DOD 40!  SOMETHING AMAZING

Aug 9, 2017

Well done!  We have just completed something amazing.  We have walked out 40+ days together.  Our hope and prayer has been that by participating in this 4- day challenge that you would not just “get a handle” on a sexual integrity issue, but that you would find new meaning and depth of Life in the LIFE of Christ.  We have walked this out together.  Let me just say that what we have done is special, but bigger than that, YOU are something amazing.  In the eyes of the Father, you are unique and valuable and you play an indispensable role in the restoration of all things.  And this (the restoration of all things) is what god is about, it’s his purpose.  It starts with the Heart.  Your heart.  The more you get that in perspective, the more you allow Him to restore you into a fully integrated man seeking Life in the Life of God, the more He can unveil your special purpose in this world to bring about His bigger purposes.  

Take a listen to this video…it’s less than 20 min.  It gives hope and perspective.

https://youtu.be/lFCrhEIb0ng

I have two objectives for this DOD. 

1^st) I want you to know this has been an amazing ride for those of us writing the posts.  Your engagement and participation has been a huge encouragement and played a part in our continuing restoration.  You have done a killer job sticking with it.  Celebrate!  Congratulations!  And Thank you!

But…it is ending today.  Take a minute to let that sink in and realize that its ok to be a bit apprehensive about tomorrow.  What will you choose when there is no DOD to read in the morning?  Take a few moments to “say goodbye”; prepare yourself if you will.  God has been repeatedly showing me the phrase “new”; as in “all things new”, “behold I am doing a new thing”.  New things can only spring up out of the space that an old thing has left vacant.  This 40 days is now over.  A new thing must take its place.  What will your new thing be?

(This is not to say we will never do this again, or that we won’t all be there on Thursday to love and support one another.  It does mean that we can’t trust in the past.  Move into the next thing God is calling you to with courage and strength garnered from the last thing he called you to!)

2^nd) let me encourage you not to stop!  Definitely find a new thing.  The only thing worth “building your life around” is the transformational Love and Life of our Great God and its Manifested in Jesus!  So do that, arrange your life in a way that puts you as constantly as possible in the “flow” of transformation.  I want to share with you two things (aside from The Mat) that I go to nearly daily to keep me near to Christ and His transforming power in my life. I have attached the links to two resources: Ransomed Heart and Seedbed.  I know some of you guys already know one or both of these.  They have helped me tremendously over the past few years to keep moving forward into all that God has for me.  Scripture says we move “from Glory to Glory”.  We have used the title “the better wine” to emphasize how God can always take what we thought was “decent” life and turn it into something better.  These two resources have helped keep me moving in that direction.

http://www.ransomedheart.com/daily-reading/wisdom-and-revelation

http://www.seedbed.com/daily-text/

Remember, you are moving that direction too, you’re running a race…not just to “heaven”, but toward something amazing! YOU fully alive Heart, Body, Mind and Soul; fully Alive with Christ.  Use this last 40 days as a jumping point toward the restoration of YOU.  All of you.  Jesus came to seek and to save ALL that was lost.  So those places that don’t seem “restored”, those are good places to start talking to Him about…

I’m looking forward to the Fall at The Mat.  I’m looking forward to seeing all the Glory God wants to unveil in each of you as we continue to Journey together.

DOD 39 Pray and Get Moving

Tuesday, August 7, 2017

Throughout scripture we hear story after story of incredible partnership between man and God.  And in a lot of those stories there are dramatic, supernatural and life changing events that serve as the catalysts that draw men into the adventure.  For instance:

Moses and the burning bush, the Israelites being led through wilderness by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night, David being anointed by a prophet as king of Israel, Jacob physically wrestling with God, Peter getting to walk on water, Paul getting struck blind so he would stop killing Christian Jews and come face to face with Jesus, Isaiah hearing the voice of God calling him, Abraham and Sarah hearing God speak directly to them about His covenant with them...and the list just keeps going.

And then there is Nehemiah.

Exercise for the day:  read the first chapter of Nehemiah (and then keep going because it is an amazing story we don’t hear much about!!).

Nehemiah’s story is different.  He gets news from his brother and friends that the Jews have been diminished to a remnant.  The walls of Jerusalem have been destroyed and the gates have all been burned.  Yet again, the Jews have been brought to the brink of almost complete destruction.  Nehemiah immediately mourned and fasted.

What happened next:  no angelic visit, no audible voice, no promise or covenant of “Thus sayeth the Lord”.

Nehemiah was so moved that he cried out to God and prayed for forgiveness for himself, his family and for all the Jews.  And when he was done, he went before his king that he was the cup bearer for.  And what he did was very bold.  He requested to leave his position and help his nation.  A request that at that time in history would easily warrant death.

Nehemiah was moved, prayed and did something about it.  And as you keep reading through the book you see the complete reunification of a whole nation and that nation turning back to God.  This all happened through one man being moved, praying to God and doing something about it.  And God blessed each step and prayer that Nehemiah took, which seems to be, by his own volition.

I have found myself throughout my life looking at the great stories of men in the Bible (other than Nehemiah’s), and think -  I would surely make a move for God if only he would visit me in a cloud of smoke, with a host of angels singing in the background all while walking on water.  But could we have the courage, trust and relationship with Father to be so moved with conviction, step out into the unknown, and just do what moves us?  Could we do it without calculating risks and benefits?

How about a less dramatic scenario.  "God I don't know what to do.  I need your direction.  Just tell me what to do and I will do it!"  And His response:  "Son, I love you.  I believe in you and I even trust you!  How about you decide and I will do it with you?!!!"

Oh, and Nehemiah didn’t demand anything for himself.  He did not say, “Look at this great thing that I am doing for my people, for which I should surely have a great reward both here and in the afterlife.”  He did what he knew was right, no matter what it took.

For me this story is daring.  It is a challenge.  It is a challenge for us all.  Are you in?!!

Challenge for the day:  Be moved, pray and do it!

“Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman

DOD 38

Monday, August 7, 2017

Matthew 13:44-46 - Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"

What a way to start off the week men!

Can you believe how amazing it is to have a clean slate, to know that you are loved no matter what you've done, no matter how badly you've screwed up? Can you believe that in our sin, in our selfishness, in our utter depravity and addiction, the Father sent HIS Son, Jesus Christ, to pay our penalty on the cross so that we could have relationship with Him and be made whole? The depth of this good news is more than my mind can comprehend, but I tell you what... I'm unbelievably grateful for it today. 

We celebrated my twins birthdays with some friends at my in-laws house this past weekend. 7 years ago the same weekend, the nasty truth of my affair came out and I was kicked out of my home. Were it not for the Grace of God and the power of forgiveness, the celebration this past weekend would never have happened, because our precious twins would never have been born. The life I get to live is a life that I don't deserve, with people I don't deserve to be sharing it with, built on a grace and freedom that I could never have imagined or understood on my own. There is nothing worth more to me than my relationship with Jesus.

This is the power of surrender and humility - recognizing that there is something that is more valuable than everything else... this relationship with OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. 

The story from Matthew above mirrors the gratitude in my heart perfectly. This treasure we've discovered in Jesus Christ is worth selling everything we have, giving up our rights to absolutely anything in this world, enduring absolutely any kind of persecution, hardship, or difficulty for the glory of God. There's no sacrifice to great to hang onto this one thing. And it's worth pursuing and running after no matter what for the rest of our lives. 

Men, we run after Jesus, because He first ran after us. No one will ever love us like this. And in this perfect love, He's made a way for us to live as the men we were created to be. Unshackled, free, alive. This is a treasure beyond all comprehension, and I pray that we each understand the value of that treasure in a new way this morning, and also understand the value inside of each of us as a result. 

Questions for discussion:

1. Like the parable of the rich young ruler, what treasures of this world are you having trouble letting go and laying down, to run more unencumbered after the One who gave His life for you?

2. What are some of the images that come to mind when you think about things of incredible value to you? What makes them so valuable to you? 

3. Do you struggle to believe that you are treasured and valuable? 

4. What could possibly be unlocked in your freedom and healing if you understood your value as a Son of the most high God, and also understood the infinite value found in Jesus? 

Father, give us a singular pursuit, tunnel vision focus on Jesus this week, and help us to live as men who know the unbelievable value of what's been done for us and given to us in Jesus Christ!

 

DOD 37

If you could have a private audience with God today and He told you that He would answer one prayer for you today…..what would your prayer be?  I don’t mean something goofy like I want a million dollars.  I mean based on your life today…what are you desperate for that would improve your life dramatically if He answered your prayer?  Ponder that and write it down before you read on.

So many stories in the bible about people coming to Jesus (the living Word) with a desperate need…sailors on a boat scared of a terrible storm, blind people, sick people, demonically oppressed people, hungry people, lonely people, father of a dead child, friends who had a sick friend who then died.  What did Jesus (the Word) do?  He made storms be still, gave sight, healing, freedom from demons, fed them, raised people from the dead and the bible (the Word…aka Jesus) states in John 21 that if all Jesus did was recorded there wouldn’t be enough space in the world for all the books that would be written!

Has this been your experience with Jesus?

We live in a culture unfortunately that glorifies reasoning and science above all things and leaves little room for faith in the miraculous.  I am here to tell you that you didn’t have to be alive in Jesus’ day to experience a miracle.  He is just as present now….right now with you and He has power to answer your prayers.  But there’s a role we play.  We have to have faith to access the power.  Like walking in a dark room.  There is electricity flowing, ready, available to bring light….but to access it you must flip the switch.  The “switch” for us is faith. 

How do you get faith so that you can access the miracle working power of heaven?  You need to encounter Jesus who is the Word.  When you read the bible…think of it this way….this aren’t just some ancient teachings…they aren’t just God’s thoughts…..the are God Himself...they are Jesus….

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word wat with God , and the Word was God.  John 1

Today…interact with the Word (meditate on the verses below….really think on them and how they apply to what you need) and this will help grow your faith and then ask big things of Jesus because He has no shortage of power or authority and He loves you!

God’s Word to Stand On:

·         So faith comes from hearing, and hearing the Word of Christ.  Romans 10:17

·         You do not have, because you do not ask God.  James 4:2:2b

·         Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  Mark 11:24

·         You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.  John 14:13

·         Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.  Ephesians 3:20-21

·         Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.  Matthew 18:19-20

Asking / Believing For: (write down again 1 or 2 things you are asking Him for and this time….based on the verses above….believe and get your hopes up for them because God said He will answer them)  Tip…don’t stop believing if you don’t see it in a day or a week.  Believe you have received some answers take time and the answers are a process.  In bible not all answers are immediate for a variety of reasons.  Your job is simply trust, be in faith daily for your answers to come.

 

 

Listening time.  Be quiet for 5 minutes and ask God to speak to you about what you are asking of Him.  Write down any thoughts from God / Obedience Steps that He shows you to take and then commit to taking them:

 

Love you men! 

DOD 36

DOD 36, 40 Day Challenge

 

Thought:

A couple of weeks ago Jamie had DOD encouraging us to pray five times in one day concerning how we run the race (live life).  He beat me to the punch on a DOD I had in mind but I am still going to use it again.  That is the five times to pray in a day but I want to take it from another angle.  Right below this are two things.  A partial sentence about the times of prayer I lifted from an article written by Muslim leader while not extreme some of his comments made me uncomfortable especially a military guy reading them off the internet and knowing anything can be tracked.  Not important.  The other is thing is a link to a more neutral site that gives more details about how Muslims go about the five prayers.  Interesting but not necessary for the DOD today.

once in the early morning (after dawn but before sunrise), once in the early afternoon (after the sun had crossed the zenith but before mid-afternoon), once in the later afternoon (but before the setting of the sun), once after the sun had set, and finally in the early hours of the night (after twilight had ended).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/salat.shtml

Story:

Why am I talking about praying five times for the DOD?  June of 2015 is when I was exposed and one of my affairs came to light and eventually all would be brought out into the open including other affairs, pornography intake, masturbation and lying.  The first few months while I was scared I might lose my family these things had a hold on me.  I wanted so bad for them to be gone.  Yet I still viewed porn and masturbated although less it was still happening.  I had a couple of contacts with the last person I had an affair with and if presented the opportunity under the right circumstances I don’t know what I would have done.  I am glad to say that did not happen.  This stuff still owned me.  As I struggled and searched for how to get free I realized that while I was afraid to lose my family and parts of my life I didn’t hate my sin because it was sin but because of what the sin may cost me.  I didn’t hate it like God did.  I knew that was an issue.  At times I was horrified by my sin but it wasn’t ingrained in me.

So here is a really cool experience I had.  It was sometime in October of 2012, Fall break for the schools.  My family and I went to my dad’s home in Illinois.  The kids had wanted to go camping and my dad lives on a lake.  The compromise was to set up a tent in the backyard the night we got there.  My wife, Kylene would be gone with a friend for the night and be back late the next day I think.  Point is I was with the kids “camping”.  So we put a blow up mattress in the tent (like I said “camping”).  Three of my four slept in the tent. I set up a cot outside.  In was Fall and the night was cool.  I had a sleeping bag, couple of blankets over it and a hat on to stay warm.  Plus there was a fire going in the pit.  It had been a nice day but got cooler that night.  The wind was blowing some all night.  How do I know?  Because I think I woke up about 8 or 9 times that night.  More on that in a minute.  So as I lay there after the kids were asleep I prayed.  I prayed to God to help me hate my sin to be appalled by it.  To be disgusted.  I feel asleep praying that.  About an hour later I woke up.  Fire was low so I got up poked at it and grabbed more wood from the ample pile there and built it up.  As I would slide back in my sleeping bag watching the fire, I would begin to pray again to hate my sin.  This was my routine all night.  Each time I awoke I got up stoked the fire and prayed to hate my sin and feel asleep praying for it.  This was not planned just kind of happened.  That night was so moving to me.  I couldn’t recreate it but I know I will watch for opportunities like that again in the future. 

So does that mean I hated my sin with a passion the next day?  No but I did dislike it more.  I continued to pray for that disgust for my behavior.  It started to come more and more.  I can say now I am appalled and disgusted by what I did and I mourn my actions.  I hate that sin.  Because God has helped me to become this there are so many temptations that don’t even phase me anymore.  It makes it so easy to turn from the crap the world offers me. 

While I did not change overnight I can say the first week of November that year was the last time I masturbated.  Also during the last week of October I quit viewing any porn except for two consecutive days in February 2016.  I have been faithful.  All of that I see as so shallow and makes my stomach turn to think of it.

The point:

I don’t say any of this to say look at me.  I tell you this because I know this kind of freedom exists but not without God and effort (seeking God).  He changed me.  He helped me hate my sin.  He helped me see the shallow nature of it.  Eventually He showed me the good stuff without all that junk but first He helped me hate it the way He hates.  I am sad about it like Him. 

Ephesians 5:12 tells us it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do.  I wish I hadn’t done the things I did.  I wish I didn’t know some of the things I learned while in my sin.  I am ashamed to say I even know certain things.  I want to keep it that way.  It motivates me to stay away.  Actually it motivates me to move in the other direction. 

The challenge:

Pray at least five times today to hate the sin that entangles you most right now.  Pray for a heart like God’s that hates the sin but not the sinner (even if that sinner is you).  Here is another point about the Muslims five times praying.  Those are prescribed times.  They can always choose to pray more.  I challenge you to pray at least five times today.  If you are moved to pray more, then pray more.

 

Exodus 27:21 “In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the Lord from evening till morning.  This is to be a lasting ordinance for the Israelites for the generations to come.”  The tent of meeting is where God’s presence was and it is where the priests could go to meet God.  Jesus makes it so the Spirit is in our heart.  We can meet with God in our heart.  Did you catch that?  Lamps were burning from evening till morning.  All night long.  The light is always on for you to meet with God.  Always. 

 

Share:

Get on GroupMe and share your thoughts or what you are praying for or where God is leading you today.  Just reach out and be community with us.

 

DOD 35, Aug 2 2017

First take a few minutes to listen to this song.  Its one of my favorites and gets me in touch with who I am and who God is and what that trusting and intimate relationship can look like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw

Now read this from Isaiah.  It’s a bit lengthy, but hang in there. 

Isaiah 42:14-43:21

Go back and focus on some specific verses.  42:22;  43:1;  43:18-19

That’s really about it…What does this speak to you?   Do you believe it is possible that God would do something new?  You know, He already has the something new was Christ!  But God is so big that he continues to do new things in our lives everyday if we have the eyes to see.  What do you think of the section around 42:22?  What does it say about how God sees us and what his “goal” is for us?

Comment on group me if you’d like… be on the look out for the “new thing”!

DOD 34 - What is your normal?

I have to be honest starting out here.  I am on vacation with my family, and there has been a lot of time spent on decompression.  More so this year than I can remember in any previous year.  I have not wanted to put much thought into any bit of the day to day that usually is jockeying for position for my attention.  This vacation has been a vacation from life for me.

Now for the honest part.  I have not wanted to put much thought into putting this DOD together.  I have even struggled with the thoughts of:  “This DOD needs to so earth shattering that all who read are moved to rousing applause and complete transformation”.  Ok.  That is me being overly exaggerative.  I care less about whether you read this DOD and are impressed.  I, however, have continually fought the desire to come up with something that is pretty impactful though.  There you go.  It’s out.  That monkey can go find another back to ride on.

The reason I took time to share all of this, is because it exactly related to what I want to share in a current, personal challenge.  I share with you one scripture and one thought/challenge that have been rattling around in my brain and spirit for the last several days.

Scripture:

Psalms 19:14:  “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you.”

Thought:  “What have you accepted as normal?”

As I stood in front of the toilet when I first had the thought, I know the Spirit was challenging me to consider what I have accepted as normal, but is not.  What thoughts or words have easily spilled in or out without the challenge of, “Is this my new normal?”  I am not talking about impure thoughts.  I am digging deeper and wider.  Something like, “my wife and I are fighting again today and….” fill in the blank.  That should not be our new normal.  Or, “I was completely justified in standing up for myself and the words I used.”  Is getting the last word in, though justified, accepted as our normal?  Or try this one on: “I guess I have made enough of a mess of my life, and I have ruined everyone else’s, I should consider myself lucky and content just to be able to eat the slop with the pigs”.  Or: “This DOD has to be perfect!”  Ok...last one: “I am truly alone.”

Here is the simple challenge to consider:  Are the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart pleasing to Him?  Do you, as His work of art, whom He has said with conviction and unwavering belief, that you are FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE, respond with words and thoughts that bring Him joy?  Not for the purpose of just bringing Him joy.  I mean that he is so filled with joy because you know who you are and you know what your normal should be?

So...What words and thoughts have you accepted as normal?  Ask the Spirit to challenge your thinking, to renew your mind and find your normal.