Thur. 4 Missions: Transformed Muslim

My colleague and good friend, Dr. George Robinson, wrote this account in late May. Read the whole thing here, but here is an excerpt.

While there a strange man came up to him and put his hand on his shoulder and said, “One day you will be a great man of God.” The confused young man left with more questions than answers. Several years later he had moved into the city and was excelling at his studies. While at the university he got involved with a radical fundamentalist Islamic group and quickly rose to the top as a student leader. After studying the Qur’an in depth, he again felt like there were more questions than answers. One night he took a walk to think through all of this. As he crossed a bridge in the city a strange man approached him and put his hand on his shoulder and said to him, “Soon you will be a great man of God.” It was the same man that had approached him in the cemetery!

Wednesday - Be encouraged!

Don't get too busy to be abnormal

 

This is not a new message and it is surely words you've thought or said before.  I'm struggling a little bit.  I let a few days go buy without spending time in God's Word.  I got to bed a few nights late and woke up a little later than normal and I let the day just zoom right by without taking time to read the Word. Now it is not quite so easy to prioritize my day, not quite so easy to answer my kids with patience, not quite so easy to be kind to my wife when she is upset.  It is not quite so easy to be Christlike.  Gee not hard to figure that one out. 

 

I know the joy I get from living in obedience and communion with God.  I know the pain of being too busy for God- I've seen those consequences too many times.  So why do I do it?  Why do I not do what is right? 

 

Because it is natural.  Because it is normal.  Because it is our nature, our sin nature to NOT seek God.  It is the unnatural thing to seek God, to want His will in my life.  Sometimes my kids struggle with making good choices and as we are talking about it they complain that it is not easy to obey.  They know I expect them to obey and I probably make it sound like it is easy.  Just do the right thing, just do it, don't fuss, don't waiver, just do it, follow God and do what is right.  We set that bar high, don't we?  We fuss at them, scold them, discipline them when they make poor and sinful choices.  We really expect them to make good decisions and we let them know that in no uncertain terms. 

 

Sin is normal.  Godly behavior is not.  It is kind of a shocker to my kids as they've gotten older when I explain this to them.  They have always believed that being a good boy or a good girl was normal and they were in trouble for not being normal – not being good.  Well I guess in a way that is not a bad idea for them to have.  But as my children have gotten older and made some bad conscious choices and felt remorse over them and frustration with their seeming inability to please God continually, I've had some talks with them about this complicated matter.  I tell them it is hard to follow God.  They look at me like I've said something bad.  We have this discussion frequently and as they get older their understanding of God is growing.  They are learning that is not easy but it is right and even though it is not easy, the pain of doing right is less than the eventual pain of doing wrong. 

 

It is such a simple thing that I have to learn over and over.  We are called to be abnormal creatures, not creatures of habit and instinct, not to do what comes natural and what feels good. 

 

So that's why I failed to study some of God's Word the past few days.  That's why I let things get too busy for God.  Not really because I was purposefully pushing God out, but instead because I was NOT purposefully pulling God into my life so to speak.  It is normal to not seek God.  I was acting normal.  So today on lunch I'll be opening God's Word.  And tomorrow morning I'll make time for a very unnatural act- meeting with my Lord and Savior and to read His words to me and talk with Him. 

 

I encourage you likewise; take time to have an UNnatural day.

 

Be encouraged and lead your families,

Philip Buford

 

Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/ 

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com

 

Christian Indignation?

“We’ve got to do something about this – call your Congressman…”

How often have you heard something like that? When did this shift in Western Christianity occur? This thought struck me the other day, that we rightly see things in this fallen world that make our (and God’s) heart sick – abortion, poverty, divorce, sexual deviancy, chemical abuse, etc… - but we have stopped reaching out to help people – instead we have turned to the government to shelter, insulate, and legislate the solution to these problems:

“Abortion is wrong! Call your congressman!”

“Homosexuality is wrong! Call your congressman – defend marriage!”

“Pornography is wrong! Call the FCC – defend our children!”

 

Are these sentiments wrong? At the root of it – of course not! Let’s think about something though – what does the Law do: heal or condemn? The Israelites were given the law – yet the majority of the time were just as sinful as their pagan neighbors. The law doesn’t do anything except condemn you. I think about Christian talk radio: I never hear things like “wow – isn’t abortion one of the saddest things? Please get out there and show the love of Christ to these women who are thinking about abortion – tell them the good news, tell them about adoption…” Instead I hear the opposite “Abortion should be illegal, shouldn’t it? How can any sane person not think that abortion is murder…”  then everyone calls in and agrees with how evil everyone is who agrees with abortion. Nice and Christ-like huh? The first thought seeks to heal the damaged soul that seeks to sin – the other seeks to simply stop the behavior. Hmmm…that would be peachy if good works could bring us into a life changing relationship with God. (Hint: it doesn’t).

It seems to me that the majority of modern Christians (myself included) have lost (or never even had) Christ’s love for sinners. Who did Jesus condemn and get angry with? The fakes. Jesus could not stand to be around those religious guys who acted like they were perfect, had all the answers, and knew how to fix everyone else. They thought everyone should ACT right instead of BEING right. Jesus knew the Jewish Law – He could have rained down a mountain on the adulterous woman the leaders brought before Him. Instead – He condemned them!

Listen, we live in a fallen and Godless world, just like the ancient Hebrews, just like the early Church – no amount of legislation will change people’s wicked hearts. We MUST get back to the Gospel if we want to change our world. The world sees right through hypocrisy and doesn’t care about rules. Why should they? We have something so much better than legislation and legalism to offer:

We have freedom! We have the broken chains of bondage laying about our feet – THAT is the message you should take to your Congressman:

You want drug abuse to stop – lead them to the Great Physician, whose love heals all pain – Jesus Christ.

You want to stop sexual sin – lead them to the lover of their soul – Jesus Christ.

 

There is great risk here – with legalism, you can at least attempt to control everyone’s behavior and create a comfortable lifestyle bubble around you. Simply preaching the Gospel and leaving people in the hands of the Spirit leaves you vulnerable. If you stop the gay couple from holding hands, you may feel more comfortable. If you tell them of Christ’s love and freedom from sin and they reject it – the behavior continues. So, you have to decide – what’s more important – stopping bad behavior or saving souls? Tell your Congressman.

 

Nathan Campbell
Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

Visit the blog at:
http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com

 

 

Thur. 4 Missions: Stetzer

Ed Stetzer, NAMB guy, speaking at last week's SBC Meeting in San Antonio.

Wednesday - Be encouraged

Accountability – the right kind of peer pressure

 

God is teaching me about accountability right now and everywhere I look, I seem to be hearing songs or stories about or reading things about accountability and the importance of lifting each other up, building each other, encouraging and challenging each other to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Accountability is still a mystery to me, but I’m learning more about it. 

 

It is amazing how the Word of God is indeed alive.  So many passages can speak to so many different issues.  There may be one interpretation but there are many applications.  There is a group of men meeting at church to study Nehemiah on Thursday mornings.  I’m excited to see what all God is going to teach me through this study.  I’ve read over the first few chapters a few times and I keep finding principles to help me through the day, principles to share with my wife and kids.  You can’t read chapter 3 without getting the feeling of camaraderie and teamwork.  Those men (and women) worked together on what must have seemed to be an impossible or at least very difficult task.  There were many hecklers trying to discourage them.  Enemies threatened, the fear of physical harm was real.  Yet in 52 days the group accomplished something amazing.

 

Surely during that time people were not always cheerful and full of energy.  Someone is bound to have smashed a finger or dropped a big rock or heavy tool on his foot.  Gueys missed their families back in Susa.  It appears to have been mainly men doing the work and you know how men can get some times- pretty egotistical about their work.  There were probably some unkind, hurtful words….knowing guys, that is putting it mildly.  There could have been some small battles for leadership.  But it does not appear that happened.  What happened is that they worked together and got the job done to the absolute glory of God.

 

I was talking to my brother Paul last week about the accountability I am developing with some of the men at church.  He praised God over that and encouraged me to continue growing and walking as well as leading others.  When I reread the Nehemiah passage about building the walls, I thought about how accountability is similar.  They were building up, strengthening the walls against attack and creating a place of security and peace and they were working together to accomplish it.  Our accountability to each other is like that.  When we lift each other up in prayer and ask each other how we are doing on specific issues it keeps us working toward Christlike living.  I told my brother about the strength the accountability is giving me.  Hearing other men pray for me and knowing they are praying for me from day to day encourages me.  It is hard to explain the different aspects.  Part of it, for sure, is the shame issue.  If I do this behavior and one of my godly brothers asks me about it then I’m caught. Like a child doing something they know they shouldn’t, hoping they don’t get caught and maybe resisting the temptation for that reason alone.  Part of it too is the “I’m on a team” factor.  We are all praying for each other, encouraging each other, wanting the best for each other, knowing that only in Christ and in obedience is true happiness.  There is no happiness in sin.

 

Here is how accountability is worked out.  I frequently get books on cd from the library and listen to them in the car if I get bored while driving.  Sometimes I think the story is not something I need to listen to so I exchange it.  But usually I don’t. I keep listening and tell myself, it won’t get any worse and I finish the book.  This weekend I got a book and started listening to it.  It was captivating and exciting as the team of good guys was winning.  I thought sensed something pretty questionable coming up in the story.  I stopped to get gas or something and when I got back in the car I thought about the godly men that pray for me.  I felt a sense of accountability to them – like I should not let them down by continuing this cd if it got bad.  I struggled with this and listened to the radio instead.  The next morning I had managed to sleep off the guilt so I started listening again.  Then the scene came, time to make a decision. I turned it off.  After work I took it back to the library.  The whole time I thanked God for the influence these godly men are having in my life.  Their friendship, prayers, encouragement and challenges helped me avoid sin.  That is peer pressure in the right direction.  Join us on Wednesday nights to pray and Thursday morning to study Nehemiah.

 

Be encouraged my brothers and lead,

Philip Buford

Time Well Spent

Proverbs 15:14 says, “The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly”

 

I have a dirty secret that I am generally reluctant to share with most people…I don’t watch TV anymore. Well, ok, to be perfectly honest I do watch my television, but I am talking about broadcast (cable, etc…) TV shows. 99% of the time that I am in front of my TV, it is either showing Lord of the Rings or a Star Trek DVD of some sort (oh yeah, that’s the other secret – I’m a geek). What I am saying is that my life isn’t dominated by television anymore. To a large degree, it is because of lack of availability. When we moved, we didn’t reestablish cable and the Dish wouldn’t work because of the trees in the yard. So, for about a month, we didn’t get ANYTHING – then we were eventually given rabbit ears. (Notice that – the rabbit ears were actually thrust upon us because some friends just couldn’t bear the thought of us living without any TV!).

So, thanks to the rabbit ears, my wife and I have one favorite show that we make a point of watching – 1 hour – that’s it.

 

The point is that my usefulness and productivity have really skyrocketed. From 6:30PM – 10:00PM just about every weeknight that we aren’t at church or some other activity, you can generally find me doing the dishes, folding laundry, reading a book, playing with the baby, listening to music, cooking dinner, studying training materials for work – things that I should be doing as opposed to turning my brain off and even worse, filling my mind with images & attitudes that don’t honor God and tear down my defenses and limit my relationship with family and God.

 

Am I telling you that TV is evil and you shouldn’t watch it – no - that’s not the point. D.L. Moody said that a boat must travel in the water (be in it) but if the water gets in the boat, it sinks (don’t be of it). I am coming to believe that in my life, watching TV for 3-6 hours a night was like drilling holes in my life-boat. It was letting too much world water in. 

 

A friend quoted John Piper telling a story about once his children wanting to go see a particular movie that they probably shouldn’t be seeing (and they knew it). The kids said, “What will it hurt” – Piper’s response was – “what will it help?” Does the time you spend watching sports or some other show bring you closer to the Lord? Now listen, I have just admitted that I love watching Lord of the Rings and Star Trek – they are great escapes for me and don’t cause me to want to sin – there is nothing wrong with needing to unplug for a little bit and relax – TV and movies are a great way to do that. But for every 1 – 2 hours that I do spend watching TV, there are at least that many hours devoted to other non-TV activities. I am not saying that you should unplug your cable or dish – but think about this – take a look at your cable or dish bill. How much money do you spend on shows that you don’t watch or wouldn’t watch anyway? Do you really get a return on that investment? Do you like paying for channels that broadcast what is essentially soft-core porn? Is it honoring to God to bring that into your house?

 

I realize that this hits really close to home – it did when I was first struggling with these things. But, if we really want to be Men of God, we must decide to turn over EVERYTHING to Him, even our entertainment. Again, I am not calling you to throw out your TV, and I am certainly not going to judge anyone that watches more TV than I do. I can walk through a liquor store and not once be tempted to drink – some people can’t come within two blocks of a bar without fighting the desire to go grab a drink.

 

I just want to encourage you to examine your habits and evaluate what we put into our minds and hearts and let God tell you what He desires from you. Be open to what He asks - in my case, my family really has been blessed by following His will for us in this area.

 

 

Nathan Campbell
Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

 

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

 

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com

 

 

Monday Blog - Father's Day

Happy Father's Day! (yesterday)

I hope all of the dads out there reading the blog had a great Father's Day.  I hope you were able to talk to your dad and wish him a great day.  My father departed this earth in August of 2005 and now realizes the glory we anticipate so eagerly.  Although I know he is in the presence of his Savior, I still miss being with him.  He was always a lot of fun to be around and quick with a joke.  I remember him seeming larger than life when I was small and again larger than life once I got out on my own and experienced the real world for myself.  (Isn't it amazing how much your parents "learn" once you get out on your own!) My dad was the most giving person I've ever met and had the heart of a servant.  I knew I could go to him when I needed help, advice, or just a friendly ear.  He would drop everything he was doing to help someone.  I enjoyed our talks together and always knew he had my best interest in mind, even when I wanted to convince myself otherwise.  I have fond memories of my Dad.  He took me to church, taught my Sunday School class, and made me learn the Word of God.  He was respected by the people around him for his honesty and dependability. 

Because of who my dad was, I was able to read the Word and see what kind of Father that God is to us.  I feel for those that did not have a good Christian father as a role model.  Our view of the heavenly father is deeply influenced by our experience with earthly fathers.  Some people have seen some pretty lousy examples.  Unfortunately, this is an ever growing problem.  I see children daily that have never been around an adult male until they come to school.  How will these people understand who God is and what His love for us is like?  How will they know how to be a father to their own children?  It is a vicious cycle.  Satan has attacked a critical place!  Without fathers doing what fathers need to do and are commanded to do by the Lord, our perception of God becomes a difficult task and our role as a father to our children becomes a mystery.

The first institution God created was that of family.  God has a place in mind for everybody, and for the man, this was as a husband and a father.  We have been commanded to love our wives and families like Christ loves the church.  We have been instructed to raise our children in the way that is right.  God has entrusted us with an incredible job!  Men, we must strive to be the best fathers we can be, to our own children, as well as those that have "adopted" us as their fathers. (Yes, kids do this all the time!)  Our legacy is not left by the money we have made, the positions we have attained, or the titles we have earned.  It is in the example and witness we are daily to those who look to us.  Our legacy rests with the eternal difference we make in the lives of our sons and daughters.

For His Glory,

Darrell Baty

Friday is for Vision

Nehemiah had a Vision to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem and nothing anyone else did could stop him from accomplishing his vision.  When he started he was a slave in a land far away with no money and no power.  Yet he had a Vision and he believed he was unstoppable and he prevailed.  Because of what he did we are still being inspired today.

 

Alexander the Great had a Vision to conquer the known world.  When he started he faced the largest army in the history of the world with only a small force and had only had enough money in the bank to pay his men for 30 days.  Yet he had a Vision and he believed he was unstoppable and he prevailed.  The reason the New Testament is written in Greek is because he conquered most of the world and made Greek the international language and we are still being influenced by what he did.

 

Edison had a Vision to bring light to the masses.  He faced hundreds of failures in his attempt to invent the light bulb.  Yet he had a Vision and he believed he was unstoppable and he prevailed.  After all those failures he said, they are not failures, I now know hundreds of ways not to make a light bulb.  And we are still benefiting from his influence today.

 

What has God given you a vision for?  Once He gives you a Vision, remember that you are unstoppable. 

 

Thanks,
 
Gary Kendall
 
gkendall@KendallSystems.com

"While it is hard to motivate someone with no Vision, it is almost impossible to stop someone with a Vision." - gary kendall

 

Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

 

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

 

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com 

Thur. 4 Missions: The Lulu Tree

I was just in southern Sudan for about 3 weeks. Here's a story for you.

My recent trip was divided into two parts: The first ever Baptist Conference of southern Sudan held in Rumbek; and the church-planting campaign in Torit, Sudan. At the conference, a tall, young Dinka pastor with a quiet demeanor named Benjamin stood to tell a testimony of his church. He pastors a small gathering of believers in the bush near Akot where they met under a large Lulu tree. Imagine a very mature pecan tree—sans pecans of course—and you can draw a mental image in your mind. The lulu tree provided the shade that makes meeting together bearable in the oppressive heat of Sudan.

Left to right: Benjamin, Abraham (another pastor), and John Jefferson (my travelmate, from Plano, for the entire trip) under a tree similar to the one described in this story.

One day, the local authority in the area informed Benjamin that he would have to move his church to a new location. The man wanted to establish a fish market beneath the great tree and the church stood in his way. Benjamin protested, but was overruled. The authority’s quote was, “I give the land and I can take it away.” Benjamin complied and the fish market materialized beneath the tree.

Then a funny thing happened. On the first day of the fish market, the merchants noticed the leaves falling from the tree. Within a week, the tree was dead, empty of the leaves that provided the great shade.

Who is the One who gives and takes away?

Prov. 23:11, “…for their defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.”

more

Wednesday is for Encouragement

Be Courageous….Fight

 

I can't wait until we meet tomorrow morning for the study in Nehemiah to begin.  Last week I was reading more in Nehemiah.  I kept coming back to 4:14 "When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and 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 houses.' " This passage is speaking about actual warfare with physical enemies that were threatening attack on Jerusalem. 

 

Brothers, just like Dick Kendrick said in his post last Thursday, we must see this spiritual life, this walk with God, this fight against ungodly desires and forces as a very real thing- just a real and imperative as having a job to pay the bills, putting gas in the car so you can drive.  It really is critical to your very existence.  He said "But if you saw your life as a great battle and you knew you needed time with God for your very survival, you would do it."

 

We are many times afraid of fighting the enemy, afraid of making righteous decisions because it may have consequences that we cannot foresee.  Do not be afraid.  Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  Guys, we must do the right thing.  Make those hard choices.  Be strong and courageous.

 

I got an email from a high school friend last week that was in town to visit her parents.  She wanted to know if we could get together for lunch or dinner with just me or with my wife and kids.  Her husband was back at home and her kids were off at summer camp.  We talked on Tuesday about meeting for lunch.  That night she got a call from her husband telling her that after 18 yrs of marriage he was filing for divorce.  She had no clue of any major problems, no separations, no recent huge blow ups.  She was totally blown away when he told her he had been having an affair for five years.  Men, I'm telling you this for some very specific reasons.  When she asked her husband if any of his friends new about the affair, he responded "What friends?  I don't have any friends." Guys, many of us have expressed the importance of godly men in your life.  We cannot underestimate this! 

 

It is a fight.  It is a very real fight.  We have to have other godly men on our side, watching our backs, making sure we are doing our job, challenging us to stay in shape.  I want someone strong and able, fit and ready to come to my aid.  One day a friend is going to want you to fight for him, help him out of a mess and he is going to want you to be strong and ready.  If I'm straying because I'm not being careful or because of willful disobedience, I want some other godly guy to stand up and confront me.  "Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives." 

 

And on that same note, let us not take for granted the families with which God has entrusted us.  Love you wife and your child or children.  Tell them you love them.

 

Be encouraged and strengthened, take courage and lead,

Philip Buford

 

Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

 

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

 

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com 

God Is In Control

In the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, there is an alien character named "Q" played by John deLancie. He is an omnipotent, multidimensional being with apparently supernatural powers. Anyway, he has a line that I find really funny in the context of the episode and the way it is delivered, but listening to it again, I think I can hear this as something God might say to us (although in a much more loving manner J)

 

"Obviously, my knowledge and experience far exceeds yours by about, oh - a billion times; so if you'll just step aside, gracefully."

 

This is so true when applied to God – His knowledge DOES exceed ours by about a billion times, so why do we (men especially) always feel like we must solve everything? I know the standard answer is that we are 'problem solvers' and that is the way we are made, and yes, that is true – but we are also told to "Cast your cares on the Lord" (Psalms 55:22) and to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5) and most importantly "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)

 

Consider the stagehand eager to play the part of Hamlet. He would be better suited to being the gravedigger or a mute – not the most difficult part in all of dramatic theater! In the same way, sometimes we stand up and say "I'm here to play the part of God. Don't worry, I have this under control" when God is there possibly thinking to himself something like what Q said: "My knowledge and experience far exceeds yours by about, oh - a billion times; please step aside and I will provide for you in ways you can't possibly imagine."

 

I'm not saying that we should abandon the inclination that God did give us to provide for our families, to think critically, to solve problems – but, we should realign our sensors and ensure that every decision we make, every time we jump at the chance to take over and solve a problem - we first go to the Creator of the Universe, the most knowledgeable person in existence and ask what He thinks – because even though I'm not a betting man, odds are – His answer is right!

 

Nathan Campbell

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

 

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a
message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com

 

 

Monday Blog - Holiness

I always enjoy reading the posts the rest of the guys put on this blog.  Last week, Nathan wrote a great devotional about living righteous for God.  He made a great point that this does not come through our ability, but through a complete surrender to Christ.  It is only through Him that our lives begin to reflect the Light of Jesus.  I loved this, Nathan.  Thank you for writing the post (Last Tuesday's blog, go back and read it in the archives if you missed it.)  Also, thank you for sharing so deeply from your heart.

 

This really made me think about holy living.  It is a command of the Father. The Word says, "But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16)
and "For this is the will of God, your sanctification (holiness…For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification." (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7).  God even told us how to do this.  "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.  Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6, 7) This is tough.  It asks us to do two things that are extremely difficult and uncomfortable for men, be humble and trust someone else. 

 

Men don't want to be submissive.  It is not a natural reaction for us to admit we are weak, need help, or don't have a handle on life like we think we should.  We want to believe that we know more than we do and that our judgment is the best.  We tend to think that the only person you can really trust is yourself.  These attitudes prohibit us from truly giving ourselves to Christ and keep us from ever really experiencing the wonderful righteousness of God that Nathan talked about.  These attitudes come from us having the wrong idea of God.  We tend to view God as one of our buddies or partners.  We have this image in our brains (whether we want to admit it or not) that God is closer to an equal with us than the Sovereign Lord. 

 

One of the most amazing stories of God's holiness comes from the book of Isaiah.  Isaiah was a scribe and probably one of the best guys around, according to the standards of men.  He was the kind of person you would want as a role model for your son.  People would have said he was living a "righteous life." Then he met God in a very personal way.  He realized what holiness is and we see the differencein his life when he truly gives himself to the Lord.  Isaiah 6 tells the story that Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord in the temple.  The train of his robe completely filled the space in the temple.  Angels flew around the throne spoke praise to God in voices like earthquakes that caused the entire building to shake from the foundation up.  The room filled with smoke as they cried out, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.  The whole earth is filled with His glory."  (Isaiah 6:3)  This was their purpose, to praise God because he is deserving of praise.  This "good man" Isaiah breaks down.  Just at the sight of the hem of God's robe, he catches a glimpse of the holiness of God.  He loses himself and cries out, "It's all over!  I am doomed, for I am a sinful man.  I have filthy lips, and I live among a people of filthy lips.  Yet I have seen the Lord of Heaven's Armies." (Isaiah 6:5)  In this moment, Isaiah humbles himself and trusts in God.  An angel takes a coal from the alter and touches Isaiah's lips and tells him his guilt is removed and his sins are forgiven.

 

Isaiah learned that God is holy and sovereign.  He humbled himself before God and learned what righteous living really was.  We need to catch just a glimpse of God for who He really is; not who we think he should be, or who the media portrays Him to be.  We need to understand that He really is an Awesome, Powerful, and Almighty God.  It is only then that we begin to understand the fear of the Lord.  This is the beginning of wisdom and the first step to us making a true surrender to Him.  I challenge you to break into His Word with prayer and look to catch that glimpse of God's glory.  It is life shattering and changing.

 

For His Glory,

Darrell Baty

 

Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

 

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

 

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com

Friday - Men Need Men - from guesst blogger Dick Kendrick

Men Need Men

I believe most men want close friends in spite of the fact that, as a group, men tend to process things more individually than women might do. Even though much of a man's life is spent projecting a confident, strong, handle-whatever-comes image, deep down he doesn't like being an island. Men long for "buds" that go beyond having someone to hang out with (although that's part of it).

The problem is that many of us don't know how to be vulnerable, and even if we did, we wouldn't want to be! Vulnerability involves real risk. I'm sure most men would rather hang glide, bungee jump, shoot whitewater rapids or skydive before they would open up with somebody about their real life struggles.

Sam, a friend of mine, told me that many men want a meaningful men's ministry, but churches fail to provide it, so many men choose to remain an island-even in the church.
"The hurt and problems run so deep in many men," Sam said. "It drives us away from the solutions that we need. I desire to one day have more real and honest relationships with men in my church." Sam and other men like him need companionship and friendship with other men. Men need to be discipled by other men who will commit to spend more time with them, hear their problems, pray with them, stick with them through thick and thin and encourage them to grow and become new men in Christ, fulfilling their destinies from God.

That's the reason I started my men's group. I've joked about the fact we were going to help each other through midlife crisis. But we had a higher calling. I remember asking the men what we could accomplish if we each challenged each other to become all we could become in Christ.

Most men haven't been trained to be friends with others. And the devil tries to exploit men by keeping them in a type of solitary confinement. Author Preston Gillham says that the enemy of God and man perpetrates a uniquely masculine attack- isolation. We have tried to adapt, accept and accommodate masculine loneliness by glamorizing it in the movies and portraying men as independent and self-sufficient. But the fact is, men need men.

One of the deep needs in a man's life is masculine companionship. Gordon MacDonald puts it this way: "We were built for intimacy, this linkage of souls, but most of us men rarely experience it. And its scarcity breeds loneliness (I don't really know anyone) and fuels remoteness (No one really knows me).

For me, my wife Joy is my best friend and has been since 1972. She is the one whose company I enjoy more than anyone else. But I also have men friends. Joy doesn't play racquetball, or golf or lift weights ... they are not "her thing." So Steve Beam, founder of Missionary Ventures, and I have become not only good friends, but "racquetball buddies."
I just enjoy hanging around these guys. Along with the men in my men's group, I can be open with them and share my life with them. Because both are strong Christians, being with them inspires me spiritually.

What's the point? I'm giving examples from my own life of where these relationships have filled a real need. Cultivating these friendships is hard work and requires time. But to me, they are well worth the effort because they make life so much richer. I challenge you to do the same. Start reaching out to other men in your church. It may be difficult or awkward at first. But do it anyway. It doesn't need to start with something major. Maybe the first step is to start playing sports or just hanging out with Christian brothers. Once you have a network of friends, initiate or join activities that are more spiritually beneficial, like prayer meetings, Bible studies, mentoring relationships or accountability groups. Remember, there are many men out there who are desperate for fellowship. Come alongside them and show them that the game of life is best played in a team.

Excerpted from the New Man Report by Steve Strang

---

Don't get soaked. Take a quick peak at the forecast
with theYahoo! Search weather shortcut.

Thursday - Connecting with God - from guest blogger Dick Kendrick

From Dick Kendrick

Against the flesh, the traitor within, a warrior uses discipline. We have a two-dimensional version of this now, which we call a "quiet time." But most men have a hard time sustaining any sort of devotional life because it has no vital connection to recovering and protecting their strength; it feels about as important as flossing. But if you saw your life as a great battle and you knew you needed time with God for your very survival, you would do it. Maybe not perfectly—nobody ever does and that's not the point anyway—but you would have a reason to seek him. We give a halfhearted attempt at the spiritual disciplines when the only reason we have is that we "ought" to. But we'll find a way to make it work when we are convinced we're history if we don't.

Time with God each day is not about academic study or getting through a certain amount of Scripture or any of that. It's about connecting with God. We've got to keep those lines of communication open, so use whatever helps. Sometimes I'll listen to music; other times I'll read Scripture or a passage from a book; often I will journal; maybe I'll go for a run; then there are days when all I need is silence and solitude and the rising sun. The point is simply to do whatever brings me back to my heart and the heart of God.

The discipline, by the way, is never the point. The whole point of a "devotional life" is connecting with God. This is our primary antidote to the counterfeits the world holds out to us.

(from John Eldredge's "Wild at Heart" and available via the free devotionals from Ransomed Heart Ministries)

 

Dick Kendrick

Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

 

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

 

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a
message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com

Wednesday is for Encouragement

Beseech the Favorable Hand of God

 

Men of God,

Brothers it is truly with joy that I write to you today.  I gain strength and joy from reading the encouraging and challenging words here.  You encourage me to stay in God's Word.  You encourage me to continue living the life that honors God. I pray, too, that my words are used by God to challenge and uplift each of you.  As I begin to read through Nehemiah in preparation for the study starting next week, I keep finding passages that grab me.  Sunday afternoon I was struck by 1:10-11.  "And they are Thy servants and Thy people whom Thou didst redeem by Thy great power and by Thy strong hand. O Lord, I beseech Thee, may Thine ear be attentive the prayer of Thy servant and the prayer of Thy servants who delight to revere Thy name…"  

 

I know this passage was written by a Hebrew man, referencing the Hebrew people, His chosen people.  But we too, the followers of God, the Men of God, are chosen and loved.  And did He not redeem us by His great power and strong hand?  How else would you describe the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? 

 

I want to be counted among those called "his servants."  I want my actions and my words to cause others to know that I am a follower of God.

 

Sometimes I let Satan trick me into thinking I should not ask so much of God.  Not really so much about physical, worldly things- it's obvious that I shouldn't ask for those things all the time.  Sometimes I feel I should not ask so much for peace and prosperity and holiness and …. just so many things that I ask Him for.  But look at this verse, "I beseech Thee, may Thine ear be attentive."  It is okay to ask from God.  We are encouraged by Nehemiah's example to bring our petitions before God.  He wants to hear our requests.  Don't let Satan fool you too.  You are not bothering or pestering God.

 

Another verse that grabbed me was 2:18, the first part.  "And I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me….."  The simplicity of that hit me.  So many times God has been "favorable" to me.  How often do I tell others how the hand of God has been gracious to me?  Has God not indeed been merciful and loving and bountiful to us all?  How dare we not tell others about "how the hand of my God has been favorable to me." 

 

Go do that today.  Tell someone, tell two or three someones how God's hand has been favorable to you. 

 

Be encouraged and lead.

Philip Buford

 

Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

 

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

 

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com

While it is hard to motivate someone with no Vision, it is almost impossible to stop someone with a Vision. 

 

Regarding righteousness

The Lord has been dealing with me recently and thankfully has not turned me over to my sin! He has shown me truths that I have read and heard before, but never integrated into my life (this is called ‘practical theology’ – not what we know, but what we live – sadly there is sometimes a large gap between the two).

 

All this time – even though I knew that God viewed me as righteous because of Christ – I never really lived that way. I always said, “I want to be better, or be more holy & righteous” so I would ‘try harder’ and it never worked. I would reprimand myself for not reading the Bible more, for not having an active prayer life, for still being angry, for all of my other sins. But all I was doing was following a checklist like assembling furniture. The problem was that I was working to earn righteousness, which I finally understand will never bring anything but failure. I am incapable of attaining righteousness by any work, no matter how ‘good’. It wasn’t until I confessed all of my sins, confessed how evil and wretched I am down to the very core -  telling myself and others the truth about how worthless I am as a moral agent really opened the door to new life in Christ. Martin Luther said “Righteousness does not come through righteous acts, rather, righteous acts are borne from righteousness.” Now that I have totally ‘given up’ and am relying on Christ to be my righteousness, guess what? I have had devotional time with God nearly every day for the past two weeks. My wife and I pray nearly every night (real, honest prayer too), my desire for what I listen to has changed, my desires for what I view have changed – and get this – I have a desire for evangelism! I am coming close to being ready to live as Thomas a’Kempis said: “To live a spiritual life, you must be contented to be considered a fool in this world for Christ’s sake.” And it isn’t a task list – I simply don’t feel satisfied without them. It’s a 180 degree turn.

 

Hopefully, this is encouraging to you – because maybe you are like I was – asleep in light. I had more scriptural knowledge that I knew what to do with. I knew that I should have a desire to know God more intimately, to serve Him with all my heart, but I never really felt it or all of my best efforts never lasted because my heart just wasn’t in it. God had to show me that my efforts were failing because I still was unrepentant in several areas of my life; I had never fully turned over my entire essence to Him. Once I did that men - words cannot describe the change. How did this happen with me? I had to confess to God that I was still deliberately sinful. I confessed to my wife. I confessed to several other, important, accountable and Godly-minded men. Doing that forced me to get real. The truth will set you free!

Nathan Campbell

 

Monday Blog - Supporting your Brothers

Without a doubt, The Lord of the Rings is a great trilogy, both in print and film. I was able to recently sit and watch the films again and I think I enjoyed them even more this time around. My favorite line comes from the character of Sam. Some background: Frodo has the difficult job of carrying the ring to Mount Doom. The task nearly killed him on more than one occasion. Frodo is at a point where he cannot go on. That is when Sam steps up and says, "Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you! Come on!" Sam lifts up Frodo and walks with him the rest of the way up the mountain. What an incredible picture of brotherhood!

This scene always reminds me of Moses. Exodus 17 tells us the story. Moses had just led the Israelites across the Red Sea and God provided manna and quail for their food. These people with no battle experience were suddenly attacked by the Amalekites. They had no idea what to do! God told Moses as long as he held his staff up above his head, the Israelites would be victorious. Joshua led an army into battle and as long as Moses held up the staff, they were victorious as God said. When he let his arms down, the enemy would begin to prevail. What a job for Moses! His arms grew tired and he could no longer hold them up. Nobody else could do the job God gave to him, it was his and his alone. Here we see Aaron pull a Sam Gangee and come to the rescue. The Bible tells us he brought a stone for Moses to sit on and people stood on each side of Moses, holding up his arms for him. Israel was victorious.

God has given us the opportunity to be this kind of help and encouragement for each other. Men, we must stand together against the enemy, kneel with each other before the throne, and carry each other throughout the hard times. God has given each a purpose and often it is overwhelming. This is why God says "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Brothers! Make that phone call. Send that note. Visit that friend. Get to know your Christian brothers and be there to walk in Christ together.

For His Glory,
Darrell Baty

Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.

Visit the blog at:

http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com

To remove your address from the list, just send a
message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com