Matt Franklin turns five in November. Loves to hike with us in the "forest" near our house. A math prodigy and a wonderful kid.

With the deaths of several celebrities on the forefront of people's minds, I want to focus this week's question and answer on Heaven. 

For those who do Facebook and/or Twitter, I'm posting on both most days.

Years ago, while pastors at Good Shepherd Community Church, my friend Alan Hlavka and I both developed lists of all the specific consequences we could think of that would result from our immorality as pastors. The lists were devastating, and to us they spoke more powerfully than any sermon or article on the subject.

First, commit yourself to regular giving to your local church and above and beyond giving to missions and other ministries.

Let me summarize the secular/atheist and Christian foundations for the value of life, then you tell me whether it's any wonder that many people today are feeling like they, their lives, and the lives of others have so little meaning or worth.

In light of my blog post some time ago with the Christian the lion video, our friend Diane Meyer sent us the following. It’s a somewhat similar story. But please, if you haven’t watched the lion video, do that first. Without it, you will not appreciate why Diane sent this one.

I have encouraged women in this situation to go to their husbands, explain their deep conviction about giving, perhaps share one of the passages about how God blesses givers, and tell him she believes God will provide for their family so that the amount she desires to give won't be noticed by him, even if it is substantial.

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of speaking at the Desiring God National Conference with John Piper, Jerry Bridges, and John MacArthur. But perhaps the greatest privilege was being with the other speaker, Dr. Helen Roseveare, missionary to the Congo.