Category Archives: Men on the Path

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How simple is the Christian walk of faith?

Here is a marvelous quote from 2 Christian missionaries who live in Africa about the Christian walk.

“Loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength will take you to the end of yourself, and you will find yourself looking out over a precipice. Only God can keep you from falling. Only faith working through love counts. Let’s never leave the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus. All we know when the pressure becomes great is Jesus and Him crucified. We exist by the power of the Cross, safe and secure.”-Rolland and Heidi

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Men’s Group: Calvary Road, Dove and Lamb, Chapter 5

This chapter’s focus is once AGAIN: humility.  Only when we are broken and willing to be filled can we truly embrace and grow in the Holy Spirit’s teachings.  I have included this amazing statement below, study questions, and Dave’s insights.
Study Guide statement, pg 18:  “Remember the goal of the Christ-life is NOT to be a better Christian.  It is to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, by the Holy Spirit’s conquest of self.  Victory is not me overcoming my sin, victory is Jesus Christ overcoming me. When He overcomes me, moment by moment, the only Biblical response is humility and brokenness, which brings on the much needed grace of God. GLORY!

study questions:

1. Take a few minutes to meditate on this statement:  “But inasmuch as there is no past or future with God, but all is present and timeless, there is a sense in which the suffering of the Lord Jesus for the sins of which we have not repented is present too. What a vision it is when we see these sins wounding and hurting Him now!”
2. How can we be more like the Lamb?
  • humility–examples at work and at home?
  • submissiveness–examples at work and at home?
  • self-surrender–examples at work and at home?
3. What does Hession mean by this statement: “Victorious living and effective soul-winning service are not the product of our better selves and hard endeavours, but are simply the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We are not called upon to produce the fruit, but simply to bear it.“
4. “A saintly African Christian told a congregation once that, as he was climbing the hill to the meeting, he heard steps behind him. He turned and saw a man carrying a very heavy load up the hill on his back. He was full of sympathy for him and spoke to him. Then he noticed that His hands were scarred, and he realised that it was Jesus. He said to Him, “Lord, are you carrying the world’s sins up the hill?” “No,” said the Lord Jesus, “not the world’s sin, just yours!”
What are the sins that Jesus is carrying?

Dave’s Insights:  You had to be awake and ready to start this session because Drew got your brain going right out of the gate. Here is what we led off with: Take a few minutes and mediate on this statement, “But inasmuch as there is no past or future with God, but all is present and timeless, there is a sense in which the suffering of the Lord Jesus for the sins of which we have not repented is present, too. What a sin it is when we see these sins wounding and hurting him now.”

Robby said we tend to focus more on the forgiveness than the severity of the sin. I know I have been guilty of that, “I am forgiven” attitude, rather than taking the time to truly realize the impact of my sin and that it is wrong. I have come to realize I do not feel forgiven until I spend time with God, confess my sin and ask for His forgiveness.

The next question asked how we can be more like the Lamb. It gave suggestions for exploration in three areas, humility, submissiveness and self-surrender. Bucky talked about self-surrender. Bucky said sometimes he has hidden expectations and gets distressed when the outcome is not what he expected or wanted. I think we can all relate to that one, can’t we? We all have expectations. What do we do, or how do we respond when that job interview doesn’t get us the job, our finances aren’t where we would like them to be, or, the old, “I never thought I would be in this situation at this point in my life (it isn’t what I expected).” Funny thing is, a song by a fairly new Christian says “Welcome to wherever you are. God makes no mistakes; you are exactly where you are supposed to be.” How true, God has a plan for you. That plan may not be what you want or expect but it certainly is where you are supposed to be. So, maybe in your time with God, you can ask Him, “Lord, how may I serve you in this situation?”  If you keep your heart open, God will use you in that situation, no matter what it is. And, I believe you will both benefit from it.

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Men’s Group: Calvary Road, Highway to Holiness, Chapter 4

The road to Holiness:

  • As a Christian, you will always remain on the road to holiness
  • The journey is called: sanctification
  • ways to not stumble on the road:
  1. physical exercises–kneeling at your bedside every morning to remind you to bend a knee to His will every day, fasting, etc.
  2. spiritual exercises–prayer, authentic community: take off your mask with a close friend daily/weekly (confess and share the intimate details of your life), time in God’s word, or as Francisco has said: “When I wake up every morning, Jesus is waiting for me.” (a focus on Jesus throughout the day, and looking for God moments even in the tough times of your day)

PLEASE read Dave’s wonderful comment below (just click on the ‘1 comment’ in yellow in the right hand corner of this post or click on this post title and you will be sent to a page with his comment below).

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Men’s Group: Fellowship from Calvary Road, May 13, 2009

The progression of the chapters in Calvary Road is significant.  We started with brokenness, then went to confession/cleaning our lives (cups) up so we can fill them with the Holy Spirit, and now we turn to fellowship.

Years ago I kept secrets from my wife, and one day I finally ‘confessed’ and ‘cleaned’ out ALL the skeletons in my closet (cup).  It was a scary, crazy, and bold move that kept us up talking until 3am.  I was scared of her not forgiving me and not understanding me.  She did both.

Shortly after my cup was clean 2 things happened.  My marriage went from great to amazing.  The comfort in KNOWING that there was nothing to hide freed us up to have a depth and peace and intimacy that I would have never dreamed of.  

The second thing that happened is that I learned to share my dirty cup with other men.  I found several men who were willing and that I felt save enough with to share my deepest fears and struggles.  I talk and meet with these men weekly.  This has transformed my relationship with my wife, with Christ, and with everyone around me.  A very large weight has been lifted from my soul, and I have a place to run and hide when things get overwhelming.

Hession in chapter 3-The Way of Fellowship outlines the importance of fellowship in shaping our lives and our relationships with our spouses, our friends, and our God.

Through the years, I have continued to try and coach and encourage other men to ‘date’ each other.  There is a richness to life that is sorely lacking without this process.  But it takes men SO LONG and most NEVER are able or willing to get there.  

The only way to do it is by finding a guy that you feel comfortable with and you take a few baby steps by sharing some private struggles or sins.  See how they respond, If they respond in kind and with understanding then dig deeper and continue to share more.  As you trust more and learn to share more, you will find that your marriage is better, your walk with Christ is deeper, and your life is richer.

Any questions?

Calvary Road, Chapter 3, Fellowship quotes:

But if we have not been brought into vital fellowship with our brother, it is a proof that to that extent we have not been brought into vital fellowship with God
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Sin always involves us in being unreal, pretending, duplicity, window dressing, excusing ourselves and blaming others–and we can do all that as much by our silence as by saying or doing something.
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The only basis for real fellowship with God and man is to live out in the open with both.
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Spurgeon defines it in one of his sermons as “the willingness to know and be known.”
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We must be willing not only to know, but to be known by him for what we really are. That means we are not going to hide our inner selves from those with whom we ought to be in fellowship; we are not going to window dress and put on appearances; nor are we going to whitewash and excuse ourselves. We are going to be honest about ourselves with them. We are willing to give up our spiritual privacy, pocket our pride and risk our reputations for the sake of being open and transparent with our brethren in Christ.
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We have not necessarily got to tell everybody everything about ourselves. The fundamental thing is our attitude of walking in the light, rather than the act. Are we willing to be in the open with our brother–and be so in word when God tells us to?
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When the barriers are down and the masks are off, God has a chance of making us really one. But there is also the added joy of knowing that in such a fellowship we are “safe.”
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Jesus wants you to begin walking in the light with Him in a new way today. Join with one other–your Christian friend, the person you live with, your wife, your husband. Drop the mask.

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Men’s Group: May 6, 2009 Filling the Cup

We discussed chapter 2 of Calvary Road today.  It discusses the importance of brokenness and confession in our lives so that we are willing and ready to be filled by the Holy Spirit to ‘spill out’ the spirit of God onto others around us.  The exercise of brokenness and confession helps for us to get out of the way so God can drive/lead.  

Francisco shared what “personal and daily revival” means to him:

“Jesus is waiting for me when I get up.”  

What would the world be like if followers of Jesus lived like this?  Imagine if you lived a life of anticipation and joy knowing that as soon as you opened your eyes every morning, Jesus was there smiling and waiting for you!  Take away the worry and anxiety and all the stuff packed into our minds, and start each day as an adventure with Jesus.

Quotes from Calvary Road:

“Revival itself is being absolutely filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit, and that is victorious living.”

“If we were asked this moment if we were filled with the Holy Spirit, how many of us would dare to answer “yes”? Revival is when we can say “yes” at any moment of the day.”

“People imagine that dying to self makes one miserable. But it just the opposite. It is the refusal to die to self that makes one miserable. The more we know of death with Him, the more we shall know of His life in us, and so the more of real peace and joy.”
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Men’s Group: April 29, 2009 Brokenness, Calvary Road

I discovered during last Wednesday’s Men of the Path that Drew is not the only expert on the book, Calvary Road.  Our Pastoral Care Minister, Monty Pries, taught on Chapter One, which is titled, “Brokenness.”  Monty hooks you right away with saying, “This book begins with brokenness, but we don’t.  We begin with pride/ego; we want to accomplish our will, not God’s will for us.”  Coming from the East Coast I can totally relate.  See, in the good old NE, Frank Sinatra is still king in many people’s eyes.  It is amazing how many times you will hear the song, “I Did It My Way” proudly sung.  Many of us know, however, that Frank eliminated the part that says, “Yeah, and look where it got me.”  Which brings me to Monty’s second point; there are two types of brokenness.  One is voluntary, where you choose humility on your own, and the second is involuntary.  Involuntary is where God chooses humility for you; He puts you in the refiner’s fire, and does a very thorough job of it.  Of course, many of you know I waited for God to refine me as I was too busy doing it “my way.”  For those of you that don’t know, “my way” landed me in the best place to not only find God but learn submission – prison.   If you go to www.uberlumen.com, you can hear my testimony, and find a lot of other great stuff. 

We had some great discussion around the tables.  Our table opened with a few words about revival.  A revival is an individual process that takes place in your heart.  It does not have to be the big event we usually imagine when the word revival is mentioned.  We talked about the four desires of the unbroken heart; unyielding, seeking one’s own glory, standing up for one’s own rights and justifying oneself.   {A question – do you need all four to have an unbroken heart?  Please go to uberlumen and ask Drew to post your answer. }  If you have been in a place of brokenness you know what it means to cry out to God, and you also know that if you were sincere in your plea, God got you through it.  Hession puts it this way in his book; “pride at last bows its head to God’s will, admits its wrong, gives up its own way to Jesus, surrenders it rights and discards its own glory-that the Lord Jesus might have all and be all.  In other words, it is dying to self and self attitudes.”  Can you think of a situation where this happened in your life (or is happening now)?  Did you yield to God and His desire to correct your path, or did you exercise your free will and stiffen your neck and refuse to repent?  On thing about dying to self – it is a constant process – every day, several times per day. Bucky sat at our table and asked, “What are you doing each day as a reminder of dying to yourself?”

I will end with one last question for those who could not attend.  Monty talked about the retreat he was on last weekend.  During that time he spoke about entering through a “monk’s door.”  With using any search engines, can you tell me what a monk’s door is and what it’s purpose is?  I’d love to hear from you.

See you next Wednesday morning at the Northpark clubhouse.  This is an EXCELLENT series; please don’t miss it.   Even if you went through it at Mariner’s; we are a different group of people.  You never know what you may learn, or how God will use your knowledge to help someone else.  Remember, EVERY encounter you have with someone either gives life or drains life.  Which do you usually do?

Dave
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Men’s Group April 22, 2009: Calvary Road

Men on the Path will be starting one of the most impactual books that I have done: Calvary Road by Roy Hession

We have ordered copies for anyone who doesn’t have a copy yet.  There is also a great study guide/work book which you will enjoy to augment Calvary Road book.

Join us for this life changing book on the TRUE message of the cross: brokenness & belovedness.

Our first meeting today was a review of the Preface & Introduction.  You can review the questions and teaching points, and thought provoking teaching and discussion time.  We wrestled with our hearts that are both broken and beloved.  

We would LOVE your thoughts on the mystery of Scripture stating that our hearts are ‘wicked’ but as Christians, Jesus dwells within our hearts….

Further resources:

Holiness by J.C. Ryle

Waking the Dead by John Eldgridge

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Men’s Group: April 8, 2009 Suffering

Last Wednesday was one of those Men of the Path sessions where you just had to be there to fully appreciate what went on.  Perhaps I should have written this last Friday, because Francisco taught on pain and suffering.  What better day to reflect on pain and suffering than Good Friday, right?  If you have not gotten to know Francisco I encourage you to do so.  If you attend Wednesday mornings and have had the opportunity to sit at Francisco’s table you know why I said that.  He is a man of few words.  Generally, Francisco does not speak until the end; but when he does, everyone at the table is in awe.  God’s words just flow through him.  We are blessed to have such a man of God in our church community.  Please ask Francisco to share some of his story with you.

Francisco gave us three Scripture verses and three questions.  The Scriptures were:
Matthew 26:39
John 5:30
Hebrews 5:7-8

Take a moment and read each one.  My favorite of those is Hebrews 5:7-8, “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry, to the one who could rescue him from death.  And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.  Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.”

Incredible, isn’t it?  Even though God heard Jesus’ prayers and knew the deep reverence He had for God, God allowed Jesus to suffer. Why?  Because Jesus, in the form of a man, learned obedience from His suffering.  Knowing this helps in meditating on the questions Francisco had for us.  After all, we seem to be more willing to be obedient, and more willing to give God the steering wheel to our lives when pain and suffering come. 

The questions Francisco had for us are the kind that I cannot answer for you; they are ones that you should answer and record in your journal.  The questions were:

Have you experienced pain and suffering without the help of the Lord?
What is the difference in having those same feelings but having the Lord by your side?
How has the greatness of God’s love affected your life to this day?

For those of you that heard my testimony, you know what happened when I told God, “That’s okay, I want to control my own life; just stay out of it and let me be.  I know what is best for me.”  
Some comments about the second and third questions were:
God gives us a peace in knowing He is with us in every situation;
Even though we may have seen our share of difficulties in this life, having a relationship with God gives us hope;
God is the only One that can do the things He’s done in our lives.

I have asked on occasion that you write me with some of your answers and comments.  I am not going to do that today.  I am going to ask that you go to Drew’s website, www.uberlumen.comand send Drew what God is saying to you about pain and suffering; how He is helping you through today’s problems.  Drew would welcome your comments.

Have a great week; remember, no meeting at the clubhouse this week.  We are supporting Bruce and the rest of the men who put together the All Pro Dads program at Hicks Canyon Elementary by meeting there at 6:30 a.m and putting Servant Leadership into effect.  I hope God has it on your heart to come help.  Who knows, you may even get to eat a few pancakes.
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Men’s Group: March 25, 2009 What is your favorite book to read?

Enjoy Dave’s insights about our latest men’s group:

Robby and Bucky teamed up at last Wednesday’s Men of the Path to cover the subject matter of one of the most difficult sessions we’ve had. It was on the value to us, as men, of one book. That book is sometimes called by names such as, The Book of Books, The Owner’s Manual for Life, the Good Book, or Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Of course we are talking about the Bible. No matter what name we use, one thing is clear; the Bible is the Word of God. The icebreaker last week was, “What is your favorite book to read?” It stumped most of us; heck, we’re men, we don’t read unless it has to do with sports or work, right? I don’t know why, but I was stumped on how to answer this question. I knew what the answer “should be,” but it wasn’t the truth; at least I was not comfortable saying the “should” answer. For some reason my tongue was tied. I’ve read a lot of books. In the approximately 12 months I was at Taft, I read more than 36. {If you are wondering what “Taft” is, then go to Drew’s website, www.uberlumen.com, and listen to my testimony, among the many great things for men.} I read some great books; being a new Christian I absorbed them like a sponge. Books like, “Mere Christianity,” “The Screwtape Letters,” the entire “Left Behind” series, “Wild at Heart” and, of course, the Bible. I’m convinced I was tongue-tied on an answer to the “favorite book” question because of the lack of time I spend today in God’s Word. What many of us did was start naming our favorite book of the Bible. It was sad, but at the same time, that fit right into what Robby and Bucky wanted to talk about. Robby and Bucky used Psalm 119:9-16 to stress that the amount of time we spend reading and meditating on the Bible is “serious business.” Please take a moment to read Psalm 119:9-16. Every line talks about God’s Word, doesn’t it? These eight lines say so much. Even though most of us didn’t have answers to that icebreaker we all had answers for the other questions, “What does the Word of God mean to your life?,” Why is the Word of God a useful tool for us as men?” and “How does the Word of God make us more like Jesus? Bucky closed with some “shoulds.” He said the Bible “should” ignite a fire under our bellies. Bucky said the Bible “should” be the final authority in your life (it “should” be the book you consult for everything in your life). Bucky said we “should” spend at least 30 minutes a day in God’s Word. Five minutes a day is not enough for us in the OC; it is like a snack. Here in the OC we need a meal. I’d like to ask that you spend some time “feasting” on the Psalm 119: 9-16 and the preceding questions. Email your thoughts to Bucky and/or Robby. These guys put a lot of time into Wednesday mornings and would love to hear from you. It would be great if those of you that cannot attend take some time to email your comments to Bucky and/or Robby. Their addresses are on this email. Enjoy your time with God and His Word this week.

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Men’s Group: March 18, 2009 A response to creation: WORSHIP

Here is a GREAT summary from Dave (and the study questions are below as well):

Our “ice breaker” question last Wednesday, was, “Talk about a beautiful place you have visited or would like to visit.”  I cannot say what was discussed at the other tables but there were some great answers at the table where I sat.  Most of us, including me, mentioned great works of God like the Grand Canyon and the Great Lakes.  But a couple of guys spoke of simpler things.  One was the view while sitting on his screened in porch as a child.  The other was watching a farmer till his land and taking in the smells of the earth as it was being turned over.  Simpler is certainly better, isn’t it?  Close your eyes and think of a simpler time in your life and take in it’s beauty.Bucky covered Psalm 139; please take a few minutes and read the Psalm.  What does this Psalm say to you? Here is a quick synopsis of what Psalm 139 says to Bucky.  Verses 1-6 say God knows us intimately.  Verses 7-12 say God is with us constantly. Verses 13-18 say God made us wonderfully, and verses 19-24 say God judges righteously.  So, if David, knew these things about God, how did it effect his relationship with Him?  If you are familiar with David’s life, you know he was far from perfect.  But the Bible tells us David was a man after God’s own heart.  How can that be?  Well, in looking at the verses of Psalm 139 and how Bucky broke them down it is easy to see what David’s reaction was to each.  Since God knows us intimately, David knew we must TRUST God.  It makes sense, doesn’t it.  If someone knows all about you shouldn’t you be able to trust them?  If God is with us constantly, David knew we must ACKNOWLEDGE Him.  It is amazing how David said that no matter where he went he knew God was there.  God is everywhere.  Since God is always with us shouldn’t we acknowledge His presence and act accordingly?  I think it is funny that some people believe they can get away with something because, “no one is looking.”  How untrue.  God knows everything you think, say and do.  So, when you sin, rather than shy away from God, do what David did; acknowledge Him and repent.  You will feel better faster if you get on your knees and say you are sorry.  Ask God to help you overcome your areas of weakness.  Pete McKenzie says the real turning point in his spiritual life came when he got on his knees and said, “Lord, I am a failure at being a Christian.  Would You help me become the man You want me to be?   Well, I’d say God heard Pete and helped him get to his goal.  Since God made us wonderfully, David knew we must PRAISE God.  We’ve heard it before; God has a purpose for our lives.  We have been given talents and spiritual gifts and must use them both for God, not our own personal gain.   Many of us struggle with this one.  We, as men, find our identity in our work.  We justify why we need to put in 12 hours a day.  I would like you to take a piece of paper and write down the five things that are most important to you.  Then, HONESTLY put down how much time each day you spend on those five things.  This will tell you what is really most important in your life.  Lastly, since God judges righteously, David knew we must FOLLOW God, not try and be Him.  In other words, it is not up to us to judge or take matters into our own hands.  Judgment is reserved for God and God alone.  This is my biggest challenge.  I have a tendency to judge rather than listen with an open mind.   Every Wednesday we end with, “How can we pray for you?”  Well, if you are a man of prayer, my request is you pray for me and my judgmental attitude.  Have a great week; I encourage you to spend some time with God and reflect on the blessings He’s given you.

Please enjoy the study questions from our latest men’s group, and as always, please share your thoughts.

Talk about a beautiful place that you have visited or would like to visit?

Psalm 139-I Must Worship

 1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,  too lofty for me to attain.7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”  12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. 19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?  22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

God knows us intimately—I must_____________him-vv.1-6

God is with me constantly—I must _____________him-vv.7-12

God made me wonderfully—I must____________him-vv.13-18

God judges righteously—I must _______________him—vv.19-24

Questions for Discussion:

1.  What are some of the ways that you see and experience God in this life?

2. How does David’s knowledge of who God is affect his daily life?

3.How is God calling you to live a life of Intimate worship

                -Trust

                -Acknowledge

                -Praise

                -Follow

4. How can we pray for you?

 

 

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Saint Patrick: Why I now where green.

As a kid, I never wore green on St. Patrick’s day so I could go against the grain, but now as an adult, I try to wear green to honor this amazing man.

  • shipped from England to Ireland into slavery at age 16
  • escapes back to England only to RETURN to Ireland as a missionary
  • began his walk with Christ at age 40–yes it is NEVER too late
  • planted an estimated 800 churches in Ireland
  • one of the greatest evangelists of ALL time
In his own words: 
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God’s Power to guide me,
God’s Might to uphold me,
God’s Wisdom to teach me,
God’s Eye to watch over me,
God’s Ear to hear me,
God’s Word to give me speech,
God’s Hand to guide me,
God’s Way to lie before me,
God’s Shield to shelter me,
God’s Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

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Married Life Live, Session 1: Are You Enough?

Below you will find a powerpoint presentation that I taught from back in 2004 regarding the “I am not enough” concept. Please enjoy the slides and the audio summary of this important relationship point. And as always share your comments with us.

2 books that are great on this topic:

The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen

Love and Respect by Eggerichs

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Married Life Live Session #1, March 6, 2009 SUMMARY

Enjoy the audio summary of our teaching and here are your answers:
Ways the women feel loved:

  • affirmation–positive comments, gratitude
  • phone calls during the day
  • listen (turn-off TV, electronics) and listen without solving the problem
  • maintain peace if ‘mom’ is feeling upset
  • no selective hearing
  • pray together
  • affection (non-sexual)–hand holding, kissing, etc.
  • committment to purity (ex. victoria secret commercial, movies-selective etc.)
  • empathy
  • relifef with kids & house chores
  • balanced parenting (teamwork)
  • listening and following through (ex. listening to a book that was mentioned and then buying it for us)
  • date night (planning it from start to finish–including setting up a babysitter)
  • respecting in-laws and boundaries with in-laws
  • family and couple time as a priority
Ways men feel respected:
  • affirm us without asking (“you are my hero.”)
  • give us grace, forgive and forget–don’t bring up the past and don’t use the past against us
  • support our passions/hobbies & learn to enjoy our activities
  • understand our stress
  • speak with softer tones in your voice and without nagging
  • speak highly of us with your friends
  • trust our decisions
  • allign and stand behind us when we are parenting our kids
  • give us down time…respect our space
  • (am I forgetting anything?) the men did mention that the top 3 ways that they feel respect is: #1 SEX. #2 SEX. #3 SEX.

Please share with us your comments & feedback.

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Men’s Group: Abide in Him, March 4, 2009

Thanks to Dave for this brief summary:

When Jesus said,  “remain in me and I will remain in you,” He was saying, continue/stay with me and I will continue/stay with you.  Jesus is there waiting for us, but we must first remain in Him.  One of our questions last Wednesday asked how Jesus provides a way for us to stay with Him in true love.  Can you think of any ways He does this?  Our table came up with prayer/alone time with Him as the number one answer.  It’s been said before, the ONLY way to stay in relationship with someone is to talk to them; spend time with them. That goes for our relationship with God, too.  He already knows us; in order for us to get to know Him, we must talk with and LISTEN to Him on a daily basis.  The only way we can truly love like Jesus is by pursuing Him.  Bucky opened last Wednesday with a great story; it was about him practicing basketball and falling on the court.  His Dad saw Bucky fall, went out and picked him up, and said to his crying son, “Bucky, you have been trying really hard.  If you keep training like that you will be an All American one day.”  Bucky told us those tears vanished instantly because Bucky knew his Dad believed in him.  And, this story serves as a reminder that God believes in us. Bucky made it a point to reinforce what Bill Gaultiere used to always tell us in Guide Group.  That is it isn’t about trying, it is about training.  Abiding in Christ trains our hearts to become more like Him.  We can never be Jesus, but we can train with Him.

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Men’s Group Psalm 145, February 4, 2009

Message from Dave from Men on the Path last week:

Sometimes God speaks to you subtly and other times He makes it obvious because He doesn’t want you to miss it.  Sometimes it takes me a while to write these summaries because either I am not listening for God’s voice or He is being subtle and I just don’t realize it.  Anyway, between Wednesday and this morning (Friday) God made it easy for me. I am attempting double duty this year.  In addition to journaling by writing my letter to God each evening, last month I purchased a Daily Devotional where I read a passage of scripture and then it gives a few words as if they are being spoken by God.  I do not know what to make of that yet.   I am pretty rigid when to comes to religion and politics.  I am working on it but I am not there by any means.  I am sure I can find arguments for both sides; those that say it is okay and those that say it is blasphemy.  In any event, I believe my answer came in the last few days and the answer is quite interesting.   But before we get to that…

On Wednesday Robbie lead the Men of the Path session.  We read Psalm 145 (please take some time and read it before going further – it will help –  wish I could put the Final Jeopardy Theme in here so you could hear that music in the background as we pause 🙂  So now you know what we talked about, praising God.  Psalm 145 is a song of praise; yes, praise, and lots of it.  When you read that Psalm look at all of the words David uses for praising his Lord – great, mighty, majesty, power, awesome, righteous, good, compassion, and the list goes on.  David certainly knew who his Lord and Savior was, didn’t he?  How could David pour out such praise?  Well, think of it this way; you cannot praise someone if you don’t have a relationship with them, can you?  So that is where the praise begins, on your knees, spending alone time with Him and listening for His voice.  It begins by acknowledging God for who He is and realizing it is about Him and not you.  You must believe that God is a sovereign God and that God is good.  You must submit to the fact that God knows best and that God’s word is the final authority in your life.  We know from reading and journaling the Psalms during January that David knew these things.  Believe me, it is one thing to write those words and another thing to live by them.   I like what Jan Gilbert said at our table on Wednesday morning; “It is difficult for me to praise God in the bad times.  For instance when I get a flat tire on the way to work, do I say “Yes, thank You, God?”  No, I do not.  Or, I may say it, but do I really mean it? No, probably not”  Jan was being realistic, wasn’t he?  Then Jan gave us another story about when God delayed a family travel plan.  The outcome was amazing.  I encourage you to ask Jan about it when you see him.

Okay, back to the devotional.  Here are the “God speaking” parts from the last two days:

“Do not resist Me or harden your heart.  I take no pleasure in the affliction of My children.  In love, I chasten to prevent the deeper suffering involved should I allow you to go on in a path of evil.  But My heart is glad when you walk close, with your hand in Mine, and we talk over the day’s journey and activities so it becomes a happy way that we travel in mutual fellowship.  So, pour out your praise to Me from a light heart and I will plan your path and we will go singing.”

“Praise Me.  Lift your heart in gratitude.  In your sleeping and your waking hours, My hand of protection and blessing is upon you.  I have built a hedge around you.  Even as was written concerning Job.  It was not a false accusation of the devil to Job.  I removed it to silence the enemy of his soul.  But for the multitudes I have never removed the hedge.  I am keeping you, My child for one purpose in particular – that you may be able to accomplish the task committed to you.”

Amazing, isn’t it?  Out of the 365 days and writings in that devotional; those writings come now.  There are no coincidences, are there?  It is clear to me; Praise Him, in good times and in bad.  Having the abundant life means you are at peace during trials and tribulations.  Remember, if there is anyone we can pray for (including you), Pathways has a great prayer team.  Contact Armando Barrios atbrisamar999@yahoo.com.

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Men’s Group: February 25, 2009 (Matthew 18:21-35)

Here is another great summary of Men’s Group by Dave:

This past Wednesday we studied the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35) and how it relates to forgiveness.  Please take a few minutes and read the passage.  I suggest you do it when you have some quiet time because you will get more out of it if you can meditate on the scripture and write in a journal what God says to you about it.   Robby taught on this lesson and he presented a very good question to us; why do we often think about forgiveness as being about the person that needs to be forgiven rather than the person doing the forgiving?  Have you ever thought if you are in a position to forgive that it is about you, not the person you need to forgive?  Cynthia and I used to facilitate a nationally recognized Christ centered divorce recovery program called DivorceCare (www.divorcecare.org).  It is an incredible program.  If you know of anyone who is divorced and they haven’t been through a program PLEASE tell them about DivorceCare.  It does not matter how long they’ve been divorced; it will be the best advice you’ve ever given them.  Encourage them to attend.  Anyway, what I am leading into here is that there was an entire session spent on forgiveness.  This lesson leads off with the statement; “It’s not what you eat, but what is eating you that will kill you.”  How true; if we don’t find it in our hearts to truly forgive, we will harbor bitterness.  That bitterness will come out at some point; most likely against someone we love and care for, someone who did nothing to hurt us.  One thing to remember when talking about forgiveness; forgiveness is not reconciliation.  It is not condoning a behavior and saying it is okay.  Forgiveness is letting go, or setting down a load and not picking it up again.  Reconciliation is restoring a relationship.  You can forgive without condoning or reconciling.  Forgiveness is a decision, not a feeling.  We may not feel like forgiving but we can and should decide to forgive.  One last thing from that DivorceCare lesson; don’t expect or wait for an apology to forgive.  In other words, don’t try to assume control by saying the person must answer to YOU.  No, they must answer to GOD.

Now, back to our Wednesday discussion.  Two lines really got to me in this parable.  They were verses 29-30. Go back and read them. Can you imagine being the guy on your knees begging for forgiveness and the other “person” in the parable is God and He is telling you, “No, you are not forgiven?”  Where would you be?   

I asked a question in the beginning of this email about forgiving being more important to the person forgiving than the person in need of forgiveness.  Forgiveness produces several great benefits for the forgiver.  One is freedom.  Forgiving gives the forgiver the freedom to move on.  It is very healing because the situation no longer has power over the “wronged” person.  If you are in a position to forgive and don’t, you could end up depressed, bitter and/or angry.  All of those will eventually result in loneliness.  Who wants to be around a person like that?  Forgiveness produces healthier relationships.  And, remember what Jesus told us in Matthew 6:14-15; “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”  That is a pretty frightening statement, isn’t it?  It is right there is black and white (or red in some bibles).  I mean what happens if God doesn’t forgive you?  Where do you end up?

Bruce Peotter said something I believe is a very helpful tip for those of you who are married.  Each night before he and Kelly go to sleep, they talk about whether or not either of them said anything that hurt the other person and need to ask forgiveness for.  Think about it.  Rather than “addressing” the issue right then and there, which will almost always result in a heated conflict, you know you can save the situation for later when things have calmed down and talk about it rationally.  Just knowing you have that in your back pocket can keep the person who was “wronged” in a better frame of mind.  I think it is a great idea, don’t you?

How does one forgive?  Well Francisco said that one best.  You must first receive God’s forgiveness before you can truly forgive.  Then, rather than struggling with it yourself; turn the matter over to God.  Try something like, “Lord, make me willing to be willing to forgive because I am not there yet.”  That will really set your heart on the right path.  Some folks never really address their wrongs.  They say over time they forget about it, that time heals all wounds.  Well, from co-facilitating DivorceCare for almost two years I can honestly say, “Time does not heal all wounds.  It covers them.  Only Jesus can truly heal.

Well, I guess I made up for last week’s short email.  Thank you for taking the time to read this.  May God bless you and keep you.

Dave

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Men’s Group: John 8:1-11 February 18, 2009

Summary from Dave:

On Wednesday morning we read the story of Jesus and the woman “caught” in adultery (John 8:1-11).  Please take a few minutes and read it before you continue.  And, as you read it consider your answers to these questions and record them in your journal:

Who do you relate to most in this story?  Why?

What is the purpose of the “Law” in our lives?

Well, many of us agreed that the woman in the story (the adulterer) represents all of us.  We are all sinners; no one is perfect, only God.  And, it is a reminder that before we go around condemning others for their sins, we need to look at ourselves, because in God’s eyes, all sin is the same.  An adulterer’s sin is not any greater than someone who cheats and lies in business or someone who views pornography.  In other words, it doesn’t matter which commandment you break, they are all sins and they hurt the One who loves us.  The grace that Jesus showed this woman is the same grace He shows us every minute of every day.  And, when we repent, Jesus commands us to go and sin no more (that is the key – we must go to Jesus and repent).  What I find interesting in this story is that Jesus tells the woman He does not condemn her but He does not tell her she is forgiven.  If you have some thoughts on that please write me; I’d like to hear them.

To the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, the Law represented the truth.  But Jesus turned the tables on them.  He showed them they were no better in God’s eyes than this woman.  The truth was, they were all sinners.  None of them was capable of judging the woman; judgment is up to God, not us.  We learned last Wednesday that the Law shows us the need for a Savior. Without Jesus we all fall short of the Law and none of us would make it to heaven. Have you thought about where you are on the grace/truth scale in your relationships?  Many of us are slanted toward one or the other.  Of course, Jesus was the perfect balance of grace and truth.  Who gives the grace in your relationship and who is the person of truth?  I know I am a man of truth.  It is difficult for me to show grace; I want to ram truth down your throat.  But, to counteract that, to temper my truth, God introduced me to Cynthia. If you saw my email last week you remember the grace Cynthia showed me.  By pairing me with Cynthia God is showing the grace given to me.  And, if you’ve gone on to the Uberlumen website (www.uberlumen.com) and listened to my testimony you know I do not deserve a woman of Cynthia’s caliber.  Kind of like how we do not deserve the grace, mercy and forgiveness God gives us.  God sure is good, isn’t He?.

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Men’s Group: The Good Samaritan February 11, 2009

Then an expert in Moses’ Teachings stood up to test Jesus. He asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “What is written in Moses’ Teachings? What do you read there?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.’ And ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'” Jesus told him, “You’re right! Do this, and life will be yours.” But the man wanted to justify his question. So he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man went from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way robbers stripped him, beat him, and left him for dead. “By chance, a priest was traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he went around him and continued on his way. Then a Levite came to that place. When he saw the man, he, too, went around him and continued on his way. “But a Samaritan, as he was traveling along, came across the man. When the Samaritan saw him, he felt sorry for the man, went to him, and cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day the Samaritan took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than that, I’ll pay you on my return trip.’ “Of these three men, who do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?” The expert said, “The one who was kind enough to help him.” Jesus told him, “Go and imitate his example!” (Luke 10:25-37 GW)

 

Who do you most identify with in this story and why?

 

Have you ever felt like or been the man on the street?

 

What are the barriers to helping the man on the street?

 

Have you ever been too busy to help someone?

 

Is our decision to help someone determined more by our character or by our circumstances?[1]

 

What can we do to better prepare ourselves to be a good neighbor?

 

How can we ‘go and imitate [the good Samaritan’s] example’? [2],[3]

 

[2] “God does not demand of me that I accomplish great things.  He does demand of me that I strive for excellence in my relationships.”-Ted W. Engstrom, The Making of a Christian Leader, 81

[3] Luke 10:37

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A ‘kingdom of God’ prayer!

Bill has written an incredible prayer of love, submission to His will, and living in the Kingdom NOW! Please enjoy it and let us know your comments. (check out more of Bill’s wisdom)

I love you Jesus!  I love you Father!  I love you Holy Spirit!  Lord, today I want to live my life as your apprentice – teach me what you want me to learn and help me to accept whatever circumstance you allow in my life as an opportunity to be mentored by you.  Today I devote my whole self to you – my heart, my mind, my body, my relationships, my soul, all of me. Today I ask you to live through me in all that I think and desire and in all that I say and do. Today I submit myself and my life to you and your kingdom purposes.  Today want to live in the reality of and from the resources of your kingdom of the heavens in my midst.  Today as I walk the path of life with you I want to share your love with whoever I meet.