Think about it!

“God’s eternal decree to save is greater than man’s sensual desire to sin.”–Steve Lawson

“A Christian should be an Alleluia from head to foot…… That is the truth of  our lives. God made us, redeems us. provides for us. The natural…. logical response for that is praise to God.”–Augustine

“The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.”–Steve Lawson

“If the tongue is not controlled by God, it is a sure indicator that the heart is not, either. . . . Religion that does not transform the heart, and thereby the tongue, is totally worthless in God’s sight.”–John MacArthur

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Don’t waste your kids

Gregg Harris,  who spoke at the Rebelution conference, gave an outstanding message on parenting at Covenant LIfe Church last Sunday and my family and I listened to it the last couple of days.  His text was Psalm 127 which speaks about the children of a godly man. Children are both a heritage from the Lord, not a headache to raise. Properly raised and equipped, children are like arrows in the hand of warrior.  Gregg takes a good deal of time to develop this point, speaking about the various parts of an arrow and what they represent.

Parents are the bow that releases the arrow.  For a season the arrow must have a tight relationship with the bow string and the arrow must be pulled back even while the arrow might be thinking, “I was made to go forward not backward.”  But that discipline and restraint is necessary so that the arrow is well aimed and launched. But once the arrow is launched no one admires the bow, but rather watches and applauds when the arrow meets the target.

Gregg urged parents to spend more time with their children.  He said our children don’t need to spend more time with us, rather we parents need to spend more time with our children and impart to them wisdom. We are to talk with them all the time and include them in every area of our life that is possible.  He urged us to train them till we like being with them. Many parents won’t take their children with them to important places because they fear they will be embarrassed by their behavior for their children are undisciplined and need to be bribed to act appropriately.  They fear that children will be bored with what adults do, but children need to “walk with the wise” and not spend their time with foolishe people.

Yes, parents we are all busy, but Gregg implores us to not waste our kids.  Everything that God has given parents to do is compatible with our other callings.  So we should not view our kids as competing against our work obligations, ministry in the local church, or our other relationships in life.  Rather we should bring our children alongside us so that one day they will be a tremendous blessing in the community or as the psalmist says “in the gate” of the city.

Make an investment in the lives of your children today!  Don’t waste your kids.

I ENCOURAGE ALL PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS TO LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE IF POSSIBLE.

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Thoughts on hell

I listened yesterday and today to a message by John MacArthur on hell.  Sobering, very sobering!  His message was based on the story in Luke 16 of the rich man and Lazarus.  The story is a one of contrasts and reversals regarding the life, death, and life after death of these two men.  The story shocks the Pharisees because they were the original purveyors of the “health and wealth” and “prosperity” gospel, thinking that riches were a sign of God’s blessing and disease and poverty were sure signs of God’s cursing.  Here are some short, memorable, and jolting statements that Macarthur made about hell.  Keep in mind that he is talking for an hour about hell to a group of young adults.  [Who says the pomo generation won’t sit and listen to serious preaching?]

No one in hell needs a name.  YOu are no one there.  And there are no relationships there. But everyone in heaven has a name.

Hell will be full of religious people who thought they would spend eternity in heaven.

Hell is not remedial, it is punitive. It doesn’t correct you or fix you. It confirms you.  It only punishes you without relief or mitigation forever.

There is no repentance in hell, no remorse in  hell, no seeking forgiveness, no humility, no regeneration, no Holy Spirit.

You can’t avoid hell simply by not wanting to go there.  You can only avoid hell by following the path of salvation revealed in the Word of God.

Religion won’t protect you from hell.

Have you thought seriously about hell lately?

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