...all because of love.

We've heard John 3:16 so many times it may have lost its impact as we give little thought to the reality of who our God is and what He has done for us. It was all because of love that He gave His Son; and He wants us to know that love. Most, including myself, do not. We have an intellectual understanding but few of us live in that place where we are grounded in that reality. Few of us sense and feel His pleasure and delight as we yield our hearts to Him.

I've been watching Mike Bickle in the mornings and something he continually stresses is that we need to pray Eph. 3:17-19 for ourselves. When the men's ministry started up again, one of the first things we felt needed to be addressed was that we were to establish a firm foundation. I think we still have some work to do there as our relationship with Christ and our being "rooted and grounded in love" still needs attention. I looked at those words "rooted" and "grounded" this morning. Rooted means to become stable; grounded means to lay the foundation. This is something that is so desparately needed in our hearts; to have a stable foundation of God's love for us. It is there! It is attainable! It is real! What about you? Will you ask Him that you "may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God." I pray that you will. May He quicken this to our hearts to receive from Him that which He desires to give.

Your brother...

Brian

What a Fire! Men’s Meeting October 23, 2007

I want to recount some of the things I heard the Spirit say through Mark Skinner last night, and I hope you will click and “comment” what you heard. It’s good to record it, so we can meditate on it and act on it in the days ahead.

First, a big thank you to our Father God for a perfect-temperature, clears-skies, bright-moon night for our huge campfire and men’s meeting, despite rain and dismal forecasts the day before! Thanks to Scott and Katherine Weston for the use of their home and property, to Daniel and Andrew for manning the gate, to Brent for wood, and to Juli Conley and Kristin Reynolds for a wonderful meal! Thanks to John Mark Skinner for a wonderful spiritual meal, as he spoke the word of the Lord to us. And to Craig and Tim for leading us in worship. These seeds and words should bear much fruit in our lives going forward.

Secondly, thanks to 56-60 of you brothers who made the sacrifice and effort to be there! May our Lord bless you and your families, and lead you in His ways!

Noteworthy is this, T.C. brought his dad and drove up from Mena for the meeting! Also, we had two special guests; Pete Ramsey, Director of Oaks Manor Retreat Center, and Randy Gaither, who is going to Belize with his family in 2008 to full time mission work – great kingdom brothers.

I heard a lot more than I’ll say here. But for highlights and starters I’ll list these:
(1) Understand who you are as a man. What God says and how God sees you, not others or even yourself. Spend a season with God addressing this, perhaps with other men.
(2) Get to know, spend time with, and really know some of the guys around you. You’ll find you’re not all that different. Satan will lose some grip he’s had on you both, and you’ll find you can trust each other.
(3) Trust each other! “I’m a changed man, because I’ve been around men who are trustworthy and committed.” Men I’ve found, I can call on.
(4) Trust is a big word. Understand, aspire to experience it and risk it. Practice it. Talk to your brother about your journey and let him talk to you.
(5) Commitment is a big word. Practice it. Be with those who are. Encourage those who are struggling with it for the moment. Big rewards. Way of life.
(6) Be different from our culture! Not sit and watch, or let others do for you. Act. Initiate. Take responsibility. Enjoy the exhilaration of what you’re created for. Realize your destiny. God had a good plan for you, while you were in your mother’s womb. Seek Him for it again. Go for it.
(7) The harvest is big. There’s much that can and needs to be done. You’re qualified to participate. Like you are. You have a testimony and an experience with Christ. Be willing to share. Be obedient to the Spirit. Be willing to sacrifice something of yourself to help others. Stand by for more!

I don't expect you to be as wordy, but if you write an article, I'll post it! Just one or two things. What did you hear? -=db=-

Rise Up! And Revelation Three

As I ponder John Mark Skinner's stirring word last night around a giant campfire with close to 60 of my brothers under a clear sky and big harvest moon, I think of this song.
As I read Brian's last post from Rev 3, I think of this song.
This song has become our men's group theme song because it so works! Many feel it deeply in their spirits and recognize it in this season. Bro Bill has championed it for us.
Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!

RISE UP! -=db=-

The Purchase

"...I know that you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other!" Rev. 3:15 GNB

"I advise you, then, to buy gold from Me, pure gold, in order to be rich." Rev. 3:18 GNB

I know my lukewarmness, I know that my fervor and zeal for the LORD of creation is pitiful. I want passion for Him and yet I have not known how to obtain it. As I have thought on this passage, "...buy from Me" I've thought "how can I buy this from God?" Indeed, how can you "buy" anything from Him, the ONE that has everything? This is how. What do we have that has any value? What is it that He wants? Only this - our hearts. How do we give Him our hearts - our time. There is such a loud, clear call for us to respond to His drawing us into intimacy with Him. He has waited patiently for us to respond; now is the time for us to say "Yes" to His invitation. Do you know why? Because He loves us, He desires us to be ready for what is coming on the earth, and make no mistake, it is coming! But there is still time for me, for you, for us; if now we will say "Yes." Let us no longer continue in our lukewarm, indifferent, weak, and pathetic Christianity. Let us not be like Israel that would not respond to His invitation. "Seek the LORD while He may be found..."

Because of Him...

Brian

"..as high as the heavens are above the earth; so are My thoughts above your thoughts."

I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. Psalm 143:5

Vision

A few weeks ago Craig asked "what is your vision" for the Men's Ministry. I must have had a blank look on my face because I thought, "I don't have a vision." From that point on I began to ask God to give me a vision. It didn't take long and it came to me quickly, "PASSION, ENCOUNTER, EMPOWERMENT, RELATIONSHIP." These are the four points of emphasis I believe the Lord wants to grow in our lives. As an acronymn the words spell PEER. I think this is significant too as to "peer" means "to look searchingly at something difficult to discern." "And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart." Jer. 29:13 If we are listening, we know that God is waking us up. He is calling us to draw close to Him, to search for Him. We have a choice and our response will determine our experience. Of a truth, the fulfillment of His word in that "if you seek you will find" will result in PASSION, it will be because we ENCOUNTER the Living God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, the One that holds the vastness of creation in His hands. And in this place we will become EMPOWERED, we will know His love and favor as never before experienced. And in knowing His love our love for others will increase, our RELATIONSHIP's will thrive and prosper.

Your brother...

Brian