Bobby Burns Notes from Men's Mtg June 2007

[The theme of the evening – what had been laid on Brian and Bobby’s hearts was “Righteousness.”]

“When God looks at me (us), He sees a perfect spirit man! He sees Christ. He’s pleased.”

[Do you know that? Do you act like it?]

Once recently in prayer and thanking God, Bobby said “I love you Lord.” Immediately he heard in his spirit, “No! Not like you could.” That sent him on a quest. “How do I know I love God?” Do I do the things I do for Him, or for me?

“How can I know I love you?”

Obedience – That I Obey. I John 2:5 “But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:”

Study the Word – Command – “Study to show thyself….” I Tim 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Pray – Command – “Pray always….” Eph 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

Show faith by works – James 2:18 “But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”

“Men, know who we are in the LORD – we must know!”

“We are His righteousness.”

“Gal 5:5 sums it all up – We who live by the Spirit – Faith expressing itself in love.”

Bobby felt like the Lord said, “Yes, you love me, but not like you could!”

“I knew He was taking me on a new journey!” “Do you need a fresh start?”

[I can hear the words of our Lord to Peter echoing down through the ages, “Peter do you love me? ….” John 21:16-17] -=db=-

CCF Men: Good Men's Meeting Last Night#links

CCF Men: Good Men's Meeting Last Night#links After last nights meeting, I shared with Brian a dream I had a couple of weeks ago. I had already shared the dream with David King and Dwayne, but Brian urged me to write it down and put it on the blog. In the dream, I was in a room sort of like the sanctuary, and in the room with me were several men, probably several of you guys from the Guard. We all had on blue shirts. We were walking around, just mingling and talking. A certain individual, not anyone I know or recognize was walking near me, came over to me and said some things to me in a whisper or low voice. I did not like what ever the man said because it made me angry. I felt an urge to hurt this person, but I held back because he had on a blue shirt, thinking he was one of us, I just could not strike him, but I sure wanted to. David King was standing with his back to me, sort of behind me, but he heard what this individual said to me. David whirled around and hit the guy with a right jab, right to the mouth. He hit the guy so hard I heard his teeth crack. The guy looked surprised like this was the last thing he expected. He shook his head from side to side, looked at David, then looked at me, then just crumpled to the floor in a pile. End of dream.

Read this

I just finished reading the latest Eliot Blog. May I humbly recommend you do the same. Eliot

(All posts are good, but I am referring to June 21. You can always find a link to Eliot's blog at the end of this blogs dedication, along the right side. Matt's a courageous, honest writer & and good brother.)

Please continue to pray for the healing and health of two young men among us who have a cancer diagnosis... Wendell Rye & Brent Proctor.

Blessings from our Lord & Shalom, -=db=-

Good Men's Meeting Last Night

Last Night’s Men’s Meeting

About 33 faithful men attended our excellent men’s meeting last evening. A few others reported themselves on anniversary celebrations, honoring other commitments, or otherwise doing the King’s business.

We opened in prayer. Tim Knight led our worship. Bill Spilman reminded us to finish our giving to Brad Grizzle & the Thailand/Burma mission. Over $1000 has been given and sent. Slightly over $1000 of the need remains.

Bobby Burns & Brian Fields brought excellent and timely words on righteousness. I believe I’ll be able to get a CD of their messages to any who ask.

I sensed with others that our understanding of this critical issue was opened in a new way. Also for us, it’s a new day. A good time of confession and honesty before God and the brothers followed.

May His Word continue and accomplish what He sent it to do! -=db=-

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isa 55:10-11 (NIV)

Men's Meeting Tonight 7pm

Men's Meeting CCF Tonight! 7:00pm
Come hear Brian & Bobby share, and sense with us what the Lord is doing and saying!

PowerPoints 1 and 2 - Thanks CCF Men's Leaders

Greetings Brothers & Leaders,

Thank you for your prayer ministry for the men of CCF and your leadership to the same. I feel sure that our Lord will take our little, multiply it beyond measure, and do much!

Here are a couple PowerPoints for you!

PowerPoint 1 = Spend time with God. Fear Him. Know Him.

PowerPoint 2 = Spend time with each other. Enjoy the journey! Live with joy in community with other men. Fight spiritual wars together. Serve together. Fellowship together.

This is both the method of our warfare and our reward. Relationship and experiencing life together is effective living and much of the "joy of the journey."

This is what He intended and purchased for us with His blood. You'll remember He sent his disciples out two by two on missions, in the authority of His word and in the power of his Spirit. I'm also reminded how we overcome the enemy of our families and our souls. They did not love "Their lives!" to shrink from death. We need each other for courage, the motivation of love, and for joy! We need each other. The spirit of the age would try to drive us apart. We live, love and war together. We do it for the joy set before us, the joy of the journey, and the joy of the King.

Brian and I are constantly trying to seek the Lord for ways to encourage this in our midst. Pray with us, lead in it, and help us with your ideas.

Look for new ways to meet and serve with your brothers!

His blessings be yours as you seek Him who loves you, and as you live in community with your brothers,

Dwayne <><

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Hebrews 10:25

"They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." Revelation 12:11

May Men Have Ears to Hear

A recent study revealed that a child will continue to attend church if he’s sent alone 17% of the time. If the mother takes him, he continues 28% of the time. If the father takes him, he continues 93% of the time, and so does the rest of the family!

I’m not trying to figure out a men’s program. I’m just trying to get men interested in God – they’ll find a way to get it done.

Midlife Crisis = Mid Course Correction

God is calling us to be shaped anew from within.

Guard well this life God has given us. Fight for it!

Fathers giving the Blessing… Do to others what God has done for you.

May men have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying!

The above quotes are from my notes when Four Square National Men’s Leader Gary Dunahoo spoke recently to our men. -=db=-

Consistency & Habits

"Consistency turns a virtue into a habit and habits are who we are.

Several years ago, I read Stephen Covey’s classic book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Simon Schuster, 1989). In it, Covey advocated a principle – based life, practiced until habit becomes character. It is not only about principles, but consistency and perseverance in practicing our principles. This process makes us who we are, and who we are speaks louder than what we do or say.

Of course consistency in doing the wrong thing brings bad results. Success and failure are both the result of consistency.

HABITS

Our habits will eventually define us. Brian Tracy called Stephen Covey “the American Socrates because he opened our minds to permanent things.” Real values and principles are permanent; consistency in those areas enable us to become mature and enduring. Consistency allows people to trust us and builds a foundation for progress and permanence."

By Charles Simpson (May 2007, www.CSMPublishing.org)

Vision & Obedience

Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.

"Lord," they answered, "we want our sight."

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Matt 20:32-34 (NIV)

You follow Him, when vision is restored…

Happy Father's Day to Russel Hogue

Russel Hogue
12 July 1924 -
3 June 2007








Happy Father's Day! The first with your heavenly Father.
You were a "good man" and a "great Dad." You are loved and you are missed.
Dwayne & Elizabeth

Remember Father's Day! This Sunday!

“The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.” Proverbs 20:7

Get that card in the mail! Write that note. Sunday is Father’s Day. Make some plan to honor your dad.

“A godly father is a man who understands what he means to his children, who is humbled by overwhelming joy over the impact he can make for God.” Larry Crabb

“You have made known to me the path of life.” Psalm 16:11

“I have examined America’s breathless lifestyle and find it to be unacceptable. Why should we work ourselves into an early grave, missing those precious moments with loved ones who crave our affection and attention?” James Dobson

“I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8

Aristotle defined character as the decisions a person makes when the choice is not obvious. My father used to say, “Character is the way we act when nobody’s looking.” D. Bruce Lockerbie

“I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.” Psalm 16:7

Honor a Dad! Be an honorable Dad! Shalom. -=db=-

{Matthew 18 camp starts on Father’s Day. If you’d like to make a sacrifice and be a father to some fatherless kids, call Curtis (414-8625) and volunteer to help!}

Find your place and serve, brothers…

We had a great service yesterday culminating with Sharon and Alan Brents sharing on serving. Many are serving, and many men are leading. How about you?

“Be watchful and diligent in your service to God, and often think of why you came to Christ and why you were separated from the world. Was it not so that you might live for God and become a spiritual person?

Be fervent then in moving forward, for in a short time you will receive the reward for your efforts, and you will have nothing to fear or be sad about when you die.

So work a little now, for you will have great rest later – yes, perpetual joy.”

“Religious people who do not live disciplined lives are open to great evil that could ruin their souls.

Those who seek freedom and ease will always live in distress, for one thing or another will always displease them.”

Thomas aKempis (1379-1471)

“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Gal 5:13 (NIV) -=db=-

Prove It...prophetic word in Tuesday Prayer

"If you really want more of my presence in your services and in the Body, I want you to prove it by stepping out in faith. Even as you ask me in your services, you sometimes put up resistance. This is caused by solid fear that has not been surrendered to me yet. Give me this fear now so that I may remove it and live in you more. Let's take out this fear so that your potential that I have in you will come to the surface. This fear is keeping that from happening. You want more: prove it right here, right now. I am here with you as I have promised, says the Lord."

Joe's comment: Each of us needs to seek the Lord on a daily basis specifically to grasp what He wants us to be doing to advance the Kingdom at this moment of time. This is in addition to our petitions and intercesssion for family and friends. He will show us "great and mighty things" we didn't know, and He will have us at the right place at the right time to play an important role in the NOW dimension of God's purposes for our lives. Le'ts seek Him and look for the opportunities.