MEN OF GOD - ENDANGERED SPECIES OR ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL?

Exactly ten years ago, I did a 75-minute seminar at the long-running Iron Sharpens Iron National Men's conference (St. Louis) called "DEPRESSION- THE SILENT KILLER OF MEN". This followed a couple other teaching workshops I had done at Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs on "LIVING WITH POWER" based on the first book I ever wrote, called TWO MINUTE WARNING.

Both topics may seem completely opposite to each other and in a sense, they are. Both - living the life God has called His men to live and just barely breathing, after getting beaten down by everything ungodly is the opposite ends of the same slide rule of life. 

One way of living is natural and ordained by God. It does, however, come with a caveat. This way of life is the result of a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ as Lord of one's life. There is no other way. What results from this Father-son relationship is God giving us a huge measure of His power. Anyone of us who is born-again can testify it to be true.

He says in John 1:12 (all Scriptures are NASB - New American Standard Bible) "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His Name". There it is - we, who have received Christ have the right/authority to operate in Kingdom Power - right here on earth. If this is done according to Scripture, we can have life and life abundantly.

The opposite is true. We already know that those who have rejected Christ can still have what they think is a perfect life, here on earth while covering up their emptiness with things and fun in the sun right up, until their last days.  However, there are many in the middle who live lives of quiet desperation. They may appear to be normal on the outside, but then plaster over their wounds and emptiness with golf, all kinds of physical pursuits (including illicit affairs etc.) and alcohol. Some fall into gambling and pharmaceuticals, even those of an illegal nature.

In the fall of 2017, I worked with a fellow member of the Gideon Bible Society as we handed out hundreds of college New Testaments, at what was once a Christian university. Three months later, I heard that this man, who was once a pilot of a big corporation, went into his garage, turned on the engine, sealed the garage door and took his own life. There was not thought of the effect on his young family (he was in his low 50's) or testimony. I later heard that he never recovered from being stripped of his job as a pilot and getting grounded. While he was a Christian man, his focus was all wrong - it was on what he DID for a living, not WHO HE WAS in Christ.

Here is where so many men lose it. They may know somewhere in the back of their minds, that there is a purpose to life and it is not the 9 to 5, the mortgage or the college bills. It is preparing for Eternity. Too many ignore the warning signs and especially the Warning Signs from Jesus Christ and the Bible that it is appointed for man to die once, and then the Judgment. This is real. This is some real stuff. 

I am not a professional medical or any such thing as a psychologist. But I know how to study human nature and through the Grace and Spirit of God, I know how the Bible and the Lord has the answers for EVERYTHING which ails humankind. If we would just listen, trust, obey and pray. Amen.
NEXT: WHY MEN DON'T PRAY

SEVEN THINGS GOD HATES- #7: DISUNITY IN THE REMNANT

These six things the Lord hates,

Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 

A proud look,

A lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

A heart that devises wicked plans,

Feet that are swift in running to evil, 

A false witness who speaks lies,

And one who sows discord among brethren

Proverbs 6:18-19 

There are more divisions in the western world over the Gospel of Jesus Christ than there are plays in the Seattle Seahawks offensive playbook. In fact, the only thing most real Christians ever agree on is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Who was born as a baby, nailed to a Cross and everyone (except some liberal dying mainline denominations) believes He rose from the dead, on Resurrection Sunday.

So why is discord sown among the brethren - something which the Lord hates, by the way? The answer can be found in human nature. The seeds of discord were being sowed, believe it or not, while Jesus was still alive! Here were the greatest men who ever lived, after the LORD Himself of course, yet some of them were debating who would be the greatest (see Luke 9:46-47 "46An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. 47But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side). 

These men got over themselves and gave all, including their lives in the cause of spreading the Gospel. They fulfilled the mission Christ gave them. They suffered persecution, hunger, pain and then death. But they stood strong to the end. While they were doing that, the Apostle Paul noticed all kinds of divisions. He was not talking about the Gnostics and others who perverted the pure milk of the word. He was speaking of true believers who were just very incorrect in their thinking. Read this portion of Scripture here in from 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 HERE:

                    10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
                 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. (Courtesy Bible Gateway).

We do the same things today. We have charismatics criticizing baptists criticizing Assembly of God criticizing Campbellites criticizing Calvinists criticizing.....fill in the blank! With the power and freedom of the internet, entire websites are visiting war upon fellow believers for this or that doctrine.  Some are saying (unbiblically and incorrectly) that those who don't speak in tongues are not Christians. Some are saying if you say you heard a word from the Lord, you made it up. Some are saying....actually, I hear so much of it, the entire thing is tuned out!

There IS MAJOR heresy out there. There is the Prosperity Gospel - Name and Claim it heresy. This is leading many in some of the poorest countries of the world away from the True Gospel of Jesus Christ. How dare these so-called "preachers" with their $1000 suits and BMW's tell some poor granma who is a shut-in, an unemployed carpenter in Nigeria or a plumber in Phoenix to "just speak it, send in a seed and checks will show up miraculously in the mail"??!! We are not to fellowship in that. 

There is the emergent church, which is selling a "new Jesus"....because apparently the Jesus Who the Father sent is not good enough. We are not to fellowship with them.
There is the apostate church which supports abortion; unbiblical marriage apart from God's decree of a man and a woman; and even ordains ungodly couples - of those whom God Himself indicated that He gave over to their abominations in Romans 1:18-31. We are not to fellowship with that.

There is the liberal church which does not believe the bible, does not believe the Virgin Birth or even the Resurrection...but in something called "social gospel"...or its synonym "social justice"....neither is the gospel or the justice of God.....and on and on.

This is NOT the discord that the Great God of Heaven despises. We, who are called by His Name, are to have NO part of any of this...all the while praying that they will all come to a knowledge of the True Truth (as Francis Schaeffer said). 

The discord comes in Bible-believing followers of Jesus letting pride, greed and the lost for fame and power cloud their Jesus'-bought hearts and turn on their brothers and sisters in Christ. The discord comes these same people use Scripture or Biblical traditions to their own selfish ends to further their agendas. The discord comes when people branch out on their own, using the ways of the world and appropriating the Name of God unto it....all the while claiming to be "working for Jesus"!

So what does God really desire, to soothe His anger at the abomination of separation? Read the following; search your heart and see if you (or I) have anything against or brother....leave our gifts at the altar...and go make it right! 

Blessed Unity of the People of God

Psalm 133 

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore. 

A FORTNIGHT OF PRAYER

DAY 3 

WHERE ARE YOU MEN OF PRAYER? - LIFE'S TOO SHORT!

As life accelerates to a speedy conclusion, we should do well to consider its brevity, in light of Eternity! Personally, we do not have as much time as we think we do. If we live to a ripe old age, it is only by the Grace of the Good Lord. Yet, you and I, work and worship alongside people who conveniently ignore the Truth that "NOW is the Hour of Redemption...that TODAY is the Day of Salvation"!

How many times you've heard this "I have time, I am only 24 years old....I need to make some money first, get married and have some kids....then I would go to church"...or "I said the Prayer"....or "I walked down the aisle at the WorldChangers Block Party 5 years ago"....or "why should I read my Bible, the pastor reads his off a Blackberry and they put it up on the screen every Sunday"....or "my wife prays enough for all of us!"


That last one is horrible. I led a two city ministry-wide "31 DAYS OF PRAYING THE NAMES OF GOD", with some involvement from individual church members from January 1-31, 2012. I know of three men who actually finished with me and most of the reaction were from women on Twitter! Since 2007, I have led the Prayer Committee when Business Men in Christ launched the first Iron Sharpens Iron Men's Conference in Springfield, Illinois. I was able to take the stage a couple times during the 2008 Conference and just remind these men before me, that if their wives were the ones under spiritual attack, they were not leading at all. Sticking with it, challenging men and sometimes shaming them have been bearing fruit!


The 2012 Conference was the first year of the six, where I have had more men than women in the two Prayer Rooms I manage. Sure, our main speaker- Dr. Voddie Baucham had something to do with the capacity crowd of men hungry for Truth, but we also ministered to more men who were suffering from depression, attempted suicide, bi-polar disease, adultery and more.


Take a look at our passage from Ezra today and today, men and women of God and then, pray it with me: "But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery. For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love..."(Ezra 9:8-9 ESV)


Father God, in Jesus' Name, I realize now that my life is but a vapor! I have come to my senses and through seeking Your forgiveness daily:
I now know that Life is NOT meaningless. 
I now know that my pride and stupidity is vanity - not the days You have given me. 
I now know that Your Grace will not last forever. 
I now know that if I don't listen when You knock on the door of my heart that I may not have another chance if my soul is demanded of me before I make THAT CHOICE!


You, my God and my King will judge righteously. 
You have offered me the Chance to be part of Your True Remnant. 
You have offered me something which the world cannot offer - a room in Your Holy Mansion. 
You have offered me true peace, security and the peace that passeth all understanding. 
I was a slave to my iniquity. 
I was bound to my past.
I was held captive by the chains of my own prison.
I was walled in depraved warfare of my own choosing. Now oh God, brighten my heart, visit me in my despair, SAVE MY SOUL!


I forsake those chains. 
I abandon that albatross. 
I pull off those ropes around my wrist because Your mercy and love and compassion - they never fail! 
Great is Your Faithfulness to those Who seek You. 
Great is Your Faithfulness to those who seek You with a repentant heart. 
Great is Your Faithfulness to those whose lives You pull from the pit. 
Great is Your Faithfulness, Lord unto me!


Thank you for brightening my eyes. Thank You for brightening my heart. Thank You for brightening my Eternal status, because I can now leave this world behind in Great Anticipation of the Hope that is to come - Life in the Kingdom with You and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For it is in His Name, I pray - AMEN!

(image courtesy google)

POWERFUL PRAYER MINISTERING TODAY!!

OVER 920 AT OUR MEN'S CONFERENCE IN SPRINGFIELD

STILL, OUR BOYS/YOUNG MEN IN GRAVE DANGER!

When we first started doing the local leg of a brand new concept called Iron Sharpens Iron National Men's Conference in March 2007, we had no clue what we were doing. We were just a bunch of guys from Business Men in Christ (BMIC) investing about $3500 of our income to bring a Discipleship men's ministry to town, which ran with the big dawgs in Colorado, New England or Orlando, Florida. Tom Cheshire, who spearheaded that in 2007 has since moved on from BMIC and now leads the successful Relevant Practical Ministry for men, which focuses in growing this movement to disciple men across central Illinois.

As the leader of the Prayer and Marketing Committee that first year, my job was to run two prayer rooms - one with men and women praying all day as intercessors for the day long conference - and the other with another minister and myself, open to men only, to counsel and pray with them.


That first year, less than 10 days out, we only had 45 men register. On conference day, over 550 men showed up! This year, 14 days out, we only had 175 registered. Today, over 920 showed up. All the classrooms for the 16 Equipping Seminars were so packed, we had men overflowing out the doors! God showed up and showed us Who was in charge! Not us!

DR.VODDIE BAUCHAM

This year's main speakers were Dr. Voddie Baucham, famed Southern Baptist Apologetics expert who is well known for his conferences with Answers in Genesis leader Ken Ham,  and New Life Church Associate Pastor David Perkins. Dr. Voddie was the all-out hit he always is and drew men from a tri-state area - Indiana/Illinois and lots of church vans from around St. Louis, Mo! This is in spite of the same St. Louis area conference last month! Not just that, but the Chicago area has two where the Indiana guys could have gone and saved two hours driving!


But the most rewarding part of this ministry for me each year, the privilege of ministering - first at the Chapel before the Conference starts with main speakers, leaders etc and communion with them and secondly, praying with and counseling with men from all backgrounds and stripes! Each year the needs get more critical and intense! Each year, we see and are blown back by the hurt, problems and issues some men are finally 'fessing up top and facing out there.

DR. EARL POWELL (RIGHT) WITH BEARS CHAPLAIN
RAY ELROY, FORMER DB FOR BEARS/LIONS/COLTS

Today Dr. Earl Powell (who has been ministering with me for 6 years now) and I and  occasionally some other leaders, prayed with and counseled more men in the space of a few hours than we ever did in one year! Without naming names, we dealt with issues of bi-polar; alcohol and drug use; living in sin with women; unforgiveness and more. 


Even more stunning that counseling and spiritual warfare with some demons some guys were battling was what happened in a seminar my friend Sam Mehaffie was conducting. Each year we bring him back for a reason. The reason is we have more and more boys from 12-18 years old who are brought there and have no father; or a father in name only...or are dealing with emotional neglect etc. It is uncanny! I ministered to a 13 year old named Isaac who is already dealing with all kinds of temptation and a couple of us to a most heart-breaking case - a giant of a kid, crying his eyes out because his dad just left his family for another woman, breaking his kids heart.


This guy, Chad, had never heard about Abba Father - Daddy, Father God - loving him so much that Jesus the Son took the hit for him. We believed, prayed into and cried out for a long time for God to send a Godly man alongside this teen to be his spiritual father. We try not to leave these poor boys hanging but hook them up with resources to start them off. These boys, and increasingly they are from wealthy or good suburban/urban families - never heard this kind of talk in their churches, from their pastors or parents!

WITH CHICAGO BEARS CHAPLAIN RAY MCELROY

The question remains - what on earth are they hearing?!!! Has the church become so focused on playing games, they threw out the ONE THING Jesus commissioned us to do - MAKE DISCIPLES! Everyone is to blame for this, include us who are finally doing something about it. 


This summer, our Decatur branch guys are doing a summer boys camp to teach young men that Sexual Purity is demanded by God for Righteousness but it is going to be out by a private lakefront, so they can have fun while learning. Many of these kids/teens have never been outside the inner city. So that's exciting. Folks we have to do something because our next generation of men, now still boys and older teens are in huge danger. The corrupt and morally bankrupt public education and political systems, and increasingly - the church body - are failing our future men big time. They, every single one - from president to pastor - will be called to account for this travesty one day. This is in the Book, don't doubt it!


I ask you to pray for all the men we personally ministered to, one on one today as well as all those broken teenage boys who never knew that God believes in them. If only we can catch some of this generation before they slip through the cracks into the bad part of eternity, it will make all of this more than worthwhile! It is more than worthwhile, because our Savior, Jesus Christ, is MORE than WORTHY of our Praise! Amen.