The Time is now!

" ²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
 ²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

Men, the time is NOW! ...  yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.  Do not waste you day.  I am not talking about spending more time working.  No, not at all, rather spend more time with God and making a difference in His kingdom.  We as men need to STOP playing around with our lives.  Instead of being the men we are called to be, we have settled for a life that is enslaved to work, money, power, addictions, fear, routine, depression, or whatever it is that is driving us.

We are called to be more than what we have been.  We are called to stop worrying about the things of this world so much and to emphasize the things of God's and His kingdom.  Funny how things as simple and easy as a high quality men's conference coming to town can show us the complacency.  Really it is true.  We have some guys that have stepped up to the plate, but so many more that are still on the fence.

Sure there are excuses, "I have to work", "I am busy", "I will be away".  some of them are even reasonable.  Yet I know guys who will take time off work to go to a game or take a trip that has way less value to add to their lives than this conference does.  I know a lot of guys who will clear their busy schedule to hang out with their hunting buddies and to play on a team.  I know plenty of guys who have adjusted trips to make sure they did not miss their favorite activities.

The harsh reality is that these men do not realize that they have the opportunity to make a difference.  The need to get passionate about their faith and begin to sacrifice to make a difference today!  Work and trips will come and go but opportunities to see God work in your own life and to help you make a difference in the lives of others seems to be not so common for most men.

I know that sometimes you just can't change your schedule, sometimes you cannot get time off, sometimes the trips cannot change.  But sometimes we choose to take the easy road.  It is a sad day when that happens.  As Men we know we need to have God make a difference in our lives today.  It won't happen if you always run from it.

So, Men, start living for today!  Free your lifestyle up so that you can make a difference.  Make the choices for tomorrow that make a difference so that when that day is your new "today" you can use it to the fullest as well.  We seem to be great at planning careers, trips, finances etc... but not so good at planning spiritual growth.

Men!  Press on!

Preacherman

Stand Up! MEN! Stand Up!

Men,

Once again I am reminded of an important thing...  not just reminded like I "remembered" something, but reminded like I received a big SMACK in the head.  As men we are called to stand up for what is right.  We are to stand up for the helpless and defenseless.  We are called to take a stand when we see injustice and wrongdoing.  Men are made to stand as warriors and enter the battle with their faces forward chasing fear.

As Christian men this is our calling all the more.  As Christians we know God.  We know what is Truth.  We know how we are to treat other people.  We know about what God sees as being wrong and sinful and what is right.  We are called to stand for these things.  We are called to be God's warriors and enter into the battle for His cause and His Kingdom.  Men we are called to STAND UP!

Yet we find ourselves sitting.  We find ourselves quiet and subdued.  Instead of standing and fighting we lie down and rest.  We refuse to enter into the battle and live with passion, because we are afraid.  We are afraid of what we have been taught.  Too many of us have listened to lies.  Lies that we were told about who God wanted us to be.  Lies about what was good.  We were told it is better to be "nice" than to stand for Truth.  We were told is is better to be soft and easy to get along with than for us to do battle for our God.  We need to stop this weak thinking and become who God has called us to be.

You have a purpose and a calling and God has given you a job to do.  We need to stop listening to people and begin listening to our God.  We need to get into the game, enter the battle and fight.

Let's get into the fight and enjoy the battle together, we may not be perfect as people but we can be obedient warriors.  Join me and let's follow our calling.

STAND UP MEN!!!