Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Steadfastness

Can your family count on you to be steadfast?

Can they depend on you to be unshakable?

Do you display strength and courage in the face of opposition?

Are you heading toward the future that God desires you to have?

Men, our families need stability. Our wives need us to pursue a future where the Lord is guiding and directing. Our children need us to be their rock and their protector. Our God needs us to be obedient and surrendered to doing His will. Can you be these things....Will you be these things? What's keeping you from them and a future like no other???

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

A Conversation with Stephen Josiah Fuentes

This morning, I had a sit down conversation with my nine year old son, Stephen Josiah. I thought I'd ask him some random questions and jot down his answers. All the answers are in his own words verbatim. The coffee's hot, the laptop's out, so here we go:

1. How should a grown man act?
Respectful, reliable, kind, loving,caring, and loyal.

2. What should men do with their lives?
Serve God with them. Use them for good. Serve others.

3. What kind of woman should a man marry?
A Christian woman. A woman that is using her life for God's will.

4. Why do you think a lot of men do bad things?
Because, the main reason is, they're not Christians, and because they try and act cool in front of others, like when they use drugs and guns.

5. How should a husband treat his wife?
With love, kindness, and respectfulness.

6. What's the best part about growing up in our home?
Being able to learn a lot of new things. Being able to see a lot of people.

7. What's the hardest thing about growing up in our home?
Getting hurt by tripping over things, like rocks.

8. What does the Lord want you to do with your life?
Probably to serve Him and to serve others.

9. What's your favorite book or story in the bible?
My favorite story is the story about Jesus. I like how He answers people and is never wrong.

10. Why did Jesus die on the cross?
To take away our sins if we become a Christian, and to let us go to heaven instead of hell.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Voddie Baucham on Government Education

The following quote is taken from Voddie Baucham's post "Top Five Reasons Not to Send Your Kids Back to Govt. School"

"There’s enough here for an entire series of posts (so many posts... so little time), but for now let me simply say that the “the Lord told me” line of argumentation has serious theological problems. We must make our educational decisions with an open Bible. “The Lord told me” is no substitute for “the Bible says...” Please don’t make a decision about your child’s education without consulting (and obeying) the Scriptures."
Read the full post on Voddie's blog by clicking here!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Rebelution Tour 2009

This Saturday, July 11th, 2009, my 16 yr old daughter, Janai, and I will be attending The Rebelution's "Do Hard Things" Tour at Moody Church in my hometown of Chicago, IL. Both of us are very excited and are looking forward to spending the day hearing from the Godly young men who God has raised up to spearhead this movement.

My daughter has been greatly challenged by the book that Alex and Brett Harris, the brains behind the movement, have written entitled "Do Hard Things." I've seen her walk with the Lord really grow since she read the book that me and her mom gave her for Christmas.

I encourage anyone in the region to attend with their children. Ages targeted are primarily preteen to early twenties. I have a friend even driving in from St. Louis with his 12 yr old child. Visit their website to learn more about them and to see what the "Do Hard Things" tour is all about.

Also, if you're on Facebook, I created an 'Event' page that you can join to learn more about this Saturday. Click here to go there. Below is a promo video for the confernce. Hope to see you there!

Friday, July 3, 2009

The Weight of Fatherhood

Being a father can be an overwhelming job. The amount of responsibility that God has placed on men can at times, make men feel like complete failures. Apart from the grace and strength of God, being the kind of father that brings God glory is not possible. Sure you can be a father--if you define it by just having children--and make it "OK" in life, if that's your goal. But for those who want to bring glory to God through their leadership in their homes, the status-quo just isn't good enough.

God hasn't called men to mediocrity, He hasn't called men to simply provide, or to just stay married. No, no, He has called us to so much more. He has called us to lead and provide, build and protect, in a way that is counter-cultural. The way God wants His men to lead in their homes should make the non-Christian men shake their heads in disbelief. They should wonder why we choose to love the way we do. Why we provide the way we do. Why we discipline the way we do. Why we educate the way we do, and why we protect the way we do. If they aren't noticing how you lead your home, then my friend, how are you leading your home?

Admittedly, leading a home in a counter-cultural way isn't easy. It isn't going to get you on the cover of any men's magazines--well, maybe Vision Forum's--but that's it! It isn't' going to allow you to live as others may be living. You might find yourself working when others are playing. You may find yourself at home when others are out. You may find yourself surrounded by kids when others are surrounded by "big boy toys." You may wonder if it's worth it at times, and you may be tempted to lower your standards in order to live the life you "think" you're entitled to live. So let me remind you--in case you feel weighed down by life--you're serving the Lord. The decisions you're making now, for your wife and children, will reap a harvest for the Lord in the future. So hang in there.

As God told Elijah--when he was on the run from Jezebel and feeling very alone, scared, and weary--you are not alone. God said that He had preserved thousands of others who hadn't bowed the knee to Baal. He saved a remnant for His purposes and for His battles. So it is with us as well. God has called and saved a remnant who haven't bowed the knee to cultural normativity or caved in to the demands of the prosperity whore who decides what you need. He has raised up an Army to engage in the battle for the souls of the next generation. You are not alone. He has put in the hearts of thousands of men the desire to disciple their children in such a way that brings Him glory. You are not alone. He has also put in those men's hearts the desire to preserve the Godly calling and biblical legacy of virtuous motherhood, and not sacrifice the vitality of their brides at the altar of modernity which waits like a hungry jackal in the work place for the heart and soul of our wives.

The weight of fatherhood is enormous, and on our own, we're destined to ruin it like so many before us have done. But God, the God of the bible has a different plan. He desires to see us live for His glory, and with that desire, has provided a way for this to be accomplished. Draw strength from the blood of those who have gone before you. Hear their voices calling to you from the grave. Hear the voices of Apostles and Prophets from the words of scripture, and hear the voice of the One who hung on the cross and bore it all. He stretched out His arms to die, setting an example of Godly manhood for those would call Him Lord, and now calls us to pick up our cross and follow Him!