God’s blessing and blessing others

Thanks be to God for technology that despite icy conditions we can still hear from God’s light bearers; pastors/elders/teachers He has called to preach and shepherd the body of Christ. I am sharing this message as the Lord really blessed me Sunday through this 30 min online sermon from my friend and Pastor Orion Berridge. The message digs into a topic that is often overlooked and misunderstood. I know I have and I have been a believer in Christ for decades. It is simply about God’s blessings and being a blessing from God to those around us. Please listen and be blessed! Trevor Nelson, our worship leader opened it with prayer (There was also going to be worship music but technical difficulties prevented that)

#GospelLife#blessing#blessed#speakblessings#doblessings

Some key points for those who can’t find time to listen to it right away, but I highly encourage you to listen to it:

• If it’s in the bible it is important; If it’s in the bible over and over again; God deems it necessary! (Repetitive themes, doctrine)
• Theme of blessings all throughout both the OT & NT; the Bible is full of blessing language
• Some key scriptures on blessing:
  • Genesis 12-15 (covenant with Abraham )
  • Matthew 5
  • end of Psalm 144:15: “Blessed is the people of whom this is true;
        blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. “
  • Psalm 145 (ESV): (PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS ONE)
  • Proverbs 12:18 (NIV) “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. ”

Psalm 145 English Standard Version (ESV)

Great Is the Lord

^[aA Song of Praise. Of David. 

1 I will extol you, my God and King,
    and bless your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless you
    and praise your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶ They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare your greatness.
⁷ They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
    and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

⁸ The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ The Lord is good to all,
    and his mercy is over all that he has made.

¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
    and all your saints shall bless you!
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
    and tell of your power,
¹² to make known to the children of man your^[b] mighty deeds,
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

[The Lord is faithful in all his words
    and kind in all his works.]^[c]
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and kind in all his works.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he also hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord preserves all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Bless God in everything you do, praise Him, trust Him, ask Him to work through you to be His blessing to others in word and action through the good news of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit! Show those around us the love the Lord has for all of us!

Is It Strength or Weakness?

2 Corinthians 12:10

10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I believe that this verse means something different to every man on this message and that’s good. Our relationships with Christ are our own.

However, I feel that no matter how this verse applies to each one of us, the power of it is not in question. It is not easy to even admit where we are weak, let alone embrace weakness, but here is Paul saying when I’m weak, I’m strong. I encourage you to read the entire passage and see how it applies to you.

Make it a great Saturday in the trenches. Be exceptional at being you.

Love,

Yancey

Family Friday 2/8: It’s a Girl!

Good morning, men!

Yesterday at 10:00 am, Sarah and I had an appointment in Jonesboro with her OB. The 20 week anatomy scan showed a healthy baby girl due in June of this summer! It was so incredible to see the little arms, legs, spine, brain, and organs of my third child and first girl. The technology available these days that allowed us to see every chamber of the heart and flow of blood blew us away.

Overall, we feel so blessed by God in this season after a very difficult 8 months of trying for #3. Though the practice was fun, the miscarriage in August pushed us to some uncomfortable places. An early pregnancy hematoma diagnosis gave us more pause and anxiety about the possibility of another loss.

Though we are still far from her birthday, Sarah and I both are in a place where we are comfortable with God’s perfect plan for us and our family. We can’t wait to see miss Pippa Mae and give our two boys a little sister. I may be reaching out for some girl parenting advice, because I have no idea what to do here!

Please keep us in your prayers and have a blessed weekend!

M.I.T.T. ~ Runyan

His Plan

The Lord will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord , endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
Psalms 138:8 NLT

I think we could go around to all the men who read this message and ask the question “do you feel like you are doing exactly what God has called you to do in this life?”; and we would be surprised that many would say no.

I myself, am in a strange time of transition, I feel as though I know what I would like to do, but if it were up to God it would look much different.

Yet, knowing this, I still wake up everyday praying for God to show me (asking him to move a mountain), then looking the other way so that I can be more “comfortable”. What I really show here is a level of unbelief, that God, directly telling me what he would want in my life, wouldn’t be able to fully take care of that plan and provide for it.

I had an amazing conversation and prayer session with Michael M, yesterday. One thing that I told him I had written in my journal was this: “I wonder if God ever looks at me and says, man Dustin, how much more obvious do I need to make it for you?”

It’s difficult, it’s not easy to fully submit our lives to the will of God. But, recently I have been thinking, when I die, will he tell me that I’ve done my best to use the talents and gifts he bestowed upon me, the ones He knew would help build His kingdom, or will he say “dude, why weren’t you acting upon what I was telling you?”

If you are in this situation, please continue to pray, draw as near to God as you can, open your heart and your mind and your soul. Then let’s act upon it.

With love dlp

M.I.T.T.

Edification

Good morning, men!

By definition, to edify means to “build up morally in faith” or “uplift.” Two days ago, a friend within our church reached out to me and said he wanted to pass on some encouragement from a meeting we had recently completed and “edify” me. It genuinely made me feel appreciated and encouraged.

This led to me digging a little deeper into the definition of the word and some places where the Bible talks about edification.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 doesn’t use the word, specifically, but says this:

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

In turn, yesterday I took it upon myself to spin that process around and pay it forward to two friends of my own. We had really solid conversations that you could tell brightened both of our days.

Point being…..take the time today to reach out to someone today with the intention of nothing other than to edify or uplift them. Hopefully, that will inspire them to do the same!

Have a blessed day, men!

M.I.T.T. ~ Runyan

Fill the Void

Good morning men. Going to somewhat piggy back off of what Michael shares yesterday.

Matthew 28:20 “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Men this was meant for EVERYONE. Not just those who are saved but for all. He is waiting with a stretched out hand for the lost person who is searching. In our Sunday school class this last weekend, we talked about addiction. So many people use drugs and/or alcohol as a crutch or to fill a void. What we really hit on in class was that last word: void. Someone said in our class we are all born with a void that needs filling in our life and Christ wants to be the one to fill it with the Holy Spirit. Men, let that sink in. Every person is born with a void and Christ wants to fill that void for ALL.

As the last slide from Michael’s post said yesterday “There is nothing you can do to make me love you more. There is nothing you can do to make me love you less.”

What this says to me is: broken people, Christ loves you the same as he loves a saved person. He wants them to know the life and love that he has waiting for them if they will only accept to receive it. Share the wonderful news men. We are not alone in life’s journey.

Share your story

This Sunday was a special day at our local church, the Avenue. It was baptism Sunday and we had 5 people of all different ages and backgrounds share their story of what the good news of Jesus Christ meant to them and then get baptized, publicly identifying with the death and resurrection of Jesus. Man was it beautiful. It never gets old to hear stories of lives redeemed through the love and truth of Jesus Christ. And we all have a story to share. Because the hero of the story is not us; we are the ones the hero saves. The hero of the story is Jesus: the one who redeems, saves, sanctifies, and glorifies. It is all about Jesus.

Colossians 1:15-23 (NIV): “15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of ^g your evil behavior.22But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Do not downplay your story, or compare yours to others, or wish it was more dynamic, flashy, amazing or something more than what it is. It is your story and it is already amazing because it is all about Jesus: who He is, what he has done for you, what he is doing in you now and in the future, and what He will do when he comes back. Share your story of Jesus in your life! Let Jesus use it for His glory in someone else’s life. In Christ, there is nothing you can do that would make Him love you more and there is nothing you have done that makes Him love you less.

IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS.

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Use Your Gifts

Romans 12:6-8

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Pastors, it’s Super Bowl Sunday. That means that the two teams at the top of the NFL are going to try to play their best game of the year. Why not make today’s message your best if the year.

Men, what else can I say about this verse? Use your gifts and use them to glorify God. They are your gifts FROM God so don’t use them half heartedly. Be exceptional at being you.

Make it a great week in the trenches.

Love,

Yancey

Planks and Scales – What’s In Your Eye?

Acts 9:18

18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,

Matthew 7:3-5

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

The other day I got some sweat in my eye for the first time in a long time. It hurt like crazy. Truthfully, I had forgotten how painful that is. A couple of days later I was listening to Acts in the way to work and today’s message began to take shape.

I wrote a message over a year ago about a prayer alarm. I still use it and 11:00 am every day the “Pray for Someone Who’s Wronged You” alarm goes off. Like all of us, I’ve had people wrong me and I do pray for them at 11:00 some days.

Until recently, I can truly say I couldn’t see the “plank in my own eye” or I had “scales” on my eyes when it came to that prayer alarm. The intent was pure, I wanted to make sure I was forgiving people the way I had been forgiven. However, I had a moment where I truly saw what needed to be prayed first; I needed to pray for the people I had wronged. I needed to ask for forgiveness for what I had done.

I feel like there is a great lesson in there for all of us. Make sure we take care of both sides of a situation in which someone feels wronged. We need to spend time repenting as well as time forgiving.

Be exceptional at being you. Make it a great day in the trenches.

Love,

Yancey