Power Quote

"When there's no hope for tomorrow,
there's no power for today."
-Mark Jobe
(Lead Pastor, New Life Community Church, Chicago, IL)

A Masculine Christianity: The Lion and the Lamb (Pt. II)

In my previous post I talked a bit about how men need to function as Lions in their homes when protection is the need of the hour, and there are many times when protection is the need of the day. But then there are times when men needn't be Lions, protectively prowling the grounds of their homes, looking for enemies that may have made entrance into their castles, and destroying them as the dutiful leader and protector that God has called them to be. No, sometimes men to function as Lambs, gentle, harmless, little lambs.

Jesus is called the Lamb of God, just as Jesus was called the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and to be the kind of husband, father, and leader we need to be, we too, must function as Lambs when called upon.

There are many times in my home when I've felt the need to function as a lamb, and not a lion. Most of those times have been when I'm dealing with my wife or my daughters, but not all. See, my wife and daughters are more delicate than my boys, so I must be careful and take caution when dealing with my wife and daughters. I need to be careful not to crush their spirits or make them fear me, and from experience of not always doing this correctly, it can happen easily.

My boys on the other hand, I can be a little harsher with. Not always, mind you, because as young boys, they too can be crushed in spirit, and I never wish to do that to them. My goal for my boys is to raise them to be Godly, masculine men who learn to lead their homes by watching how I lead mine, and I hope to lead my home by watching how Jesus leads the church!

So men, consider how you too can function as a lamb in your own home, or life, if your still unmarried, and ask the LORD to show you where you've failed. To truly be leaders who exemplify Jesus Christ in our homes, we must learn to function as Lions and as Lambs, and this my friends, is only possible by looking to Christ. He was the perfect Lion, and He was the perfect Lamb, so let us look to him as we seek to grow into what the LORD truly desires from us!

~Strength and Honor~

A Masculine Christianity: The Lion and the Lamb

The imagery of Jesus as the Lion and the Lamb is one that we Men can learn much from. There are times when courage and bravery are called for in this life, then, there are times when utter dependence and peacefulness are the need of the moment.

We see this dualism lived out in the life of Jesus Christ. He was the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and also, the Lamb of God. When confronted by the Pharisees, He vigorously fought against them, knowing that these religious leaders were attempting to hijack the nation and use it as a means of self-aggrandizement. These men were everything Jesus called them; liars, thieves, serpents, wolves, hypocrites, blasphemers, etc., and needed to be dealt with harshly. And I believe as Men, we are called upon at times to function as Lions in our own lives, with our own families.

Is someone threatening the spiritual or physical well being of your wife and children? Is someone seeking to steal the hearts of your wife and children and lead them down a path of spiritual ruin? Are philosophies entering your home through people, programs, or relationships that are not in keeping with faithfulness to Jesus Christ? Well, if any or all of these are present in your life at this time, you need to rise up and be the leader and protector that God has called and commissioned you to be.

Don't worry about what others might say, because they'll say it anyway, just listen to the Lord and Man-up! Step up to the plate and protect your home. You have one shot in this life to do it right, don't let life pass you by as Satan attacks your home like he did in the Garden, when Adam succumbed to his seduction and plunged the human race into utter chaos and lost what was most precious to him and his wife Eve, their relationship to the Father of Creation.

Men, hear me well, especially if you have teenage daughters. Any boy who ain't looking for a wife is looking to score with your precious little girl. If you disagree with me, you should change your name to Adam as well. Think about your teenage years, what were you like? Especially if you're a first generation Christ follower like myself. You know your intentions weren't good with other Men's daughters, so why would you think it's different now? Wake up, step up, put your cup on, and fight, like you're called too in Scripture...

14And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."
Nehemiah 4:14 (ESV)

Don't be a Lamb when you need to be a Lion. You're daughters need you to protect them, God has called you to protect them, now find your sword and kill a beast. Whether the beast has a name, (maybe someone you know personally), or is a "perceived role model," who is stealing their hearts in more subtle ways, whichever the case, they must be dealt with swiftly and decisively.

One example of a "perceived role model" stealing the hearts of teenage girls subtly is none other than Miley Cyrus. If you think I'm exaggerating, just Google her name and click 'images' to see what's she's promoting. Do I blame her? Partly, but mostly her Dad, Billy Ray, who's pimping his daughter for the o' mighty dollar.

So I leave you Men with this thought; Is anything threatening your family? Not just physical threats which are much easier to detect. But spiritually, which may even be more important. You know, where the heart lies. Are your wife and children being protected by you there, where it counts most? If not, are you willing to be a Man and defend those God has entrusted to you? If you won't fight for your family, who will you fight for?

Next up, functioning as Lambs for the well being of our homes...

Today Marks 18 Years for Me and June!

Eighteen years ago I married the lovely, June Sass Fuentes. Our journey has truly been a testimony to the goodness of God, and an extension of His grace to those who desperately need Him.

We were young and broken when when we wed, and today, by God's grace, we're building a home that will bring Him glory and leave a Godly legacy and heritage that our children will carry on.

Thank you, June, for the past eighteen years, and I look with anticipation to the next eighteen.

I love you more than you know!

(My wife wrote a lovely post about us on her blog. Please visit it if you have time by clicking the link below!)

A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

It's About Time, Not Gifts, On Father's Day

As a father of eight wonderful children, I can speak with absolute certainty when I say; Father's day is truly about spending time with your loved ones, and not about getting gifts from them! (And as side note, since we're a one income home, I kinda know who's financing those gifts. But shh, don't tell the kids!)

For many years now, my family has been blessed with the opportunity to host my family's father's day gathering. We spend the day, after church, gathering around good food, good fellowship, and always, good laughs. We normally take some time to go around the room and have the various families in attendance say a few words about my dad, Reynaldo P. Fuentes. He's the patriarch of the Fuentes family, and to date, has been blessed with 22 grand-children from his four children. Truly a gift from the LORD!

My dad's a humble man, who is seeking to live out his remaining years as a shining example to his children and grand-children, of what a man looks like as he serves the LORD in his "golden years." My dad was saved later in life, somewhere around 60 or so, and has been playing catch-up ever since. He hasn't wasted any time cherishing his family heritage, pouring love on his children and grand-children, and conforming his life to the will of God. He's a great guy, who you can't help but like the first time you meet him.

My dad always tried his best to provide us with a nice place to live, nice clothe to wear, and good times to remember growing up. He did what he could from a distance, being that he and my mom divorced when I was young. My three siblings and I (pictured with my folks) were fortunate in that, while other men usually divorced their kids along with their wives, my dad never did. He always stayed in our lives and we knew he'd be there when we needed him. I never wondered if my dad loved me because whenever I got to spend time with him growing up, he told me he did. And for a kid growing up in inner city Chicago, that meant a lot!

So as I get to see my dad on Father's Day every year, I know there's nothing I could give him that would bring him more delight or happiness than a good cup of coffee and some time on the couch talking about life. After a quick chat, he usually heads out to play T-rex with his grand kids and throws the football around with them too. You see, gifts could never bring what my dad, and all dads I know, really want, which is more time to enjoy those who are eternal. We are happy just to be called Dad, and no amount of money spent on a gift we may or may not need, can ever compare to just spending time with those you love the most.

If you still have your dad in your life, don't let this Father's Day go without letting him know how much you care for him. Gifts don't convey love, words do. Gifts don't mend relationships, words do. Gifts aren't remembered, words are. So if there's anything you should give your dad this Father's Day, it should be YOU! Give him your full undivided attention, give him perhaps his favorite meal, give him as many of your family members as you can squeeze into your home, and most importantly, give him your time, because after all, that's all he really needs.

May God Bless you, and Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there. . .