In honor of my daughter's (Abigail Jane) birthday I'm reposting a blog I created 3 years ago.  This particular blog was also based on a newsletter that I'd written when my wife and I were on staff with Cru (formally Campus Crusade for Christ).
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"A little more than two weeks ago a miracle took place at Fairview Riverside Hospital on the University of Minnesota campus-- my daughter was born!  I witnessed an amazing event-- one that I will never forget.  To see one's child come into the world is a beautiful act of the Lord!

Over the last two weeks Abigail has changed physically quite a bit. She’s getting longer, her little

cheeks are filling out and she is eating a lot. I sometimes wonder if she’ll take on my personality. In

her early stages of life she appears to be quite vocal!

As I’ve observed her the Lord has revealed the gospel to me through her short life. I knew that

babies were dependent upon their father and mother from the very start. But– I had no idea that they

couldn’t do anything on their own and I mean nothing. The only thing she is capable of doing is wiggling

around while she’s flat on her back, making little and loud noises with her mouth, and messing

her diaper (or throwing up on dad). She can’t move around without one of us picking her up and she

can’t eat unless mom feeds her. The way I see Abigail’s life working out is similar in the way that I

see the gospel being worked out in Scripture (all references are from the ESV Bible).

* Only God can save us through regeneration: “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,” (Titus 3:5,6)

* Whoever God draws will never hunger or thirst and never be cast out: “Jesus said to them, ‘I am

the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” And, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:35-37)

* Apart from God (through Jesus Christ) we can do nothing: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch

cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4,5)

* God (through Jesus Christ) created everything and He holds it all together: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)

Abigail did not come into this world on her own strength; the Lord gave my wife the ability to push and she came out. That in itself was a miracle! Saving grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) is also a miracle. Every day Abigail relies on dad and mom for physical nourishment. Same goes for Christians; we must abide in the Lord for our spiritual (and physical) nourishment every second of everyday. If Jesus Christ holds everything together then we have no choice to rely on Him 100% of the time."

What does the world look like without Christianity?

I found this interesting.  Check out this--> link

Jesus' last full week

Jesus' last week on earth more than 2,000 years ago started on (what Christian's have called for many years) Palm Sunday-- which is today, 3/24/2013.  Christian's recognize this day as Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  And in a few days He would suffer, die at the hands of sinful men and come back to life.

His entrance was pretty unusual.  You can read about it here-->  The Triumphal Entry




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I'd also like to share a free eBook that highlights Holy Week (its for one week-- starting on Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Sunday).  I'd highly encourage each of you to read this to your family and friends. I plan on reading it to my wife and kids each day this week. The nice thing about it is that each chapter is short.  Its called, Love to the Uttermost. The authors name is, John Piper.  You can learn more about John Piper and the ministry he started by clicking here-->  Desiring God

For the book follow this link to download and read-->  FREE eBook

Unashamed of THE BIBLE

For a long time God's Word, the Bible, has been challenged, debated, burned, disagreed with, attacked and hated. Some will also go on to say that it contradicts itself (and much more). For hundreds and thousands of years God's Word has been disputed.  

God's opened my eyes to Himself when I was really young-- 7 years old.  When I was a teenager He began to give me a deep desire to know Him through His Word.  At the age of 21 and many more years to come He gave me a motivation to hunger and thirst for the Word.  

I truly believe that if we have a new life in Jesus (John 3:3; Titus 3:3-5; I Peter 1:3)-- if God gave us a new life in Him (II Corinthians 5:17)-- we are filled with His Holy Spirit-- and since we are Spirit filled He will give us a desire to read and study His Word.  The more we read it the more we will begin to delight in it.

The Word of God is perfect, it revives the soul, its sure (or trustworthy), it makes wise the simple (helps those who are easily misled), it is right, it rejoices the heart, its pure, it makes one alert and active, it teaches us the fear of God, its true and its righteous. The Word of God can be desired more than gold (or money).  When we seek to understand God's Word we can receive a great reward.  (Read Psalm 19).  

Don’t get me wrong. Reading God’s Word hasn’t been easy through the years.  I've had my struggles.  I'm still learning and growing in my understanding of the Bible-- I have a long ways to go.  There are days when I don't get anything out of it.  There are times when I feel dry after reading it.  But I hope and pray that He (God) will continue to draw me towards Himself through His Words of wisdom and insight.  

I mentioned this earlier-- if God’s Spirit dwells from within-- we should want to read God’s Word.  We should delight in His Holy Word.  We should have a deep desire to read and meditate upon it day and night (Psalm 1:1-2).  The Word of God changes us, teaches us, motivates us, convicts us of sin, helps us understand love and on and on and on. Ultimately, from Genesis to Revelation the Word of God points us to Jesus Christ (John 1:1-5).  The Word of God shows the love of Jesus, through His death on the cross and resurrection (Romans 5:8; I Corinthians 15:3-4).  His Word will ultimately change our hearts, through the working of the Holy Spirit and in the Name of Jesus.

Please know this-- you do not have to be a scholar to understand the Bible.  You don’t have to be a pastor or a seminary professor (or any sort of professor or teacher) to understand it.  Just read, study and meditate upon it!  If you are a Christian or a non-follower of Jesus-- ask God’s Spirit to help you to know and understand His Word.  Don’t let anyone (who has big and fancy words or who might sound really smart I Corinthians 1:20-25) intimidate you from reading, understanding or applying the Bible to your life.  God’s Word will penetrate to the depth of your soul Hebrews 4:12).  Jesus also made it pretty clear that apart from Him, through His Word, we can do absolutely nothing (John 15).  

Let me finish by saying this-- place your faith and trust in Jesus alone and ask Him to give you a deep hunger and thirst for Him through His Word!  If you don’t have a Bible-- here’s a link to where you can purchase one-->  Bible .  You can also get it for free if you have a Kindle or Kindle ap.  

HAPPY SAINT PATRICKS DAY

In honor of St. Patricks Day....

Follow this link-->  St. Patrick

Are you a Christian? How do you know?

Below are a few thoughts to ponder.  I copied and pasted them from a blog about 2 years ago (and for some reason I can't remember exactly where-- I think it was from http://theresurgence.com/ -- but I can't find it on their site).

I personally need these reminders every single day! May the Gospel of Jesus Christ impact mine and your heart!

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5 Ways to Know If You're Really a Christian

Jonathan Edwards sought to promote vibrant Christian faith through teaching people what the “marks,” or signs, of godly living actually are. He did so not merely because he was really smart and liked categorizing things, but because he wanted Christians to experience the joy of true Christianity and then spread that joy to others. In short, he was a missional pastor before the vodcasts and fauxhawks.

1. You Love Jesus

In his 1741 text Distinguishing Marks of a True Work of the Spirit of God, Edwards laid out a number of negative and positive signs that distinguished a true work of God from a false one. Though Edwards focused in this text on revivals more broadly, his words apply to individuals seeking to discern whether they know the Lord. The first of these signs was a “raised esteem” for Jesus Christ. The point of this first sign is that when the Spirit moves in a person’s heart and awakens them to faith and repentance, their view of Jesus changes. The nominal believer respects Jesus, but does not reverence or exalt him. The true Christian takes delight in Jesus, a delight that is often palpable and contagious. As we serve on mission for God by promoting the gospel, we should expect to see a “raised esteem” for Jesus Christ, the author of our redemption.

2. You Hate Sin

The second sign of a “true work” is an increased hatred for sin and defeat of sinful practices.When the spirit that is at work operates against the interest of Satan's kingdom, which lies in encouraging and establishing sin, and cherishing men's worldly lusts; this is a sure sign that 'tis a true, and not a false spirit… So that we may safely determine, from what the Apostle says, that the spirit that is at work amongst a people… and convinces them of the dreadfulness of sin, the guilt that it brings, and the misery that it exposes to: I say, the spirit that operates after such a manner, must needs be the Spirit of God (Works 4, 250-51).

This point, like the others, is both profound and simple. One of the clear signs of a work of God is increased hatred for sin. Our eyes are suddenly opened to see the dreadfulness of one’s condition. Where before one had spotted weaknesses and flaws, but always had excuses at the ready to cover up those personal blemishes, now the Spirit shows the sinner just how degraded and evil he is.

3. You Love God’s Word

The third sign of a “true work” is a love for the Bible. Edwards tied this love for Scripture not to simple literary appreciation for its contents, but to a Spirit-given hunger and thirst for the Word of God:That spirit that operates in such a manner, as to cause in men a greater regard to the Holy Scriptures, and establishes them more in their truth and divinity, is certainly the Spirit of God... The Devil never would go about to beget in persons a regard to that divine Word, which God hath given to be the great and standing rule for the direction of his church in all religious matters and concerns of their souls, in all ages. (Works 4, 250)

Many people respect the Bible. It is known as a “holy book,” a sacred text. But few people view it as the actual word of God that God himself “has appointed and inspired to deliver to his church its rule of faith and practice” as “the great and standing rule for the direction of his church.” Where a person’s heart flames with love and holy “regard” for the Scriptures, the Spirit has worked.

4. You Love Truth

The fourth sign that marked the presence of a “true work” was a heightened love for truth and the things of God. An awareness and responsiveness to divine truth was a clear signal that the Lord had moved in human hearts. So where people came to see “that there is a God” and that he is “great” and “sin-hating,” and that they themselves have “immortal souls” and “must give account of themselves to God,” the Spirit was working true conversion. Edwards rightly noted that the Spirit does not lead believers into error. Therefore, when we hear news of conversion, whether mass or individual, we need to listen for resonances of the truth in the testimony of the convert. Do they love the truth more? Do they love God more? Do they subscribe to sound doctrine, and root their faith in it? Missional Christians seek to hate sin and to lead others to do the same.

5. You Love Believers

The final positive sign in Edwards’s taxonomy of the Spirit’s “true work” was love for one’s fellow Christians. Many people who profess Christ lose their footing on this final point. They may well appreciate fellow church members and contribute in some way to their well-being, but they have not been filled by the Lord with a holy love for fellow Christians, and thus they do not serve them. True conversion will cause stable couples to take in young Christians hungry for discipleship. It will lead Christians to give generously to missionaries and fellow believers (see 2 Corinthians 8). It will drive older believers to spend time mentoring younger ones (see Titus 2). In the end, the way one cares for one’s fellow members says more about our testimony of conversion and our understanding of gospel mission than we might initially think. True Christians serve their fellow members out of love, as a response to the grace of Jesus. 

(Adapted from Chapter Three of Jonathan Edwards on True Christianity from The Essential Edwards Collection) Question: Which of these “marks” of true Christianity most stands out to you? Which do you need to cultivate in living a missional life as Edwards did?

The STORY

Hello Friends! Today I'd like to introduce you to the greatest STORY thats changed human history (and my life) and I'd like to share it with you!  Click on this link to learn more-->  The Story  

GOOD NEWS changed my life....

He gave me life- both physical and spiritual

Let me begin by saying this: It isn't about me-- it's all about God, through His Son Jesus Christ!

February 20th, 1975, the Lord gave me physical life. I've been blessed by God with two wonderful parents and two older brothers. I am definitely the youngest. Growing up I was spoiled (I finally realized that when I was in my 20's).

When I was 2 years old my folks decided to move away from the city and relocate us to the country. Dad sold our place in Rockford, Illinois and brought our family of 5 to an acreage outside of Rockton, Illinois (about 2 hours west of Chicago). I have some great memories of living there.

I loved playing sports when I was in school. I mainly focused on soccer and running (track and cross country). I also played the trumpet starting in 4th grade and ended my band years after graduating from high school in 1994.

When I was 7 years old God chose to give me a brand new life. This "new life" is found in Jesus Christ. God awakened my heart to Him when our family was listening to a speaker. This particular man was addressing the crowd about Heaven and Hell. Where was I going to be heading to when I died? At the time I wanted to begin following the Lord because my family already was.

I grew up going to church and many church activities hearing about God-- but it wasn't until I turned 21 years old that someone finally sat me down to challenge me in where I was spiritually. He opened up the Bible to First John Chapter 5 and led me to verses 11 and 12.

"And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

I was blown away when I read those words!! God chose to save me through His Son; God chose to give me life! God, through His precious and holy Scripture, chose to give me the assurance that He lives in me and that I'll see Him one day face to face.

God has changed my life dramatically! Growing up in a church and around those who claim to be Christians can make ones heart numb to what is True (that Jesus Christ came to give us life through His death and resurrection). I remember a few years ago I asked the Lord to give me a fresh look at the Gospel (which means-- good news). Shortly after I was introduced to another gentlemen who challenged me in my faith. God used James to help me see truths in the Bible that I've never seen before. The Lord answered my prayer. He gave me a fresh look at Him, His Word, and the Gospel.

Let me review two things. God chose to give me life physically and spiritually. I love what the bible says in Psalm 139:13-16 --

"For you formed my inward parts;you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them,the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."

WOW-- God actually created me! That is such a comfort to know. I am so thankful that I am not some accident that just happened. Because God formed me in my mothers womb- I am able to have hope.

And then-- He gave me a spiritual re-creation. The Bible says- "he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior," Titus 3:5,6 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. [1] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Life in Jesus Christ is the ultimate hope for all of us! Everything about my soul (how I think, feel and the things I choose) is inclined towards God, through the power of His Spirit living inside of me. God's Word is living inside of me and that is how I live daily-- seeking to obey Him through the meditation of His Word (read Psalm 1 and Psalm 19).


For 8 years I served with an organization called, Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), and the Lord led me to the most beautiful young lady who is now my wife. We tied the knot before the Lord and our loved ones August 2nd, 2008. We now have two beautiful daughters- Abigail Jane, born March 27, 2010 and Madison Grace, born December 28, 2011.  To God be the glory for all that He has done in my life! I give Him all the praise!