Archive for the ‘Strong Husbands’ Category

Would you really walk away from God?

Posted: March 29, 2013 in Fatherhood, Kingdom Living, Strong Husbands
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mind_gears-300x300To whom it may concern…this blog post is not one for the faint of heart. I plan to be very honest and truthful about what the Bible says about a very important topic that we all need to remember as we journey through this life. The truth may hit you painfully…but that is kind of the point isn’t it? Please consider my words as they will apply to both mine and yours eternal futures…

Is it possible for the “New” to wear off as a Christian? Can you let the things of this earth overwhelm your thoughts and dreams to take you further and further away from the presence of the Lord?

One easy answer…Absolutely…

As a new Christian, you must consider the fact that Satan will begin to attack you with even more ferocity than before to try to shake you from your new commitment to Christ. As a young Christian, you are an infant needing spiritual sustenance from both the church and your own personal commitment to growing yourself more in His word and ways. If that growth does not happen consistently, then yes it would be easy to fall back into ones old ways before your salvation…

But let us consider a person who has had a longer relationship with God. Someone who has served Christ faithfully for many years or even participated in outreach for the church like missions. Someone that you could count on to be there if you needed help. Someone that you consider a rock…Would it be possible for this type of person to fall victim to the calling sounds of sin?

For those of you who have never heard this term, I want to introduce you to something called Personal Apostasy which when translated from the original Greek, means to turn away or to fall away from what one has formally turned to.

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12

What I am speaking about here is an actual severing of one’s relationship with God whereby one literally withdraws from the personal union as well as no longer having faith in Him. Now please understand what I am saying here; you can only experience personal apostasy if you have previously received salvation or the regeneration of the Holy Spirit…a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3

The Bible is very clear and issues warnings about apostasy designed to both alert us to the deadly danger of walking away from Christ as well as to motivate us to persevere in our faith and obedience to Him. These warnings are the reality of our life and must be heeded as Christians in order to attain our heavenly goals. In other words, do not ignore them…take heed and listen and most importantly…apply them in your own life so that you or your family will not be swayed by the enemy, Satan.

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. Hebrews 2:1-3

Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 1 John 2: 22-25

These are just a couple of the many verses that are explicit in their description of the fatal dangers of personal apostasy. It is also important to note that this is a process. In other words, this is not an example of simply touching a switch and a person has changed. No, this is not the case at all, it takes time for the deadly sin virus to take hold in a person’s life. It reminds me of the song by Casting Crowns called Slow Fade which describes in detail the “slow fade as you give yourself away”:

Be careful little eyes what you see
It’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it’s the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

The ramifications of this are truly deadly and the Bible is very clear about this as well. More importantly, this process or slow fade as mentioned above, is a personal choice this person makes over time. They choose to walk down the road and leave their family and salvation behind. Yes, I did say, leave your salvation behind. If this apostasy continues unchecked in one’s life it is entirely possible whereby a person reaches a point where a second beginning is impossible. In other words, if there is a deliberate hardening of ones heart to the voice of the Holy Spirit but worse yet, a refusal to repent, there is an actual point of no return according to God’s Word.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Hebrews 6:4-6

You cannot call yourself a Christian and be indifferent to the word of God. The demands and the warnings of the Holy Spirit tell a different story. Remember the possibility of self-deception is always there and for those who claim to be Christians, Paul reminds us all to “examine ourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” 2 Corinthians 13:5.

If you ignore the obvious and continue down the same path, as mentioned before, the decision you make will be eternally fatal. I assure you, that is one you will regret.

If I were the Devil…

Posted: March 23, 2013 in Fatherhood, Kingdom Living, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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As I have told you before, this blog will never be political. It’s only purpose is to encourage all of us as we navigate the path we walk each day which we all know, can be very difficult at times. But I have to tell you, when you read these words and learn at the end when they were written, it will be a strange feeling for all of you to see how accurate Paul Harvey was in predicting what he would do if he were the devil. Paul Harvey broadcasted from the 1950s through the 1990s, Harvey’s programs reached as many as 24 million people a week. He was beloved my millions for his anecdotal related broadcasts that would touch your heart. This particular broadcast however, was more of a prediction rather than commentary but as you will see, it is scary accurate…

thinking_manIf I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States.

I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.” To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”. In the ears of the young married, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you.

I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism or in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I’d threaten television with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me.

I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild. I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.”

With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and  thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school-house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.

If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle.

If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps.

In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

Paul Harvey, Good Day.

Just so you know, this speech was broadcast by legendary ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey on April 3, 1965…He could already see then what we all know now…

So I do not show you this to depress you, I show you this to remind you that you need to protect your families from this world by continuing to focus on Christ in your homes. God promises to never leave us nor forget us. All we need to do is to look His way and NOT get distracted by everything we see each day…the very same distractions that Paul Harvey saw and talked about on his radio show 47 years ago…

Until next time guys…

Attitude determines your Altitude…

Posted: February 17, 2013 in Fatherhood, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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Personal stories always seem to affect me in my heart. When you see stories of folks who change people’s lives because of their actions, I really like that. I found one of those stories that I want to share with my readers. This one is on a topic that sometimes I struggle with personally…my attitude. It is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to choose…good mood or bad mood? Well actually…when things are good…good mood is easy but when things are not so good…maintaining that good mood is VERY difficult and that is why I share this post with you…because,

YOU…GET TO CHOOSE…enjoy…

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate because He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!” This guy was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of their situation.

Seeing his style everyday really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?” Michael replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or…you can choose to be in a bad mood. For me, I choose to be in a good mood.” Each time something bad happens, I can choose to either be a victim or…I can choose to learn from it…I simply choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or…I can point out the positive side of life. In every circumstance i come across, I choose to take the positive side of life.

“Yeah right, it’s not that easy,” I protested. “Actually yes it is,” Michael said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation we face is a choice and you get to choose how you react to those situations. You are the one who chooses how people will affect your mood. You either choose to be in a good mood or in a bad mood. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live your life and not anyone else”

I reflected on what Michael said and soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch but I would often think about him when I made a choice in my own life rather than reacting to it. Several years later, I found out that Michael was involved in a very serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was finally released from the hospital with steel rods being surgically placed in his back.

I saw Michael about six months after the accident and when I asked him how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins…Wanna see my scars?” I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,” Michael replied. “Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or…I could choose to die…I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked. Michael continued, “…the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine but when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read ‘he’s a dead man’. I knew I needed to take action.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,” said Michael. “She asked if I was allergic to anything.

‘Yes, I replied.’

The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled,

‘Gravity'”

Over their laughter, I told them, “I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.”

Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude…I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday and you are still here and functioning. Remember…when you trust in Him…You have a reason to hope.

I truly pray you will make the right choice…but in case you forget, choose attitude.

Until next time guys…

Contentment…Is it Possible or Impossible?

Posted: January 26, 2013 in Fatherhood, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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I read a story once about a journalist who happened upon a small house way out in the deep woods of West Virginia. This particular journalist was in a difficult state trying to track down a lead on Moonshiners deep in the forest but instead, found himself lost and unable to find his way back to his car. As he desperately searched to find his way, he came upon a small house with a little porch completely hidden amongst the thick trees. As he carefully approached the house, he saw an older couple sitting on rocking chairs while holding hands. He greeted them cautiously and as he tells the story, found them both very gracious and frankly, extremely friendly. While he rested before he set off again with directions, he had the opportunity to speak with the old man whereas he quickly determined that this old guy was someone very special. First he determined that the old man was very rich and very successful in his life. As they talked further, he uncovered the man was a doctor and also an inventor and responsible for many medical breakthroughs during his lifetime. As the old man continued to speak, the journalist realized he was speaking with someone who was not like any he had ever met before but yet something bothered him greatly. Here was a man who had everything he could ever want and yet here he was, living in a tiny house out in the forest with no one around but his wife. So as he sat there listening the journalist inside him kicked in and he had to ask the question…”Sir, why do you live out here in the woods and not in a palace in the big city?”

With an easy, peaceful smile on his face, he said softly…”I’m content here.”

And for the first time in his career, the journalist was stunned and frankly, did not know what to say but suddenly a light went on and he understood completely what the old man meant. You cannot buy what the old man had discovered, so rather than exist in bountiful luxury and be unhappy, he had chosen obscurity and gained contentment…

So how much does contentment cost and where do I find it?

If I were to ask all of you as to whether or not you were content, what would your answer be? Have you ever thought about it before? Unfortunately, most guys (and I know I am generalizing here) don’t necessarily plug into the idea of contentment. They understand when they are happy and sad but for the most part, we are usually focused on work or play. But I would like to give you something else to consider.

To the world, contentment means accepting what one has without seeking more but actually, contentment goes beyond what we see around us. It is actually a condition of your heart. Contentment is God giving you exactly what you need, each moment of each day. Not only is He walking with you by your side, but He also goes before you and me preparing a way for us…preparing a future for us.

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I mean ask yourself, why aren’t you content? Is it because of “things” you don’t have or a job that you want but haven’t been able to make it happen? What I am saying is the quest for more here on earth will NOT bring you contentment…this is exactly what the world wants you to think. However, if you plug into a daily relationship with Christ, seeking Him for peace…He will bring you contentment like you have never known before.

Let me leave you with a verse in Hebrews 13:5-6…

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

 

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

I will end with something you have heard me say before…but if you can keep your eyes focused on Him exclusively and weather the daily storm you can see in the above verse that you are NOT ALONE. God will NOT leave us NOR forget us…which means he walks with you and provides you exactly what you need…that perfect dose…again, each and everyday. I encourage you to “tap into” what God has for you.

And where will that lead you…? Well, it is my personal goal and I hopefully I’ve convinced you to make it yours as well…

Yep…Contentment…

Until next time guys…

The Bitter Pill of Bitter-ness

Posted: January 21, 2013 in Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and to defile many. Hebrews 12:15

Have you ever known someone that seemed to be terminally in a “bad” mood all the time? Maybe you have someone like that in your family so that when holidays come, everyone tries to avoid that person because no matter what is said, he or she will lash out? Hollywood glamorized the grumpiness of two old guys when they made the movie “Grumpy Old Men” and we all laughed. But the reality is, grumpiness or bitterness, is an infection that can completely ruin a persons life. Moreover, as some of you may know, bitterness can destroy a community of believers faster than you can imagine. Bitterness is like a virus and left unchecked, can grow and permeate your entire body until you reek of it.

I am sharing this with you because it is very important not only for us, but the person infected to feel the touch and the presence of God before they are lost forever. Yes, I did say forever…Bitterness can and will destroy lives and the Bible is very clear about this.

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.  Hebrews 12:14

I assure you guys, when you are bitter…you are NOT holy and we can see from the above scripture how important holiness is to God…and to us.

So why do I tell you this now? Sometimes I really don’t have a specific plan in mind, I just find myself reading somewhere in the Bible and then a verse or a concept strikes me. In this instance, when I read the bitterness verse I realized that I have friends just like that and they have no idea how serious their future is jeopardized by NOT taking action to try to make things better. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:27 to

…Do not give the devil a foothold.

Guys, when you swallow the bitterness and resentment pill you give the devil a foothold in your life…and trust me, once he has a foothold, he will NOT stop there until he has destroyed everything he can. 1 Peter 5:8 says:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The devil wants to destroy you and there is no other way I can say that or sugar coat it so it sounds better. That, my friends, is a fact.

But remember guys, bitterness doesn’t just affect you…It affects your wife, kids, parents, your coworkers and imgresthe list goes on. As I mentioned before, bitterness is a virus and must be dealt with by getting on your knees and seeking Gods grace and forgiveness. There is NO OTHER WAY… Paul tells us again in Ephesians to:

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31

I know that getting rid of this issue is easier said, than done but really…you have to get rid of it…Shake it off as you would a bad day. I encourage you to seek God and to then seek help.

If you can read this post and recognize that the person I am referring to is you…then you need to start first on your knees before Him. The Bible says:

Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.

If you are suffering from bitterness at present, doesn’t being lifted up sound really good right now? And that is just the beginning. If you allow the Holy Spirit to envelope you, God will melt that bitterness root right out from underneath you.

I challenge you guys today to be men and take the tough first step and recognize you have the bitterness root within you and humbly ask God to take it away.

He will NOT let you down. Of that I am concretely sure…

Until next time guys…

Satan can Hinder my Prayers…?

Posted: August 25, 2012 in Faith Journey, Fatherhood, Kingdom Living, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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Guys, I have been writing to you on this Iron Man Strength blog now for almost two years and during that time, I have worked to encourage and provide support to you as you walk down the path of being a Dad and a Husband. As we all know, this path is not an easy one but through Gods amazing grace, we all have access to power through Christ Jesus…all you have to do…is believe.

But I have a sense of urgency now that I need to begin to share in this blog that some of you may or may not appreciate but I must press on. This blog will never be political, but only encouragement about our lives and our relationship to our God, but I tell you now that we are living in an extraordinarily turbulent time now in America and there are powers at work that you and I cannot control but through prayerful persistence. We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing and my friends, now more than any time in your life, I pray that you heed my words.

We learn back in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel, that there are powers and principalities that are unseen that you and I must consider as Christians. I am not trying to scare you or blow your mind with crazy talk but yet the truth is the truth and I ask you to listen. There is an unseen battle going on right now in America and the unrest and nervousness that you and your neighbors are feeling is because of that battle. It is not just simply we are struggling to make ends meet or the economy is bad, look at what is happening around you…people are reacting by killing one another all over the world. I find myself afraid not for me, but for my children. What does the future hold for them in this world? How will they live and support themselves? You and I…well…we can only pray and pray and pray and while you are praying, please consider this…

In Daniel chapter 10, we learn that Daniel had been fasting and praying for 21 days and had not received any word from the Lord. At the end of that time, we learn from an Angel who came and met with him that during the time he was praying, there was a battle like I am referring to above, going on which prevented Daniel’s answer from getting to him. Only when the Archangel Michael, a really large and powerful stud Angel squashes the Prince of Persia, does the answer reach Daniel.

So what does this story mean to you and me? Believe it or not…Satan was able to hold up that answer to Daniel’s request for 21 days and he can do the very same thing with our prayers. Read 2 Corinthians 2:11 where Paul tells us:

In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are NOT aware of his schemes.

Guys, he seeks to devour and thwart our efforts when we are seeking a relationship with Christ and if you are an, on-again off-again, inconsistent, I’ll get around to it eventually kind of guy, you may not realize that your prayers maybe held up or slowed before they reach Him. Jesus tells us in His own words in Luke 18:1-8 about persistence in prayer…He says in verse 7, “and will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?“

My advice to all of you is very simple…If your relationship with God is good or not so good…I urge you to continuously and persistently seek God each day and pray to Him for both yourself and your family. Gods desire is to have a relationship with you that is eternal but the only way that will happen is through YOUR efforts while here on earth…so right now, while things here are more turbulent that ever before, seek God with all your heart because I assure you…

When you seek Him, He will find you…and that my friend will have very Heavenly implications…

Until next time guys…I leave you with this…

The Military is looking for a few good Leaders…

Posted: July 10, 2012 in Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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I was speaking with a good friend of mine recently who has a son in the military and he told me of an encounter his son had with one of his superior officers at their base. He told him about how this officer was “talking him up” on the phone to another high-ranking officer in the army who was looking for quality men for his Army Ranger unit. (You see, my friend’s son is one of those young men who will ultimately be the man in charge of whatever he undertakes, no matter what level.) So as he entered the office of his commander, he called my friend’s son over to speak with this man on the phone. What I found interesting was this military officer’s line of questioning…He asked him only 2 questions…


1. Have you ever cheated on your wife?


2. Have you ever been too drunk to go on a mission?

This man had never met my friend’s son but these questions were the reasons why this Ranger Commander had fired previous leaders and he wanted to gain a quick glance of the kind of man he was speaking with. As a result, rather than ask him questions like ” what are your personal goals” or “how long have you been in the army” he chose a direct approach, or as I call it, “the integrity approach”. You see, as I further spoke with my friend, he explained to me that time has proven to the men in the higher ranks of the military that real leadership starts with integrity and commitment, character traits that reside inside the man. Men that are honest, driven, hard-working, and possess the “never quit” and “never say die” attitude and yet still come home to the same wife do make better leaders in combat than ones who don’t take those characteristics seriously. Please don’t get me wrong, the military has a very comprehensive scoring system that measures many things such as how well you can shoot, how fast you run, how smart you are and even predict how you might act in a particular situation…but how do you measure integrity or honor or virtue? You really can’t, so you have to try to understand what is at the core of a person, what they believe in, are they faithful to their wife or do they cheat on her and do they have sense enough to stay sober and NOT miss an important mission…all of which live inside a man…

As I shared with my friend, I think all of us could have predicted that fact about military leadership because even in our regular, “non-military” lives, integrity, loyalty, honor and commitment are also critical and frankly, are the traits that founded this country from the beginning. Moreover, these character traits are Bible based, since the dawn of creation, men that followed their internal moral compass were more successful in more phases of life that those who went their own way. J. Oswald Sanders said ” Leadership is influence” and if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then you recognize that you are called to influence others. What I find interesting is that it took this particular set of military leaders this long to understand that men who posses these influential qualities and have a “Christ centered core” inside of them make better leaders on the battle field or for that matter, anywhere else than ones who do not.

I have never served in the military but I have been in situations where I was required to follow both great as well as poor leadership over the years. John Maxwell, an expert on leadership, said that “the measure of a man is how he handles power” and I can say that if my life was on the line, God forbid that I had to follow someone I didn’t respect. Most assuredly, I would want to follow someone I trusted because of their core principles, who they were and what they stood for…because all of those virtues frankly, would matter the most on the battlefield …because that is leadership that can be measured when it counts the most…what do you when your life, along with the lives of your men, are in harm’s way? You trust in God, because through Him, you and me, understand who we are, what got us here and what will get us out…

Guys…it is encouraging to see our military leaders look at what’s inside the heart along with their score before they make up their minds as to who is in positions of leadership in our country’s military…

Until next time guys…

God will Judge Men’s Secrets?

Posted: June 2, 2012 in Fatherhood, Strong Husbands
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So the other day I was reading from the book of Romans. I really haven’t spent much time in that particular book in a few years actually but while reading I came across a scripture that hit me very hard…like a brick in the side if the head hard…one that affects all of us…

This will take place on the day when God will judge mens secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.    Romans 2:16

Now I can say that most of us rarely think about these things because maybe we don’t know, or we are focused on the here and now…either way, this kind of verse typically isn’t at the forefront of our minds…I understand that fact and I’m right there with you. Life gets in the way.

I also know that we guys…well…our minds are typically running 100-mph right? We are thinking of “guy stuff” like our work, kids, wife, vacation, yard work, that cute receptionist…It’s true and you might as well admit that our brains roam all over the place and at times, into areas we know we shouldn’t be…Areas that can get us into trouble. One more thing I will say is we can’t use the excuse “we are guys are we are wired that way and we can’t help it” NO…I am not buying that one. You DO have a choice…you DO have control.

Now before I go any further, let me tell you I am NOT judging anyone of you out there. I personally fight the same battles as you and continue to do my best as I navigate through this world but yet when I came across that verse I was compelled to write because we, collectively as men, need to remember…you will be judged on your actions, YOUR THOUGHTS, and YOUR SECRETS…That one blew me away when I read it because i have always thought that my secrets are MINE just like your secrets are yours. No one else knows and that’s why they are called secrets. The problem we all have is now they aren’t secret anymore….God not only knows about them, but He is planning on judging us accordingly…OUCH.

So why do I write this today? Here is how I see this issue…when things are out of our sight, we just don’t think about them. Maybe some of you never even knew that verse even existed…but wherever you fall on the scale know this, the reason I write is to make you aware…to get you to think that what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will do, ALL MATTER to God and you and me, will some day be held accountable for our secrets. That matters to me and I hope it does to you as well. By knowing, or simply becoming aware, you can adjust and try to do better for yourself. We all have to make course corrections periodically on this journey we call life. It’s just the way it is…

This one certainly has affected me and I hope it will do the same for you…

Until next time guys…

Have You forgotten who you are?

Posted: March 11, 2012 in Fatherhood, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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I like Country Music. OK there I said it. I know, I know, I’m kinda strange in that way but I can’t help it. Sometimes country music just hits me in my core. I was listening to one of those country songs recently and the singer sang about needing to return to the house where she grew up because as an adult, she had lost her way. Or, as she sang, “I’ve forgotten who I am”. That line got me thinking of how easy it is for people to lose their way in this world and forget who they are. To me, Christian’s are unique because of, as I call it, their ” Heavenly citizenship” advantages, which gives them opportunities of success that non-Christians do not have. What happens though is we forget, or we lose focus and we no longer set our sights on God but rather make our decisions based on what we SEE and NOT on whats inside us. From experience when this happens, we WILL lose our way and that is the reason for this post…Have you forgotten who you are?

I can identify with the above and see this as a pattern in my own life…you are moving along in life and maybe things are going relatively well, meaning, no significant problems to speak of, and then something bad happens. This “problem”, or whatever it is, causes you to get distracted and then “out of sync” in your relationship with God, and before you know it, time has passed and you are relying on YOU to solve the mess you are in…Does that scenario sound familiar with anyone or am I the only one that thinks this way?

I always keep coming back to what causes me to get off track? If you have a relationship with Christ, why does one get “out of sync” with Him? I know we are targets of Satan while we live in this world and I hope that statement is not new to you. I believe Satan uses “busyness” and “mayhem” in our lives to completely distract us from our focus on Christ. The question is, can we recognize this when it ‘s happening to us and do something about it before too much time passes? Guys, I am talking about you personally as well as your relationships with your wife and kids. When you are out of sync with God, all of the aforementioned are affected in the wrong way. When you are going through this period, YOU are a different person and therefore you treat your family different…THAT is what I am trying to help you avoid…HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHO YOU ARE?

I mentioned earlier about your heavenly citizenship advantages…I wanted to explain that further so all of you know what you have to tap into when you find yourself in that position. The good news is, there are a whole lot of scriptures in the Bible that deal with these issues. In fact, all of Paul’s letters in the New Testament have an overwhelming theme of reminding us who we are in Christ…and that is the most security anyone of us could have in this world. Did you know when you became a Christian you experienced a status change? You became a child of God. Please don’t say…Yea, Yea, Yea at this point, I have heard this before…Listen to this verse:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, (Ephesians 2:19 NIV)

As a result of your salvation, YOU are a member of Gods household. Guys, I hope you are hearing me. That membership, that status change, means something. You are wired for heaven now. Read this verse from the Message translation:

For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven-God-made, not handmade – and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move-and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less. (2 Corinthians 5:1, 2, 5 MSG)

What I am saying is this, you have a future in heaven because of your salvation in Christ, yet you still have to live out your life on this earth and that sometimes can be what dooms us. We allow the things we see to overwhelm us and cause us distraction and confusion. You may or may not see this until it’s to late. God gave us the Holy Spirit to tap into during these times. His purpose…is to remind you who you are…you are a part of the household of God. You are NOT alone on the road of life without any options. Just tap into the things you do not see…

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

Yep, faith DOES play a role in this and with it applied in your life, you can trust that the next step you take…will be on solid ground.

So my question is this, Have you forgotten who you are? Well just in case it slipped your mind…Let me remind you that with salvation, comes a ticket into Heaven and membership into God’s household, and that is the greatest reminder of all…

Until next time guys…


The Real Definition of Wealth…

Posted: January 1, 2012 in Fatherhood, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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Over the last few years, the holidays have caused me to reflect back and look at my own life and count my many blessings. I have been more aware of “life’s moments” since the loss of my daughter a few years back. Recently, I spent time  with a man who I don’t see very often because of distance and as I call it, his “self estrangement” from his family because of his desire to be alone and pursue his own desires. Now wait just a minute…what man wouldn’t want to pursue his own passions? We are guys and passions i.e. our hobbies, are what we do, am I right? My friend’s “problem” is that he isn’t alone. He moved in with a woman a few years back and then proceeded to have a beautiful little baby with her. Now you will notice I said “problem” earlier when referring to his new family and is the reason I write this blog post. His complaints about his personal situation caused me to realize how wealthy he is RIGHT NOW, and he doesn’t see it.

Our conversation began about creativity because he is a talented artist, sculptor and more. He is one of those people who see art in everything and when he puts his mind to a project, I have been stunned to see his results. Since I’ve known him, I have come to see him as a creative person with a free spirit. Unfortunately as he puts it, he hasn’t “created” any new “pieces of art” in a long time due to his new-found responsibilities with his girl friend and new child. In my opinion, most new dads find a way around these home responsibilities if they truly want to do whatever their passion is, HE…has chosen to become bitter towards his family. THEY are the reason he cannot pursue what he wants to do and he sees his girl friend and child as obstacles in life’s journey. As I listened to him explain the “journey” he is navigating and why he never has the time to pursue his creativity, I couldn’t help commenting on how much of an inspiration his young daughter must be to him? Here is this little gleam of sunshine, innocence, and just pure beauty and yet he does not see her that way. From the outside looking in, I ask What is standing in his way and blocking him from seeing what seems so clear and obvious to me? What is robbing him of the joy of being a father?

In this life, what could be more important than your wife and child? Again, I recognize I have this opinion because my perspective is different from most men because when you lose a child it changes you…forever. I’m sure you have heard the expression, “walk a mile in another mans shoes?” In my conversation with him, I tried to convey what he is missing by dragging all this bitterness around. He has a beautiful little girl right there in front of him and it doesn’t phase him. Myself, a dad who lost his only daughter, can’t get through to him and emphasize his incredible blessing! He is a grown man who is unwilling to listen to my words about being unbelievably blessed with wealth by heavenly standards…I pray that he will discover that knowledge soon…before she is gone from his life.

Here is my question to you? Do you look at your own family and understand what I mean by true wealth? I think it is pretty clear I am not referring to your bank account. I am speaking to what I believe is really important in our lives. True wealth here on Earth is not measured in dollars and cents. Now I absolutely agree that We, (all of us guys), have our hobbies and personal pursuits that are just ours and yes, I do struggle with my own “time” issue. Trying to balance our personal life with work and family isn’t easy and there are a whole lots of books written on that subject to back me up. I am also NOT inferring I have it all together because I do not…But what I DO understand is that I am wealthy beyond measure… just like I know you are as well.

Guys, I encourage you to take a look at your family through different eyes, God’s eyes. Look at them for what they truly are…your legacy…and your true wealth…

Until next time…

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