Priorities

Priorities are where we put our time.  The things that we want or "have" to do throughout the day.  These could include any number of things to do, people that we associate with or places we go.  When you think about it, you could find that you have so many things that you have to get done in a day that you do not have enough time.  List the ones that matter the most and do those first.  You could also find that you have very few and they are easy to remember and get done.  It is all personal to you. 

Most of the time you will find that you have things to do inside those priorities.  Little points that help you do what you need to do.  Cleaning the house could include, doing the dishes, laundry, sweep, etc. 

But what about having manliness God's way?  Becoming a man of God needs to be the #1 priority of not only today's men, but also our sons that we are raising.  But once you make this your top thing to do, satan will hit you with everything.  Tempting you to change your mind.  Putting up roadblocks to try and sidetrack you.  This priority is a choice and must not be taken lightly.  But it is necessary for our future.  To change things and turn the world on its' ear. 

I absolutely love Jeff Voth.  He is the founder of Cavetime.org and a pastor in Oklahoma.  He has written 'Cavetime' and 'The Sling'.  (I encourage you to visit  Cavetime)  In 'The Sling' he lists out five stones that every man needs to do to become closer to God.  These priorities are in addition to just attending church. 

They are:
Show Up- Show up everyday, taking time with God
Worship- A few minutes of uplifting music out loud or in your mind.
Prayer- Not just praying, but also listening for the response from God
Word- Diligently reading and researching the Word of God
Community- Iron sharpens Iron

Doing these will not only bring you closer to God, but will change your attitude to the world around you.  Your children seeing you do these will instill in them the need to, and probably spark some good conversations about it. 

My priorities are God, family, work, self.

What are yours?

Jesus is a mountain man

How many times did Jesus go to the mountains to pray?  The gospels say different numbers and I believe that not every time He went to the mountains is recorded.  But have you ever wondered why Jesus went?  

I believe that He went for the solitude He found there.  The physical struggle ending in the peace and beauty of what God had created.  Talking to God, pouring out His heart about the struggles He had faced and the ones yet to come.  Sometimes He brought His disciples with him.  Can you imagine what they were thinking as Christ took them on a journey up into those rocky places and the amazing feeling of being taught by Him in that solitude?  That would be wonderful.  

Just as Jesus sought solitude upon the hills, David sought it in the cave.  But sometimes we do not have a cave or a mountain to climb.  Sometimes we have a stream to sit beside or an open field.  Sometimes we have a car ride into work or a desk or armchair before everyone else is awake.  Those can be our places of solitude.  And in those peaceful moments we can hear God speak to us, just as He has with Jesus.  It is not easy to wake up before everyone and get in some personal quiet time with Him.  And more than likely it will not happen every single day.  But the quiet place, where you can find solitude is where God will meet you.  When you find it, you will know.  

Have you climbed your mountain today? Have you met God where you are?  It is not too late.  

  

Y'all get thirsty?

Imagine a ground so dry that it is cracking.  A dry lake or river bed that looks to be falling apart.  That is longing for rain.  That blessed resource that will heal the ground and make it whole again.  

Have you ever been thirsty?  I mean really thirsty?  Parched tongue, scratchy throat, hoarse voice thirsty.  It is not fun.  Going on a journey, can make you thirsty.  

Water is essential to living and your body knows when you need it.  Dehydration is a very slow, painful way to die.  Why would you do that to yourself?  

Your soul needs water also.  Spiritual water is more important than physical water.  Not only does spiritual water feel amazing to have, it will also quench the fires of hell inside of you.  You can tell when you do not have it.  You can tell when others don't have it.  The longing for something missing, trying to fill it with whatever is available but unable to do it on your own.

Jesus states:  "But whoever drinks of the living water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into eternal life"  (John 4:14 KJV)  What a wonderful thing to partake of.  And not just for yourself, but to share.  We cannot afford to be stingy with the gift of eternal life that we have been given.  We need to share it with others.  

Look at your neighbor, your co-worker, your friend or your family member.  Are they thirsty?  Can you share the good news of the gospel with them?  It is a hard thing to do, but think of the outcome.  

Y'all get tired?

 

I get tired.  Tired of fighting for a living.  Of scrapping by and longing for peace and rest.  Tired of fighting a system that was supposed to be designed to help children that are broken.  Tired of seeing men who need to be more for themselves and their families, but are unwilling to do something about it.  

There are so many things in this world that need to change.  However, there are only a few men who are willing to stand up and make those changes.  I want to increase that number.  I want to hold men accountable to what they are needing to do.  I want this world to be better, the men to be better and by extension, our children to be better.  

I know that we are tired.  Life runs us down and fills us with aches and pains at a young age.  But we have to press on.  We cannot leave it to others to do because it will not get done.  Delegating this type of thing will make the situation worse.  It is how we got here in the first place.  "Someone else will do it" is not the answer.  We have to step up and not only run the race, but finish the race.  2 Timothy 4:7 Paul not only ran the race, he states, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  He finished the race.  Now it does not say that he finished it at a dead sprint, or even at the same pace he started.  But he didn't give up.  

Father, I thank you for all that You have done for the people reading this.  I thank you for the specific blessings that you have bestowed on us.  I ask a blessing to come upon all those who are tired and needing peace and rest.  I ask that we can become world changers and by our faith in You we can make the devil tremble.  In Jesus' Name, amen.  

Do hard things

There are some things in life that are necessary, but hard to do. Things that we do not like to talk about, subjects that we avoid or actions that we do not do even when asked.  Christ did hard things.  He did not shy away from them.  We need to take His example and model ourselves after Him.  

Talking to someone about the gospel is a hard thing.
Raising your children to follow Christ is a hard thing.
Showing up for church every Sunday is a hard thing.
Mentoring children who look up to you with your words and actions is a hard thing.
Taking a stand to defend something that you believe in is a hard thing.
Caring for the widows and orphans is a hard thing.
Honoring God with all that we do and say is a hard thing.  

Doing hard things make us better people, better men of God.  The journey that we are on is going to be full of hard things.  Hard roads, potholes, road blocks and other obstacles.  Some of those obstacles could be other people.  Coworkers, family, friends, or strangers that you are trying to help may not want your help.  We cannot give up.  

Christ has set the example for us, so we try and set the example for other people,  an example for our children and their friends.  And who knows, through our efforts, maybe this nation will return to God.  

Go and do.

Matthew 28:16-20

After we come and see, we must go and do.  

When Jesus was crucified and resurrected, He met with his disciples in Galilee.  What He said there we too often take for a suggestion, but it is a commission, an active commandment.  

Merriam-Webster defines commission as: "an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or to perform prescribed acts."  Have you ever wondered why the book right after the Gospels is called "Acts"?  

Matthew 28:19 Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations...".  Go and Do.  As followers of Christ we also have this commission of bringing the Word of God to people who have not heard it.  Not everyone is supposed to be a world traveling missionary, or a T.V. evangelical.  But there is always something that we can do.  We can live it.  

In Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  We can help by blessing and helping and teaching the people around us by the way that we act.  We can help those in need, visit the sick and the hurting, and teach our kids the gospel.  

Actions speak louder than words, and let's face it, action scenes are better than monologues.   Go and Do.  Go and help build something someone needs, mow a yard, pray in public at the restaurant before you eat, ask people to church with you, give out books that have helped you.  If God has called you, go and be a missionary, mentor a child, foster, adopt one if God has laid it on your heart.    

Our actions are loud.  Go and Do.  

Come and see

One of the very cool things that I love about the journey to become a man of God is that you start where you are now.  You do not have to clean yourself up, or get rid of all your possessions to follow Christ.  You start where you are.  One step in front of the other.  That is how you climb a mountain.  That is how you run the race and fight the good fight.  No where in the bible does Jesus say, "Clean up your act first, then...".  

Instead He says "Come and see".  (John 1:39)  In this passage of scripture, John the Baptist is talking with two of his followers when Jesus walks by.  John says, "Behold the Lamb of God!" and those two leave John and follow Jesus from a distance.  When Jesus turns and asks, "What do you seek?"  They answer and Jesus' reply is "Come and see." (John 1:35-39)

He did not say to go fix themselves up and find him later.  Or to leave him alone.  John knew that there was something different about Jesus and told his followers.  They were curious about a man that they did not know much about and what followed turned them into world changers and planet shakers.  

If you know Christ and have a relationship with Him, you should be living a life that others can see as different.  And when asked why you are different, you should be willing and able to say "come and see".  Help that person on their own journey to start where they are and get know God.  

If you do not know Christ, please come and see what He is all about.  Ask me, ask a church member or a pastor.  Ask someone who you can trust to give you the correct answers.  

Even as believers, we can set our focus on something other than Christ for a time.  Setting our eyes on careers, family, friends, hobbies or habits.  But when we realize that we have focused on something else for a time, we should repent and return to Him.  

We should come and see.