great news

Dear Partners and Friends, Things have changed rapidly in the last several days. In response to the questions from many of you I wanted to give a quick update. if you visit the www.caringbridge.com website you may know some of this. After three (3) rounds of chemotherapy which did not produce any desired results over the last 15 weeks, as I left the hospital and Denver last Saturday one of the doctors came in and smiled to say I think I have some good news for you. She said we don't understand the reasons after no response this long, but his numbers (good ones ) have jumped. They wanted an ANC count of 500+ but which been 3-25. the whole time. She said it has jumped to 200. I did say politely I understood because we knew "The Great Physician" who was in charge and hundreds of people have been praying for this child and God's grace was allowing it. God doesn't work this way in all lives but with Collin He has chosen to at this point. By that night it was 600 and the next day it exploded to 1800. The first exciting news we had! So we are rejoicing. This does not mean everything is solved, but now the doctors can and have proceeded to the next step to a bone marrow transplant to be initiated. No one in the family was a donor match, but one has been found through the national donor bank. It appears he will be able to be home for Christmas day if he stays well and then start the transplant. The family really wants to be together on Christmas instead of 2 places. He went home yesterday to be able to see the new baby brother ( first time off hospital property in 15 weeks). Once the transplant starts and takes place he will be in the special unit for 40-45 days under strict germ protocol then the following 90 days have to be within 20 minutes of the hospital which means he still can not go home, but if he stays well can stay in "Bretts Place" an apartment for children under transplant. So, it is far from over yet, but encouraging as we see the next step. The caring bridge site is: www.caringbridge.com. The visit site collinfrye. The password is collin. Thank you for your concern and prayers. Frank -- Frank Frye Priority Associates "Developing Leaders from the Inside Out"

Jesus Died For Your

JESUS' DEATH - 60 SECONDS ~~~ 60 seconds with God... For The next 60 seconds, set aside whatever You're doing and take this opportunity! Let's see if Satan can stop this... THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death penalty. At the time crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals condemned to be crucified. Yet it was Even more dreadful for Jesus, for unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion, Jesus was nailed to the cross by His hands and feet, rather than tied... Each nail Was 6 to 8 inches long. The nails Were driven into His wrist. Not Into His palms as is commonly Portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that Extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew That when the nails were being hammered into the Wrist, that tendon would tear and Break, forcing Jesus to use His back Muscles to support himself, so that He could breathe. Both of His feet Were nailed together. Thus He was forced to Support Himself on the single nail that Impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could Not support himself with His legs for long because of the pain, so He was forced to alternate between arching His Back and using his legs just to continue to Breath. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the Suffering, the courage. Jesus endured this Reality for over 3 hours. Yes, Over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of Suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water >From his wounds. From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side... But do we remember the many wounds Made to his body. A hammer Driving large nails through the wrists, the feet overlapped And a nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. And... Before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and Beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the Flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His Face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The Crown of thorns (two to three inch thorns) cut deeply into His scalp. Most men Would not have survived this torture. " He had no more blood To bleed out, only water poured from His Wounds.The Human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon) of blood. Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood; He had three nails hammered into His Members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond That, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His Chest.. All these without Mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying His own Cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his Face and threw stones (the cross beam was almost 30 kg of weight, to which His hands were nailed). Jesus had to endure this experience, So that you may have free access to God. So that your sins can be "washed" away. All of them, with no exception! Don't ignore this. JESUS CHRIST DIED...FOR YOU! For you, who now read this e-mail. Do not believe that He only died for others (those who go to church or for pastors, bishops, etc). He died for you! It is easy to e-mail jokes or silly photos, But when it comes to God, Sometimes we feel ashamed to forward a message about Him on To others. We are worried of what they may think. Accept the reality, the truth, that JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD. God has special plans for YOU! Share this with all your friends... About what He went through to save you. Really think about it! May God bless you!

Zig

In honor and memory of Zig Ziglar, the Memorial Service will be open to the public as well as streamed live via internet radio. 11:00 am Saturday, December 1st Prestonwood Baptist Church (main worship center) 6801 West Park Boulevard Plano, TX 75093 972-820-5000

Max

We Like Sheep by Max Lucado • November 6 Sheep aren’t smart. They tend to wander into running creeks for water, then their wool grows heavy and they drown. They have no sense of direction. They need a shepherd to lead them to calm water. So do we! We, like sheep, tend to be swept away by waters we should have avoided. We have no defense against the evil lion who prowls about seeking whom he might devour. Isaiah 53:6 reminds us, “We all have wandered away like sheep; each of us has gone his own way.” We need a shepherd to care for us and to guide us. And Jesus is that Good Shepherd. The Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. The Shepherd who protects, provides, and possesses his sheep. The Psalmist says: The Lord is my shepherd! The imagery is carried over to the New Testament as Jesus is called the good shepherd of the sheep! Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-15”

Zig Ziglar is now with Jesus

Zig Ziglar passed from this world today after a short bout with pneumonia. Though his time on earth has ended, he is speaking with Jesus now in his heavenly home. The angels in heaven are rejoicing and his family is celebrating a life well lived. If Zig has impacted your life or you want to leave a message to the family, please leave your remarks on his FaceBook page. Don't worry about being too specific or long. Take as much space as you want...the family wants to know. Please check back on FaceBook as we will be posting when the memorial service will be held. Personal Note: I had the privilage of knowing Zig and he was a man that walked the walk and I thank God for the time I had spent with him and the impact that it had on my life.

are you blameless

Blameless TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman Wednesday, August 15 2012 "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless." Psalm 84:11 If you were running for political office, what approach would your opponent take against you? If he wanted to launch a smear campaign, would there be any ammunition for him to use? Think how you would feel if the director of the opposing campaign came to you afterwards and said, "Sir, we tried to find something negative to play up in our campaign against you, but we couldn't." What does it really mean to be a person who is blameless before God? Being blameless before God does not mean we are perfect. No human being is perfect. It means that we so fully trust in God that we are willing to make things right when we fail. We are willing to humble ourselves continually before the throne of God. "...Blessed is the man who trusts in You" (Psalm 84:12). God has a specific plan for the people who fully trust in Him. He promises to be their shield, to bestow honor on them. He will not withhold any good thing from them. What a promise! What motivation to be all that we can be in God. Imagine living a life that God views as blameless, which allows Him to withhold no good thing. Pray that God would make you and me that kind of person.

YOu are invited

I would like to take this opportunity to personally invite you to our Coaches of Excellence "kick off" event on Tuesday, August 28th at 6:30pm. That evening I would like to share about the new direction in my life as well as casting the vision of COE with you. We will also be hearing from the founder of COE, Rod Olson, who will be with us via Skye. Also that night, I will have Doug Poll from the Doug Poll Group share about our golf marathon we are hosting on Thursday, November 8th. It will be a first class event to help raise money for Coaches of Excellence. I have attached the invitation for you and please pass along to anyone you know might be interested in attending. Please RSVP your attendance and I look forward to seeing you there. Make It A Great Day!! Jason Golden Coaches of Excellence (941) 539-6083 www.coachesofexcellence.com

response

Hey Peter and Brothers Peter had asked the question about when do we start talking to our sons and even our daughters about sexual relations. I remember my surprise and feeling of loss for words when I discovered quite by accident my step son had been attempting to print pictures of naked men with naked men in intimated sexual poses. Because I had just gotten married to his mother, he had not been in my home but for a few weeks at the time. He had no previous exposure to a manly influence or biblical influence in his life. He was only 12 at the time. He is an example of the tragedy of the absence of a Godly man speaking to him from his youth about the relationships with God, with self, with other men, with other women. I believe we should start as early as we think they can understand a cartoon. The world is teaching them what Satin wants them to know. Our children are the prize of this WAR we are in. It is risky business. We expose them to sex as God intended or the world will expose them to it as Satin intended. As for my step son. I am sad to say we will have to pray for him. This world had his spirit in its grip too tightly, before I met him, for me to snatch him from it. Only God can use the seeds I planted. For now he is lost, and I had my heart torn loosing that battle for his heart and soul.

the impostor

The Impostor From the place of our woundedness we construct a false self. We find a few gifts that work for us, and we try to live off them. Stuart found he was good at math and science. He shut down his heart and spent all his energies perfecting his "Spock" persona. There, in the academy, he was safe; he was also recognized and rewarded. "When I was eight," confesses Brennan Manning, "the impostor, or false self, was born as a defense against pain. The impostor within whispered, 'Brennan, don't ever be your real self anymore because nobody likes you as you are. Invent a new self that everybody will admire and nobody will know.'" Notice the key phrase: "as a defense against pain," as a way of saving himself. The impostor is our plan for salvation. So God must take it all away. He thwarts our plan for salvation; he shatters the false self. Our plan for redemption is hard to let go of; it clings to our hearts like an octopus. Why would God do something so terrible as to wound us in the place of our deepest wound? Jesus warned us that "whoever wants to save his life will lose it" (Luke 9:24). Christ is not using the word bios here; he's not talking about our physical life. The passage is not about trying to save your skin by ducking martyrdom or something like that. The word Christ uses for "life" is the word psyche-the word for our soul, our inner self, our heart. He says that the things we do to save our psyche, our self, those plans to save and protect our inner life-those are the things that will actually destroy us. "There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death," says Proverbs 16:25. The false self, our plan for redemption, seems so right to us. It shields us from pain and secures us a little love and admiration. But the false self is a lie; the whole plan is built on pretense. It's a deadly trap. God loves us too much to leave us there. So he thwarts us, in many, many different ways.

Safe Sex

We started Wild at Heart by John Eldredge last week and it was nothing like what I expected.  Jan has integrated several movie clips and it was off the charts.  The first clip was from Gladiator and it set the tone.

I hope you can join us, we have a number of new guys coming and it would be great to see you again.  I am presently on a plane flying back to Sarasota and I wanted to share a thought with you and would love to get your feedback.  When in Maryland I was staying at my mother’s house and in the bathroom there was a woman magazine called Self.  With nothing else to read I opened it up and there was an article in it about Safe Sex.  In bold letters it said unless you are in a monogamous relationship you use a condom.  It went on to talk about Sexually Transmitted Disease and it was quite frightening.  

My son is 10 years old and I don’t think that I have to worry yet but at what point should I have that talk with him.   I share this with you my brothers because this is not the world we grew up in and I think we need to be extra diligent in educating our children.  

I am going to post this on the blog if you would like to publically comment or just replay back to me.  I am looking forward to getting some counsel from my brothers.  

Waiting on God

Waiting on GodTGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, August 10 2012

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!" Isaiah 30:18
Have you ever noticed that God is not in a hurry? It took 40 years for Moses to receive his commission to lead the people out of Egypt. It took 17 years of preparation before Joseph was delivered from slavery and imprisonment. It took 20 years before Jacob was released from Laban's control. Abraham and Sarah were in their old age when they finally received the son of promise, Isaac. So why isn't God in a hurry? God called each of these servants to accomplish a certain task in His Kingdom, yet He was in no hurry to bring their mission into fulfillment. First, He accomplished what He wanted in them. We are often more focused on outcome than the process that He is accomplishing in our lives each day. When we experience His presence daily, one day we wake up and realize that God has done something special in and through our lives. However, the accomplishment is no longer what excites us. Instead, what excites us is knowing Him. Through those times, we become more acquainted with His love, grace, and power in our lives. When this happens, we are no longer focused on the outcome because the outcome is a result of our walk with Him. It is not the goal of our walk, but the by-product. Hence, when Joseph came to power in Egypt, he probably couldn't have cared less. He had come to a place of complete surrender so that he was not anxious about tomorrow or his circumstances. This is the lesson for us. We must wait for God's timing and embrace wherever we are in the process. When we find contentment in that place, we begin to experience God in ways we never thought possible.

Kids today

People born before 1946 were called The Silent and Powerful generation People born between 1946 and 1964 are called The Baby Boomers People born between 1965 and 1979 are called Generation X And people born between 1980 and 2010 are called Generation Y Why do we call the last group Generation Y? Y should I get a job? Y should I leave home and find my own place? Y should I get a car when I can borrow yours? Y should I clean my room? Y should I wash and iron my own clothes? Y should I buy any food? Y should I contribute to the household?

are you willing?

Walking in the AnointingTGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Tuesday, July 10 2012

"So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power...." 1 Samuel 16:13
Has the Spirit of the Lord rested on your life? Can you cite the time when God's Spirit began demonstrating His power through you?
David knew the day the Spirit of the Lord began a special work in him. That Spirit was different from most leaders. Instead of seeking power and control, he led in response to a need. Instead of being a perfect person, he learned from mistakes and acknowledged them among those he led. Instead of placing confidence in his own abilities, he sought wisdom from the only real Commander in charge. David never lost a battle through his many years of leading Israel. He failed God by sinning with Bathsheba and by numbering the troops, but he learned from those failures, and he had to pay a price for them. However, God's Spirit never left David. He never left because of David's willingness to keep a soft heart toward God, even when he failed.
God wants to do the same in you and me, but He will not allow that Spirit to rest on us if we seek to control outcomes and manipulate out of our need for power. Servant leaders know that they are only a tool in the Master's hand. They do not value themselves more than they ought. David's heart was fully the Lord's. Is your heart fully the Lord's to do with what He wills?

Stress

An excerpt from Stress is a Choice by David Zerfoss

Several years ago while listening to my pastor give a Sunday sermon, he spoke about how life is made up of a series of choices. It made me realize that my hectic professional and personal life was of my choosing. Therefore, a life of stress had become my choice. Many of us hurry through life going from one place to the next, focused on conquering the next mountain, making the next deal, running the next errand, and believing we will never have enough time to do all the things we need to get done. Yet, there is all the time in the world if we just realize that we are the creators of this life we choose to live. That's right. Life is a series of choices and being free from stress is one of those choices. Whether your business life is overly complicated or your personal life (or both), you have chosen this current system of chaos. The world is a tantalizing swirl of getting the next "fix," tempting us to fit more and more things, people and processes into our lives, personally and professionally. And because we are so busy being busy, it's easy to be lured into the fray, with our lengthy to-do lists. Yet, the greatest achievements have often come from the simplest of ideas and in the simplest forms. To experience a simplified life, we first have to learn to slow down long enough to see through all the clutter. We need to realize that we are powerful magnets that attracted this life to ourselves—no matter what—good or bad.

Settling Disputes

Settling DisputesTGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, June 29 2012

"Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart." Proverbs 18:18
We prayed about it. We discussed it. My friend had one desire; I had a different one.
"Okay, let's settle the issue the way the early Church settled matters when an agreement could not be achieved. Let's flip a coin."
"You must be joking!" my friend lamented.
"No, the early Church cast lots often to determine a course of direction or even select the disciple who would take Judas' place."
"Okay," my friend agreed.
We flipped the coin and the matter was quickly settled.
In the Old Testament there are many examples of casting lots for determining a decision. We hear little of this method today. Most of us do not want to release the decision process to this seemingly "flippant" process; yet the Lord says, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord" (Prov. 16:33).
Flipping a coin is the equivalent to casting a lot. It removes our own opinions and leaves the final outcome to the Lord. Pray before you take such an action. It will surprise you who is willing to submit a decision to the Lord and who isn't. It removes the element of control from both parties.
I believe the Lord would first have us make decisions through agreement and continued prayer for the decision. However, there are times when this approach can be the quickest and simplest. It removes each person's temptation to lord it over the other. Cast the lot and settle the dispute.

From John

Reason and Emotion

The mind takes in and processes information. But it remains, for the most part, indifferent. It is your mind that tells you it is now 2:00 A.M. and your daughter has not returned, for the car is not in the driveway. Your heart wrestles with whether or not this is cause for worry. The heart lives in the far more bloody and magnificent realities of living and dying and loving and hating. That's why those who live from their minds are detached from life. Things don't seem to touch them very much; they puzzle at the way others are so affected by life, and they conclude others are emotional and unstable. Meanwhile, those who live from the heart find those who live from the mind . . . unavailable. Yes, they are physically present. So is your computer. This is the sorrow of many marriages, and the number one disappointment of children who feel entirely missed or misunderstood by their parents.

Yes, the heart is the source of our emotions. But we have equated the heart with emotion, and put it away for a messy and even dangerous guide. No doubt, many people have made a wreck of their lives by following an emotion without stopping to consider whether it was a good idea to do so. Neither adultery nor murder is a rational act. But equating the heart with emotion is the same nonsense as saying that love is a feeling. Surely, we know that love is more than feeling loving; for if Christ had followed his emotions, he would not have gone to the cross for us. Like any man would have been, he was afraid; in fact, he knew that the sins of the world would be laid upon him, and so he had even greater cause for hesitation (Mark 14:32-35). But in the hour of his greatest trial, his love overcame his fear of what loving would cost him.

Emotions are the voice of the heart, to borrow Chip Dodd's phrase. Not the heart, but its voice.

Make a difference

Today I Will Make a Difference
Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.
Today I will make a difference.

The Worst of All Possible Reactions

The Worst of All Possible Reactions

The heart, Blaise Pascal said, "has its reasons which reason knows nothing of." Something in us longs, hopes, maybe even at times believes that this is not the way things were supposed to be. Our desire fights the assault of death upon life. And so people with terminal illnesses get married. Prisoners in a concentration camp plant flowers. Lovers long divorced still reach out in the night to embrace one who is no longer there. It's like the phantom pain experienced by those who have lost a limb. Feelings still emanate from that region where once was a crucial part of them. Our hearts know a similar reality. At some deep level, we refuse to accept the fact that this is the way things are, or must be, or always will be.

Simone Weil was right; there are only two things that pierce the human heart: beauty and affliction. Moments we wish would last forever and moments we wish had never begun. The playwright Christopher Fry wrote,

The inescapable dramatic situation for us all is that we have no idea what our situation is. We may be mortal. What then? We may be immortal. What then? We are plunged into an existence fantastic to the point of nightmare, and however hard we rationalize, or however firm our religious faith, however closely we dog the heels of science or wheel among the starts of mysticism, we can not really make head or tail of it. ("A Playwright Speaks: How Lost, How Amazed, How Miraculous We Are")

And what does Fry say we do with our dilemma? The worst of all possible reactions:

We get used to it. We get broken into it so gradually we scarcely notice it.

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

We all face challenges and obstacles in this life. We all have dreams in our hearts, and at times, it looks like they’re not going to come to pass. During these difficult seasons, we have a choice. We can get negative and discouraged and talk about how things are not going to work out, or we can switch over into praise and thanksgiving which opens the door for God to move on our behalf. A lot of times people think, “I’ll have a good attitude as soon as I get over this health issue.” “Joel, I’ll give God praise when I get through these tough times.” But that’s not how faith works. As long as we’re negative, discouraged and focused on our problems, it limits what God can do. You’ve got to give God praise first, and then the breakthrough will come. You’ve got to change your focus first, and then things will change in your favor. Praise always precedes the victory. Today, if you’ve been dwelling on the wrong things and focusing in the wrong direction, switch over into praise and thanksgiving. Begin to declare that God is good. Declare that He is faithful. Declare His praises and open the door to victory in every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, today I humbly come before You, lifting You up and magnifying Your holy name. Thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I bless You and honor You for Your goodness in Jesus’ name. Amen!

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Join us Wednesday for Family Movie Night:

Play trailer of the movie

Fathers Day

For all the fathers reading this today, God Bless YOU. I watched the movie Courageous for the 5th time the other day and it really hit me as to the impact that we have on the lives of our children. What hit me the most was when the father said to his son: “I don’t think I started strong but I want to end strong”. It is never too late. My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. - Clarence B. Kelland Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice. - Peter Martin I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection. - Sigmund Freud It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons. - Johann Schiller The Man They Want One night a father overheard his son pray: Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy is. Later that night, the Father prayed, Dear God, Make me the kind of man my son wants me to be. - Unknown If you have not heard the song by Sanctus Real called “Lead Me” you need to give it a listen. If you live in the Sarasota Area please join us this Wednesday for a Family Movie Night for the showing of the movie Courageous. Check it out and watch the trailer.

from John

Fierce Mastery Let's come back for a moment to original glory, the glory of God given to us when we were created in his image. So much light could be shed on our lives if we would explore what we were meant to be before things started going wrong. What was it that we were created to do? What was our original job description? God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule." (Gen. 1:26-28) And let them rule. Like a foreman runs a ranch or like a skipper runs his ship. Better still, like a king rules a kingdom, God appoints us as the governors of his domain. We were created to be the kings and queens of the earth (small k, small q). Hebrew scholar Robert Alter has looked long and hard at this passage, mining it for its riches. He says the idea of rule means "a fierce exercise of mastery." It is active, engaged, passionate. It is fierce.

Family movie night

We are hosting a Faimly Movie Night to see the movie Courageous. It is FREE and open to all, check out the link to learn more: http://foryourdailybread.com/courageous/ Watch Trailer

weekend

Before we all go, that is, into our weekends, and the myriad distractions even a day can hold, I wanted to let you know that the event is off to a good start and holy cow this must be an important one because the opposition has almost been ridiculous it is so blatant and bold. One of our team had their home broken into; many of the men had major obstacles/emergencies almost take them out; there’s been sabotage, sleep assault, accusation and blah blah blah I don’t want to give the enemy an ounce of my time. Just wanted to ask you to continue with us in prayer today and through the weekend. “Holy Spirit, we join with you – move us to pray and intercede; we give you permission to move us and remind us and join us together by the Spirit of God. Carry us, Holy Spirit, and make your mighty intercession through us. We worship Jesus Christ and we proclaim his Kingdom here over our lives, over Ransomed Heart, over each team member and their family, over these men now and this weekend’s event. We proclaim Jesus Christ Lord here, in every way, and we summon all the resources of heaven to fill and surround us and this event, in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ. We announce the triumph of God here, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Thanks gang! The prayer that I sent on Tuesday continues to be a good one to unite over. Bless you! John

From Max

QUESTION #145: In most of my prayers I ask God for things I need each day. These are legitimate needs. (I’m not asking God to make me a millionaire, just to help me pay the mortgage.) Is God really concerned about the necessities of my life? “Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3). What is this daily bread Jesus spoke of, tucked inside the Lord’s Prayer? A loaf of warm Italian bread on my doorstep every morning? That would be nice. Bread is a staple of every culture. From flat bread to yeast-filled loaves, grain has been mixed with water and oil and placed over a fire by every civilization. What’s the first thing a restaurant brings before the meal? Bread. (Okay, maybe Mexican restaurants don’t, but those chips are made from grain. They’re just fried in oil.) But how about a slight change to the daily menu: “Give us this day our daily mocha chocolate chip ice cream” or “Give us this day our daily beluga whale caviar”? Those are luxuries, not necessities. Sorry, God does not promise those. Bread is a valued necessity, tasty and welcomed, but certainly not extravagant. Jesus tells us to ask for the necessities in life, but does he promise to provide them? Soon after this plea for daily bread, found also in Matthew 6, Jesus presents his famous “Don’t worry” passage: “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?” (v. 25). God takes care of birds, flowers, and grass and provides the basics they need to exist (vv. 26–30). Why not us? Aren’t we more important than a barn swallow, a multiflora petunia, and a blade of Bahia grass? You bet a loaf of sweet sourdough we are. In that statement comes a promise from God to provide his most important creation on earth with food, clothing, and drink (vv. 25–34). The necessities once again. Jesus tells us to ask, then promises to give us the basics we need to survive. So don’t worry; be prayerful. God has something wonderful for us baking in the oven. Can you smell it?

from John

An Extravagant Offer Jesus points to a field of wheat. Imagine trying to count the number of kernels in one acre. Immeasurable abundance. Turning our gaze to those luxuriant fields, he says, “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over” (John 12:24 The Message). The point he is making is that he has come to share his life with us. But again, as soon as I say that, the old religious associations rush in to fog the reality. Imagine walking through a rain forest. Diving over a coral reef. Simply look through a microscope at a drop of pond water. Creation is pulsing with life. It is the life of Jesus, given generously for the life of all things. He is called “the author of life,” who personally “sustains all things” (Acts 3:15; Heb. 1:3 nrsv). This is the life he offers us; this is the extravagance with which he offers it. Jesus doesn’t only give his life for mankind, he also gives his life to mankind. It is showered upon us daily like manna.

God's Motives

God's Motives TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman Wednesday, May 30 2012 "He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me." - 2 Samuel 22:20 Questioning someone's motives for their activities can become an overriding response to those to whom we relate. Wrong motives can result in broken relationships, poor business decisions, and falling out of God's will. Sometimes we do not know the motive of another person. It is wrong for us to assume what their motive is until we have confidence that we know their intentions. When we respond or react prematurely, we become judge and jury over them. God has a motive for every one of His children. His desire is to bring us into a spacious place. He wants us to go beyond our borders of safety and security so that we might experience life at a level that goes beyond ourselves. What do you think of when you think of a "spacious place"? No limitations? A large, grassy field? Open air? These are positive images. Sometimes these spacious places encourage us to step out in faith into areas where we've never ventured. Sometimes we need to be rescued by the Lord. When Peter walked on the water, God was inviting him to a spacious place. He went beyond the borders of his boat and ventured into a whole new world. He didn't have complete success in his venturing out, but it was a process that would lead him to the next victory in his faith walk with Jesus. Sometimes failure is what is needed in order to move us to the next level of faith with God. However, we must be willing to fail and let God rescue us. The Lord delights in this process. His motive for His children is always love. It is always to bring us to a new level of trust and dependence on Him

Today we celebrate the brave men and woman that serve and protect this great nation. May we all take a second and give thanks to them and pray that God protects them where ever they are in the world fighting so that we can continue to live under the flag of freedom that they provide. Here is a collection of some quotes to honor our troups: Heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion. Calvin Coolidge Heroes take journeys, confront dragons, and discover the treasure of their true selves. Carol Lynn Pearson Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened. Billy Graham Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave. Muhammad The flag still floats unblotted with defeat! But ah the blood that keeps its ripples red, the starry lives that keep its field alight. Rupert Hughes Valor is a gift. Those having it never know for sure whether they have it till the test comes. And those having it in one test never know for sure if they will have it when the next test comes. Napoleon Bonaparte

Prayer Request

We have all seen on the news and heard the story of Aimee Copeland in Georgia who is fighting for her life and we continue to pray and lift her up. There is someone here locally that is fighting a not so uncommon battle with Cancer and a the over the past few years I have sent out a prayer requests for her and I want to thank you for all of your prayers. Some of you may know Tom and Erilda Waters but may not have known about their battle. They are 2 of the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing and Erilda is the strongest woman I have ever known and her trust and love of God is inspirational. For the past 8 ½ years Erilda has been battling cancer and right now she is fighting for her life, the cancer has come back with a vengeance and none of the treatments are really making a difference. The prognosis is not good but there is a treatment in Mexico that they have looked into and after praying about it they have decided to give it a try. Tomorrow Tom, Erilda and their 18 year old daughter Tiffany are leaving for Mexico to start the treatments. Please continue to lift them up in your prayers and specifically for favor financially, because this treatment is expensive and not covered by insurance. You can also visit the Facebook page Pray for a Miracle Erilda Waters and give them encouragement. I know that this is a tough time for all of us financially, but we have set up a PayPal account for those who would like to make a donation of any amount to help cover the costs. Please continue to lift them up in your prayers as they start this new journey, we serve a God of miracles and I know that he hears our prayers. You can go to paypal.com and send donations to Kathryn Waters c/o peter@getdirectemail.com this is a PayPal account that has been established for the Victory Fund. Thank you and may God Bless you and your family,

get back on track

Do Whatever Brings You Back to Your Heart and the Heart of God Against the flesh, the traitor within, a warrior uses discipline. We have a two-dimensional version of this now, which we call a "quiet time." But most men have a hard time sustaining any sort of devotional life because it has no vital connection to recovering and protecting their strength; it feels about as important as flossing. But if you saw your life as a great battle and you knew you needed time with God for your very survival, you would do it. Maybe not perfectly-nobody ever does and that's not the point anyway-but you would have a reason to seek him. We give a halfhearted attempt at the spiritual disciplines when the only reason we have is that we "ought" to. But we'll find a way to make it work when we are convinced we're history if we don't. Time with God each day is not about academic study or getting through a certain amount of Scripture or any of that. It's about connecting with God. We've got to keep those lines of communication open, so use whatever helps. Sometimes I'll listen to music; other times I'll read Scripture or a passage from a book; often I will journal; maybe I'll go for a run; then there are days when all I need is silence and solitude and the rising sun. The point is simply to do whatever brings me back to my heart and the heart of God. The discipline, by the way, is never the point. The whole point of a "devotional life" is connecting with God. This is our primary antidote to the counterfeits the world holds out to us.

Warning about Dan Savage

Today I saw and scary video on youtube of a man named Dan Savage and he was talking to high school students about gay marriage and he was radical. Please take time to talk to your children about the issue because there are people like him that will twist the word of God and attack Christians and what is most alarming is that he was allowed a platform to talk to students. I pray that God touches his heart and that he is led to see the truth, and that our school officials will have discernment and not allow false teachers influence our young.

when things get tought

Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means. It is when we are in the valley, where we prove whether we will be the choice ones, that most of us turn back. We are not quite prepared for the bumps and bruises that must come if we are going to be turned into the shape of the vision. We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people. There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human life is made. We have to learn to live in reliance upon what we saw in the vision, not simply live in ecstatic delight and conscious reflection upon God. This means living the realities of our lives in the light of the vision until the truth of the vision is actually realized in us. Every bit of our training is in that direction. Learn to thank God for making His demands known. Our little “I am” always sulks and pouts when God says do. Let your little “I am” be shriveled up in God’s wrath and indignation–”I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). He must dominate. Isn’t it piercing to realize that God not only knows where we live, but also knows the gutters into which we crawl! He will hunt us down as fast as a flash of lightning. No human being knows human beings as God does.

from Mark

Dear Friends, This weekend is set aside for the men of a young church, River Oaks Community Church, St. Augustine, FL. The men will go through Epic. Each man attending needs your prayer support. This young church (ROCC) has already impacted the oldest historical U.S. city and one of the most spiritually embattled communities in America, St. Augustine, FL. Talk about strong-holds. There are many different nations and cultures that have flown their flag over St. Augustine. The ROCC church is literally an outpost. It is a privilege to have this weekend to encourage each man as together the men of ROCC seek to have their "Band of Brothers" raise God's banner in St. Augustine once again. The ROCC men need your prayers as God prepares their hearts for so much more then they could dream or imagine. The men are seeking God about how they individualy and as a church should move, lead, serve and further the Kingdom of God at home and in their community. They seek clarity and light ! We ask for your prayer to stand with us and with the men from the River Oaks Community Church in St. Augustine as we gather outside of Gainesville, FL at Tom's House to listen carefully to Jesus Christ and see the Larger Story that God is inviting men into. But there are distractions and spirits attempting to dissuade men from arriving at this strategic beach head of forgiveness where men will land Friday evening through Saturday evening. And yes there are strong-holds to bind, thank you for confronting them with us. We are taking several passes on this before the men arrive. After writing this email to you, men here in Largo, FL are meeting at local International House of Prayer (iHop) to pray. Thank you for joining us where ever you are located. This mission is orientation to the gospel, to listening carefully and to our larger story. So the men together would see The Road Before Them. My heart is stirred by a noble theme, as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. Psalm 45:1 Please remember that their are families and a church outpost to pray for too. In 1 Thessalonians chp 2 Paul wanted to go and do more but was prevented by Satan. We too (this weekend's team is Jan, Brian, Tom and I) want to do all that God intends. So as you pray please stand against anything that would prevent us from serving and bringing everything for the ROCC men. Father, we bring the work of Jesus Christ and his shed blood over this Epic event, over the ROCC men, over the Wildmen Team, over Tom's House and over the teaching. May men listen carefully to Jesus has he comes, and minister thru your Holy Spirit. For the ROCC men, I pray too that; God has been preparing them for their whole life for this weekend". May everyone this weekend have eyes to see and ears to hear what God has written on their hearts. And for each of our dear praying friends, for you, May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts! Love Always, Mark Woods www.wildmenministry.com PS please also continue to cover in prayer the Ransomed Heart team through Monday specifically against the enemy's retaliation for their excellent Kingdom work last weekend - Thank you !

False Reverence This motive—reverence for God—is a slippery one. This lets in a great deal of the clutter that gets between us and God, because it seems like the proper thing to do. “Papa, I come to you this morning” has a totally different feel than “Almighty God and Everlasting Father.” Even if you do not start out that way, addressing God with a coat-and-tie formality you would never have wanted between you and your dad will end up starching the relationship. “Papa” is what Jesus gave us. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ . . . Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). The point is not the words; the point is the fruit, their effect. Stained-glass language reflects a view of what Jesus is like; it shapes our perceptions of him and, therefore, our experience of him. Whatever the term may be, just ask yourself: Does this sound like his actual personality? Does this capture his playfulness, infuriating the Pharisees; his humanity, generosity, and scandalous freedom? Does this sound like the Jesus at Cana, at dinner with “sinners,” on the beach with the boys? These ways of speaking about Jesus perpetuate distorted views of his personality and keep Jesus at a distance, the polar opposite of the intimacy his entire life was committed to. It makes it hard to love him. This stuff actually gets in the way of loving Jesus. Listen—you can honor him, respect him, insist that others do, and never actually love Jesus. This is not what he wanted. False reverence is a choice veil of the religious fog. It will bring a shroud between your heart and his.

Let's Major in God

Let's Major in God David just showed up this morning. He clocked out of sheep watching to deliver bread and cheese to his brothers on the battle-front. That’s where David hears Goliath defying God,. . . . Read the ?rst words he spoke, not just in the battle, but in the Bible: “David asked the men standing near him, ‘What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’” (1 Sam. 17:26 niv). David shows up discussing God. The soldiers mentioned nothing about him, the brothers never spoke his name, but David takes one step onto the stage and raises the subject of the living God. . . . No one else discusses God. David discusses no one else but God. . . . David sees what others don’t and refuses to see what others do. All eyes, except David’s, fall on the brutal, hate-breathing hulk. . . . The people know his taunts, demands, size, and strut. They have majored in Goliath. David majors in God. He sees the giant, mind you; he just sees God more so. Look carefully at David’s battle cry: “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Sam. 17:45). — origiginally printed in Facing Your Giants Lord God, train us to walk on your path. Teach us to see you in situations that are dangerous and difficult. Like David, when we are surrounded by overwhelming challenges may our thoughts and words turn first to you. Rather than discuss the problem, remind us to discuss you. May our first thought in the morning and our last thought at night be centered on you. Rather than worry about the impossibilities, let us major in your mighty power. When we am tempted to look at the giants in our lives, we will choose to look at you, amen. Let the God of my salvation be exalted! Psalm 18:46 We walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Hebrews

Hebrews 12:11 How happy are tested Christians, later. There is no deeper calm than that which follows the storm. Who has not rejoiced in clear shinings after rain? Victorious banquets are for well-accomplished soldiers. After killing the lion we eat the honey; after climbing the Hill Difficulty,1 we sit down in the arbor to rest; after traversing the Valley of Humiliation, after fighting with Apollyon, the shining one appears, with the healing branch from the tree of life. Our sorrows, like the passing hulls of the ships upon the sea, leave a silver line of holy light behind them "later." It is peace, sweet, deep peace, that follows the horrible turmoil that once reigned in our tormented, guilty souls. Consider, then, the happy condition of a Christian! He has his best things last, and therefore in this world he receives his worst things first. But even his worst things are "later" good things, hard plowings yielding joyful harvests. Even now he grows rich by his losses, he rises by his falls, he lives by dying, and he becomes full by being emptied; if, then, his grievous afflictions yield him so much peaceable fruit in this life, what will be the full vintage of joy "later" in heaven? If his dark nights are as bright as the world's days, what shall his days be? If even his starlight is more splendid than the sun, what must his sunlight be? If he can sing in a dungeon, how sweetly will he sing in heaven! If he can praise the Lord in the fires, how will he extol Him before the eternal throne! If evil be good to him now, what will the overflowing goodness of God be to him then? Oh, blessed "later"! Who would not be a Christian? Who would not bear the present cross for the crown that comes afterwards? But here is work for patience, for the rest is not for today, nor the triumph for the present, but "later." Wait, my soul, and let patience have her perfect work. 1Pilgrim's Progress

What do you want

What Do You Want?
05-11-2012 10:22:30 AM


Sit with that question just a minute; did you immediately dismiss it as not being important? I am sure some of my more materialistic readers might have said a boat or a car, but I think it boils down to one thing, most of us desire to be loved. So how do we solve the problem of not feeling worthy of love itself. Imagination and dreaming are two of the best elixirs in learning how to love you. Without them self-pity and codependency reign in your life. We must have dreams. Attaching yourself to someone else's dreams only deepen the roots of unhappiness and unworthiness. We have to dig deeper into the question, "what do you want?"

Music is a huge part of my life and one of the things that helps open my mind to dreaming and desires. One day while listening to the song Watch Over You by Alterbridge, a haunting lyric caught me off guard. The lyric goes like this, "How can you love someone, and not yourself?" You can't!

So what are the answers to these questions for you?

What do you want from your spouse?
What do you want from your children? Your family?
What do you want from your career?
What is the meaning of your life?
Is your life turning out like you hoped?
What do you want from God?

Quit asking everyone what they need from you. This may sound selfish, but I promise if you are running on an empty tank, and only loving others from a heart of obligation, then you are not really loving them at all.
To truly begin to receive from life you must take the time to wrestle with these questions. You see love is an action, and the best show of love you can do for yourself is to act on your dreams and desires. There will be times this will feel really tough, and you will hit roadblocks and failures, but they are just a part of the process of loving yourself. If you can love yourself through failure you can love yourself through anything.

So, what do you want?

Recent Blogs:
What is the Value of Time?
Peepholes
Apology

We still need your help with our cause to build a water well in Africa for Paul. If you haven't heard the story read the link below.
Water for Paul-The Power of Story

Prayer Request from news story

This morning on the radio I heard this story and as a parent my heart went out to Andy. He is a brother that needs our prayers here is his story:

Tuesday afternoon my 24-year old daughter Aimee suffered a laceration to her calf when a zip-line broke near Carrollton, GA. The ER at Tanner Medical treated and released her with 22 staples in her calf. Aimee is a student at West Georgia University, where she is in the process of completing her Master’s Degree. She remained in Carrollton, despite my efforts to get her to return to Snellville where her mother and I could supervise her recovery.

Wednesday, Aimee complained of severe pain (the doctors only advised her to take Motrin and Tylenol) so she went back to the ER to get a prescription for Darvocett. This alleviated her symptoms until she complained of additional pain on Thursday. Aimee went to the doctor and received a prescription for antibiotics and posted a clean MRI report. Again, she was treated and released.

Friday morning Aimee was pale and weak, so a friend carried her to Tanner Medical immediately. Upon arrival, the ER physician diagnosed her with necrotizing fasciitis in her damaged leg. The fasciitis had spread beyond the injured area to her hip and thigh. The surgeons advised me that they wanted to try to save her leg, but at this point saving her life took precedence. They removed all of the infected tissue and advised that she would have limited, if any use of her leg. They also called for a life flight to the JMS Burn Center in Augusta, which has the most advanced infection care unit in the state.

Upon arrival at JMS, Aimee was once again rushed into surgery and the doctors completed a high-hip amputation of her left leg. They were also forced to remove tissue from her abdomen. As if this wasn’t enough, Aimee arrested when they moved her from the operating table, but they were able to successfully resuscitate her. The doctors say that Aimee’s probability of surviving the night is bleak. All we can do and all we have done is pray.

I type this factual progression of Aimee’s condition as a way to better cope with what is without a doubt the most horrific situation that a parent can possibly imagine. We take so much for granted in life, but I never imagined that one of my daughters would face this most unlikely of situations. I hope and pray that when you read this that the news we receive at sunrise will be positive. At this point, no news is good news, but all I know to do is hope and pray for the best. I only ask that you all do the same.

God bless.

Andy

please visit his facebook page: Believe and pray for a miracle to happen for Aimee Copeland

26,274 likes

what is your portion

Like many others, this impotent man had been waiting for a wonder to be performed and a sign to be given. He grew tired watching the pool, but no angel came, or at least not for him; still considering it to be his only chance, he kept waiting, not knowing that there was One near him whose word could heal him in a moment. Many are in the same condition. They are waiting for some singular emotion, remarkable impression, or celestial vision; but they wait and watch in vain. Even supposing that, in a few cases, remarkable signs are seen, yet these are rare, and no man has a right to look for them in his own case—especially not the man who feels his inability to take advantage of the moving of the water even if it came.

It is sad to think of how many tens of thousands are waiting on the use of means and ordinances and vows and resolutions and have been waiting for so long and completely in vain. Meanwhile these poor souls forget that Jesus is near, and He bids them look to Him and be saved. He could heal them at once, but they prefer to wait for an angel and a wonder. To trust Him is the sure way to every blessing, and He is worthy of the most implicit confidence; but unbelief makes them prefer to wait for the water to stir than to embrace the warm welcome of His love.

May the Lord turn His eye upon the multitudes who are in that position tonight; may He forgive their lack of faith in His divine power and call them by His sweet constraining voice to rise from the bed of despair and in the energy of faith take up their bed and walk. O Lord, hear our prayer for such as these in the sunset hour, and before a new dawn may they look and live.

Thankful reader, is there anything in this portion for you?

this is one of the best tips I have seen

Changing Besetting Habits-The $10 Challenge
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Monday, May 07 2012

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." - John 8:34
"I hate being late," my friend lamented. "It has been a problem for me all my life."

"Do you really want to change that?" I asked.

"Yes, I do."

"All right. Every time you are late to work or anywhere else where you have committed to be at a particular time you must give me $25."

"No way!" my friend responded. "I would go broke! But I will do $10."

"All right, $10 it is. It has to be a large enough amount of money for it to hurt your pocketbook."

"Believe me, that will hurt," my friend said. About a month later my friend found great motivation to be on time to every place she had to be. In the first week, I got only $10 from my friend. The next week, $20. The third week, nothing. By the fifth week, my friend had changed a lifelong habit that had hindered her all her life. In order for my friend not to be resentful of me for the money she had to give, we put it in a jar to be given to some other Christian cause. This ensured my motive was only for her best interest.

Some might be reading this now and say it is legalism. For my friend it was freedom. For the first time she had some means of changing a behavior that had caused her problems in relationships and her own work habits. Psychologists tell us that it takes 21 days to form a habit. So, if you need to change some habit, you need to be actively engaged in that new behavior at least 21 days. My friend needed help to change a habit she didn't like about herself. It took another individual to hold her accountable, and it took a potential loss of something to provide the added incentive.

A successful businessman was experiencing a difficult marriage. When counseling the couple over dinner one night, a friend of mine noticed that the man often criticized his wife. After further counsel it was determined the man simply could not love his wife. My friend asked him if he truly wanted to see change in his marriage. When the man said he did, my friend said, "Every time you criticize your wife you must agree to give me $100." This man was well-off and needed substantial incentive to change his behavior. After the man rebelled and retorted, he agreed in front of his wife. A few weeks later a report came back that things were changing. This man did not want to write any checks to my friend. Although it was a competitive game to the man, it was also yielding some positive changes in his marriage. He began to acquire the habit of avoiding criticism of his wife, which was killing her spirit.

What are the habits that keep you from becoming all that God may want you to become? Do you desire change enough to be accountable in a way that it costs you something when you fail? Ask a friend to hold you accountable in an area that needs change. You will find new freedom as you conquer old besetting habits.

Son Reflectors

Son Reflectors
What does the moon do? She generates no light. Contrary to the lyrics of the song, this harvest moon cannot shine on. Apart from the sun, the moon is nothing more than a pitch-black, pockmarked rock. But properly positioned, the moon beams. Let her do what she was made to do, and a clod of dirt becomes a source of inspiration, yea, verily, romance. The moon reflects the greater light.

And she’s happy to do so! You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. Let the cow jump over her or astronauts step on her; she never objects. Even though sunning is accepted while mooning is the butt of bad jokes, you won’t hear ol’ Cheeseface grumble. The moon is at peace in her place. And because she is, soft light touches a dark earth.

What would happen if we accepted our place as Son reflectors?

Such a shift comes so stubbornly, however. We’ve been demanding our way and stamping our feet since infancy. Aren’t we all born with a default drive set on selfishness? I want a spouse who makes me happy and coworkers who always ask my opinion. I want weather that suits me and traffic that helps me and a government that serves me. It is all about me. . . .

How can we be bumped off self-center? . . . We move from me-focus to God-focus by pondering him. Witnessing him. Following the counsel of the apostle Paul: “Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18 KJV).

Beholding him changes us.

—originally from It’s Not About Me

O Lord, change our focus from a me-focus to a God-focus. Work your will in our lives that we might be instruments to do your work and to tell others of your great love. Let our lives reflect your holiness through thick and thin. Help us live in pursuit of what you want rather than what we want. May we keep a firm grip on our faith no matter what hard times come our way. In all we do, may we honor you, amen.

Sing praise to the Lord, . . . and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
Psalm 30:4

pray for our troops

'Lord hold our troops in your loving hands Protect them as they protect us Bless them & their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. In Jesus name,

Promise Keepers

Guys, PROMISE KEEPERS is BACK to doing Men's Ministry and we are Calling You Out!

Dr. Raleigh Washington President of Promise Keepers is challenging ALL MEN to join us next Friday & Saturday, April 27 & 28, in Orlando, FL.

Scholarship Registrations are still available if needed. If you are older, invite someone younger.

If you are younger, invite someone older. If you know someone who has lost his way, given up on life, and needs to get right with God... bring him.

Bring whoever you want but let's "Fill the Seats" and experience powerful worship together!

PK is BACK to fill your tank, fire up your passion, and call you out to be a mighty man of God! See you there Brother!

In Christ,

Your CALLED OUT PK Men's Ministry Team
Info & Registration http://www.promisekeepers.org/events/orlando-registration
1-866-776-6473

From Max Lucado

Jesus’ final act on earth was intended to win your trust.

This is the final act of Jesus’ life. In the concluding measure of his earthly composition, we hear the sounds of a thirsty man.

And through his thirst—through a sponge and a jar of cheap wine—he leaves a final appeal.

“You can trust me.”

Jesus. Lips cracked and mouth of cotton. Throat so dry he couldn’t swallow, and voice so hoarse he could scarcely speak. He is thirsty. To find the last time moisture touched these lips you need to rewind a dozen hours to the meal in the upper room. Since tasting that cup of wine, Jesus has been beaten, spat upon, bruised, and cut. He has been a cross-carrier and sin-bearer, and no liquid has salved his throat. He is thirsty.

Why doesn’t he do something about it? Couldn’t he? Did he not cause jugs of water to be jugs of wine? Did he not make a wall out of the Jordan River and two walls out of the Red Sea? Didn’t he, with one word, banish the rain and calm the waves? Doesn’t Scripture say that he “turned the desert into pools” (PSALM 107:35 NIV) and “the hard rock into springs” (PSALM 114:8 NIV)?

Did God not say, “I will pour water on him who is thirsty” (ISAIAH. 44:3NKJV)?

If so, why does Jesus endure thirst?

While we are asking this question, add a few more. Why did he grow weary in Samaria (John 4:6), disturbed in Nazareth (Mark 6:6), and angry in the Temple (John 2:15)? Why was he sleepy in the boat on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:38), sad at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), and hungry in the wilderness (Matt. 4:2)?

Why? And why did he grow thirsty on the cross?

He didn’t have to suffer thirst. At least, not to the level he did. Six hours earlier he’d been offered drink, but he refused it.

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, buthe did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. (Mark 15:22–24 NIV,italics mine)

Before the nail was pounded, a drink was offered. Mark says the wine was mixed with myrrh. Matthew described it as wine mixed with gall. Both myrrh and gall contain sedative properties that numb the senses. But Jesus refused them. He refused to be stupefied by the drugs, opting instead to feel the full force of his suffering.

Why? Why did he endure all these feelings? Because he knew you would feel them too.

He knew you would be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief-stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face pain. If not the pain of the body, the pain of the soul … pain too sharp for any drug. He knew you’d face thirst. If not a thirst for water, at least a thirst for truth, and the truth we glean from the image of a thirsty Christ is—he understands.

And because he understands, we can come to him.

Reminder

Dear Men of Faith,
April 3, 2012

Do you desire to hear from God about issues or direction in your life? Have you ever experienced letting the scriptures speak to you in a practical personal way? Do you want to grow in the depth of your walk with Christ?

We will again meet for this kind of time. We will go outdoors in a beautiful setting and take some time to hear from God as we interact with His Word. It will provide a time of encouragement and fellowship with other men seeking God’s best for them

If it is your first time, we will walk you through how to spend a time of reflection and listening for God as we approach some men issues. Our talk time will be on “What does it mean to be Teachable as a Disciple”. This will be an accepting, non-threatening environment as we all assess our Spiritual journey and where God has us. It will be the best 3 hours you will spend all month! You will be home with your wives and children before noon.

What: Men’s/Morning with the Lord



When: Saturday April 21st 2012 7:30-10:30 am



Where: The Frye Farm – 24051 Jennings Road

Highway 64 - Go 11 miles east of I-75 (Bradenton, FL) to County road 675 - turn right go to first road, turn left on Jennings road, go 1/2 mile on left.

Highway 70 - Go 11 miles east of I-75 (Bradenton, FL) to County road 675 - turn left go five miles, turn right on Jennings road, go 1/2 mile on left.

Why: Because we all need some reflection time with God to hear from Him and clear the confusion out of our lives to maintain perspective. God has also challenged us to do this in the scripture. We need to hear from other men and what God is doing in and through them as well.

Bring: Bible, notebook, lawn chair, a friend seeking this kind of time if you like.

If you desire to come, call or reply back to this e-mail (fcfrye@gmail.com) so we may plan on drinks and light snacks. Look forward expectantly to what God will do!

In His Service with You,

Frank

Frank Frye Priority Associates 941-322-2931(h) 941-725-4982 (c)

From WIld at Heart

Don’t Tell
I’ve always wondered why Jesus, having healed someone, would immediately tell them to keep quiet about it. After giving two blind men perfect vision, “Jesus warned them sternly, ‘See that no one knows about this’” (Matt. 9:30). Warned them sternly—now why is that? He does the same after healing a man of leprosy: “Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ‘See that you don’t tell this to anyone’” (Mark 1:44). A strong warning? But . . . isn’t the point to get the word out? And wouldn’t miracles be just the thing? These guys are the poster children now, living proof of Jesus’ claims.



Maybe he’s using reverse psychology, knowing that the more you insist people don’t talk about what happened, the more they will. Is this merely his technique to get the press going? It certainly has that effect. The two blind men “went out and spread the news about him all over that region” (Matt. 9:31). The healed leper “went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news” (Luke 1:45).



But wait—Mark goes on to explain why Jesus did this: “‘See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.’ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere” (Mark 1:44–45). It is a sad editorial footnote. Jesus can’t even get a moment’s rest now. The paparazzi are everywhere. He doesn’t mind a night of prayer on the mountain, but never to be able to get a bed and a hot meal? Jesus’ strong warnings reveal his strong desires, very human desires. “Please don’t tell anybody about this.” He doesn’t want to be forced to sleep in the woods.

Local Christian Counseling

If you have a need please visit Life Care


http://lifecarecounselingfl.com/

Stand firm

I offer a cup of water in Jesus name:
Ephesians 6
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Rebuking the illnesses and distractions.

From WIld at Heart

The Promises of God
God promises every man futility and failure; he guarantees every woman relational heartache and loneliness. We spend most of our waking hours attempting to end-run the curse. We will fight this truth with all we've got. Sure, other people suffer defeat. Other people face loneliness. But not me. I can beat the odds. We see the neighbor's kids go off the deep end, and we make a mental note: They didn't pray for their kids every day. And we make praying for our kids every day part of our plan. It doesn't have to happen to us. We watch a colleague suffer a financial setback, and we make another note: He was always a little lax with his money. We set up a rigid budget and stick to it.

Isn't there something defensive that rises up in you at the idea that you cannot make life work out? Isn't there something just a little bit stubborn, an inner voice that says, I can do it? Thus Pascal writes,

All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end . . . This is the motive of every action of every man. But example teaches us little. No resemblance is ever so perfect that there is not some slight difference, and hence we expect that our hope will not be deceived on this occasion as before. And thus, while the present never satisfies us, experience dupes us and from misfortune to misfortune leads us to death. (Pensées)

It can't be done. No matter how hard we try, no matter how clever our plan, we cannot arrange for the life we desire. Set the book down for a moment and ask yourself this question: Will life ever be what I so deeply want it to be, in a way that cannot be lost? This is the second lesson we must learn, and in many ways the hardest to accept. We must have life; we cannot arrange for it.

Men at the cross

As a grandfather of eleven "little tykes" I'm pretty sure I'm the most blessed man alive! I love little bitty people!! I thought being called "Dad" was amazing (and it was) but being called "Pops" by two adopted from Rwanda and nine biological "grand pups" is absolutely THE DEAL!



You learn a lot as a "Pops" ...like sometimes when you just think about them, you cry.

I also learn new words! "Chickennuggetsfrenchfriescokeduh?" is one word when you pull up to McDonald's and ask your 4 year-old "what do you want to order?"

That may be the biggest word in a four year-old's vocabulary, but you know what? I think perhaps a certain three-letter word is the biggest word in a "more grown-up" person's vocabulary...at least it is for me.

The word is, "All."

Yep, that's it, "All."

We sing, "I Surrender All" as we "accept Jesus," but do we "surrender all" or is that just a song?

You can look back over the last 12 months and sort of count up all the money "I spent on ME" and how much I gave to the "poorest in this world" and you get a pretty honest quick look at how big the word "ALL" is.

We say, "I give Jesus ALL my sins" and we still beat ourselves up over our past mistakes. We pray, "Jesus, I love you with ALL my heart" and yet we spend hours searching the "T.V. Gospel" and our Bibles gather dust over on our night table. It's all too easy to sing "All for Jesus" and then go home to computers, IPOD's, and DVD's laced with pornography, profanity and lust.

I'm reading Psalms 111 lately, and man, I'm wanting to live the meaning of "ALL." Why is that little three-letter word such a TALL mountain to climb, I ask?

I watched my friend Colt McCoy go down in the national championship game against Alabama and then have to sit on the sidelines and watch his dreams of leading the Longhorns to his long-awaited dream of being # 1 melt down before his eyes. The news reporter asked him after the game for a comment. Was he bitter? Couldn't God have prevented it or healed him? Didn't he deserve the championship? I'm sure the thoughts of fans were countless that surrounded him.

His answer was simple and to the point, "I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that if nothing else, I'm standing on the Rock."

After Job suffered more loss than any of us could ever suffer, he said, "God I know now that you can do all things and no plan of yours will be thwarted. I know my redeemer lives. In the end I will see God. (You can hear in his words, "All for God! All for God! All for God!")

After David had risen, fallen and risen again to be the great king of Israel, through valleys and deserts, through the mountain peaks of watching God bring to pass "the glory days of Israel" and yet endure the utter brokenness and the deep valleys of moral failure, David consummated his life by saying, "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all." (1Chronicles 29:11)

All for God! All for God! All for God!

I am challenged daily to discover new depths of that powerful three-letter word "ALL" and dig deeper into its meaning and practical application for my life.

For I have so much more to give Him. With each layer of my being that He peels away and reveals that another treasure needs to be brought to His throne of grace I am grateful.. For each divine revelation of one more investment of my time, talent and treasure into the "Eternal Bank" where "neither moth nor rust destroy" I am blessed to lay it down. For each curtain that is opened before yet another window into my heart and I can see a selfish motive, impure thought, or less than completely honest agenda I am set free.

I have a long way to go but I celebrate the journey.

I pray that you will find God's grace today to dive deeper with me in the journey and that one day we can join hands before the throne of grace and sing in complete transparency from the basement of our soul, "I surrender all, yes I surrender all."



Grace alone,





Joe White, President

Men at the Cross





P.S. I got this email and want to share it with you.

"I have a Timothy now, we started about two weeks ago. It all started with the Men at The Cross logo sticker on the back glass of my truck. All he had to do was ask me about it and two weeks later we started One2Won. He is a coworker of mine. Every day at work we will be talking about God and the same thing we talked about would be in the session for that day. God has very much blessed me more than I deserve, for I am not worthy, but only by the BLOOD of JESUS. Thanks, more than you know."

Promise keepers is back

A Monthly Newsletter From Promise Keepers - April 2012
IN THIS ISSUE:
Men’s conferences are back!
Orlando speaker line-up
Volunteer openings!
Promise Keeper’s Men’s Conferences are BACK!!

In 1991, Promise Keepers asked the question, “Where are the men?”

The increasing rates of fatherlessness, abuse, absenteeism from church, and overall male passivism in spiritual things prompted the organization at that time to call men together to worship Jesus Christ and to learn what a godly man is and how he thinks, lives, and relates to his Lord and others. As many of you remember, the impact of that call was dramatic in the lives of over a million men!

But the reality is that twenty-one years later, the burning question Promise Keepers asked back in 1991 MUST be asked again – but now with even more urgency! Where are the men of God?

We want to challenge you again men with the core of the Seven Promises:

Where are the men... who are unashamed of their love and personal faith in Jesus Christ?

Where are the men... who know the danger of isolation and want to be authentically connected with a few other brothers in Christ?

Where are the men... who are honest about their own battles and are pursuing lives of ethical, sexual, and moral integrity?

Where are the men... who champion their family through the biblical values of love, respect, honor, patience, sacrifice, and service?

Where are the men... who sacrificially serve others and advance the mission of their church?

Where are the men... who are passionate about unity in God’s Kingdom?

Where are the men... who boldly demonstrate and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Men, will you be called out? Will you stand with your brothers? This year at Promise Keepers Conferences we are calling men out! You will be inspired through six power-packed messages by some of the nation’s leading Christian speakers that will help reignite your passion and define what it means to be a Man of God!

Brothers like Tony Evans, Mike Silva, Steve Farar, Brad Stine, Gary Rosberg, Reggie Dabbs, and Raleigh Washington, are joined by new voices like Peter Tebow, Greg Stier, and Derwin Gray, and awesome worship by leaders like Matt Maher, Lincoln Brewster, and Matthew West! To hear an declarative invitation from our CEO Raleigh Washington, and an explanation about where Promise Keepers has been and where we are going, please check this out: http://www.promisekeepers.org/about

We are coming to 5 cities in 2012 with this Called Out challenge -- see the list and links at left.

Brothers, NOW is the time to get on the stick and sign up! Group registrations available -- please check out: http://www.promisekeepers.org/events/registration.

If you want to see a Promise Keepers Men’s Event in 2013 to your city, we want to hear from you. There are some requirements to get it to happen, so check out our FAQ section at: http://www.promisekeepers.org/about/faqs/faqs-local-questions

How solid is your marriage

Marriages are crumbling around us and I want to give you a special incentive and Discount on the ticket price for the upcoming MARRIAGE CONFERENCE at Hope Church! The conference is Saturday, April 14th from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm and the price is ONLY $25 per couple.

This conference is all about "Building a CROSS Centered Marriage." Challenging you to stir passionate love into your marriage.

Joining me is Dr. Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham. Check out all the details, information, and purchase tickets by clicking the link below!

https://tickets.menatthecross.org/ticketorderform.aspx?Eventid=69

Hope to see YOU there!

Joe White
President
Men at the Cross
888.563.6282

From John

A Veil over Your Face?
If you'll recall, Moses put a veil over his face, first to hide his glory, then to hide the fact that it was fading away. That, too, was a picture of a deeper reality. We all do that. We all have veiled our glory, or someone has veiled it for us. Usually some combination of both. But the time has come to set all veils aside:

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?.. . Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away . . . And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:7-8, 12-13, 18)

We are in the process of being unveiled. Created to reflect God's glory, born to bear his image, he ransomed us back to reflect that glory again. Every heart was given a mythic glory, and that glory is being restored. Remember the mission of Christ: "I have come to give you back your heart and set you free." For as Saint Irenaeus said, "The glory of God is man fully alive." Certainly, you don't think the opposite is true. How do we bring God glory when we are sulking around in the cellar, weighed down by shame and guilt, hiding our light under a bushel? Our destiny is to come fully alive. To live with ever-increasing glory. This is the Third Eternal Truth every good myth has been trying to get across to us: your heart bears a glory, and your glory is needed . . . now. This is our desperate hour.

From John

The Most Human Human-Being
The incarnation is one of the greatest treasures of our faith. The world keeps pushing God away, feeling more comfortable with him up in the heavens somewhere. But in the coming of Jesus he draws near. Incredibly near. He takes on our humanity. How could he possibly get closer? He nurses at Mary’s breast.



One of my favorite Christmas meditations comes from this passage by Chesterton (he is speaking of Bethlehem, and what it held in its foothills that fateful night):



The strange kings fade into a far country and the mountains resound no more with the feet of the shepherds; and only the night and the cavern lie in fold upon fold over something more human than humanity.2



Savor that passage for a moment. The manger Mary used as a cradle held something more human than humanity? Do you think of Jesus as the most human human-being who ever lived?



It’s true.



The ravages of sin, neglect, abuse, and a thousand addictions have left us all a shadow of what we were meant to be. Jesus is humanity in its truest form. His favorite title for himself was the Son of Man. Not of God—of man. Too much “heavens” stuff pushes Jesus away. His humanity brings him close again.