have Abraham as our father.’”

I love this. It reminds me of how my mother used to train me up. John knew that these people had a false assurance that just because they were in Abraham’s family that they were in good standing with God. Thats not true. Good standing with God only comes through faith in Jesus and repentance away from self.

So be sure that you are saved. Don’t have a false assurance.

In the book of Exodus, we learn that God’s people are in slavery in Egypt. Pharoah begins to treat God’s people so badly. Then God tells Moses to go and tell Pharoah to let His people go. Pharoah in all his pride and self-centeredness refuses. Pharoah would not listen to Moses and Aaron. Pharoah thought he was god. He did not want to submit to God.

So God brings (10) ten plagues, one by one,  upon Pharoah and his country to show that He (God) is greater and mightier than Pharoah. The story goes that Pharoah still hardens his heart and rejects and ignores God… until the final plague.

Well, many people know about the plagues, but few people actually know them. So a few years ago, as I was teaching through Exodus to the Youth. I came up with a song to memorize them. Lately, I have begun teaching this song to JJ & Eli. (They are a long way from knowing this song, and therefore the plagues. But it is coming.)

Heres the song. Never forget it. Be grounded in God’s Word.

“Blood then Frogs, Gnats then Flies,
Then comes number 5, the livestock dies.

Boils, Hail, Locusts, darkness to the eyes,
Then comes number 10, the firstborn dies.”

This simple little song has been so helpful to me. For about five years now, I have known the 10 plagues.  I hope it is helpful to you.

Lastly, and most importantly, please know that you are not greater than God. Pharoah opposed God and it ended up badly. Don’t oppose God; submit to Him, trust in Him. Run to Him. Be loved by Him. Love Him.

This man in Afghanistan is supposed to be hanged within the next few days for leaving Islam and becoming a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

Please click this link to see the post by Justin Taylor concerning all the details.

Remember Hebrews 13:3 “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”

Also remember the great hymn by Martin Luther “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” in which he wrote and we sing “let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still.”

As a Dad to three boys now, I am really into toys. I know all the ones my boys like, and I know all the ones I like. I really enjoy waking up in the morning to get my boys up and play with them. So I was thrilled when I saw that Justin Taylor had linked to this article by Jonathan Liu on The Five Best Toys of All Time.

I cannot believe that a “ball” was not one listed.  But I would agree that the five that are listed are great toys. I have used all 5 countless times, and I enjoy watching my boys play with these 5 toys as well. Please click the link to see the toys listed.

Our oldest son, JJ, has been working on memorizing the Great Commission. Jesus speaks this to the disciples (and the entire church) in Matthew 28:18-20. As I have been helping him be able to quote it from memory, the beginning and the end of it has really been a blessing to me.

Notice what Jesus says

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…

…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

What strength and confidence there is for those who believe Jesus. Strength for today. The one who has absolute sovereign authority and lordship over all encourages us and strengthens us by assuring us that He is with us always until the end.

Music is often motivating. Lecrae’s new CD Rehab: Overdose has a song on it that particularly is.

Song number 3 on this CD is called “Battle Song”. It is very motivating. The song is about being bold in our witness for Christ. Here is an excerpt of the lyrics:

“was engineered in my mother’s womb for God’s glory/ plenty faith in the persecution is inventory/ I been spit in the face, still exhibiting grace/ kicked out many a place, just for sharing my faith/ My belt tight, shoes laced, plus a breast plate/ my war helmet on, now I got my head straight/ the battle’s on but the war is over when Jesus reigns/ and fo’ his name I withstand the pressure and take the pain/ and if they drop us, this promise, we’ll take it to the grave/ that tonight we may die, but to die is our gain”

Now that song motivates me to go live for Jesus. He is our gain!

Yesterday I was able to have a very nice Valentine’s Day with the love of my life, Valeria.

She means more to me than she knows or I have let anyone else know. God has been so good to me in giving me her for a best friend and wife. I do not deserve Valeria. I love her dearly.

Life is hard. I am really aware of it from two angles.

One, I work with so many people who are having such a hard time, and my heart breaks for them. I pray and labor for the Lords grace to be poured out on them.

Two, I am a aware of my own personal shortcomings. I am not perfect. Jesus is, and I am so thankful that through faith in His work I can be forgiven and re-made. I often feel down and discouraged knowing that Christ is worthy to be exalted in our lives and that I do not at times reflect this. The Lord is the lifter of my head.He surely is. I know He is worshipped in my repentance and prayers as much (maybe more) than in my faithful obedience.

I say all of this to point out that I do love Jesus very much. Primarily, because I need Him so much. I need his love and forgiveness. And He gives it. He loves me so much. He loves me so very much. His Word and His cross prove that to me over and over and over again. Wow!

This song often expresses what He puts in my heart. “Not to us, O Lord, Not to us, but to you be the glory!”