Blogs

My oldest daughter recently turned 17 years old.  For the past decade, I have watched God grow her into a woman. Along the way, we have had countless teaching and mentoring opportunities.  Like her older brother, they both have received a heart imprint from their parents.  Imperfect as that imprint is, it is one that has and will continue to impact their lives.  As fathers and mothers, we have been given such a blessed opportunity to serve as stewards of our children’s hearts as God grows them into men and women.

In past generations, not too long ago within our own American history, girls and boys would step into various roles of adulthood as they reached their teen years.  In many cases, it was part of a larger picture of household and community survival.  Children matured within a model that naturally transitioned them into adult responsibilities that centered around helping the household and others in their pursuit to survive.  It was both generational and community oriented.

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

1 Corinthians 13:11

As a father, I cannot be too intentional when it comes to helping my children mature for the Lord within every stage of life.  When I read the above verse, I am struck with the simplicity of the developmental stages of life.  There is childhood and then there adulthood.  While I understand that there are elements of degrees within these stages, there really are only two stages.

At some point of maturation, and I believe it will vary somewhat from child to child, a child needs to progressively take on roles of adulthood that allows the child to be contributing to the welfare of his or her household and community.  As this happens, the child quickly learns that life does not revolve around him.  It is during this same time that we, as parents, have the opportunity to connect everything we do to the glory of God.  As such,  the child naturally learns that there is no area of life void of God - no compartmentalism of our faith, every relationship and everything we do is done unto the Lord for the glory of God.

It must begin with the parents and the adults that surround our children.  Paul hits the point hard and clearly in Titus 2.  Both men and women need to set the example of adulthood for our youth (young men and women) growing into adulthood.  It is God’s expectation that when adulthood comes, childhood ceases.  Our expectations and goals as parents and adults should be no different.

One last thought when considering Titus 2 - before I can teach/mentor the next generation within their God-given roles of men and women, I must first become a living example.  Join me this week in spending sometime in Titus 2 and let’s pray together that God will use us to impact the next generation for Him.

What are we seeking?  Even perhaps a better question yet is what are we seeking first in our lives?  Everybody seeks something. For some, it is as simple as daily survival, a meal that will provide them the necessary nutrients to sustain life.  For others, it is the accumulation of stuff, and/or the need to have more in life.  If you were to read the front covers of many of the magazines that our local department store sells, it would appear that most people are seeking to lose weight or to attract the attention of the opposite sex as one’s highest calling in life.

Yet, as Christians what are we called to seek?  As I was reading through Colossians, I was reminded of our calling to simply seek after the things of God and not of this world.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Colossians 3:1-2

It is now closing in on eight years since we began the process to start Seek First Ministries with the basic premise to encourage the body of Christ to stay focused on seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness within the relationships of our homes, churches, and communities.  In a very real way, it is the inherent calling to see our lives as missional, to live Christ and to share Christ within every area of our lives.  It is a calling to secure our minds and hearts on Christ and on those priorities of life that He calls us to pursue (Colossians 3:12-17 : “...put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering...above all these things put on love...”).

What are we seeking in life?  Dependent upon how we answer this question will most significantly determine what we make of life and what we give in life.  Our calling in Christ is this simple, to make Christ our everything and to give Christ our everything- to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness for His glory (Matthew 6:33/1 Cor. 10:31).

God, as life at times pulls us in many directions, please keep us anchored to Your simple calling to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, to set our minds on things above and not on things of this world.  All for Your glory and honor.  Amen.

Five years ago, I was just getting to a point where I thought I knew exactly what God wanted me to do in ministry and in life.  Yes, I had figured things out and was easing into a direction that I knew God wanted me to go.  Then it happened.  What I thought was a straight fastball turned out to be a curveball and my life was all of a sudden heading down a different path.  Yet, it became very evident it was the one God wanted me to take.

Everyday millions of people consume billions of videos via the internet.  The statistics for video consumption via mobile devices and social media are staggering and growing at an exponential rate.  It is not a stretch to say that video is one of the most influential communication mediums of our day.   As I saw the potential ministry implications with all of this, it became quite evident that media, specifically videos could be used as a powerful tool for our churches and ministries.

This is exactly why after some considerable research and prayer a number of close ministry friends partnered with me several years ago to form Seek First Media.  It was our goal to become a Christian media business that would take the message of Seek First Ministries and other ministries and integrate them into video and other media formats for a more effective and more global impact.  Most recently, these same men have partnered with me again to build a multi-producer platform that will seek to uplift gospel-centered, Christ-exalting, God glorifying video illustrations for churches and the greater Christian community.  Our new site launching later this year is: All About Him Media.

I must admit, I have a love/hate relationship with media.  Like many people, I love great cinematography with a message that uplifts a good message.  What I hate is that there is far too few movies that hit this mark.  Yet, I must say that the past few years have seen some excellent Christian movies released.  While Seek First Media and All About Him Media will not be making and distributing full-blown movies (at least not yet:), we do desire to be a ministry-minded organization that is committed to connecting the message of Christ without compromising the message of Christ.

To accomplish this new site launch required God to bring some gifted people around me and He has done just that.  Within the entire process, we will continue to maintain the ministry of Seek First as we seek to become more focused on initiatives that uplift the gospel message of Christ while strengthening the core relationships within our homes, churches, and communities.

Please visit our new All About Him Media facebook page at

All About Him Media FaceBook Page

and “like us.”  This will help get our feet wet so to speak and begin the process of getting the message of All About Him Media out there.   Also, please keep us in your prayers as we take this next step in serving God within ministry and media.

“I know Him” (1 John 2:3-6).  This simple statement of association means everything.  To know Christ is a declaration of a relationship of love that now compels one’s life. It means that I no longer live but now Christ lives in me and the life I now live I live for Him (Galatians 2:20).

I know Him means that my life is now His and no longer mine.  He is my master.  I am His servant.

I know Him means I treasure His Word in my heart that I may not sin against Him.

To know Him means I ought to walk like Him.  To do this means I keep His commandments.

I know Him means that I have given up self in order that He may truly abide in me and lead me.  To know Him means that I now trust Him with every aspect of who I am and how I live.

I know Him means that I love what He loves and hates what He hates.  To know Him means that this world system and the things in it that fail to uplift His Name in reverence are not my friend.

To know Him means I am now a slave to the righteousness He has given me.

I know Him means that I am a child of God and not a child of this world.

To know Him means I walk in His light and must love my brother as He has loved me.

I know Him means that He is changing me into His very likeness.

I know Him means that my life needs to be all about Him and His glory.

When it comes right down to it knowing Him means everything.  Two questions that I should be asking myself and others...

1- Do you know Him?

2- How well do you know Him?

Lord, thank you for making a way to know You.  Cause us to put knowing You better as our highest life aim.  May we truly love what you love and hate what you hate.  As we know you, may others see Your light shining through our lives.  For Your glory and honor.  Amen.