Matthew Henry is most well known for his helpful commentary on the whole Bible. This work has been broadly accepted and useful because of its comprehensiveness and its devotional nature. In the book, Meet the Puritans, Henry was described as “a frail child, yet spiritually robust”. This is a marvelous description of anyone. When physical looks and strength are so focused upon, the true measure of our life is our spiritual fitness, and here is one who has influenced centuries now because of his focus upon the spiritual. It was said that Henry stressed the following simple message to his friends and family:

A life spent in the service of God, and communion with him, is the most comfortable life anyone can live in this world.

Matthew Henry’s life was not without it’s own share of trials. His first wife died during childbirth at the age of 25. He also had three daughters die in infancy. He grew up at a time in England where unless you wanted to conform to the Church of England, one could not enter into the profession of being a pastor. So, Henry entered the legal profession, but was constantly preaching and continuing theological studies on the side. However, he was privately ordained at 25, and entered the ministry full time at Chester where he pastored twenty five years. He was then called to a prominent congregation just outside of London, but died to injuries due to falling of a horse just 2 years later.

In my pride, I thought no one understood my heart as well as I did. But Scripture doesn’t support such a conclusion….Without others’ help to see myself clearly, I’ll listen to my own arguments, believe my own lies, and buy into my own delusions.

This quote is from “Humility: True Greatness” by C. J. Mahaney

Here is a sound argument by Dr. Mohler and a writer from the New York Times for Americans to stop watching the news.  He discusses basic truths we were taught when we were young, like not laughing at hurting people and how we have forgotten basic human respect in society.

We had a good funeral yesterday for sweet lady who attended our church. Dad was up for the first time since breaking his leg and did the main part of the service . I did the graveside part of the service. Everything went well until I tried to read 1 Corinthians 15:53 “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” It came out, “This mortal body must put on immorality.” Boy can a “t” make a big difference. You know how they say it is not proper to laugh at funerals, well someone couldn’t help it.

In other news: Tyler has started talking much better now, and lately he has been saying, “Ready to go home?, going home?” This is odd, because we are usually home when he says it. So we asked, “Where is home Tyler?” To which he replied, “Church daddy!” When you are a pastor’s kid it may sometimes feel this way, that you are at church more than home. However, this is one of those lessons learned by practice, not preaching, that I am so thankful for from my childhood. Church was our priority. It was our family. It was our home in many ways. Now I want to pass that on as well. There is something greater than our family and our home in this world, the church.

So in honor of Tyler’s quote here is Friday’s Foto:

This was taken after swim lessons with my camera phone.   And then doctored with Gimp.

We often here the phrases, quality time verse quantity time, in the context of parenting. Some will argue that it is not the quantity of time you spend, but rather the quality of time that matters. Quantity of time is easily defined and measured. Quality time is more difficult, but often is measured in terms of memories or a deep discussion. In reality, you need both and neither can substitute for the other in the parenting relationship. However, the greatest need for our children is connected time. Connected time involves several aspects. Like our Heavenly father our children need to see their parents are concerned about what is going on in their life. He knows the hairs on our head, he know when we sit and when we rise. We need to make ourselves aware of what major and minor things are going on in their lives, what their likes and dislikes are, what excites them, what changes may be happening, what they view as significant. But it must go deeper than just knowing. The Spirit is the Paraclete, meaning he comes in and along side of us to guide us in the Father’s will. As parents we too play a paraclete type role. We are to find out what is going on in our children’s lives and then parent them, or guide them as to what is right, the way they should be thinking, acting, and responding. This is where quantity and quality may not cut it, we are not just being buddies, but are parents. Children need this, they long for this, it is as innate as our longing for God and is connected to it. Are you spending connected time with your children?

I normally don’t get too excited about movies being released. In fact with 3 small children at home, I cannot even remember the last movie I went to see. Chalk that, it was Charlotte’s Webb. Okay, I cannot remember the last non-children’s movie I saw in a theater. I saw the promotional material for this about a year ago and have been looking for it’s coming. And to top off all of my excitement, Horatio Hornblower is William Wilberforce! I have now watched the trailer (click the above picture to watch for yourself) and several scenes (I Once Was Blind) and am even more excited to watch this film. I say all of this, hoping you understand I have yet to preview the movie. I hope it does not disappoint. To learn more of Wilberforce’s theology read this article by John Piper. He is also due to publish a timely book on the life of William Wilberforce.
Here is documentary on the film:

A pastor friend, who also has a young daughter, sent me this video. We have decided to get vehicles from Suburban before our daughters are allowed to date.

Long live the Trunk Monkey!

I was first introduced to Joseph Alleine during my internship under Steve Martin in Fayetteville, GA. There I was encouraged to read and teach through a reprint of his work, An Alarm to the Unconverted, which was re-entitled, Wake Up and Live. This is a wonderful work that has helped many souls to Christ. Upon reading more of his life in Meet the Puritans I have been further challenged and humbled by his ministry.

First there is an encouragement to the young from the testimony of his life growing up in Wiltshire, England.

Joseph Alleine loved and served the Lord from childhood…From eleven years of age onward, “the whole course of his youth was an even-spun thread of godly conversation.”

I think sometimes today it is easy as a youth to think you have to “experience” life before you can be committed to what is right. Or one may buy into the lie that you have to go through teenage rebellion or finding yourself. Lose your life in Christ that you may live all of your days for Him.

Secondly, I am moved by his own personal piety.

Alleine rose early, devoting the time between four and eight o’clock in the morning to the exercises of private worship…he would be much troubled if he heard the smiths or other craftsmen at work at their trades, before he was at communion with God: saying…”How this noise shames me! Doth not my Master deserve more than theirs?”

How often we give greater to our earthly masters than to our heavenly one!

Third I am encouraged by his evangelism. Ian Murry said of Alleine, “Never did the evangel of Jesus Christ burn more fervently in any English heart!” It was also noted that during the time just after graduating from Oxford that he “devoted much time to preaching to prisoners in county jails, visiting the sick, and ministering to the poor.” He was devoted to instructing his own congregation and it was said of him, “He was infinitely and insatiably greedy for the conversion of souls, wherein he had no small success.” After being imprisoned for preaching it is noted that he continued preaching through the prison bars.

All of this and numerous writings and he died at only 34. What a challenge to all, especially felt by those of us who are pastors in our young thirties.

This is a picture we took the other day on the way to the church building.  This may have been the most amazing snow I can actually remember.  There was the blizzard of 78, but it is tough to have vivid memories at 4.

We have enjoyed the snow and being able to be together as a family. Here is a picture of yesterday’s trip to the park to sled and play.