The Face of God

1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV) 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

John 13:34 (ESV) 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

jesuspaiditallThis morning in men's group we read Romans Chapter 5.  In this text we realized three key themes in this chapter that are really hard to grasp, at least for me:  1) We, who are saved, are called friends of God, 2) Because of what God did for us - his son died for us - we are now at peace with God and 3) We are not ashamed.  Jesus paid it all.

This season of Christmas, I find myself awestruck by this chapter and by the realization that Jesus paid it all, that is, my sins of the past, present and future sins to come.  He pours his grace over me.  The text doesn't say "dabs" or "drips" but pours his love over us.  I am not sure about you, but for me, I cannot wrap my head around just how much he loves me.heavenly

I am no longer an enemy of God, I am no longer at war with God.  I am a piece with him and later (in Galatians and in Romans) we read that he has adopted us as sons.  That is just so profound to me.  To think, Jesus took on flesh by being born of a virgin and then in his short 33 years of life, fulfilled all the prophecy about him.  Jesus healed the sick and lame, walked on water, controlled the wind and raised the dead.  Above all, he died for you and me and was raised from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God the Father.

jesus-in-the-mangerJesus, in all His glory, is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  He reigns and all shall bow and confess to him that he is the Lord.  He chooses to be our friend and to testify on our behalf to God the Father.  Because of this, we are justified through Faith and we are now sons of God.

This Christmas, given the aftermath of tragedy, has become even more special to me because there is nothing and no one that can separate us from His love.

I hope that all of us take the time to reflect on the reason for the season - Jesus!

May God bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you and give you peace.

Merry Christmas,

Dante, Lance & Gary.

 

Are You a Man of Prayer?

 

Men in Prayer

Fast Facts: Although 90 percent of Americans say they pray (60 percent say they pray every day), the ways they pray vary significantly, according to pollster George Barna. Two out of three unchurched Americans (63 percent) pray regularly, but only one out of three (34 percent) is sure that praying makes any difference. In contrast, nearly 70 percent of the “born-again” respondents think God personally responds to their prayers.

Among those who pray, according to the National and International Religion Report:

  • 95 percent express gratitude to God
  • 76 percent ask God to forgive particular sins
  • 61 percent make specific requests of God
  • 12 percent pray in tongues

How is your prayer life? If you are like most of us, it has seasons, and sometimes lacks consistency. I cannot think of anything more important than intimacy with our Heavenly Father. “It is good to be near God.” (Psalm 73:28)

Nearly 1,400 verses in the Bible talk about prayer. A rich and fulfilling prayer life is essential to our spiritual growth.

This is not a “how to” on prayer. These are simply some ideas that have benefitted me in my time with God. I encourage you to give them a try to see which ones work for you.

1. Find Your Ideal Time. Are you a morning person or a night person? When are you most alert? ““Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7) Identify your “optimal prayer time.” How many times have you fallen asleep while praying?

For me, morning works out best. It is a great way to start the day. I get up earlier now than I ever imagined, and I am not even a morning person! Make it a regular part of your schedule—and stick with it!“Be faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) Pencil it in your planner if you must. Why is it when we get busy our time with God is often the first thing to go? Make it a priority! Even a few minutes each day is better than none at all. It will hardly affect your schedule, and it's easy. I started with just a few minutes, and I now have a powerful extended prayer time every day. If you are not a consistent pray-er, here is an experiment: For thirty days, set aside a few minutes each day for a regular time with God. Give it a try and see what happens. It will make a difference!

2. Isolate Yourself Somewhere Private, Quiet and without Distractions. “But when you pray go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father.” (Matthew 6:6) This will be your “refuge,” your place of retreat. Stay out of the bed! This is not nap time. I have a desk set up specifically for this purpose, so I am always ready. I turn off the furnace or air conditioner, and close the door to get it really quiet. How else will you hear that “still, small voice?” Naturally, you can pray anywhere, such as in the car, at work or around the house. However, true “quiet time” is the key to a powerful, effective prayer life.

3. Be Quiet and Listen. “Be still and know that I am God.”“(Psalm 46:10) Contemplate His presence. Take a moment to realize that Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, is waiting to hear from you!“God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.” (Psalm 66:19) Anyone who knows me will tell you I like to talk, especially about God. So you can imagine what it is like when I talk to God. He patiently listens to my prayers, and waits for His chance to speak. Finally, as I wind down my prayer time, He gets ready to share some wisdom or guidance with me (which I just requested). Then I say “Amen,” and I am done. “Jim,” He says to Himself, “I have so much to share with you, if you would only listen.” Let God speak to you. While you are praying, pause, be quiet and allow Him to respond. Many times you will not get an answer, but sometimes you will. You must learn to discern His voice. It may be a thought or a feeling, but you will sense His leading. “Listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God.” (Exodus 15:26)

4. Talk with Your Best Friend. Be yourself. Remember you are relating to a real Person. Do not be formal or ritualistic. A friend once explained how she talks with God in a casual, friendly way, and encouraged me to try it. I had always prayed something like “Thanks Lord, forgive me Lord, I want this and I want that.” It was quick, and always the same, except my wish list at the end. Having a casual conversation with God was foreign to me. It was awkward at first, but it quickly became natural and rewarding. I just realize Jesus is there with me and talk to Him. This has had a tremendous impact on my spiritual growth. It has given me an incredible intimacy with God, and I am much more aware of His presence. He is your best friend. You can share anything with Him!Are you angry? Tell Him. If you do not feel close to Him, say so. Laugh, cry or scream if you need to; He is there for you.

5. Talk with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. When you pray, to whom are you praying? Speak to all three members of the Trinity. Tell God you want to be His man. Tell Jesus you want to be more like Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with God's power. Ask Him to open your spiritual eyes to see and your spiritual ears to hear what God is saying.

6. Pray with A.C.T.S. –A.C.T.S. is an easy way to remember key elements of prayer. My prayer time has improved dramatically since I started using it. It's simply prayer in four parts:

 

  • Adoration: “Praise be to God!” (Psalm 68:35) Tell God how much you appreciate Him. Express your love for Him. Praise His power and majesty. This is a great way to begin your prayer time. Sometimes I watch the sun rise, and praise God for the beauty of His creation. You should never run out of praise. “How awesome are your deeds!” (Psalm 66:3)
  • Confession: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Tell Him where you have fallen short. Be specific. I thank Him for the forgiveness I have in Christ, and ask for help and strength to turn away from future temptations.
  • Thanksgiving: Always “glorify him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30) You have plenty of reasons to be thankful. Thank God for His love, His faithfulness, His patience and a million other things. Express gratitude for what He's doing in your life. Thank Jesus for dying on the cross for you. Thank the Holy Spirit for indwelling you, and never leaving. Thank Him for being your conscience, your counselor and that “still small voice.”
  • Supplication: “Make your requests known to God.” (Philippians 4:7) Tell God what you want, no matter how small it seems to you. Do you really think any of your requests are big to God the Creator? You should have lots of intercessory prayer here. Remember: As a Promise Keeper, you are committed to pray for your pastor and your church every day.

Ideas for a More Fulfilling Prayer Life

1.      Have a “Mini Worship Time.” Listen to praise music before you begin your quiet time. I love to do this while I drink my coffee. Sometimes, I sing along. (Fortunately no one can hear me.) Nearly every praise song we sing in church is available on CD or cassette at the Christian bookstores. My favorites include:

  • Promise Keepers worship music
  • Songs From the Loft
  • The Great Songs of Praise series
  • The Vineyard Collection
  • The Hosanna Series

Try singing without music. I do this sometimes before or after praying, and it is very uplifting. “Sing to God, sing praise to His name.” (Psalm 68:4)

2. Begin with a Bible Reading or Devotional. Even a short reading can help get your mind focused on God. I love to read the Psalms and the Gospels. (The Message, by Eugene H. Peterson is great for this.) I start with a devotional, and then spend time in God's Word. He often uses this time to speak to me. Many devotionals are available at Christian bookstores, such as My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.

3. Use a Prayer Journal. A prayer journal is simply a list of people and things to pray for. It keeps you focused and consistent in your time with God. How many times have you forgotten to pray for someone? Once it is in the journal, you will not forget. (Tip: To get it into the journal, jot it down on a piece of paper or in your planner right away.) I use one from Chuck Swindoll’s Insight for Living. It is organized by weeks, so you have a daily/weekly list and an everyday list. It also has space for answered prayers, which is great because it shows what God is doing in your life. It helps you be a Promise Keeper and a man of prayer. “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

4. Get Out of the Rut. “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition.” (Matthew 6:7 NASB) Occasionally, your prayer time may get stale. Change it! If you usually sit in a chair, get on your knees, or stand up. Ask God to restore you. Read something. Listen to some music. Sing something. Go to a different place. One morning, as I got ready to pray, I felt distant from God. I said “Lord, I do not feel very close to you today. I'm sorry.” I decided to listen to some music instead. While listening to a song about “the Redeemer,” God wrapped His arms around me, and I was on my knees in tears, overwhelmed by His presence. He said “Jim, I was here the whole time. My love for you does not change. You’re the one who changes.” I ended up having an awesome prayer time that morning! Step out in faith and be a Man of Prayer!

For the original article, visit menofintergrity.org.

 

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What Jesus did (for you)

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 The 10 Commandments of the Old Testament:  Remember that whether you live by your own standards of life, or by the standards set forth by the living Word of God, then you have to believe that evil does not prevail.  That people have to answer to a higher "source".  Some call it "karma" while others call it the inherit code of law that is engraved in each one of our DNA.  Whether you believe it or you don't, one thing is for sure, no question, is that everyone will have to give an account - will have to testify that there is a God.  If you can read this and agree with it, then we can look at what's God's law was for those of us that are under the curse (the original sin) and remember that if we are guilty of one transgression of the law, then we are guilty of them all.  Here is the list of the Old Testament:

New Living Translation

Then God gave the people all these instructions:

 

1. You must not have any other god but me.

2.  You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

3. You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

4. Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

5. Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

6. You must not murder.

7. You must not commit adultery.

8. You must not steal.

9. You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

10. You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

The Commandments of Jesus:What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments?

By COGwriter

 

Commandment 1 "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Mat 4:10). "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the great commandment" (Mat 22:37). "

Commandment 2 "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Mat 4:10). "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Luke 4:8). "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).

Commandment 3 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men" (Mat 12:31). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,...blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20).

Commandment 4 "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath" (Mat 12:11-12). "And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath" (Mat 24:20); there would be no reason to pray this if the Sabbath was not going to be in existence. "And He said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath'" (Mk 2:27); this verse tells all who will see which day is the Lord's Day

Commandment 5 "For God commanded saying, 'Honor your father and your mother' and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death'" (Mat 15:4). "Honor your father and your mother" (Mat 19:19). "Honor your father and your mother" (Mk 7:10). "Honor your father and your mother" (Mk 10:19). "You know the commandments:...Honor your father and your mother" (Luke 18:20).

Commandment 6 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder', and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment" (Mat 5:21-22). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "You shall not murder" (Mat 19:18). "...murders...All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mk 7:21,23). "Do not murder" (Mk 10:19). "You know the commandments:...Do not murder" (Luke 18:20).

Commandment 7 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery'. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Mat 5:27-28). "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery" (Mat 5:32). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...adulteries, fornications...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery, and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery" (Mat 19:9). "You shall not commit adultery" (Mat 19:18). "...adulteries, fornications...All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mk 7:21,23). "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery" (Mk 10:11-12). "Do not commit adultery" (Mk 10:19). "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery" (Luke 16:18). "You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery" (Luke 18:20). "'Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery'...And Jesus said to her...'sin no more'" (John 8:4,11). "Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation" (Rev 2:22).

Commandment 8 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...thefts...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "You shall not steal" (Mat 19:18). "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer', but you have made it a den of thieves" (Mat 21:13). "...thefts...All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mk 7:22-23). "Do not steal" (Mk 10:19). "You know the commandments:... Do not steal" (Luke 18:20).

Commandment 9 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord. But I say to you, do not swear at all" (Mat 5:33-34). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...false witness...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "You shall not bear false witness" (Mat 19:18). "Do not bear false witness" (Mk 10:19). "You know the commandments:...Do not bear false witness" (Luke 18:20). "And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars" (Rev 2:2).

Commandment 10 "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on" (Mat 6:25). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "...covetousness...All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mk 7:22-23).

"I have kept My Father's commandments" (John 15:10).

So it is clear that Jesus taught everyone of the ten commandments and that he also kept them.

 

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRqXOaWUdVM]

Therefore, what did Jesus do for you?  Listen to the song, again, at the beginning!Blessings,Dante

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Off Topic: The Next Christians

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NextChristiansBook While driving to my childhood home during the Holidays, I had the chance to listen to Gabe Lyons new book, The Next Christians.  I really enjoyed Lyons first book unChristian and the Next Christians picks up were unChristians left off.    

 The Next Christians explores the changing environment  of Christianity and suggests that modern Christians need to move from cynicism, hypocrisy, and apathy to a more loving, accepting and non-judgemental form of faith.

 Studies indicate the Church no longer occupies the central place of influence it has in the past. Lyons reflects on the demise of the Moral Majority, the rise of the New Atheism, and the shift toward pluralism, postmodernism, and a more generic spirituality in our culture today. 

 Lyons also identifies the distinct groups of Christians today and how they deal with the cultural shift.

Separatists criticise the world and seek to create a Christian Only  sub-culture in which they attempt to keep the world separate from themselves. Thus creating an "Us Versus Them" mentality in the faith.  They tend to be your more vocal, hard liners and protesters withing Christianity. 

Cultural Christians seek to fit in with the world due to criticism by the media, culture and  friends and move more toward a vanilla faith rather than outward expression of their faith.  They tend to live their lives by biblical standards, pray and identify themselves as Christians but may not be actively involved in the Church.  

Restorers however seek to blend the best of both worlds. They stick to their strong Christian roots and the Lyons teachings of the Bible but express this by reaching out to the lost world with an un-judgemental hand of love and grace with a striking similarity to Jesus' own ministry while on earth. 

 Lyons identifies six characteristics of Restorers:

  • Provoked, not offended
  • Creators, not critics
  • Called, not employed
  • Grounded, not distracted
  • In community, not alone
  • Counter-cultural, not “relevant”

 Lyons goes more in depth into modern day Restorers who are fighting addiction, modern slavery, and sex-trafficking as well as others who are passionately dedicated to restoration in smaller but equally meaningful ways.

 While this book breathes new life into the younger Christian generation and what we need to do to face the world currently, I am sure it will ruffle the feathers of Hard Lined Christians.  It challenges Christians to embrace the world and work with it rather than condemn and criticise it.  This is easy to say but hard to do, especially in conservative evangelical circles. 

Overall, I think Lyons presented a great treatise on what future Christians will look like both good and bad and he also added many of his references for readers to dig into more in-depth.

 The Next Christians is definitely worth reading or listening to on a commute and while I listed this post as off topic, I am now seeing that this post may in fact be very relevant to how we rasie and prepare our future children to carry the faith and love the world.  

If I can raise my children to love God and express that love through outward expressions of love and grace to the world, I have accomplished my mission.

 - Lance

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A Goal Line Stand

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Friday_night_lights_ver2 One of my favorite sports movies is Friday Night Lights.  It's an emotional film about a small high school football team in west Texas overcoming great personal odds to make it to the Texas State High School Football Championship.  In the climax of the movie, the team is losing the championship to a superior opponent and they mount one final run down the field as the clock is ticking down.  Down by a few points, the team marches down the field and makes it to the goal line.  In one final play, the ball is hiked and the quarterback makes a break for the end-zone, time stands still and the crowd goes wild as the the pile of bodies fly towards the ball carrier.  In the final second, the quarterback falls forward only to come up short of the goal line and the team ultimately loses the game and the championship.

What is equally tragic is witnessing well meaning, good parents spending top dollars putting their kids in the best schools, spending countless hours on sports programs, and enrolling their youth in highly dynamic Christian youth programs only to come up short and have their efforts blow up on them at the end of their children's adolescence.

Over and over we continue to see parents falling into one of two extremes. 

1. Focusing Children Predominately on the Success Illusion,without greater emphasis on Character. Parents today are hurried and have to focus their time accordingly.  Many parents still believe that grades, sports and extracurriculars have top priority while morals, values and character development come in at the bottom of the list.  These parents believe that through school, the Church or some other outside entity; their children will develop character and the morals of right and wrong.  But studies conclude that this does not happen, the home and parents are the single most influential factor in how children and ultimately our society develop.

2. Controlled Environment, Behavior Modifiers.  The second extreme fills the parenting section at Helicoptermom bookstores with promises from psychologists and academics of new kids in 5 days, babies reading Tolstoy at age 3 and gluten-free, vegan kids with supercharged health.  These parents fear the evils of society and create a controlled environment for the tots to grow in with the hopes of keeping the evil world at bay for as long as possible.  This approach focuses on modifying the external behaviors of children in order to reach the desired effect; which tend to be nice, presentable kids for the parents ego.  The effects of this style of parenting has been evidenced Here and Here and also do not produce strong, productive adults from our children and often have the highest concentration of children who rebel later in adolescence.           

So what is the answer? Grace.

Grace or moderation in parenting focuses on putting down strong boundaries in the areas that matter most, internal behaviors.  Character, Morals and Values are modeled and mentored to the children daily.  Academics, Sports and Extracurriculars are not thrown out but also not placed above the internal behaviors.  The environment is controlled tighter in the early years but loosened as the child ages to afford maximum independence and decision making/consequences.  Mistakes are made in the home so the parents can offer advice and mentorship.  Parents are not worried about producing presentable kids, they focus on producing morally driven adults.  Kids will be kids but the end result is always the goal. 

Nexgen This principle is the heart of Legacy Dad and cannot be explained in one blog post, one book or a quick step by step guide. It has to be witnessed, lived and learned.  While this concept may seem foreign or maybe even reckless to our newer readers, I invite you to continue reading to learn why this style of parenting is ultimately producing children who will be tomorrows leaders in society.

When instituted properly; Grace will raise kids who will question and challenge cultural norms, will be spiritually tested by the world but will ultimately go to God and let the Holy Spirit work in their hearts and let their morals, values and character act as a compass in their lives.     

 - Lance

 

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