Semper Fi - X

Semper Fi - X

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Semper Fi - X

Bald is beautiful!

Before you get to making fun of my bald head again, you might want to read a little Scripture first.

Click these links to read two verses out of Leviticus.... and then a different message from 2 Kings .

Don't say I didnt warn you!

My big mouth!

No Problem!

Buck it up!

Step up to the plate!

If you have known me for a while, you know I tend to use these three sayings from time to time.

I explain No Problem! here.

Buck it up comes from my failed attempt at being a compassionate Stephens Minister. It was great to hear Dr Les Parrot tell his wife Dr Leslie Parrot to Buck it up! at the Marriage Enrichment Conference today at our Church.

Step up to the Plate is a Sports Analogy that is often used when guys are involved in an organization or a cause and they are needed to start walking the talk they have been talking. It is not an attempt to lay a guilt trip on anyone but rather a challenge to live out the life they have been professing to live when the need is presented to them.  A baseball player doesn't feel guilty about the coach asking them to "step up to the plate" but instead he feels needed, important to the team and wants to perform to the best of his ability. It is his moment to show the team why he is there in the first place. This is actually Scriptural. 1 John 3:18 tells us to quit talking about "love" and "start practicing it" Or in the Art's Message interpretation of the Bible: Step up to the Plate! If you love Jesus, love your Church, love your fellow Christians...then step out of all your posing, talking and pretending and show it! Jesus needs you in action not just in meetings!

So Step up to the plate, if you feel insecure about that commitment then Buck it up! If you don't agree "No Problem!"

Be Strong!

You and a couple of thousand of your best friends have just been released from slavery and are walking through the desert...tired, hungry and completely exposed. After generations of slavery you at least had food on the table and a roof over your head and as long as you did your job...with relative safety from too much abuse. You aren't too sure if this so called freedom is really worth it. And now you look up and see the most awesome fighting army in the civilized  world...bearing down on you...chariots, horsemen and armed troops coming fast with one goal in mind...to kill! And there is nothing you can do about it. You are about to die. You turn on your leader with anger...whose big idea was this anyway? We never wanted to leave!

If you read Exodus 14:1-12 that is the scene that is unfolding. Fear, doubt, anger and regret are just some of the emotions that the Israelites were feeling as they were about to be slaughtered like sheep by Pharaoh's army.

But in verses verses 13 and 14...Moses tells them to stand firm, be strong and courageous...and be still and let the Lord fight your fight. And fight He did! The rest of Chapter 14 tells how the most fearsome fighting machine of that time was annihilated in the most one sided battle ever. The Lord showed His mighty sword that day for sure.

It is easy to look back and judge the Israelites with having little faith in God since we are thousands of years and miles away from that point and time is history...but put yourself in their shoes and tell me you would not have felt the same way seeing six hundred chariots bearing down on you and all you had to defend yourself might have been a rock.

Maybe you haven't had a physical attack like this to invoke the mighty power of God but most of us have spiritual attacks on a regular basis. And the more you are in God's Will the more the enemy attacks. The milk toast guys aren't worth satans time and energy...he looks to be more efficient and effective then worry about guys that aren't a threat to his kingdom anyway.

So what is your Exodus experience? By that I mean ...when you are trying to do Gods Will , you are attacked by temptation and you have a decision to make...give in to the slavery that feels so safe and comfortable or get out of your comfort zone and trust in the Lord.

My observation is that there is a raging battle in the spiritual realm all around us. A titanic battle between the forces of good and evil for men's souls. It is raging out of control in divorce courts, bars, abortion clinics, Internet porn sites, crack houses and corporate board rooms all across America today...even in neighborhoods like what you and I live in.

Am I being over dramatic? I don't think so. We see the casualties daily...children without fathers at home or even if they are at home they are disengaged from the family. Greed in the business community,greed in the church community. Careers out of control, addictions to mind numbing substances, addictions to sex, addictions to power and money. And prisons filled to overflowing where  1 % of the adult males are incarcerated....2.3 million adults in jail out of the 230 million adult population in America today.

Extramarital affairs or addictions to pornography very often start innocently enough with a brief glance and a wink. Playing golf on a Saturday when you could be leading your family or leading a Bible Study. Don't get me wrong...I love a game of golf with my friends. But sin occurs when you separate yourself from God and recreational activities by themselves aren't sinful until they become your god and separate you from worship and discipleship just like working too many hours or drinking too many beers can do when they get out of control.

God wants your heart..satan wants to keep it away from Him...just as Pharaoh wanted to crush the Israelites because of his hard heart...satan wants to crush you.

This is a real battle.The victims are real men with real families. What is the solution? We know there is final victory with Jesus on the Cross but some guy's have to embark on a long and hard journey to find the Cross and at times has to fight many battles to get there. The journey is not always for weenies!

Moses answered the people "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.The Lord will fight for you;you need only be still." Exodus 14; 13 -14.

Jesus also faced an Exodus moment when He needed more strength then He could muster through His own humanness. He was in the Garden of Gethsemane and the time for his capture, torture and death on the Cross was at hand. Have you heard the saying , " He was so scared he sweated blood!"? That would describe our Christ on the eve of His Passion. But He knew what the slaves of Egypt did not...He knew to pray and that His Father would give Him the courage He needed. In the Gospel of Luke an angel appears while Jesus is praying and strengthens him. If Jesus needs to pray for the Holy Spirit or angels to strengthen Him....then I would think that I would need to do so on an even more regular basis...probably daily!

Paul tells us in I Corinthians 16:13: "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."

Let's break that verse down into four parts:

A) Be on the alert for the enemy - he is strong,sneaky,smart and persistent. Be careful...keep watch...be on your guard. Who is our enemy anyway? Of course it is satan but he often acts through people...I used to think I don't have any enemies really...no one is out to cause me physical harm, to ruin me financially or to distress me on purpose. People who would separate you from the Lord is who your enemy is. Many times it comes to you in the form of a friend. Look at Peter when he told Christ not to go to his death on the cross...what did Jesus say to His friend? Away from me satan! Fifteen times Jesus tells us to "Be Careful" Be on guard" Be alert" in the Gospels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 The warnings come at least twenty three more times in the rest of the new Testament.  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 

Are they trying to tell us something here? The next time you are tempted to go fishing with your neighbor instead of going to Church...I wouldnt be so brash as to call him satan...but recognize it for what it is...seperating you from God and Gods will and purpose for your life.

B) Stand firm in the faith - have the armor of God on and be ready to use it. Not only does Moses urge the Isrealites to stand firm but Paul tells the Church of Corinth 5 times in his two letters to "Stand Firm" as well. 1 2 3 4 5

C) Act like men....Paul doesn't really say what he means by acting like men...but I assume he means to be courageous and don't back down in the face of fire like the Israelites almost did before Moses stepped in. We need to move ahead in spite of our fears. Paul is probably not comparing Men to Women as much as he is comparing Men to Boys. He is encouraging us to act like adults. Stand tall! Be Valiant! Be brave!

D) Be strong....using your own strength however will not work against satan...he is much too powerful and will beat us one on one every time...just as Pharaoh could easily crush the Israelites on their on with out God. Even Jesus Himself needed help as He faced off against evil. But with the power of the Holy Spirit on your side...God has always proven to be invincible. Inner strength comes from God – “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 3:16, NLT) "Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10) Physical strength training requires a disciplined life of exercise...Spiritual strength training is not much different is it? To stay close to God takes a life devoted to prayer, worship, Christian fellowship, service, stewardship, evangelism and the study of Gods Word. How is your strength training coming along?

No Problem!

I have started a new discipline lately that has really helped me out.

Haven't we all have received emails from someone that really bothered us in a negative way?

Maybe someone questioned your efforts to lead when you know you have poured your heart into a project until there was nothing left to give? Dummies! What do they know ...so you shoot off a lengthy three page email setting the record straight, outlining all your hard work and efforts.

Then there is the email that hurts on a personal level. Maybe someone broke off a golf date that you had really looked forward to...or they in some other way canceled time you were going to enjoy spending with them and by the tone of their email...it doesn't appear that your feelings were very much considered. You feel like maybe you arent the friends you always hoped you were with them.

Or maybe you tried your best but you made an honest mistake when you meant well...so someone reams you out for being human! Maybe a typo in an email or you messed up and left out a detail like a date or time.

For whatever reason...when you get some emails you feel the need to express your anger, disappointment, broken heart, frustration or otherwise want to justify your actions in defense of yourself. So you shoot off a long discourse in reply that makes you feel better but in reality probably just puts you in the position of the original emailer...looking like a jerk, a loser or a whiner.

So lately I have found myself writing out a long response, reading it over a time or two, making corrections to better get my point down, I sit back and glow in my intellect of being able to get my point across and showing the other party where they are wrong not me....then I hit the delete button and instead just reply back..."No problem".

Yep...simple as that..."no problem!"

Now I have gotten to the point that I don't even write out the long reply and erase it...I recognize the situation for what it is and when I reply back ..."No Problem"...I smile to myself realizing that this takes the place of my negative emotions and I feel stronger for not exercising my right to reply that would probably only serve myself and make the other person either feel angry themselves, guilty or feel the need to defend their actions back to you. ( If they even bothered to read it !)

"No problem" in my reply is my own form of grace I am extending to the other person by not blasting into them. And at the same time I save myself from falling into the sin of pride and self concern.

So when you see "No Problem" in my reply to you someday...smile to yourself back to me...laugh with me as you think about what it is I might have written but chose not to and lets be friends!

Got a problem with that?

Four Types of Men

There are men that know...and know they know: We can all learn from them!

There are men that know and don't know they know: We should respect them!

There are men who don't know and realize they don't know: Take take to teach them!

There are men who don't know but  don't realize they don't know: Be sure to run from them!

Unlimited Leadership...

In my role as Men's Ministry Coordinator I have made a few interesting observations.

First one is that not every man that professes a desire to serve in Men's Ministry really seems to mean it. This may not seem to be a startling revelation to some but for me it gets personal. I hear so much big talk and see very few who walk the walk. I don't have the time to waste on these guys when there are mens souls and families at stake. Is this the enemy putting stumbling blocks in front of our Ministry or is it Jesus putting guys in my path that I need to slow down, train, disciple and work with? Lots of prayer for discernment and my sometimes hard heart is needed here.

Next...we are a large church where we have men ( and women ) in all different stages of their Walk with Christ. We also know that many that attend and outwardly profess a belief but in reality do not. That being said....as a leader who is put in place to coordinate activities that help lead men to Christ...you need to offer a wide range of opportunities to reach out to guys and meet them where they are at in their faith journey. These activities do not always appeal to the Leader, but you have to be wise enough to know that there still maybe a few guys that activity appeals to. For instance: You may not like to fish...and you may not have children at home...but you still may want to promote a family fishing event if you think that will appeal to some. What ends up happening however is that if you don't participate in every event that you promote...some people look on you as a "sluggard", a "delegator" , "lazy" or otherwise not to be followed or listened to. As a leader I need to rise above those comments and continue to put activities out there that reach men even if I don't participate myself...if all I promote is what I can and will participate in...I am afraid some guys will be left behind.

Also....as a leader I try to get as many guys involved in helping out as possible in our meetings and events. This may look to some as a lazy delagator who doesn't actually do anything...but I know the best way to get guys to buy in is to get guys to help out where they have an investment of time and energy in the process. It is actually alot easier just to do things yourself without depending on others...but you only have so many hours in a day and you limit the service to men that can provide if youdont get help.

We have many Bible Studies and a couple of Emmaus Reunion groups that I encourage men to attend. I cant possibly go to all of them plus maintain my BSF studies...but I do want to promote them all.

We started a fitness Boot Camp that our pastor leads, that in the beginning was my idea, but I haven't been to any of the sessions myself yet. The time commitment just doesn't fit into my lifestyle but eight guys in the Church love to go and spend time working out and having a devotional together. I just don't go but I catch a lot of grief over my non-attendance. The same is true with all our Sports and Recreation Ministry...I can't play on the softball teams but I think that is a super way to reach out to men. Same with our Golf night on Thursdays...I need to find someone to lead that. I was asked why I didn't just lead it myself if I think it is so important...and the answer is I could lead it but if I did that and lead every other idea that reaches men until my time literally runs out....then we wouldn't have but just a few things going on to reach a congregation of 5000.

I could go on and on about the many ideas I think would be great like the Letters From Dad program. I could go get certified to teach it myself...but I am waiting for someone to step up to the plate and lead this Ministry...I think guys hearts will be touched and families blessed if someone will step-forward.

My point is that as a leader we are subject to criticism from every angle. Some want you to back off,others say you need to pick up the tempo. Some wonder why you never share any of the work...others think all you do is delegate. There is no way to win....if you let your definition of "winning" be defined by people.

Jesus said, " I do not accept glory from human beings." --John 5:41 (NRSV)

Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women. - Ephesians 6:7 (NRSV)

I will let the Holy Spirit be my guide and follow Jesus in my heart and try not to let the words of those ....who have never had to lead a large diverse group like I have been asked to do...get me down.

Jesus said we would be blessed if we visited those in prison...and in His day there were plenty of them....but I can't find even one account in the Gospels that Jesus ever visited anyone in jail. What does that say about Jesus? In my opinion...nothing...He either did and it isn't recorded or He didn't because in His perfect plan it wasn't necessary...but that still doesn't take away from the fact that we need to be compassionate and show mercy and grace by reaching out in our prison ministry's. How about the homeless and hungry? While He fed the masses listening to His teachings...I don't see any accountings of homeless or "feed the hungry" mission trips led by Christ. He was a carpenter but I don't recall Him repairing any houses hit by sandstorms or fire. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do them..it just means Christ only had so many hours in the day and so many days on earth and while He preached the message , He couldn't possibly lead by example in every specific way.

If Christ couldnt or didnt think it was necessary to be personally involved in every service project or idea that He tried to instill into the hearts of men ...then as His follower maybe I dont need to either...as long as I continue to spend my time,energy and resources into reaching as many men for Christ as He leads me to. Once I reconcile myself to that concept ...then my Leadership becomes unlimited!

 

Real Men need Love Too

There is a popular quote out there that people attribute to St Francis of Assisi that goes like this: "Spread the Gospel at all times...if necessary use words!" I think people are comfortable with a quote like that  because they are nice people that like to do nice things but squirm when they have to profess with their mouths that Jesus is their Lord and Savior.

I have come up with a new saying that is a take off of St Franks: "Spread the Gospel at all times.....If a person is hard of hearing....try applying a daily dose of Christs Love, compassion and mercy....It makes for a great hearing aid! Then reapply the Word on a regular basis until heard!"

For many years I have suffered from a hearing disability and quite frankly it is getting worse. I can often hear sounds and words but certain high frequency's are difficult to understand because of nerve damage caused by years of unprotected exposure fire truck engine and ambulance siren loud noises. Not to mention a few too many rock n roll concerts. Now I have a state of the art hearing aid. While it isn't as good as a healthy ear it does help.

As a young adult hearing the Word ... I could not understand the message. I could hear the words being asid but could not understand. How could I understand the concept of God as a faithful father and the Church being a loving family when I came from a broken dysfunctional family? My role models were not spiritual Christians to say the least. The offers of love I did receive often seem to come with strings attached. My work loved me as long as I produced a product for them at a level they appreciated. My friends loved me as long as I loaned them my truck, helped them move or if I invited them to a party. Salesmen everywhere loved me as long as I bought their product. On TV I knew the Miller Lite girls thought I was a cool dude...but only if I drank their beer. So when the Church offered me God as a father role model and the Church as a community of family love it had a very hard heart to penetrate at the same time the Word of God was falling on undiscerning ears. heart and mind.

The good news is that God wants to provide you with the very things you’ve longed for in a family, and he can do that in Christian community. I do recall my mother enrolling me as an 11 year old into the two year Lutheran confirmation class and the faithful Pastor coming to pick me up every week because she had to work 80 hours a week at two jobs. Sometimes I would hide in the garage to play hooky while high on inhalants when he came to get me. Then Pastor Ed Sluder coming by week after week to get us to join FUMC-Crowley back in 1980...which we did. The UMM loved on me, offered me leadership and support positions which I eagerly accepted...After all...I was starting up a new business in town. I would give them love as long as I got some business out of it...I thought...isn't that how it works? This went on for 25 years as a give and take situation. But slowly but surely Gods sovereign Will started to take hold and control my life. My heart started to soften to His Word as my hearing improved! As I learned to love one another, it created the sense of family necessary to trust each other, accept one another, and serve one another. I learned the power of unconditional love. We are meant to be Holy Spirit-led laboratories for learning to love one another deeply and earnestly (1Thessalonians 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22).

Finally after my company showed they didn't love me after all and two friends passed away with preventable deaths...I hit a wordly rock bottom and I reached out to the Lord to save me at a weekend Spiritual retreat where Gods Word was disclosed to me with my heart and ears wide open. Just as Jesus disclosed the whole plan to the two travelers on the Walk to Emmaus...my heart and spirit were on fire as I felt the Holy Spirit fill me up. Now you cant shut me up or make me sit down...because I am wireless and am tireless...on a mission to fill God's great commission! 

I would not have heard the Word without my hear-aid being installed with Gods Love pre-softening my heart. But the hearing-aid would not have done any good if no one followed it up with the Word itself.

Urgent!

Why the sense of urgency?

Mark King, Gary Short, John Tittle, Ali Shire ( Tajikistan ) 

Sometimes I find myself focusing on being a leader of men instead of leading Men to Christ. DId I let some guys down?

A Modern Christian Man

I'm a modern Christian man!

A modern Christian man ...I got a bluetooth for my Blackberry, my IPhone is on back-order and my network is smoke-free.

A diversified-multicultural-real man- politically, anatomically and ecologically incorrect - I'm pro-life and a Christian.

I've been up linked & I've been down-loaded - I've been inputted & outsourced - I know the upside of adversity and the down-side of prosperity...I've been sprinkled and I've been dunked.

I interface with my database and my data base is in cyber-space, so I'm inter-active, hyper-active and from time to the time radio-active.

I'm a cutting edge, state of the art, multi-tasker and I can share the Gospel with you in a nano-second.

I was born a sinner but with Christs death became a winner.

I'm new wave and old school and my inner soul is upward bound.

I'm a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm hearted, cool Christian customer. Voice actuated and bio-degradable.

Behind the eight-ball, ahead of the curve, riding the wave, dodging the bullet, pushing the envelope, work-aholic.

I'm on point, on task, on message and off drugs.

I've got no ear for smoke or beer - I've got no urge to binge or purge.

I'm in the moment, on the edge, over the top but under the radar.

I'm a high definition, low profile, medium range, ballistic missionary.

I'm an out-going, big footed, slam dunk evangelistic witness with a pro-active out reach - Out of rehab, out of trouble and in Church.

I have a personal trainer, a personal shopper, a personal assistant and a personal Savior.

You can't shut me up, you can't dumb me down cause I'm tireless and I'm wireless. I'm an alpha male on a Gospel mission....Gods great commission....telling the story of Gods glory.

I'm a real believer & an over achiever - laid back and on fast forward. Up front - down home, low rent and I don't drink. Super-sized, long lasting, fast acting, oven ready and built to last.

I'm a hands-on, foot loose, knee jerk head case - and prematurely bald.

But I'm feeling, I'm caring, I'm healing , I'm sharing - A supportive, bonding, nurturing primary Christian caregiver.

I'm gender specific, capital intensive, user friendly and I' m a tree hugger.

I like rough sports, I like tough love, I use Jesus words in my Email, and the soft ware in my hard drive has no porn.

I eat fast food in the slow lane - I'm toll free - bite sized - ready to wear and I come in all sizes. A fully equipped - factory authorized, hospital tested, clinically proven, reborn, transformed, recreated religious miracle.

I've been pre-washed, pre-cooked, pre-heated, pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-ordained, post dated, freeze dried, double wrapped, vacuum packed and I have an unlimited broad band capacity.

I'm a rude dude but I'm the real deal - lean and mean. Cocked, locked and ready to rock. Rough and tough and hard to bluff.

I believe in making love not war...I want to give peace a chance...but jack with my family and friends and I'll put a boot in your pants.

To love your brother and neighbor is fine but romance between a man and wife is God's design.

I take it slow - I don't go with the flow - I swim against the tide - I got glide in my stride and the Lord  on my side.

I keep the pedal to the medal and the rubber on the road but I don't snooze on booze so I don't lose when I cruise.

Gods Word is my salvation....I take my Bible on vacation and lunch time is crunch time...I'm a Holy roller, a Jesus Jumper, a Bible thumper.

I'm just a nobody, trying to tell everybody about somebody who can save anybody.

I believe He is the Lord of all or not Lord at all.

I'm praying daily and there ain't no doubt... Our God is an awesome God - over and out!

(not to be reprinted or used without permission of Art Brucks....copywrite 6/2007)