Good morning men. This week my daughter is partaking in Miss Arkansas as one of the mentees. They have a great mentorship program that teaches young women about self confidence, self worth, and so many other things about loving herself and who she is. At the end of the week, one person will win and there will be however many others that don’t. That doesn’t make them any less though. In todays world, so many people get caught up in one thing that makes their identity. We see this often in peoples jobs. What you do isn’t always who you are. I work in pest control and own my own business but that’s not who I am. I’m a father, husband, a son, etc. My prayer is that this week, all of the young women who don’t win aren’t caught up in that they didn’t win. And I pray that whoever wins doesn’t find their sole identity in the victory as well. One thing doesn’t define who we are, except as followers in Christ. Have a blessed day men.
Matthew 9:35-38 ESV
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
As Jesus went about proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and meeting the physical needs of the people, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Here are some key observations and takeaways for us as his followers.
- Jesus went to the people
- Jesus met the physical needs of the people
- Jesus saw the people – their true condition as harassed and helpless, lost – and He had compassion for them.
- Jesus shared the truth of the opportunity: THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW.
- Jesus calls his followers to pray earnestly to the Lord to send workers/laborers into His harvest field that He just said was plentiful.
Pray for the Lord to send out workers into His promised plentiful harvest. And what is the harvest? A harvest of people who Jesus is calling & drawing to Himself to be His children and disciples. People who need Jesus.
Pray and ask Jesus how you can be a worker to go into his harvest field (family, friends, church, neighbors, coworkers, the world, etc). We are called to love like Jesus and make disciples. May we see those in in our spheres of influence as Jesus does and have compassion on them. May it lead us to love & share with them the greatest news & gift they could ever receive: a loving, eternal relationship with Jesus right now.
Genesis 1:29
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
Pastors, it’s a great day to give your best effort. Make it happen.
I was listening to a guy talk recently and he brought up how flower bulbs and sweet corn kernels can be dormant for such a long time, but then when they get some dirt and some water they just sprout up. He said that it was just amazing. “How do they know?” He followed that up with something like it’s like their Creator knew what He was doing.
I would agree with that statement, their Creator did know what He was doing. When I look at any type of plant life, I amazed at God’s perfect design. The breathe in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen so we can do the opposite, thus we both help keep the other alive. It’s like our Creator knew what He was doing.
Let’s have appreciation for God’s perfect design and all of the little miracles we may overlook as we go through each day.
Make it a great week in the trenches. Be exceptional at being you.
Love,
Yancey
Matthew 5:16
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
There is a new social media “challenge,” I guess it is called, where people have to show us they’re something specific without telling us they are that specific thing. For example, I could show people we have horses without saying it because of a halter, a saddle, a horse trailer, etc. I hope that’s clear.
What if the challenge was to show others that we’re Christians? Could we pull it off? Would others see enough examples of our faith for us to show them that we are Christians? If the answer is not yes, then let’s find ways to do better.
Make it a great day in the trenches. Be exceptional at being you.
Love,
Yancey
Good morning, men!
I am currently reading a book called “Everybody Always” by Bob Goff. My mom sent it to me on a whim and it could not have arrived at a better time.
In the chapter I read this am, Bob talks about the story in the Bible where Jesus touched a blind man. The man said he could see….but not well. People still looked like “trees.” Jesus touched him again and his sight was fully restored.
I was floored by this. You mean Jesus didn’t get it 100% right the first time? You mean the guy looked at Jesus, and said, “Thanks, but I still can’t quite see.” Wow.
Two things stood out to me.
1. The honesty of the man to say, “I see your work, but I’m still not quite where I need to be.”
2. The fact that Jesus needed more than one opportunity to achieve full restoration.
Wherever you are in your walk, I hope this story impacts you like it has me.
Have a blessed day, men!
M.I.T.T. ~ Runyan
2 Timothy 3:1-5 AMP
But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.
Does this verse not totally fit whats happening in our world today? I promise you, I am not a “constantly thinking about end times” type of guy. But, I would say if you are in tune with anything thats going on, and I would add especially in the United States, then you would say yes just like me.
What was your first thought when you read the words? Did your mind immediately go to someone that you can think of that fits the description? Someone that you might want to stay away from? If I am totally honest with you, that’s what I did. But, shortly after that God was very clear with me. He said “when someone else reads this verse could they be thinking of you?”
Wow God, I truly hope not. But, in my conviction the answer would be yes. There are multiple characteristics of the person Paul is describing that do fit me. Lord, I am sorry for that. I pray you would help me recognize them quickly, and anynother man on this message who needs their eyes open or just needs forgiveness, please grant it to them. We do not want to be a part of the world, we ask that you give us the strength to live in it but not be of it. I want to be prepared when you do come back for your people, a Holy Remnant. Father, we love you and we thank you. In Jesus name. Amen.
with love, dlp
M.I.T.T.
Matthew 6:7-8 “When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.”
Good morning men. What a wonderful verse above. God knows us and loves us so much that he knows what we need before we ask it. He sees into our hearts and souls and knows what our needs are. As this verse says, don’t just babble on but speak from the heart. Really look into yourself to know where you are and do not be afraid to be vulnerable. Christ wants us to come to Him and to come to him truthfully for he knows our needs already. Have a blessed day men.
This quote from Tim Keller really hit home after this week. I’ve been processing emotions around suffering and how I respond to it that honors God and allows me to grow. I want the growth but not the pain and that is not how it works. This quote lays it out.
May the sufferings and pain of this life drive me closer to God in love, dependence, and strength. May the grace and love of God keep my heart and mind right, to be ready for the realities of suffering, and to lean into him to avoid becoming frustrated, irritable or bitter or hard of heart.
Ezekiel 36:26-28 (ESV): 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.[a] 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Pastors, it is your day, once again. Use your gift successfully as you speak to your congregation.
Recently I have been thinking a lot about the movie, The Passion of the Christ. With the research they put into it, I would guess that is the most accurate depiction of what happened to Jesus when He went to die for our sins.
It gives a clear image of the anguish others experienced with Him. When the pastor talks about Jesus’ broken body and blood during communion, we now know what that looks like.
When we talk about the price that was paid for our sins, we have a clear picture of that, as well. One of the scenes is of the men who were beating Jesus doubled over catching their breath. That is a powerful scene.
Jesus sacrificed for us at a level I’m unable to fathom, but I’m thankful He did. I’m not sure why that movie has been on my mind lately, but it is an incredible reminder to us of how loved we are.
Make it a great week in the trenches. Be exceptional at being you.
Love,
Yancey
The Manly Message 
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