Choose Jesus

“If you aren’t intentionally being discipled by Jesus, you are unintentionally being discipled by the culture”

I heard this quote from a pastor online this week. You know what fellas, I have made up my mind, I do not want to be discipled by our culture. This “world” is not where I belong. So, while I am in it I want to make sure to be discipled by Jesus, so that I dont act like I am part of it.

Did anyone say that was easy? Absolutely not.

John 16:33 ESV — I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Even Jesus warns multuple times in scripture that the world can bring trials and tribulations. The ruler of this world loves lies, he loves fear, he tempts with pleasure, he wants confusion of identity, he desires sin after sin.

So how did Jesus overcome the world?

• He came down from His heavenly throne
• He lived sinless and blameless
• He created a new Covenant of love
• He willingly sacrificed His life for our sins and for our salvation
• He rose from the tomb conquering death and the grave

He flipped the narrative upside down. He is an amazing God, full of love, mercy and grace. I hope you are with me, I hope you choose to be discipled by Jesus! He has won the victory, he has overcome the world!

with love, dlp

M.I.T.T.

Excuses

I have been struggling with this lately. As my kids are getting more involved with sports, we are having more and more tournaments get put on a Sunday morning. I don’t feel that I’m very old, but I can remember when there were no youth activities on Sunday. As parents now we face the tough decision of missing Church or missing the kid’s game. I feel that a lot of times I get my excuses turned around and miss Church.

Zach

Improvement

Good morning men. I pray this message finds you all well. As I’ve told you on the message before, my father in law had some complications from his surgery and the situation got pretty bad for a while. Prayers have been answered because he is getting transferred out of the hospital and into a rehab facility today. He still has a long way to go but he is improving greatly. We appreciate any and all prayers from this community of men. Have a blessed day.

Power in praying

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
‭‭James‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This verse always brings me back to our brotherhood as disciples of Christ. 1) We need to be in fellowship with one another enough to confess to one another and 2) the power of sharing that and being prayed for is very powerful. We are righteous only because of Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection. And because of that He intercedes for us. The Holy Spirit now guides us and helps us even when we do not know what to pray. Brothers we can encourage and empower one another through prayer.

Today I’m asking for prayer:

1. A good friend at our church suffered a mini stroke this weekend and is still in the hospital. Please lift up healing for her and that she can be released to go home. Please lift up wisdom and grace for her husband and family.

2. My daughter Paige. While we had a good time as family over her spring break, going back to finish her first year at college has her very anxious and then as she hit back last night her car died and had to be towed to a shop. Not the start she wanted. Pray it is a minor repair as she needs her car for an off campus class requirement.

3. Continued prayers for Ukraine.

Take It to the Lord in Prayer

Psalm 39:12
12 “Hear my prayer, Lord,
listen to my cry for help;
do not be deaf to my weeping.
I dwell with you as a foreigner,
a stranger, as all my ancestors were.

Pastors, use your opportunity.

I woke up in the night and I woke up this morning with the part of the hymn that says, take it to the Lord in prayer in my head. So, here we are at today’s Manly Message.

Whatever is on your heart, whatever is on your mind, take it to the Lord in prayer.

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

Love,

Yancey

Be Strong in All Aspects of Life

2 Timothy 1:7
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Sometimes doing the right thing isn’t easy. We have to make a conscious decision to do what is right. This is where the strength to do this come in.

Reread the scripture it says that the Spirit does not make us timid. It does not specify what or where we are not timid. Therefore, we an only surmise that we are given love, power and self discipline in all aspects.

Let’s keep this in mind in all aspects of our life.

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

Love,

Yancey

Family Friday 3/25: Be a Light

Good morning, men!

As some of you know, I worked in the pharmaceutical sales industry for just under 5 years. Despite my intentions of helping folks on a daily basis, I found myself under constant judgement as a “bad guy” or “greedy salesman.” Every year at Christmas, I had a family member that would take me over the coals about working for Big Pharma.

In my pharma days, we were prohibited from speaking directly to patients. I understood the reasoning, but it really hurt my ability to help folks with their prescriptions. Well…I work in insurance now. I don’t have those restrictions anymore.

Last night, I had the opportunity to speak to a group at our local hospital’s diabetic education night about “tricks of the trade” and how to save on their diabetic prescriptions. I’m not sure that anyone left with their life changed, but I do hope that at least one person will find some savings in a rough financial moment.

The big point here is this….God can use you in any circumstance. He can take good people in bad surroundings and use it for His good. Look at Daniel in Babylon. If you find yourself surrounded by greed, immorality, selfishness, dishonesty….pray that God will use you to be a light in that darkness.

Have a blessed day, men!

M.I.T.T. ~ Runyan

The Difference

Matthew 27:5: ⁵ So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Matthew 26: 75: ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

This has been a topic it seems like for a few weeks in multiple conversations I have been in. Then last week, I listened to the Pastor speak on it, as well as being a topic that my wife has been discussing. So, I thought what a great message to share.

We have Judas, who as we know, betrayed Jesus. He did so initially for money, and we find in the Bible that he had already showed a propensity to “love” money or have a root of evil with the love of money when he questions why Mary would use the expensive jar of nard (expensive perfume) on Jesus feet. We also know he was consistently seeking an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Peter on the other hand would also betray Jesus. He would do so 3 times, even after Jesus told him he would do it and Peter said he never would. So, why is there a difference between Peter and Judas? They both denied and betrayed the Father. The difference is after Judas did, he gave up. He felt there was no way out, he felt he could not be loved or forgiven, so he took his own life. Peter on the other hand felt remorse and sadness, he immediately went out and wept bitterly (begged for forgiveness, crying out to God). He was also the first to run to the tomb after he heard from the women that Jesus had risen!!

So what was the difference between Judas and Peter?

Peter asked for forgiveness, he repented, he didn’t give up because he fully believed in Jesus word and all he had been told about his grace and love. Men, repentance is the key. Jesus, gave His life as a sacrifice so that we could be forgiven. He did it willingly and knowingly. It seems hard to comprehend at times that when we mess up God isn’t standing there ready to punish, he’s actually standing there ready to forgive and wipe then slate clean! We just have to been in a posture of repentance and we have to remain steadfast!

with love, dlp

M.I.T.T.

Sick Kid

Good morning men. This morning I’m up early with a sick kiddo. There isn’t much more of a helpless feeling than to not be able to make your child feel better. This morning just asking for prayers for a quick and speedy recovery.