Do You Have the Answer?

...but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

If you had to right now could you share the Gospel with someone? As the scripture says, are you "prepared to make a defense" for the hope that you have? Do you truly believe that apart from Christ a person has no hope for eternity?

Penn Jillette, an atheist from the famous duo Penn and Teller said in a recent blog, "How much do you have to hate someone to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them?" He then goes on use the following illustration to make his point. He says that if he saw a truck barreling down on someone and was about to crush that person he would have to tackle that person and get you them out of the way! Pretty profound comments from someone who is convinced that there is no God!

If we truly believe that there is a heaven and hell and that a person must repent and put their faith in Jesus to have eternal life then what is stopping us? Hell is much worse than getting hit by that truck...and it's forever! The fact that it could be socially awkward should not be a reason to hold back. I believe fear plays a big part here. I can say that because fear has held me back before. I still struggle with it. One thing has helped me in overcoming that fear and that is being prepared!

There are many quality resourses out there that will help you to give an accurate presentation of the gospel. One of my favorites is found at www.wayofthemaster.com. You may recognize Kirk Cameron from Growing Pains and more recently the movie Fireproof. I encourage you to take the time to watch the video that starts when you go to the homepage. Then click on "1", "2" and especially "3" where you will hear the message "Hell's Best Kept Secret." 

Take some time and get yourself ready. Know the Scripture. Prepare a plan and let God do the talking. Present the facts and with God's help you will bring someone to a point of accepting the truth or rejecting it. Keep in mind It is not our job to sell someone on Jesus. It is not our job to convince people. That's God's job! (John 6:44) Our stories won't save them. Our opinion won't save them. The power is in the Word! We are just the messengers and it is our responsibility to KNOW and bring that Word!

Go and share your faith...while you still have time!

Christmas Tips for Dad

I posted this article 2 years ago and think this is a great reminder for all Dad's out there to be intentional about making this a Christmas to remember for your entire family. Sometimes we get so busy and wrapped up (no pun intended) in our daily activities that we lose sight of what this season is truly about. Before we know it January is here and another Christmas season has passed us by. The stress and business of life can so easily rob us of the joy and excitement that the Christmas season should bring for us all who are followers of Christ.

This year I surprised Sherry by getting the tree up and all of the decorations out of the attic while she was out on Thanksgiving night. This may not seem like a big deal but I admittedly have not been too involved with decorating in the past. Usually she is the one struggling to get everything ready and making the house look nice. Little things like this are important to Sherry so I know she appreciated it. I hope it set a good example for the girls as well. That's just one of many things we can do to make the most of this time that we have with our children.

Another one that we should be doing year round is making the time to eat together as a family. Days can go by without truly connecting with your spouse and children. Being deliberate about eating together ensures that this happens. You can read my previous post on that here.

So hey Dad! When you are planning your appointments and creating your task list take a look at some of the items listed below and pencil them in. In fact, see how many you can plan between now and year end. Start creating some great Christmas memories for your family today!




16 Daddy Christmas Tips

Mark Driscoll, Preaching Pastor at Mars Hill Church

’Tis the season for Dad to drop the holiday ball, stress out as the money is being spent for presents, and miss yet another providential opportunity to lovingly lead his family. So, this blog is intended to help dads not fall into the same old rut of holiday humdrum, sitting on the couch watching football and eating carbs, but rather intentionally plan out the upcoming holiday season. Our children grow quickly and if we miss the sacred moments God opens up for us to connect with and bless our families, everyone suffers and we set in motion generations of missed opportunity.

Dad needs...

1. a plan for the holidays to ensure his family is loved and memories are made. Dad, what’s your plan?
2. to check the local guides for what’s going on to make fun holiday plans for the family. 
3. to carve out time for sacred events and experiences to build family traditions that are fun and point to Jesus. Dad, is your calendar ready for December?
4. to not let the stress of the holidays, including money, cause him to be grumpy with Mom or the kids. Dad, how’s your joy?
5. to give experiences and not just gifts. Dad, what special memories can you make this holiday season?
6. to manage the extended family and friends during the holidays. Dad, who or what do you need to say “no” to?
7. to ensure his family is giving generously during the holidays. Dad, who in need is your family going to adopt and bless?
8. to schedule a big Christmas daddy date with his daughter. Dad, what’s your big plan for the fancy daddy date?
9. to schedule guy time with his son. Dad, what are you and your son going to do that is active, outdoors, and fun?
10. to help Mom get the house decorated. Dad, are you really a big help to Mom with getting things ready?
11. to ensure some holiday smells and sounds. Dad, is Christmas music on the iPod, is the tree up, and can you smell cookies and cider in your house?
12. to snuggle up and watch some fun shows with the kids, especially the little ones. Dad, is the DVR set?
13. to take the family on a drive to see Christmas lights while listening to music and sipping cider. Dad, is it mapped out?
14. to help Mom get the kids’ rooms decorated. Dad, do the little kids get lights or a small tree in their room?
15. to read about Jesus and pray over his kids. Dad, how’s your pastoral work going with each of your kids?
16. to repent of being lazy, selfish, grumpy, or just dumping the holidays on Mom. Dad, are you a servant like Jesus to your family?

Something on my Heart This Morning

Something on my heart this morning.

For some reason all of the celebrating in the streets at the death of Osama Bin Laden does not sit well with me. It doesn't bring anyone back that we have lost and I can never rejoice when, in all likelihood, someone's fate was just sealed for eternal punishment in hell. Something we all deserve. Paul was the "foremost" of sinners. He persecuted Christians before he came to Christ.(see below)


This morning and in the days ahead I hope to teach my children that we should seek to share the gospel and pray for the salvation of everyone. Even the seemingly "un-savable."  No soul is beyond the reach of God. As hard as it is to understand, the lie that we told when we were a teenager carries the same weight as the sins of the worst criminal.  James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.  ESV

Although it is highly unlikely, what if in the last hour one of the most horrendous of sinners came to Christ? Should we rejoice then? YES! What an awesome God we have that this is even a possibility because of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross! Should we rejoice that he most likely has been damned to hell? I don't see anywhere in the bible that we should respond that way.

1 Tim 1:15-17
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 
ESV

Good Fathering Points to God

This video speaks for itself. How are we doing?

Teaching Your Kids About Money

Here is a great article about the importance of teaching your kids about money by Christian Financial Counselor Dave Ramsey. Do you give your kids an allowance? You may be surprised to hear what Dave has to say about that. He also talks about the importance of teaching your kids about spending, saving and giving. I have been a listener of Dave Ramsey's radio show and have read a few of his books and for the most part his advice is right on the money. (pun intended!)

In addition to the article there is a short video of Dave teaching similar material. Please click the link below to access the article.

http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Features/Magazine/2011/teaching-your-kids-about-money.aspx

2 Great Resources at a Great Price!

Please see the link at the end of this post and check out Getting to the Heart of Parenting by Paul David Tripp. I have this material on CD and it is excellent! For the next week you can get the DVD's from WTSBooks for $14.99 which is 75% off the regular price! I am a firm believer that as parents we need to saturate our minds with material like this. Parenting is a tough job and it is easy to get worn down when things get hard. Sometimes it causes us to fall into bad habits of parenting in an un-biblical way.

Materials like this are a constant encouragement to me and they have helped me tremendously. Our marriage class used material by Paul David Tripp and it was very well received. I highly recommend this resource.

The other book in the email is by Donald S. Whitney entitled Family Worship. I believe as a father it is my responsibility to see that we have family devotions or family worship as often as possible. Right now what that means for us is that we are trying to read through the bible as a family this year. For others it can mean more or less. This book talks about the importance of family worship as it relates to Deuteronomy 6:4-9. When Tedd Tripp was at High Point Church a few years ago he let me borrow his copy. It is also an excellent resource and it is only $4.00 until next week.

If anyone has any questions please let me know. Here is the link.

http://www.wtsbooks.com/enews_archive/GTHPTrippSale.html

Carl

New Parenting Class starts January 19th

Starting Wednesday, January 19th at 6:30 pm, Vertical Parenting will be starting a 15 week parenting class based on the popular book Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp.

The mission of Vertical Parenting is to “Ignite a Passion in Parents to Take the Lead in the Spiritual Training of their Children and Equip Them to Carry out the Task”. If Sherry and I had to recommend one book for that equipping process, next to the Bible, it would be Shepherding a Child’s Heart.  It is our opinion that Shepherding a Child’s Heartis foundational in that equipping process. While many parenting books focus on behavior modification Shepherding a Child Heart focuses on heart transformation. Centered on using God’s Word to transform the heart of your child, its aim is to point your children to the Gospel in every area of their life. It is the Gospel and the Gospel alone that will produce lasting change in your children as well as in your marriage and in your entire

family.

We know you will be blessed by not only the teaching but by the fellowship with other like-minded parents. You will be encouraged to know that the parenting challenges that you may be facing are not unique to your family. One of the blessings that previous attendees have shared is the

realization that, “they are not alone in the challenges they face.”  This material is for parents, grandparents, teachers, Sunday School

Teachers, Child Care Workers  and anyone who cares for children of ANY age. For more information please go towww.verticalparenting.com.

To register please look for the insert in this Sundays bulletin. You can also contact Carl or Sherry Majeski at 793-6034 or by email at verticalparenting@gmail.com. We hope you can join us for this 15 week class so that we can ensure “that the next generation may know.” (Psalms 78:6)

Sincerely,

Carl and Sherry Majeski