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!

In a conversation today at a fast-food restaurant, a 28 year old man told me that he doesn’t do church anymore. He went on to say that he still “believes in God, reads his Bible and prays.” He asked that I understand where hes coming from. I do.

I asked him why.

He then went on to tell me that when he was 13 (that would be 15 years ago) something happened at his church, and he has wanted nothing to do with church ever since.

For everyone reading this who is part of a church, please hear how serious it is that we “walk in a manner worthy of our calling.” Some people never go back to church 15 years later because of the sins we do. We must have others in mind before we make mistakes. The Bible speaks of the danger of being the reason that many people do not believe.

For everyone reading this who is the situation of that man I met today at the restaurant, Please re-consider your position on church. As a heart surgeon told me this weekend, not all churches are true churches. Please don’t allow one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch. I have been to a few Taco Bells that were so trashy and run down that left me vowing to never return to that particular Taco Bell. But that very store could never keep me from eating and loving those steak grilled stuffed burritos.
You see, Church is important to us only because Jesus is important to us. We love the church because we love Jesus. If we take Jesus out of it, then the church has NO significance at all.

Therefore if you’re like this sincere man i met, could it be that this church making a huge mistake and sinning it an awful way only allowed you to have what you consider to be a good excuse for why you are not involved in a church.  See, a bad Taco Bell is a shame but it will not cause me to stop eating at other Taco Bells because they are so good.
Well, so much more meaningful is life and death, heaven and hell, Jesus or no Jesus. Please do not throw Jesus out because of a bad church.

Finally, It is really hard to read the New Testament and picture a true Christian who is not a part of a church. Its just not there. If you follow Jesus, you are the church. So unite with one of His local churches and help us live in a way that represents Him well.
And do not live in such a way that people can say 15 years down the road- that is why I don’t go to church.

Today is Valeria’s birthday.
God has given me such a great, humble, encouraging, loving, and believing wife. I am truly undeserving of her. The boys and I have been trying to serve her kindly all day- since the other 364 days of the year she does that for us.

In honor of Valeria and her birthday, I am posting a devotional she has recently written from Psalm 60. Be Blessed!
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Psalm 60:1-5
“Save with Your right hand, and answer me, so that those You love may be rescued.” (Psalm 60:5)

 Psalm 60 is an earnest prayer made by David in the time of much calamity.  The first verses of the Psalm depict a people who feel rejected, suffer hardship and are living with the anger of God towards them.  Oh, how many times have we felt just that?  Through difficulties in this life, we often feel that God has cast us off.  Yet the mindset of David, even in his time of trouble, deserves our imitation.  He did not fail to see the hand of God.  It was God who made his people suffer hardship (v.3).  The beautiful thing about this is that God’s hand is upon the believer’s life all the time.  Just as David recognized God’s hand during the difficulty, he quickly recognizes that God has also given hope.  God has provided a signal flag- a banner- under which His people can find refuge and rally up to strive against opposition.  There is hope for the people of God.  The phrase David uses to refer to himself and the people of God in verse 5 is striking—“those You love.”  Even after clearly indicating God’s rejection and displeasure towards His people, David is confident of God’s love towards them.  His plea is desperate, yet with hope and standing firm on the fact that God’s love for His people is always there.

 Holy God, You are a mighty God, reigning over my life.  I know that all the days of my life are in Your hands.  Help me to have hope and be assured of your love no matter what comes my way.  Amen
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