Archive for June, 2009

Who is your ‘best friend’?

Statistics report that 95% of Christian men do not have a best friend. The vast majority of men simply don’t do relationships. For the most part they merely exist in one another’s company. They don’t share life together. Discussions stay pretty much on the surface - rather than sharing the truth about their feelings, needs, hopes, and struggles.

There is a tendency for the few groups that exist to become mechanical and superficial. Guys aren’t curious about who the other guy is, how he feels, or what he thinks.

Jesus knew the value of fellowship. While preparing for His ministry, He chose twelve ‘interns’ to travel with Him and share in all His experiences. These men were united, strengthened, and encouraged to take their stand in times of persecution and severe hardship. Together they brought hope to those who were without hope.

The principle of fellowship is one that we need to promote today. Making an effort to come together with others in true godly fellowship - requiring that one make a commitment. We need to be committed to spending time together, to listening to one another, and earnestly pursuing God.

True fellowship is about surrendering our hearts to the trust and care of another, within a shared vision. When we choose to engage in relationship with one another - - genuine authentic relationship - - it can be transformational.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Stay faithful and finish strong,
dale

What do I want for Father’s Day? [borrowing some thoughts from my teammate in Christ - Mark Batterson]

It’s so simple and so important. I want my kids to grow up to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. I know I cannot control it, but I can pray for it. I pray that they would personalize and internalize their faith. I pray that they would own their faith and that their faith would own them. I pray for an intense spiritual hunger. A hunger to know God. A hunger to serve God. I pray for a double portion - just like Elisha. I don’t care what they do or who they become as long as their love for God grows deeper and stronger. That love will define them. That love will give them a sense of destiny. That love will sustain them through the ups and downs of life.

That’s what I want for Father’s Day

I love you!

Stay faithful and finish strong,
dale

As I attempt to assemble my thoughts regarding the wedding ceremony [over which I will preside this coming weekend] of my youngest son - - I keep thinking of the term commitment. Lack of commitment is a problem that seems to permeate our society. It is problematic in all businesses and mensministry franchises but also devastates marriages and families.

Successful marriages, like successful organizations, need stability that takes root in unshakeable commitment. Couples make a decision when taking the vows in marriage. The Latin derivation of the term decide literally means ‘to cut off all other possibilities.’ In other words, we make a decision to keep promises, and honor/maintain commitments, regardless of circumstances.

Check a thesaurus for the terms commitment and loyalty: responsibility, dedication, pledge, allegiance, faithfulness, devotion, steadfastness, and dependability. Have you made an unshakable commitment to your spouse and family? On your wedding day, you probably promised to love, honor, and cherish your spouse ‘till death do us part.’ Did you mean it, or when difficult times arrive are you tempted to look for greener pastures?

Here’s another question: Have you made an unshakeable commitment to follow Jesus Christ as your savior? No one pretends that it’s easy to keep commitments. At times, it just comes down to ‘hanging in there.’ Take a look at Hebrews 10:22-24 “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith . . . Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

Stay faithful and finish strong,
dale

Think back to the account in Genesis - when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, and just polished off the ‘forbidden fruit.’ They were busily attempting to assemble fig leaves to cover their nakedness when they heard the Lord strolling thru the garden. God asked Adam a very simple question: “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat from?”

Here was Adam’s chance to ‘step up to the plate’ and be a man, to take responsibility. It was a straightforward yes/no question, but Adam blew it. “The woman You put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

A simple yes would have sufficed, but instead, Adam began pointing his finger. It isn’t just her fault, but even worse he blamed God – who gave her to him. His first thought was to look out for himself.

Adam’s first sin was not eating the fruit - - before that, his sin was withdrawing into passivity. When Eve offered the fruit, he had the chance to ‘take charge of the situation,’ and lead her to ask God for forgiveness. Instead without resistance he sheepishly joined in her sin.

We must cast aside the sin of pride, egotism, self-promotion, self-righteousness, self-admiration, self-sufficiency, and self-love. “Here is a simple rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.” Matthew 7:12 (Message)

Stay faithful and finish strong,
dale

In Colossians 4:12, Paul offers us an example of the type of prayer that is needed to impact our world. He observed a special level of ‘get-after-it-prayer’ in one of his co-workers in ministry, and he made sure to make a positive point of it ["Epaphras . . . is always 'wrestling' in prayer for you"].

As we observe Epaphras’ example, we can easily highlight a number of characteristics of an effective prayer warrior/wrestler.
1] His relationship: “…one of you…” obviously, as a ‘teammate,’ he had a personal stake in the spiritual lives of his companions.
2] His attitude: “…a servant of Christ Jesus…” which reminds us that one who is ’sold out’ for and serves Jesus - will serve others.
3] His action: “He is always wrestling in prayer for you…” a term from which we get our word ‘agonize.’ This was primarily an athletic term meaning: to contend for a prize, to make an investment, to display great zeal and intensity, to offer all you have.

Wrestling (and prayer) demands that one makes ‘contact.’ After one of the most famous wrestling matches of all time (Genesis 32:30) - Jacob exclaims: “…I have seen God face-to-face…” Perhaps we are instructed to get ‘face-to-face’ with God - - as “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man” that James talks about - the kind of prayer that is “powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

4] His requests: “...stand firm in the will of God…” and be “…mature and fully assured.” To ’stand’ denotes the plea to be complete, mature, or to finish. ‘Fully assured’ that they may go on to fulfill the assignment entrusted to them.

I urge you, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God.

Stay faithful and finish strong,
dale