Momentum

Brothers, I want to pray with you today, specifically about sin, and our struggle with it. I encourage you to name your sin. Say it out loud. Be honest to God with your/our struggles.... Then pray against the word(s) you just spoke. Pray for courage from the Lord. Pray for forgiveness. Pray that the Father will de-clutter your mind, make you feel anew. You ARE NOT your sin. Your true identity is known by your father and is of the Father. We all struggle. We all fall short. We all regret something we have said, done or thought. But place it at the throne of the King. Remember that Jesus payed for your sins. Move on. Move forward. If it is only by inches, do it! We can do this! Blessings to you and your families!

We are about to enter a new year! I am sure many of us are happy to see 2020 sent to the history books! Whether your year was filled with peaks or valleys, God is ALWAYS good. I know it can be hard to understand that sometimes, but is is the truth. My family has been very blessed this year. I say this to you not to brag, but to show the goodness of God! A light upon a hill is not meant to be hidden! I can't imagine my life without the blessing and guidance of God.... If you feel inclined, post something you are thankful for God from this crazy year! Or, post a prayer request. Remember, when one or two gather, God always hears the prayers of His people. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May you walk in the light of Jesus Christ and may we always be mindful of His goodness and His patience and His love.

A prayer that I have come across many times is the prayer for me (you) to see others the way God sees them. If that did not hit you like a ton of bricks, take a moment to read that last sentence again. If you do understand that prayer, you will probably agree with me in that it is very difficult, sometimes, to see others the way our heavenly Father sees them.... It is much easier to put someone in one of the many "groups" mankind likes to put people in. But the truth of the matter is that God loves you as much as he loves that co-worker of yours that has VERY different political view. As Jesus reminds us, love is the greatest of commandments. And it is love that I believe we men struggle with sometimes. The first step is to acknowledge it. The next step is to do something about it. Start small. Compliment someone you always disagree with. Put yourself in their shoes. It is small things like these that will help you see others as our Father sees them.

Time to hit a nerve gentlemen! Exodus 18: 13-27 talks about keeping our professional "work" (what we get paid for) from interfering with our other "work" (friends, family, God). As with many of these hard pills to swallow, I am guilty of this as well. I don't know how many times I have said to myself "just one more email" when I am spending time with my wife and sons. The goal is not to get ourselves down, but to bring ourselves to a place where we are honest about our time... management. The best way I have heard this said is this: are you giving someone else your "all" when your family gets the scraps? Heavenly Father, I pray that you work in the hearts of men to help us refocus on the relationships that matter most: with You and the people closest to us in our lives. You have called us to serve them; empower us to do just that! Amen!

I do not believe it is coincidence that the Bible talks a lot about connectedness. I know as men this is problematic because sometimes we want to do things alone. However, it is together that we are made stronger and more resilient towards the struggle of life on this Earth. Don't allow your lack of energy, time or want to take you away from being connected with other men of God. This is a challenge for many of us, but where two or more gather in His name, His blessings wil...l come! Believe this truth, not the lie that we have to do this alone. Romans 12:15 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Ephesians 2:10 talks about us being created in Jesus for "good works". What are good works? I think good works can range from the gigantic, to the everyday. Not all of us are in a position to feed 5,000 people with a few pieces of fish and a few loaves of bread. But, as men, we are in a great position to help those around us. Or even encourage one another. Or to say something nice, and life giving, to our wives, girlfriends, mothers, sisters, etc.... God is an observant Father, and he knows even the "small" things we do for others. So I encourage you today: use your words, gifts, and time towards the good works that make us men more Christ like. Start small, and maybe one day God will put you in a position to have an effect on 5,000, or more, people!

Do we trust in the Lord at a surface level, or a deeper level? In other words, do we hear a sermon at church, nod our head in God's house, but leave without our hearts being ready and willing to change? Not calling any brother out here. I believe we all do this to some extent. There are a lot of things going on in the world right now that make it even easier to be surface level, and not deeper.... "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord." Jeremiah 17:7. Do what you hear God telling you to do. Stand up for what is right and good. Offer a listening ear to a friend (or enemy) who wants to tell you their story, struggles or fears. Show love to someone you disagree with. Any one of these examples, I believe, will make your trust with God much deeper, and less superficial.

II Corinthians 4:2 talks about shame and truth. As a man, I struggle with the shame of past, present and future sin. Although the war is won through Jesus, sometimes the battles I fight make me feel hopeless and stuck in a rut. But the good news is that God is a beacon of truth. When we read His word, when we memorize verses, (or if you are like me, you bookmark Bible verses on your Bible app!) we bring out that shame that is sometimes "hidden" in our hearts, out into the s...unlight of God. If you are struggling with shame, or guilt, or any one of those emotions/feelings that Satan uses to keep us stuck, remember that the word of God is the Truth, and that simply by reading and thinking about His Words, we will feel less shame in our life, and walk in the freeing light of truth!