Honesty & Wisdom

Thomas Jefferson said "Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom".  As H.I.T. Men one of our values is "Honesty", yet so often it is seen as an end unto itself.  We can fall to the poor perspective that as Christians we need to seek to achieve Honesty because the Bible teaches Honesty.  Of course the Bible teaches Honesty, and of course we are to seek to live with Honesty.  However I believe that it is not an end, but a beginning.  When we truly live in Honesty we are confronted with many more challenges in this life.  the world around us would have you not be so honest.  Instead the world would tell you to be honest when it fits.  Our Honesty needs to put us in situations where we make the hard choices to be honest because this will help us to grow in our faith and character.

I do not believe God wants us to "achieve" honesty.  I believe God has called us to be honest as a part of our witness to this world about how He has transformed us.  If the people of the world cannot trust us in our dealings with them, how will they ever trust what we say about God?

Men, we are called to live in Honesty, to grow in Honesty and to minister in Honesty.  This is not some optional add on to who you are, it is part of God's transforming work in you.  If you are struggling with honesty then REPENT today and live surrendered to Jesus Christ, you can begin your life of Honesty today!

Let us press on together!

Men who take a stand - Men of Grace

I wrote in the the other blog about John 8 and abiding in the Word.  But in the first 11 verses of John 8 we see Jesus presented with the question of what to do with this woman caught in adultery.  The crowd is pressuring Jesus to proclaim her death by stoning.  Yet Jesus responds differently, He challenges the one who is without sin to throw the first stone.  Jesus is not condoning the woman's behavior, but He is making a point that we are not to be judge, jury and executioner to suit our own ends.  Those people who were behind this were doing it to test Jesus, not to deal with sin appropriately in the community of Faith.  


Jesus took a stand because He knew the truth and revealed the fact that we all are sinful and deserving of death. All of us sin and are worthy of punishment and death for eternity.  Jesus then graciously tells the woman that no one is condemning her today and that she should go and sin no more.   This is to be our attitude with others.  We need to help people avoid condemnation through telling them about Jesus the one who paid the price for their sins.  Then we need to challenge people to go and sin no more, to live in freedom because Christ has set them free.  We are not to live as those who are bound and condemned by sin.


Men we are called to be those who stand with such resolve, like Jesus did.  Proclaiming the Truth of what He can do for those who are lost in their sins.  And helping those who have embraced His work to go forward as new creatures living for Him and avoiding sinful desires.

Men!  Follow the example of Jesus!  Strong and full of Grace!

Are we too safe?

Last Night was a great time at the HIT men!  We watched Mark Batterson's talk from the Right Now Conference.  His reference for the talk was Jesus talking with the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10 and Luke 18) and how the RYR did not want to give up the safety and comfort of his wealth.

We were reminded last night that not only are we called to "NOT" do some things, that is we are called to stop sinning.  We are also called "DO" some things.  We were reminded that it is better to give up our wealth, our possessions, our power, our position and receive that experiences that God has for us.  We are called to live by faith, which should feel dangerous.

Often times I feel that the modern Church has attempted to "sanitize" everything.  This endeavor to make everything squeaky clean and as perfect as possible.  Yet in our desire to do our best we create a caged and overly safe environment.  This causes men to feel bored and that the Church may not be for them, it is for the perfect people.  Christianity should be filled with stories and experiences that include some messy stuff.  Sometimes it should scare you.  When we stop trying to control everything and surrender ourselves to Christ who is living in and through us, then the boredom and perceived safety will go away and a new sense of risk will show up.

If we believe in the all powerful God of the universe who sent His Son to save us, if this Jesus is our Lord and Savior, then we should live without fear.  The truth of what we believe needs to be shown in the life we are given to live.

Men!  STOP being so SAFE, and truly live by faith, get DANGEROUS!

Break out of the Norm!

Ok guys!  Been working through the book of John on one of the other blogs but today we will be in John 4 as well.  Not long winded about it but simple.  As Men we are called to get out of the comfort zone with our faith.  We are called to press the boundaries of what is acceptable in culture for the sake of the kingdom of God.

Our example is Jesus.  Here in John 4 He breaks so many cultural rules and "church" rules of His day.  He was talking one on one with a strange woman, not just asking for water but talking about life and everything.  He was talking with a Samaritan, this was not acceptable for a Jew of the day.  He was talking with a known adulteress, a sinner, not someone who was squeaky clean and without issue.

We are to learn from His example and take our faith into the places and situations where the culture and even the modern church community would have us stay away from.  Guy a reminder here I am NOT advocating that you begin one on one counselling relationships with adulterous women.  Rather I am advocating that you live your faith and bring the gospel message into the darkness of this world.  Go and engage the Muslim community with love and grace and the Gospel.  Go and engage the drug dealers with loves and grace and the Gospel.  Go and meet with the goth kids, the tattoo artists, the crazy rockers, the gang members, the homeless, the single parents, the politicians, the tax collectors, everyone everywhere ... even your neighbors and co workers.  We need to live as though Jesus really is who He says He is and take comfort in Him and run with the Mission He has given us without worry for how people will view us.

Come on MEN let's BREAK OUT of the sterile, weak, expectations of our society and be who we are called to be!

Question 3 for 2011

I started the year talking about the 3 questions that God has placed on my heart for 2011.  The first one was "What have you learnt from the Word today?".  The second question was "What have you shared about the Word today?".  Today we will go over the third question which is "What have you done with the Word today?"


This is not to be confused with sharing, but the living our of our faith the "doing" part of who we are called to be.  We are not only called to hear the Word but also to do what the Word says.  This can be simple acts of kindness.  It can be how we treat others.  It can be how we serve the community.  It can be how we seek justice for the oppressed.  It can be how we provide for those in need.  It can include the sharing of the Word but this sharing needs to be a part of our doing.  


I hope you guys understand, I am talking about putting some action into your belief system.  Maybe it starts with a simple kind word to a frustrated waitress at the restaurant and maybe it continues with a large tip.  That can become a living testimony.  We often look at the tip in the restaurant as some thing we give if it is deserved, maybe it should be a gift of grace going beyond what is deserved?  


It is winter here, maybe it is your calling to stop and help those who have broken down of gotten stuck.  Maybe it is your calling to shovel your neighbors snow.  Live your faith and make a difference in the world around you every day.


Let us press on together!

question 2 for 2011

I began to share las time about the 3 questions that God has placed on my heart for 2011.  The first one was "What have you learnt from the Word today?".  Today we will talk about the second question "What have you shared about the Word today?" 


This question could be worded differently but I specifically used the word shared instead of said because I do not want the ability to speak to be the deciding factor.  What ever our method of communication we are not only called to learn from the Word but also to share those truths with others.  We need to be men who share about what God is doing in our lives freely with others.  As we learn and grow we need to share it with the lost world around us, this is an essential part of our faith.  


As a Christian you are called to share the Gospel, we do not need all the answers, we do need to share the Word with others and what He has done for us.  So guys ask each other "What have you learnt from the Word today?" and also "What have you shared about the Word today?".  Let's get intentional about our calling!

New Year ... New Ideas ... Old Wisdom

As 2011 has begun a lot of people are talking about fresh starts and new ideas.  I like it when people get all geared up to make some positive changes, it is exciting.  So I have been pressed by God to move my personal life to a more intentional level.  And as I have pondered this I believe I am to share it with all of you who read this.

My "new idea" is really some "old wisdom".  My idea is really three (3) questions.  I will talk briefly about the first one here and add posts about the other 2 in the next few days.  So the first question is this "What have you learnt from the Word today?"

We are to be men of the Word, so we must be learning from the Word.  So whether you read your Bible or listen to it on MP3 or use some solid challenging devotional, we need to be challenging one another about being men of the Word.

This needs to be a strong element of who we are.  If we are called to be soldiers of the King then we should be students of what He said and His game plan for what we are to do.  I am going to start asking people "What have you learnt from the Word today?" not to persecute them, but to challenge them and hold them accountable.  This does not need to be some formal accountability relationship, it can be an outflowing of who we are called to be in community.

I know that I will not ask everyone this question every time I see them but I will endeavor to make it a regular part of my interactions with my brothers as often as I can and remember to do so.

I would encourage you to join me in this "new idea" which is really "old wisdom", old because challenges and accountability are not new at all but we seem to lack such things in the normal life of the community.

Join me brothers!