Continue to Pray

Good morning men. I want to thank Michael for such an awesome message from yesterday. It was very uplifting to read and we will continue to pray for you!

Continuing off of the message from yesterday, during this time I feel like the message Michael gave us even more true now than ever. This is a time of faith building and faith testing. So much that is going on it is completely out of our hands. We have to lean on Christ, which we should be doing anyways, in order to be able know what doors he’s opening for us and how. The way we do that is to be prayerful and get into his word.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.”

Notice men it doesn’t say stop praying when things are going well or you better start praying when things get rough. Pray without ceasing. He commands us to pray always. This is an aspect of my life I have to continually work on because I say I’m too busy which is lousy excuse. The Lord has blessed me with so much! How can I NOT make time?!

Have a great week in the trenches men.

Our Savior

Interesting weekend for me.

• Thanks to Zach Brown, a man on this message referred me to a contact and job opening in a field I am very interested in
• Thank you Lord for technology as I got to participate in a church wide zoom call on Friday that encouraged my heart.
• Watched friends live stream their 1 year old daughter’s birthday celebration
• Participated in a massive zoom call my cousin put together to surprise his wife on her 50th because he couldn’t be there with her (They are working & temporarily living on opposite coasts right now). There were over 50 windows on the call totalling over 100 people. 3 screens of zoom video windows. And we all sang and wished her happy birthday. It was chaotic and beautiful all at the same time!
• Had a blast playing games online with kids & groups of friends
• Was looking forward to Sunday with online church but Had a rough night of sleep and received a rejection email for job I had interviewed a few weeks before. Needless to say I didn’t take it well. Then the Lord brought up this verse and reminded me that He is the one who closes and opens doors.

Jeremiah 29:11-13: 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 

So broken on my knees, I thanked the Lord for closing that door, cast my anger and frustration to Him and got into the Word. And this passage came up. There is so much goodness and power in this passage. Soak it in and may it bless your soul as you start your week.

Titus 3:3-8 (ESV) 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

Dear Lord, please help us fix our eyes on you during this Pandemic, to know and understand the hope we have in you. Help us to shine for you and stand strong during this pandemic. Help us to see where you are working in our lives, our families, our neighbors, our communities, our cities, our states, our country, our world that we may follow you and be used for your glory. Protect us from this disease Lord and provide for all those hurting from its impacts: physical & mental health, job & financial loss. You are able to do immeasurablely more than all we ask for imagine because of your power that is at work within us because of you Jesus. We pray in your name Jesus.

If and When

I know You’re able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, and I know the hurt
Would all go away if You’d just say the word
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

Pastors you have to create your own energy today. Make sure you bring it.

I heard this song on the radio yesterday and I thought there is the Manly Message. There are a lot of good Christian songs on the radio, but I feel like this on does an exceptional job of walking us through leaning in faith in tough times.

Sometimes we’re in the position of having to do so because there is nothing left to do. We’ve tried our way over and over and now it is time to just be still and put our faith in God. We do this having to trust, as well because like it says, we know He can do so many things, so when He doesn’t do what we think He should or could, our faith has to stay steadfast.

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

Love,

Yancey

Caution

Matthew 7:13-14

The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Men, today’s message is a motivating caution. This verse and one similar to it was recently brought to my attention and it served as a healthy reminder to me to cinch in, to be stronger in my faith, to remind myself that being a true Christian man isn’t easy.

Let’s take a look at our habits and our practices and give them the attention they need. This is meant to motivate and to push for some self reflection.

Do we think or do we know about our faith and relationship with God?

Narrow is the road. Be exceptional in your faith and in your relationship with God. Feed and nourish it.

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

Love,

Yancey

Family Friday 4/17: Be Steadfast

Good morning, men!

1 Corinthians 15:58 says:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

When I woke this morning, I thought about all of the uncertainty in the world and all of the changes we have faced recently. From health, to work, to family dynamic, to how we worship….change has been the name of the game.

I believe that now, more than ever in our lifetime, being steadfast and consistent is vital. Steadfast in prayer and worship. Steady in our emotions. Consistent when we speak and post online. Quick to empathize and long to lose our temper.

In a constantly changing landscape with so much loss and uncertainty, this may seem like an unattainable call. Christian, the world is watching. Do we, as a church, finger point, freak out, and change with the latest breaking news? Or do we remain steadfast in our faith that God is in control, Christ died for our sin, and one day we will all be free of this insanity?

Have a blessed day!

M.I.T.T. ~ Runyan

Speak Life!

“Jesus spoke plainly about our idle words, yet his warning often goes unheeded. Jesus said that for every idle word there will be a time of accounting in the day of judgment. We would expect Jesus to condemn profane and vile uses of the tongue, but idle words? Idle words are things we say carelessly, without concern for their impact on others. We too quickly assume that the sins of our tongue are minor sins, sins that God will overlook. Yet Jesus was fully aware of the devastating nature of our words.” Quotes by Henry and Richard Blackaby

Something I am truly convicted of lately is the use of my words.  This is a very trying time, where most people we encounter in a day are extremely on edge.  Why would this be something I should take personal?  Why am I not doing a better of job of reaching out to people and nourishing them with my words? Or even more to the point, why am I not doing a better job of building people up in Christ right here in my own home? How many of us actually speak death over our own lives? I am not good enough, smart enough, young enough, I will never be this or that.

The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.
Proverbs 10:21 NIV

This is an amazing opportunity for us as men in the trenches to show people Jesus.  That being calm, cool and collected is what He is.  That when we are led by the spirit, we speak life giving words and encouragement!

I’m challenging all of us today to speak life into ourselves and others through the spirit!

With love, dlp

M.I.T.T.

 

Tax Day

Romans 13: 6-7

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Taxes are one of my continues temptations with being a Christian. I have rental properties and often get paid in cash. I deal with the internal struggle of doing what is right and reporting it as income, not doing work on my personal residence and calling it a business expense. I know this is a foothold for evil. The struggle doesn’t go away it’s always in the back of my mind. I’m sure this is similar to what you feel with whatever your temptation is. Men, the great thing is, we can overcome our temptations. Keep fighting the battle and winning everyday.

Zach

April 13th

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Good morning men. I pulled the verse from today by just searching bible verse and the date. Let me tell you, God moves in mysterious ways. Now more than ever, I think we can all use this message. For me, I know I certainly can. The stress of trying to run a small business during this time has been real. We have had some setbacks but are making it. We know that the Lord will provide and see us through this time. I have had my doubts that what I am doing is the right thing but seeing this scripture today when I needed it most, I know that God has his hand on us. Men I pray that for all of you in whatever situation you may be in, you can do all things through who Christ. He’s there waiting for us to call upon him.

Those who know your name

Psalm 9:1-10 (NIV): 1I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
3My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you.
4For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.
5You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies, you have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished.
7The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment.
8He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity.
9The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

I hope you all had a blessed Easter this weekend celebrating the greatest news and day in human history, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was unique this year for obvious reasons, but it doesn’t change how awesome our Lord is. He knows and understands. He reigns over all and reigns forever. Currently I am in the middle of a devotional of Knowing God by His Names by Dick Purnell. And the last verse in this passage captures the wonder of a relationship with the Lord in verse 10. THOSE WHO KNOW YOUR NAME TRUST IN YOU, FOR YOU, LORD, HAVE NEVER FORSAKEN THOSE WHO SEEK HIM.

Pursue Him men, get to know Him, His name, and your trust in Him will grow. HE HAS NEVER FORSAKEN THOSE WHO SEEK HIM. THE LORD HAS NEVER BROKEN A PROMISE. HE IS FAITHFUL AND TRUE AND SO DESIRES TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU! SO MUCH SO THAT HE DIED FOR YOU TO PAY FOR YOUR SINS AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD TO GIVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A CLEAN SLATE, A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND THE FATHER! REJOICE AND PURSUE IT!