My glimpse of heaven

I woke from the most realistic dream I have ever had, I had been in the presence of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.

I had walked the streets of heaven , took in it's majestic scenery , pure beauty and grace. The sky's were pristine, the air so pure, the warmth embracing, the light intense, the homes were a collection of triumphant architecture that words can hardly describe.

There were people everywhere, seas of faces that were completely filled will joy, peace and love. Every nationality that I had ever heard of and so many I had not were there, I understood their words as they praised the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I was amazed. As far and wide as our little universe is I could see multitudes of my brothers and sisters, my heart was overwhelmed. 

It seemed as if only a moment had passed and I made my way to the throne room, I could not get close enough to Jesus, but yet I lay at His feet, I reached out grabbed His feet and could not let go , I laid and rejoiced, praised His name and wept, wept with deep sorrow for who I was and the things I have done, but wept also with great joy for the things He has done for me and the grace He has given me.

Then He reaches down, and said Brian welcome to your eternity, I did this all for you , I saw His beautiful face, and His eyes were so deep and resilient I became lost in them. His nailed scarred hands touched me and held me,His pierced side engulfed me, and the scars on His feet crushed me. In that moment I lost all sorrow and joy unexplainable came over me, He said you're my friend, my brother, well done my good and faithful servant come with me.

I was so mesmerized, I could not move, I didn't want to move , I wanted to lay in His presence and praise His name, my heart was delighted , my body strong and free and I didn't want to move from His feet.

Oh I rushed back to reality and awakened , my face is swollen from tears of joy, my pillow wet like I had left it in the rain and I have new strength and resolve because I have been all night in the presence of my Lord and God, Jesus Christ. 

Thank you my Lord for the glory of who you are, you have pierced my soul with you're Amazing Grace, Agape Love and Everlasting Gift of Salvation.

After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne. Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads. Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were in the middle and around the throne.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭4:1-6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5:13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“They will no longer hunger; they will no longer thirst; the sun will no longer strike them, nor will any heat. For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; He will guide them to springs of living waters, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭7:16-17‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“I did not see a sanctuary in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its sanctuary. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s glory illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Each day its gates will never close because it will never be night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Nothing profane will ever enter it: no one who does what is vile or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:22-27‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

My glimpse of heaven

I woke from the most realistic dream I have ever had, I had been in the presence of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.

I had walked the streets of heaven , took in it's majestic scenery , pure beauty and grace. The sky's were pristine, the air so pure, the warmth embracing, the light intense, the homes were a collection of triumphant architecture that words can hardly describe.

There were people everywhere, seas of faces that were completely filled will joy, peace and love. Every nationality that I had ever heard of and so many I had not were there, I understood their words as they praised the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I was amazed. As far and wide as our little universe is I could see multitudes of my brothers and sisters, my heart was overwhelmed. 

It seemed as if only a moment had passed and I made my way to the throne room, I could not get close enough to Jesus, but yet I lay at His feet, I reached out grabbed His feet and could not let go , I laid and rejoiced, praised His name and wept, wept with deep sorrow for who I was and the things I have done, but wept also with great joy for the things He has done for me and the grace He has given me.

Then He reaches down, and said Brian welcome to your eternity, I did this all for you , I saw His beautiful face, and His eyes were so deep and resilient I became lost in them. His nailed scarred hands touched me and held me,His pierced side engulfed me, and the scars on His feet crushed me. In that moment I lost all sorrow and joy unexplainable came over me, He said you're my friend, my brother, well done my good and faithful servant come with me.

I was so mesmerized, I could not move, I didn't want to move , I wanted to lay in His presence and praise His name, my heart was delighted , my body strong and free and I didn't want to move from His feet.

Oh I rushed back to reality and awakened , my face is swollen from tears of joy, my pillow wet like I had left it in the rain and I have new strength and resolve because I have been all night in the presence of my Lord and God, Jesus Christ. 

Thank you my Lord for the glory of who you are, you have pierced my soul with you're Amazing Grace, Agape Love and Everlasting Gift of Salvation.

After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was set there in heaven. One was seated on the throne, and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne. Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads. Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were in the middle and around the throne.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭4:1-6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5:13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“They will no longer hunger; they will no longer thirst; the sun will no longer strike them, nor will any heat. For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; He will guide them to springs of living waters, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭7:16-17‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“I did not see a sanctuary in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its sanctuary. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s glory illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Each day its gates will never close because it will never be night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Nothing profane will ever enter it: no one who does what is vile or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:22-27‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Grand Illusion

The power of our flesh seems strong but it is only an illusion, one that can be seen through as we seek God daily.

God has put His Spirit in us, the same Spirit that moved over the earth and formed it, that sheltered Israel by day and gave them fire at night in the wilderness.

The same Spirit that descended upon Jesus at His baptism, and rose Him from the grave.

He can help your walk everyday, you just need to seek Him and ask Him. Today learn to seek,ask and obey the Spirit of God and see what He will do in your life, do not fall for the grand illusion of the enemy, instead see the power of God

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:9-11

Men with grit

Oh to have men in the pulpits,  the family rooms, the boardrooms, the halls of government, the classrooms, and in our communities who would stand in the truth of God's word.

Who would lead with Grace and love and be driven by a desire to honor God the Father in all they do. Men who would not compromise their values or morals for dollars, or votes for popularity.

I pray Lord God that I would be such a man and you send men to stand with me against a morally bankrupt society. But if you don't send them Lord, I will still stand for you are my God.

C. H. Spurgeon said this in a sermon.

" I pray God to send a few men with what the Americans call “grit” in them; men who when they know a thing to be right, will not turn away, or turn aside, or stop, men who will persevere all the more because there are difficulties to meet or foes to encounter; who stand all the more true to their Master because they are opposed; who, the more they are thrust into the fire, the hotter they become, who, just like the bow, the further the string is drawn, the more powerfully will it send forth its arrows, and so, the more they are trodden upon, the more mighty will they become in the cause of truth against error."

We need to stand as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did against the crowds and corruption.

Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 

Daniel 3:15-18

That's my King

The Bible says my King is the King of the Jews.
He's the King of Israel.
He's the King of righteousness.
He's the King of the ages.
He's the King of Heaven.
He's the King of glory.
He's the King of Kings,
and He's the Lord of lords.

My King is a sovereign King.
No means of measure can define his limitless love.
He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere.
He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful.
He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful.

He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world.
He's God's Son. He's the sinner's Savior. He's the peak of civilization.
He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature.
He's the highest personality in philosophy.
He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology.
He's the only one qualified to be an all-sufficient Savior.

He supplies strength for the weak.
He's available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves.
He strengthens and sustains.
He guards and He guides.
He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers.
He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent, and He beautifies the meager.

He's the key to knowledge.
He's the wellspring of wisdom.
He's the doorway of deliverance.
He's the pathway of peace.
He's the roadway of righteousness.
He's the highway of holiness.
He's the gateway of glory.

Well, His light is matchless.
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
His love never changes.
His word is enough.
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous,
and His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
I wish I could describe Him to you.
Yes, He's indescribable. He's incomprehensible.
He's invincible. He's irresistible.
You can't get Him out of your mind.
You can't get Him off of your head.
You can't outlive Him, and you can't live without Him.

Well, the Pharisees couldn't stand Him,
but they found out they couldn't stop Him.
Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him.
Death couldn't handle Him,
and the grave couldn't hold Him. I wonder if you know Him?
If you don't His name is Jesus!

I Corinthians 15:1-8, 20-22

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

That's My King. From Dr, Lockridge,

The 66 gospels of Jesus

ld Testament Book	Main Revelation	Key Prophecies* / Types of Jesus
Genesis	The Seed of the Woman	Messiah would be born of the seed of a woman (Gen 3:15, Luke 1:34-35) Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Gen 12:3, 17:19, 28:14, Luke 3:23-34) Messiah would be a king in the line of Judah (Gen 49:10, John 1:49) Typified in the person of Melchizedek (Gen 14:18) The life of Isaac - the sacrificed son (Gen 22) The life of Joseph - the rejected brother (Gen 37)
Exodus	The Passover Lamb	Typified in the life of Moses - the deliverer The Passover Lamb (Ex 12, John 1:29,36) The Manna from Heaven (Ex 16, John 6) The Rock struck at Horeb (Ex 17, 1 Cor 10:4) The Tabernacle (Brazen Altar, Lampstand, Table of Showbread, Ark of the covenant etc) (Gen 25-30)
Leviticus	The High Priest	Typified in the sacrifices and offerings (Lev 1-7) In the Jewish festivals (Passover, Atonement, Lev 16, 23) In the scapegoat (Lev 16:7-9) In the person and duties of the High Priest (Lev 16)
Numbers	The Cloud and The Fire	Messiah would be a King (Num 24:17) Typified in the bronze serpent (Num 21:8-9) The Water from the Rock (Num 20)
Deuteronomy	The Prophet Like Moses	Messiah will be a prophet (Deut 18:15-19, John 6:14) Messiah would be worshipped by angels (Deut 32:43, Luke 2:13-14) Typified in the cities of refuge (Deut 4:41)
Joshua	The Captain of Our Salvation	Typified in the person of Joshua (our leader into the promised land) In the Promised Land In the Commander of the Army (Josh 5:13-15)
Judges	The Judge And Lawgiver	Typified in the Judges (for He is true Judge of the living and the dead)
Ruth	The Kinsman Redeemer	Messiah would be a descendant of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:12-17) Typified in the life of Boaz - The Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth 2:1)
1 & 2 Samuel	The Prophet of The Lord	Messiah exalted by God with power (1 Sam 2:10, Matt 28:18) Messiah would be a descendant of David (2 Sam 7:12-16, Matt 1:1) Messiah would be the 'Rock' (2 Sam 23:2-3, 1 Cor 10:4) Typified in the life of David - The King in Exile (1 Sam 22) The life of Jonathon - the faithful friend (1 Sam 18:1-4)
1 & 2 Kings	The Reigning King	Typified in the life of Solomon (the Millennial Reign) In the life and miracles of the prophet Elisha (multiplying bread 2 Kings 4:42, healing leper 2 Kings 5)
1 & 2 Chronicles		Messiah would be from the tribe of Judah (1 Chron 5:2, Luke 3:23-32) Typified in Solomon's temple In the Wisdom of Solomon (2 Chron 9:22)
Ezra	The Faithful Scribe	Typified in person of Zerubbabel, the rebuilder of the temple (Ezra 4)
Nehemiah	The Rebuilder of the Walls	Typified in the person of Nehemiah, the rebuilder of the walls of salvation
Esther	Mordecai	Typified in the person of Mordecai
Job	The Dayspring From on High	Typified in the sufferings of Job and the blessings that would follow
Psalms	The Lord Who Is Our Shepherd	Messiah would be the Son of God (Ps 2:7, 12, Matt 17:5) Messiah would be resurrected (Ps 16:8-10, Acts 13:30-37) Messiah would be despised & crucified (Ps 22:6-8, 14, Luke 23:21-23, Matt 27:35) Messiah would be hated without cause (Ps 69:4, Luke 23:13-22) Messiah would be Lord, seated at the right hand of God (Ps 110:1,5, 1 Pet 3:21-22) Messiah would be in the line of Melchizedek (Ps 110:4, Heb 6:17-20) Messiah would be the 'stone' rejected by the Jews (Ps 118:22, Matt 21:42-43) Key Messianic Psalms: Chapters 2, 8, 16, 22, 45, 69, 89, 109, 110, 118
Proverbs & Ecclesiastes	The Wisdom of God	Messiah would be from everlasting (Prov 8:22-23, John 17:5) Messiah would be the Son of God (Prov 30:4, Matt 3:16-17) Typified in the Wisdom of God (Prov 8:22-31)
Song of Solomon	The Lover & Bridegroom	Typified in the Bridegroom's love for, and marriage to, the bride
Isaiah	The Suffering Servant	Messiah would be born of a virgin (Is 7:14, Luke 1:34-35) Messiah would be Immanuel "God with us" (Is 7:14, Matt 1:21-23) Messiah would be God and Man (Is 9:6, John 10:30) Messiah would have the 7-fold Spirit upon Him (Is 11:1-2, Matt 3:16-17) Messiah would heal the blind, lame, deaf (Is 35:5-6, Mark 10:51-52) Messiah would be proceeded by a forerunner (Is 40:3, Luke 1:17) Messiah would be a light to the gentiles (Is 42:6, John 8:12) Messiah would be despised by the Jewish nation (Is 49:7, John 10:20, Matt 27:23) Messiah would be whipped and beaten (Is 50:6, Matt 26:67, 27:26) Messiah would die as a guilt offering for sin (Is 53:10, John 18:11) Messiah would be resurrected and live forever (Is 53:10, Mark 16:16)
Jeremiah & Lamentations	The Weeping Prophet	Messiah would be God (Jer 23:6, John 13:13) Messiah would be a righteous Branch (Jer 23:5) Messiah would be our righteousness (Jer 23:6, 1 Cor 1:30)
Ezekiel	The Son of Man	Messiah would be a descendant of David (Ez 34:23-24, Matt 1:1)
Daniel	The Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven	Messiah would be 'a son of man' given an everlasting kingdom (Dan 7:13-14, Luke 1:31-34) Messiah would come 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Dan 9:25, John 12:12-23) Messiah would be killed (Dan 9:26, Matt 27:35) Revealed as the 'stone' (and His kingdom) that smashes the kingdoms of the world (Dan 2:34,44) Typified in the 4th man in the fiery furnace - one like 'the son of gods' (Dan 3:25)
Hosea	The Bridegroom	Typified in Hosea's faithfulness to his adulterous wife (Hos 3)
Joel	The Baptizer With The Holy Spirit	Messiah will offer salvation to all mankind (Joel 2:32, Rom 10:12-13) Messiah would baptize people with the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32)
Amos	The Burden Bearer	God would darken the day at noon during Messiah's death (Amos 8:9, Matt 27:45-46)
Obadiah	The Mighty Savior
Jonah	The Forgiving God	Typified in Jonah being 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a fish (Jon 1:17, Matt 12:40)
Micah	The Messenger With Beautiful Feet	Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2, Matt 2:1-2) Messiah would be from everlasting (Mic 5:2, Rev:1-8)
Nahum	The Avenger of God's Elect
Habakkuk	The Great Evangelist, Crying For Revival	Messiah would come from Teman at His return, full of glory (Hab 3:3) Typified in the life of Habakkuk (his intercession and prayer for his people)
Zephaniah	The Restorer of the Remnant
Haggai	The Cleansing Fountain	Messiah would visit the 2nd temple (Hag 2:6-9, Luke 2:27-32)
Zechariah	The Pierced Son	Messiah would be Priest and King (Zech 6:12-13, Heb 8:1) Messiah would be ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zech 9:9, Matt 21:6-9) Messiah would be God (Zech 11:12-13, John 12:45) Messiah would be pierced (Zech 12:10, John 19:34-37)
Malachi	The Son of Righteousness	Messiah would appear at the temple (Mal 3:1, Mark 11:15-16) Messiah's forerunner would come in the spirit of Elijah (Mat 4:5, Matt 3:1-2)
New Testament Book	Main Revelation	Titles / Names Revealed of Jesus
Matthew	The Messiah	The Son of David (Matt 1:1) The King of the Jews (Matt 2:2) The Son of God (Matt 2:15).  The Bridegroom (Matt 9:15)
Mark	The Miracle Worker	The Holy One of God (Mark 1:24) The Servant (Mark 10:45) The King of Israel (Mark 15:32)
Luke	The Son of Man	The Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69) The Consolation of Israel: (Luke 2:25).
John	The Son of God	The Only Begotten Son: (John 1:14,18) The Lamb of God (John 1:29,36) The Bread of life (John 6:35) The Light of the World (John 8:1) The I AM! (John 8:58) The Door of the Sheep: (John 10:7,9) The Good Shepherd (John 10:11) The Resurrection and life (John 11:25) The Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:6) The True Vine (John 15:1)
Acts	The Ascended Lord	The Prince of Life (Acts 3:15) The Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)  The Just One (Acts 7:52). The Hope of Israel (Acts 28:20)
Romans	The Justifier	The Rock of Offense (Romans 9:33) The Deliverer (Romans 11:26) The Lord of the dead and the living (Romans 14:9) The Root of Jesse (Romans 15:12)
1 & 2 Corinthians	The Last Adam	The First-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:23) The Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Galatians	The One Who Sets Us Free	The Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 1:3)
Ephesians	The Christ of Riches	The Head over All Things (Ephesians 1:22) The Cornerstone: (Ephesians 2:20)
Philippians	The God Who Meets Our Every Need	The Name above all names (Philippians 2:9)
Colossians	The Fullness of The Godhead	The Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15) The Head of the body (Colossians 1:18) The Beginning (Colossians 1:18) The Firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18) The Hope of Glory (Col 1:27)
1 & 2 Thessalonians	The Soon Coming King	The Lord of Peace (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
1 & 2 Timothy	The Mediator Between God And Man	The King of Ages (1 Timothy 1:17) The Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)
Titus	The Blessed Hope	The Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13) The Great God and Saviour (Titus 2:13)
Philemon	The Friend, Closer Than a Brother	The Lord Jesus Christ (Philemon 3)
Hebrews	The Blood That Washes Away My Sins	The Heir of All Things (Hebrews 1:2) The Faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17) The Author and Finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2)
James	The Great Physician	The Lord of Glory (James 2:1) The Judge at the door (James 5:9)
1 & 2 Peter	The Chief Shepherd	The Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4) The Chief Shepherd  (1 Peter 5:4)
1 & 2 & 3 John	Everlasting Love	The Eternal Life (1 John 1:2) The Righteous (1 John 2:1)
Jude	The God our Saviour	The Only Wise God our Saviour (Jude 25)
Revelation	The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!	The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last: (Revelation 1:17, 22:13) The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5) The Word of God (Revelation 19:13).  The King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16)The Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)

This is not mine, but I had to share http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/jesus66books.htm

7 Things a Good Dad Says

Christian Living

March 31, 2014

I think I may be leaving one phase of fatherhood behind even while I enter into another. My youngest child is just about to turn eight, which means that we are not only past the baby and toddler stages, but even nearing the end of the little kid phase. Meanwhile my oldest child has turned fourteen and is just months away from high school. All this change has caused me to think about fatherhood and the new challenges coming my way. I have found myself thinking back to the many models of fatherhood I have seen and admired through the years. What made these fathers admirable? What set them apart? What was it that they said to their children? From these models I have drawn seven things a good father says.


I love you. Few things are more important to a child than knowing where he stands with his parents. As I think back to my childhood, I remember several friends who lived with uncertainty in their relationship with their parents, and their fathers especially. They longed to hear words of love and approval. But I saw other kids who had total confidence in that love and approval. Often the difference was little more than three simple words repeated regularly: “I love you.” Men can be so petty, so prideful, and hold back those words. Yet there is no good reason for it. The more awkward it feels, the more urgent it is. From the dads I admire I’ve learn that a father needs to say, “I love you,” and he needs to say it often.


Let me kiss it better. Even as a young child I remember observing two different kinds of fathers in my church. When children fell and scraped their knees, there were two ways I saw dads react. Some fathers would pick up their children, set them back on their feet, and tell them to get over it. “You’re fine. Walk it off!” They wanted their soft children to toughen up. There were other fathers who would pick up their children, hold them in their arms, make a show of extending comfort, and say, “Let me kiss it better.” These were fathers who wanted their hard children to soften up. Sure, there are times to tell your child to walk it off, but there are far more times to extend love and concern through those childhood bumps and bruises and through the bigger sins and mistakes that come with age. From the dads I admire I’ve learned the value of saying, “Let me kiss it better” (though, obviously, as the children get older the wording changes!).


Come with me. There is so much in life that can be better caught than taught. Often the best way to train up a child is to let that child into your life. One father I admire taught me the distinction between being face-to-face with my children and being shoulder-to-shoulder. I saw this shoulder-to-shoulder parenting in my own father who often brought me with him on his errands or, even better, to his work. This allowed me to see the value of putting in a hard day’s work, and the value of building relationships with clients, suppliers, and so many others. It allowed me to see that work was an extension of the rest of life, and not a part of life that exists all on its own. The fathers I have admired are the fathers who say to their children, “Come with me,” and who welcome them into their day-to-day lives.


Please forgive me. Every father sins against every one of his children. He probably does it every day. Sadly, sin is every bit as inevitable as death and taxes. Fathers need to be in the habit of identifying their sin to their children and asking forgiveness. But as I think back, I saw this and heard of this in so few fathers. There are only a few I knew to consistently identify their sin and seek forgiveness for it. As I consider my fourteen years of parenting, I see far too little of it as well. The practice seems so much more difficult than the theory. The good dad is the one who humbly, carefully says to his children, “Please forgive me.”

You’re forgiven. Just as every father sins against every one of his children, every child sins against his father. The father who asks forgiveness also needs to be willing to extend forgiveness. Every father punishes his child at times, but too many fathers punish in the worst way—by holding a grudge or by letting the child suffer as dad withholds forgiveness and reconciliation. Our children need to be forgiven and they need to experience the joy of reconciliation. Here I think of a father I know—a father I admire—who taught me that a good dad doesn’t just say, “It’s okay,” but always goes further to say, “You’re forgiven.

Let’s pray. There is one father I admire whom I have only met in the pages of books he has written. Of all he has written, what has gripped me most is the ways in which he prays with his children. He reserves special time each week for each child and in that time he inquires about their souls and prays with them. That sounds like a wonderful practice. And in the rhythm of daily life with all its ups and downs he is also quick to lead them in seeking God’s strength, God’s help, God’s wisdom. Here he teaches them the best and deepest kind of dependency on the best and greatest Help in the world. I have learned from him that the good dad is quick to say, “Let’s pray.”

You can’t do it. We live at a time when parents are known for being extravagant in their praise for their children and assuring them, “You can do anything.” But the good dad assures his children that in the most important area, they can’t do it. They simply can’t. One of the great challenges every Christian father faces is in showing his child that behavior is a reflection of the heart and that the child cannot simply will himself into heart change. And this is where the gospel becomes so precious, because it begins with that inability, leads straight to the blood and righteousness of Christ, and then to the enabling of the Holy Spirit. The dads I love and admire are the dads who assure their children, “You can’t do it,” and who quickly lead them to the gospel and to the Savior who can.

I am eager to hear what you have learned from good fathers. So, following roughly the same format, tell me what you’ve heard a good father say…


http://www.challies.com/christian-living/7-things-a-good-dad-says

Fight fire with fire.

 We have all heard the expression "the way to fight fire is with fire." I've heard it all my life, but it came alive for me in a new way when I heard a story told by Norman McLean about a Montana smoke jumper who did just that. Wag Dodge was one of 15 smoke jumpers who were sent to battle a forest fire in August of 1949. Shortly after their jump, these tenacious, well-trained, young men were surrounded by an inferno. As the wind shifted 180 degrees and picked up velocity, what had been a manageable fire became what is known as a blow out. The only way to safety was to race 200 yards to the top of a ridgeﾗquite literally, to outrun the fire. When Dodge realized the fire would overtake them, he screamed to his men to stop and gather around him. Most did not hear, and were overcome. Then, with fire racing toward him, Wag Dodge lit a fire of his own and followed it, then circled back and laid down in the grass it had burned. When he did, the flames went around what had already been scorched, leaving him safe on the ground. He fought fire - with fire. We are surrounded on every side by the super-heated flames of our culture. How do we fight them? The way this young smoke jumper did. We set our own fire. And as the fire of our devotion to Christ begins to burn, our God who is a consuming fire, burns brighter and stronger than the flames of this fallen world. We fight fire with fire!

Life Church

Psalm 1

Psalms 1:1-6 HCSB

How happy is the man who does not follow  the advice of the wicked or take  the path of sinners or join a group  of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord ’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season   and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive  the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

Only By The Grace of God

A lot of us are struggling with legalism in our lives and the lives of those around us, even though we know that it is the grace of God that saves us. We try hard to live by the rules, and we assume God will love us more, reward us more and overlook our mistakes. We make hundreds of rules up to live by, in reality Jesus said, Matthew 22:37  "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the first and great commandment. 39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

We make it so hard on ourselves and those around us, no wonder people are turned off by us, I've been a dedicated rule-keeper and I struggle with this, knowing God will never love me anymore than He does right now or when He sent Jesus to the cross for me. My parents taught me some basic rules, and most of them were excellent, but they're not really biblical, and have nothing to do with me standing before God.

Rules like we all need a solid eight hours of sleep each night (I have broken this rule every day of my life.) You brush your teeth in the morning, and before going to bed, wash your hands before every meal. Period. Close your eyes when you pray, I peeked during prayer time as a kid many times, and the Pastors and older people in the congregation didn’t always close their eyes, so I decided that either he was a phony, or that this  "eyes-closed" rule might not be iron-clad.

 We define Christianity by a list of arbitrary rules, therefore reducing our relationship with God through Jesus Christ to an exercise of futility of rules. God cannot and will not be put into a box. He's so much bigger than that. And His grace is greater than anything our finite minds can muster up .

Make no mistake. We will stand right before God, not on the basis of our ability to keep an exhaustive list of rules, the Pharisees and Sadducees did this but only the by the  shed blood of Jesus Christ. In Christ alone we are found Justified, and Righteous.

 When our faith is in Him, His grace "covers" us.

Romans 5: 1Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace

with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 2We have also obtained access through Him

by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3And not only that but we also rejoice in our afflictions,  because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.