Bold- What does it mean to be bold? For me, to be bold is not to be afraid, afraid of what people say, what they think, and to be able to stand up at anytime under any circumstances. I have had some people say that my user name is cocky, arrogant or just being full of myself. I would like to ask those people how REAL are you? Do you need me to pray for you, do you need any help with anything, or just ask them how can I help them?
I have recently asked several men to come down to the altar to pray for our church, families, pastor, and the nation for revival. That, to me, is real. That, to me, is being real about what God has called each and everyone of us to do. Its time we stand up and be bold.
Too often we get lost in the world and I understand that just as much as anyone. I was bold and I was cocky, and arrogant. I would do anything I had to do to get head of anyone. I sometimes think that is what people might be thinking when I say "Be Real".
I recently went to the meeting called Men's Encounter where I heard the words be bold in all that you do. It was spoken by a man named Stan, you want to talk about a man that is bold, he is so bold that when he speaks you can feel the presence of God. He speaks as God has given him every word to say. You know how bold Jesus was? For example when he walked into the temple and turned over the tables and ordered everyone to stop using the temple as a market place, that was bold. How about all the times he would say I am the Son of God and when he would tell someone that is blind to open their eyes or tell someone to get up and walk away and then to raise someone from the dead, that's bold. But there was this one time that stands alone and brings a new meaning to being bold. It is when he died on the cross for our sins and took on everything that we have ever done and ever will do because he loved us so much that he wanted to step up and be bold in what his Father has asked him to do.
He is not asking us to be whipped, beaten, torchered, have a crown smashed on our heads, then get up and walk through a crowd of people that hate you for trying to love them and all they can do is mock you and spit on you, and then lay you down and drive these big nails into your hands and feet and hang you on this cross where your skin slowly rips with every breath you take, and then if that was not enough they rip your clothes off and spear you to see if your dead yet. That is boldness. All he has asked of us is to come to him, pray, seek, and believe in him.
Where is our boldness? Why can't we stand up for him and not worry about what people think? I try to. That is why I said "BE REAL FOR HIM" and do what he has asked us to do.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Marriage
This is going to be a hard one. I want to start by saying that I do not claim to know everything about this subject. Only my wife and the Lord knows what has gone on in my heart the last couple of years. Like a lot of you, I came from a divorced family. I had no idea how a man was supposed to treat his wife. I thought if I would get up and go to work and then come straight home after work, say hello to the wife, rub the kids heads, then retire into the faithful recliner for the evening, everything would just fly on by.
We do not live in the "Leave it to Beaver" era. Life is so fast we are caught up in the world and needing approval from everyone and everything except from the one that is really doing the judging, the Lord our savior.
In my marriage I have done or tried to do about everything a person shouldn't do in a marriage. I have lied, stole, mentally abused, misplaced trust on where I was and what I was doing, and had a relationship with another woman, and totally manipulated everything.
Wow, that is even worse when you put all of that in front of you. I have talked to enough guys that would say that in their marriages they have felt or done some of those things.The question is why? Why are there so many men in today's world that are feeling these things?
I think it has everything to do with their relationship with their Father. I didn't say dads. Why? Because your Dad will let you down. He is not perfect...but your Father in heaven is always there and His love is never failing. He calls the church His bride. If the people would take care of the church the way we are supposed to then it would be easier to see the love that He has for her.
In my marriage I have been given a second chance to do it right through God's grace and mercy. I know there are some things that I left out that I have done in our marriage but those are the things that I could think of. Besides, it only takes one of those things to start a downward spiral in your marriage.
I have learned it does not matter who, why, or what the argument is about, it is up to us men to love and show our wives the love that our Lord displays for the church and to us.
I am convinced that if we (men) act in the way God has designed us to then we will have the marriage that we wanted the day we said I DO.
Which brings me to my next question when you said I do did you mean "I do" or "I kinda do" or did you think you where still in the repeat after me mode?
It is important to take a look at what happened that day you said this is the happiest day in my life and ask yourself where things went wrong. Why do I not still have that feeling I did on that day? Then I would challenge you to take a look at where you are in your walk with Christ and are you walking together or are you going solo or are you even walking with him at all?
I would also ask that you ask your wife "what can I pray for you, what need are you needing met in your life and will you pray with me on my knees". Then you will see the blessing come up on your lives in a totally new way.
My heart hurts for today's marriages. There are so many men and women that are in trouble spiritually and emotionally. These things can only be healed through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Final thought - always tell her you love her even if its only been 5 minutes since you last said it and when you feel you have got something to say to your wife, make sure you can back it up biblically and that you bring your discussion with a clear and loving heart.
We do not live in the "Leave it to Beaver" era. Life is so fast we are caught up in the world and needing approval from everyone and everything except from the one that is really doing the judging, the Lord our savior.
In my marriage I have done or tried to do about everything a person shouldn't do in a marriage. I have lied, stole, mentally abused, misplaced trust on where I was and what I was doing, and had a relationship with another woman, and totally manipulated everything.
Wow, that is even worse when you put all of that in front of you. I have talked to enough guys that would say that in their marriages they have felt or done some of those things.The question is why? Why are there so many men in today's world that are feeling these things?
I think it has everything to do with their relationship with their Father. I didn't say dads. Why? Because your Dad will let you down. He is not perfect...but your Father in heaven is always there and His love is never failing. He calls the church His bride. If the people would take care of the church the way we are supposed to then it would be easier to see the love that He has for her.
In my marriage I have been given a second chance to do it right through God's grace and mercy. I know there are some things that I left out that I have done in our marriage but those are the things that I could think of. Besides, it only takes one of those things to start a downward spiral in your marriage.
I have learned it does not matter who, why, or what the argument is about, it is up to us men to love and show our wives the love that our Lord displays for the church and to us.
I am convinced that if we (men) act in the way God has designed us to then we will have the marriage that we wanted the day we said I DO.
Which brings me to my next question when you said I do did you mean "I do" or "I kinda do" or did you think you where still in the repeat after me mode?
It is important to take a look at what happened that day you said this is the happiest day in my life and ask yourself where things went wrong. Why do I not still have that feeling I did on that day? Then I would challenge you to take a look at where you are in your walk with Christ and are you walking together or are you going solo or are you even walking with him at all?
I would also ask that you ask your wife "what can I pray for you, what need are you needing met in your life and will you pray with me on my knees". Then you will see the blessing come up on your lives in a totally new way.
My heart hurts for today's marriages. There are so many men and women that are in trouble spiritually and emotionally. These things can only be healed through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Final thought - always tell her you love her even if its only been 5 minutes since you last said it and when you feel you have got something to say to your wife, make sure you can back it up biblically and that you bring your discussion with a clear and loving heart.
Holidays
The holidays are here again. This year brings on a new meaning. Starting with Thanksgiving - I have so much to be thankful for. This year starting off with thanking Jesus, for giving me another Chance at life, for dying on the cross for my sins. Without God 's Mercy and giving me grace on my life I would have never been able to receive the Holy Spirit in my life.
Next I would like to thank my wife for her devoting heart, love, and her prayers that she has done so unselfishly. Without her I have know idea were I would be right now. I have talked of being Faithful, Forgiving, Hopeful, and Trustworthy on my blog. All of these were inspired by her and her walk with God and having God working on my heart at the same time.
Then I would have to be thankful of my children. They have endured so much in their short lives with what I have put them through. They too have shown me a lot of the same things that my wife has, especially my 11 year old son. For him I think it is still hard for him to trust me and to believe me but when you are a kid and the person that you should be able to trust the most breaks his trust, it is hard to trust again. With my daughter being so young through all of this, I wonder if it affected her at all. I think it did but it was probably in a way that she will ask me about when she is older.
Finally, I am thankful for my friends and my church for not giving up on me and being there for my family. Even though some people gave up on me and wrote me off, I think a lot of you see that I was not myself and have accepted me back with open arms.
So you see, I have so much to be thankful for. I bet if you would take a look at your family, church, and if you know your Lord and Savior as your Father, friend, Counselor and etc... you would know what I am talking about.
Next I would like to thank my wife for her devoting heart, love, and her prayers that she has done so unselfishly. Without her I have know idea were I would be right now. I have talked of being Faithful, Forgiving, Hopeful, and Trustworthy on my blog. All of these were inspired by her and her walk with God and having God working on my heart at the same time.
Then I would have to be thankful of my children. They have endured so much in their short lives with what I have put them through. They too have shown me a lot of the same things that my wife has, especially my 11 year old son. For him I think it is still hard for him to trust me and to believe me but when you are a kid and the person that you should be able to trust the most breaks his trust, it is hard to trust again. With my daughter being so young through all of this, I wonder if it affected her at all. I think it did but it was probably in a way that she will ask me about when she is older.
Finally, I am thankful for my friends and my church for not giving up on me and being there for my family. Even though some people gave up on me and wrote me off, I think a lot of you see that I was not myself and have accepted me back with open arms.
So you see, I have so much to be thankful for. I bet if you would take a look at your family, church, and if you know your Lord and Savior as your Father, friend, Counselor and etc... you would know what I am talking about.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Friendship
I have been truly blessed in my life. I am not rich, I don't drive a fancy new car, and my home is not much more than shelter from the elements. I say that I am truly blessed first because God in His mercy has seen fit to save my wretched soul. To offer me salvation while I was stills His enemy. In the words of Isaiah 53:5, He saw it fit to crush His son for my transgressions. If I had nothing else in this world, that would be enough. But God has seen fit to bless me with a beautiful, loving, compassionate, patient, Godly wife. And she has bore me two wonderful children. I have a dependable job that allows us to give freely to His Kingdom.
You might be thinking to yourself, "O.K., I to am a Christian, I have a wonderful family, and in today’s economy you might even be so lucky as to say that you have a dependable job. What is your point?"
My point is that God has blessed me with something else, something that few men in today’s world find. He has blessed me with not one, but two soul mates. My wife was the first, and about a month ago He gave me another. He is Rick, the author of Real Men For Him. We met down on the gulf coast while doing Hurricane Ike relief, and from the moment we met I felt a kinship like no other. I didn’t know how to explain it until I was in Sunday school. We were studying 1 Samuel 18:1-4, it said that from the moment that David met Jonathan their souls were knit to one another. Vs 3 says that Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
In a very short amount of time, Rick has become that kind of friend to me. I say that I am truly blessed because not many men allow themselves to be so vulnerable as to give themselves to a relationship that transparent and honest. We as men have believed satan's lie that to really love another man is somehow homosexual. Well I am here to call the true men of God to denounce that lie and to seek out the friendship and accountability of other men of God. Proverbs 27:17 says,"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Lay aside your inhibitions and give yourself to someone else. Open the door to a friendship and see how God can truly bless you.
You might be thinking to yourself, "O.K., I to am a Christian, I have a wonderful family, and in today’s economy you might even be so lucky as to say that you have a dependable job. What is your point?"
My point is that God has blessed me with something else, something that few men in today’s world find. He has blessed me with not one, but two soul mates. My wife was the first, and about a month ago He gave me another. He is Rick, the author of Real Men For Him. We met down on the gulf coast while doing Hurricane Ike relief, and from the moment we met I felt a kinship like no other. I didn’t know how to explain it until I was in Sunday school. We were studying 1 Samuel 18:1-4, it said that from the moment that David met Jonathan their souls were knit to one another. Vs 3 says that Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
In a very short amount of time, Rick has become that kind of friend to me. I say that I am truly blessed because not many men allow themselves to be so vulnerable as to give themselves to a relationship that transparent and honest. We as men have believed satan's lie that to really love another man is somehow homosexual. Well I am here to call the true men of God to denounce that lie and to seek out the friendship and accountability of other men of God. Proverbs 27:17 says,"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Lay aside your inhibitions and give yourself to someone else. Open the door to a friendship and see how God can truly bless you.
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