Influencers Weekly Devotional

Friday, May 17, 2013

 

Quiet Time

 

by

 

Rocky Fleming

 

 

 

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

 

 

“I have finally made it to this time and place, and I can connect with the Lord on a deeper level.”  Have you ever breathed those words or thoughts to yourself when you finally were able to have a “quiet time” with the Lord?  They are escaping my lips as I write this.  After a tremendous leadership conference in California that kept me busy, and being with our grandchildren for a visit following the conference, I have found such a place and time in a coffee cafe near their house.  I had to leave their house, and the wrestling matches that become the norm to go to this place.  Those things that I took a short hiatus from are wonderful, and are a gift from the Lord to this granddaddy.  But, when I go too long without the close contact I experience with the Lord in my Q.T., I find myself impatient and lose the joy the moments with those children bring to me.  In fact, it's not just with them, just doing life without my alone time with the Lord, makes me tend toward falling back to old tendencies of the flesh.  I need time with Him so I will remember to “take up His yoke and learn from Him.” (Matthew 11:29)

 

Why is having a consistent quiet-time important to me?  How do I see it?  Honestly, I have more balance in my view of it now, because early in my adventure into daily quiet-times I became legalistic with the importance of it.  I'll never forget the time my wife interrupted me when I was trying to have a quiet-time and wanted to talk, for she was having a bad day with our small children and some challenges we were having at the time.  Instead of embracing the interruption as God orchestrating another agenda for me to serve my wife, I laid into her with some unkind words about her coming between God and me.  I see it clearly now.  She didn't come between God and me.  My legalistic, performance driven, hardness of heart was coming between God and me.  God revealed this to me not by the quiet-time that was interrupted by my wife, but the one that was interrupted by Him.  When I connected these dots with the good quiet-time that followed, I realized that I had become a hard-hearted Pharisee with something meant to be freeing and liberating, and would enable His characteristics in me, if I understood a key point about why I have the quiet-time in the first place.  The key point I was missing is mentioned in the passage from Zephaniah that I have listed above. Let's look at it:

 

Notice a critical connection with God's ordained quiet-time for His child rather than the one we create for ourselves.  What is the difference?  Is it what we give to Him in our quietness before Him, or is it what He gives to us in the quietness we receive from Him?  In this passage, we read that God will quiet us by His love.  He will rejoice over us with gladness.  He will exult over us with loud singing.  Now surely we are to understand these things He does as metaphors of truth.  However, we can read in them clearly that God has affection for us.  He loves being with you and me.  In fact, He delights in it.  He is so delighted, His Spirit moves over us and in us, as He sings over us.  In this action on His part, He imparts to us critical assurance of His presence.  When we play our part, and calm ourselves long enough to listen to Him, and overcome the hindrances in the way of our intimacy with God, as was the case with the way I treated my wife and my perspective of quiet-times then, God is able to “quiet” us with His love.  This “quieting” transforms us from a legalistic agenda for our quiet-times to love driven joy in connecting with Him.  This “quieting” imparts to us not only the basic assurances we need to boldly live our life, but also the wisdom for carrying out the purpose God has given to us.  This “quieting” makes us into men after God's own heart, and elevates us from the forces that drag us down, to men who mount up with wings like eagles.

 

Yes, having a consistent quiet-time, preferably daily, is like eating life sustaining food for me.  However, sometimes the distractions I am dealing with keep me from being able to get alone with the Lord and eat from the feast, and I have to allow the spiritual nutrition I received from the last one to sustain me for a while.  Therefore, I don't worry and stew over missing a Q.T. as I did when I was legalistic about them, for missing some is going to happen.  But, when I begin to show signs of the flesh creeping into my life, I know I need time with the Lord, and it needs to be a priority to go there.  Believe me when I say this to you; everyone around my life needs for me to go there, and they know the difference in the man who comes from the Inner Chamber, and the one who needs to be abiding in that place. 

 

As a mentor, I encourage men toward an intimate, abiding relationship with God.  I will say clearly that my ability to effectively mentor a man is directly related to my own quality time alone with God.  I lead men to understand this critical connection with God by my own dependence and priority in going there.  Otherwise, I would be an inauthentic representative of this truth, along with missing the power to influence other men.  The truth is, I encourage a man to journey to this place with Christ for I know it will be life changing for him, and is deep down a core need that exists within him, whether he knows it or not.  It is easy for me to make this connection, for with my own life as an example, I know a man who went into the Inner Chamber, and the one who emerged from it.  If God can do with this man what He has done, and with what He had to work with, I know that He can help any man who walks this earth, no matter where he lives or what his circumstances, to become a man after His own heart.  That is what happens when God “quiets us with His love.”  We become like Him.

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Stories of Influence- Retirement Takes a New View

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Come on in.  Have a seat and relax.  Listen to a story of how God is meeting men through The Journey and taking them to new heights.  We are truly part of something special that God is doing, and we need to tell the stories.  "Every man has a story and every story is worth hearing."  In addition to the Influencers Weekly Devotional, you will receive a "Story of Influence" each week.  Be encouraged.  If you would like to submit a story, email it to information@influencers.org. 

 

Joe was all set for retirement.  He had done well in his accounting firm and his kids were grown and nearly self-sufficient.  He had bought a farm in the country where he couldn't wait to spend some time.  Life was very well-managed and predictable.  He and his wife had begun attending a new church to support their daughter's interest, and Joe's wife drug him to a Sunday School class.  Intellectually, he was enjoying learning about Bible history, but he wasn't sure he was ready when the teacher asked him to consider joining this thing called "Journey."  However, Joe's wife gave him a nudge which told him that she thought it would be a good idea.

 

Joe decided to give it a shot and soon found himself hungering for more of God's truth.  The scales began to fall from his eyes, and Joe started to look at Faith in a whole new light.  He was mostly quiet in the group meetings, until one time when he could not contain himself.  "How come no one ever told me these things?" Joe exclaimed with a sense of surprise mixed with anger.  Joe continued to dive deeper into the things of God.  When it came time to explore the Holy Spirit through the lens of a Sailboat analogy, Joe, who had much sailing experience, wrote the most profound, insightful journal entry of all.  He was getting it!

 

The next year, Joe accepted an invitation to Co-Guide a group.  He was still excited about retirement and his plans, but things were changing.  Then, a health scare arose with his wife.  A spot was found on her lungs and doctors were concerned about cancer.  All of the sudden, plans were put on hold, and personal abandonment and absolute trust was tested.  A few Journey guys gathered around Joe's wife to pray for healing.  This whole experience was new to Joe and his wife.  It is one thing to pray to God for help.  It is another to let other believers into your pain and fear and allow them to lift you up.  Shortly thereafter, Joe's wife got a clean bill of health.  Joe's faith was increasing.

 

Joe was also a motorcycle enthusiast.  His retirement plans included lots of cross-country motorcycle trips.  Right after he retired, he joined some buddies on a ride.  While exiting an off-ramp, he came quickly upon stopped traffic and had to lay his Harley on its side before slamming into the cars in front of him.  He was thrown into a wall and was seriously injured.  This easily could have been the end of Joe's journey on earth.  He was in the hospital for many days.  He had much time to think and pray.  He also got to see the faith community in action as Journey brothers would visit him in the hospital.  Joe decided to quit making so many plans of his own and to start trusting the Lord with his retirement.

 

He began taking some on-line seminary classes, as he hungered to know more of God's Word.  He kept leading other men to Christ, and he made the transition from a life of success to a life of significance.   God is continuing to grow Joe into the man of God He wants him to become, and He continues to stretch him.  Joe heard about how Influencers was bringing Journey groups into Prisons, and now, God is calling him in that direction.  Retirement sure looks a lot different for Joe now than it did 5 or 6 years ago, but Joe would say that it could not be more satisfying.   

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Influencers Weekly Devotional

Friday, May 10, 2013

 

The Word Saves Our Lives

by

Bryan Craig

“I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn- both men and animals- and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt.  I am the Lord.  The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.  No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”  Exodus 12:12-13

I know I have said this before, but I love the Old Testament.  I know many believers place most of their focus on the New Testament because when Jesus came, the old was gone and the new had come.  However, as you read the Old Testament, you gain an appreciation of how God was working out His plans from the very beginning.  Most of us are not Jewish by descent, so we may not feel as if Israel’s history applies to us.  Remember Paul’s words in Romans 11:17 where he says the Gentile believers have been grafted into the family tree by faith, so we who believe in Christ are all part of God’s chosen people.

The story of the Passover is the most important story of faith for all believers.  After sending many warnings and many plagues to Egypt, God sends a death sentence upon the firstborn males and animals.  This plague of death comes for both the righteous and the unrighteous, and it does not discriminate.  However, God gives His people protection if they obey His commands.  He gives specific instructions for them to slaughter an unblemished lamb and spread some of its blood upon the doorposts of their homes.  If they would do this, death would “pass over” their home.  The people listened to Moses and followed the Lord’s commands.  The firstborn in their homes were saved, but the firstborn of the Egyptians, from Pharaoh’s son to a prisoner’s son, were struck dead.  Exodus 17:30 records that there was not a house without someone dead and that loud wailing was heard throughout Egypt.  Then, the Israelites were set free.

Fourteen hundred years later, God sent His firstborn son, Jesus, to the earth.  Much like the Israelites in Egypt, He found His people in captivity.  They were captive to their own religious rules and pride and sin, desperate for a Savior.  Jesus shed His own blood so that they and we might be covered and protected, so that we might not die, but have everlasting life.  Jesus came to set the captives free!  He was the unblemished lamb, Who was sacrificed for us.  It was so fitting that all this would take place during Jerusalem’s Passover celebration.  In case His disciples might miss the significance, at The Last Supper, He shares a Passover meal with them, and tells them the bread is like His body which will be broken and the wine like His blood which will be shed.  Like most of us in our walk with Christ, the disciples didn’t really understand what He was saying. 

Just like God gave His people in Egypt a way out to escape death, Jesus gave us a way out of our own death sentence.  We are like those firstborn children, who would die, if not for the Blood of The Lamb.  Praise God for this indescribable gift!

I think it is also interesting that later in the history of God’s people, in Deuteronomy 11:18-21, God says:

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”

God’s Word, like the Blood, is to be on our doorframes, reminding us of God’s promises and His protection.  God wants us to be people of The Word.  As we immerse ourselves in God’s Word, we cover ourselves with God’s protection.  We claim our homes and our children for God as His Word rules our lives.  When we choose to ignore God’s Word and do not make it above all in our homes, our families are vulnerable for attack.  It is clear that God cares about how we show our Faith at Home.  As Influencers, who have surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ in Personal Abandonment and Absolute Trust and who live our lives by His Word, there’s no more important place for us to live our Faith than at Home.  Jesus and His Word save our lives.  As the spiritual leaders of our homes, we need to take the lead in lifting up Jesus and feeding our families His Word. 

If we took it as serious as our forefathers in Egypt, who risked the loss of their firstborn children if they did not follow God’s instructions, we would do whatever God said.  The angel of death may not be at the door, but the world and its temptations are definitely coming.  In 1 Corinthians 10:13, it says He has provided us a way out of temptation.  He has given us the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).  It also penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12).  God’s Word is our offensive weapon against the Devil’s schemes. 

Lastly, in John 1, it says The Word is God, as John introduces us to the deity of Jesus Christ.  Yes, The Word is Jesus.  The Blood is Jesus.  His is the Kingdom, the Power and Glory forever.  So, when we make God’s Word the authority in our lives and in our homes, it is as if we are writing His Word over our doorposts, saying, “For me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  In that, we are also claiming the Blood of the Lamb over our homes.  His protection and His peace are ours.  In essence, The Word saves us and our families!  Amen!

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Stories of Influence- Man Puts The Panther To Death

Friday, May 10, 2013

Come on in.  Have a seat and relax.  Listen to a story of how God is meeting men through The Journey and taking them to new heights.  We are truly part of something special that God is doing, and we need to tell the stories.  "Every man has a story and every story is worth hearing."  In addition to the Influencers Weekly Devotional, you will receive a "Story of Influence" each week.  Be encouraged.  If you would like to submit a story, email it to information@influencers.org. 

 

Gorden was born in the deep South into a blue collar family.  His Dad was a tough man, from that World War II generation.  These men were strong in discipline and dependability, but weak in love and grace.  It seems Satan used the hardness of life and the devastation of battle to chisel this generation of men into soldiers, even as fathers.  Gorden yearned for his father's approval and love, but his father didn't really know how to give it.

 

Gorden began to take his frustration and hurt to the football field.  He soon found that within him was a capacity for ferociousness that served him well in football.  Not only was this fierceness an emotional release, but it also gave him the approval of man as his coaches and his father applauded his performance.  He came to call this alter-ego "The  Panther."  He and The Panther did very well, making it all the way to Division I SEC football.  Gorden was a follower of Christ, and he was somewhat conflicted with his desire for fame and glory and approval and his desire to serve the Lord.

 

Gorden nearly made it to the NFL, but a career-ending injury forced him into the business world.  He hated to leave sports, but he found that he could perform just as well on the field of business.  He also took The Panther with him wherever he went.  Just like he could crush a man who got in his path on the football field, he could also crush a man who got in his way in business.  The conflict between The Lord and The Panther still existed.

 

Over time, Gorden was forced to endure a series of serious health problems and multiple surgeries, some due to the aftermath of his football career and some due to unexpected disease.  He was forced to endure much pain and suffering.  In this season, he asked the Lord for answers and guidance.  No answers were immediately found.  Later, he was betrayed in a business deal by a close friend and prayer partner.  The emotional pain of this betrayal and rejection was nearly more unbearable than all the physical torment he had endured.

One day, in the midst of his turmoil and his pain, Gorden came to two realizations.  First, he had a Daddy in Heaven who loved him more than he could ever imagine and nothing he could ever do on earth was going to make God love him any more.  Second, he realized that The Panther had to die.  From this moment, Gorden moved into new territory with God.  No longer did he feel the need to perform at work or at home or at church.  His life became an expression of the Father's love, built on a deep trust.

 

He was so on fire for the Lord, he left his business career and moved to California to go into full-time ministry.  He used The Navigators' discipleship material and lead many men's groups.  He wanted them to find the freedom in Christ he had found.  Over time, a dissatisfaction led him to contemplate his ministry position.  In a moment of truth, one of his mentors encouraged him to go back to the business world.  He told him God had gifted him as a businessman and had given him a great harvest field in corporate America.

 

Gorden took the man's advice and moved to Northwest Arkansas, where he went back to the insurance business.  However, his passion to help men would not go away.  He wanted to help men learn how to walk with Christ and trust Him with their lives.  He began to feel like all the Christian materials and tools he had used thus far had kept men in a performance-based mentality.  He read John 15, where Jesus talked about "abiding" and "bearing fruit".  He personally longed to learn how to abide and how to bear the fruitful life Christ desired.  He wasn't exactly sure how to get there, and he knew it would be a journey.  He asked six other businessmen to join him on this journey.

 

These men found an abiding relationship with Christ like they had never experienced before.  They wondered how many more men would benefit from this experience.  They began to take other men on this Journey, and they began to see the "fruit" and "influence" grow right before their eyes.  Gorden also discovered a hidden gift of writing, and God blessed him as he wrote stories which would help men see the new life God wanted to give them.  Journey groups spread throughout Northwest Arkansas and into California and Oklahoma and many other cities.  The curriculum was even translated into Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, with others in the works.

 

By now, you have figured that Gorden is Gorden "Rocky" Fleming.  This strong, young competitive man dreamed of being significant, perhaps playing football or baseball at the highest levels.  God had a bigger plan.  He is using the simple, humble man's journey to go deeper with Christ to influence hundreds of thousands of men.  All of Rocky's pain has been turned into a sacrifice of praise as other men are being set free from their quest for performance.  It is truly a move of God which is creating a revival in the body of Christ. 

 

We thank God for Rocky and how God has used him.  We join him in the harvest fields, wherever God has placed us, and we go after God's men.  We may not get the applause of man, but if we listen closely, we can hear the applause of Heaven.

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Influencers Weekly Devotional

Thursday, May 02, 2013

 

Is Sin Heroic?

by

Bryan Craig

 

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived:  Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

 

Last night, I had “Date Night” with my 16 year old daughter, and we went to go see the movie, “42.”  This movie, about the story of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play baseball in the major leagues, was so inspiring.  It was an amazing portrayal of a man facing unfair adversity with dignity and grace.  It is sometimes hard to imagine that this country contained so much hatred, all due to the evil device of racism.  It opened up a great conversation afterward with my daughter about our culture and how things have changed, even since I was a kid. 

 

This morning, I woke up to see Good Morning America celebrating another sports milestone.  The first openly gay professional athlete announced his sexual orientation to the world.  I watched George Stephanopoulos gushing with joy as he interviewed Jason Collins, talking about all the positive support he had received since making his announcement.  I watch this, and I think about the recently celebrated Supreme Court decision regarding gay marriage, and I say, “What is wrong with this picture!?”  I feel as if our culture is putting Jason Collins in the same heroic league as Jackie Robinson.  As a culture, we have renounced hatred and racism, and we have swung the pendulum all the way over to complete tolerance.  Now, in our attempt to be a more loving country, Satan has convinced us that sin does not exist.  So, a man admitting to the world that he is a homosexual becomes a hero. 

 

According to scripture, homosexuality is a sin.  Did anyone gasp as they read that last line?  Yes, I said it.  Homosexuality is a sin.  Paul’s teaching above talks about the seriousness of this offense.  It is listed with other sins, so it is not worse than any other sin, but nevertheless, Paul is warning us that if we continue in a sinful lifestyle, we will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

 

God knows that we are sexual beings.  God created sex for us to enjoy and for us to bear children.  As with all good things God creates, Satan works to twist it and pervert it into a false image of what God intended.  He does this with sex.  You’ve seen sexual perversion, and you’ve probably been tempted sexually in many inappropriate ways.  God knew this, and in the very beginning of creation, He gave His people laws regarding sex.  Take some time and read Leviticus 18.  God goes into great detail helping us understand the perverted forms of sex.  He tells us not to have sex with our mother, our sister, our aunt, our daughter-in-law, our sister-in-law, and on and on.  It even talks about the wickedness of having sex with animals.  I think even a non-believer who does not regard the Bible as any kind of moral authority would agree with Leviticus in the validity of these statements.   However, in Leviticus 18:22, in the middle of the list, we read these words:

 

“Do not lie with a man, as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.”

 

In addition to all those other sexual perversions, Homosexuality is also listed as the kind of sex of which God does not approve nor bless.  This sin, just like any other, will never end well.  No peace can exist because it is not pleasing to God.  

 

For many years, an admitted homosexual cut my hair each month.  My wife referred me to the man, and I decided to give him my business in hopes I might be able to be a positive influence on him.  Month after month, we got to know each other, and he slowly got more comfortable talking to me about his lifestyle.  I watched him go through multiple partners and struggle with depression, alcoholism and drug abuse.  One month, he couldn’t wait to tell me he had accepted Christ when he was visiting his grandmother over Easter.  He was so excited.  The next month he told me he had found a church.  It was a Unitarian church, and they had a Gay Choir and a Lesbian minister.  I hid my disappointment and did not say much.  A month later, he told me it bothered him that the church never mentioned Jesus and no one carried a Bible.  He had found a different church, and they were prompting him to read the Bible.  As he began to grow in the Word, a conflict arose in his heart.  He said for the first time in his life, he was beginning to think homosexuality was wrong.  I talked to him about how God calls some people to celibacy in His service.  This gave him relief.  He decided he didn’t want to be with men any longer, nor women, but that he found peace in living alone, a peace which had eluded him in his sinful lifestyle.

 

I saw another movie a few days ago, “Home Run.”  This movie highlights the Celebrate Recovery ministry and how they help people of all kinds with hurts, habits and hang-ups.  Part of the process in CR is admitting that you have a problem.  Once we bring our sins out in the open and into God’s light, Satan loses some of his power over us.  Healing starts by admitting our sin is wrong.  This is the first step toward repentance.  This also engages others to pray for us and hold us accountable.  Conversely, I believe this need for homosexuals to “come out of the closet” is a desire to be validated in their sin.  As the world applauds, sin is justified.

 

The real heroes are those who have the courage to stand up and admit they are wrong and who turn their struggles into a source of blessings to others.  God is the master of taking what Satan intended for evil and turning it to good.  I pray for Jason Collins, and multitudes of others who are struggling with the sin of homosexuality.  I pray Christ would open their eyes, just like he did with my barber, and set them free to find the kingdom of Heaven. 

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Stories of Influence- Dying Man Goes on The Journey

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

 Come on in.  Have a seat and relax.  Listen to a story of how God is meeting men through The Journey and taking them to new heights.  We are truly part of something special that God is doing, and we need to tell the stories.  "Every man has a story and every story is worth hearing."  In addition to the Influencers Weekly Devotional, you will receive a "Story of Influence" each week.  Be encouraged.  If you would like to submit a story, email it to information@influencers.org. 

 

Joe was dying of liver failure.  He was suffering from Hepatitis, and after two liver transplants, his third liver was being eaten by the disease.  His good friend was going through The Journey with a group of men.  This Journey brother shared his concern for Joe during one of their meetings, and God moved these men of God into action.  They gathered around the dying man, spoke encouragement into his life and prayed for him.  One of them felt lead to share with Joe the story of King Hezekiah, who was given a death sentence, but after crying out to God, was granted 15 more years to live.  This was around November, and Joe was not expected to make it through Christmas.  Another Journey brother told Joe, “You’re going to go through The Journey with me next year!”  Joe smiled and hoped this might be possible.

The next few months passed, and Joe’s failing liver stabilized.  He made it through the Christmas season and became healthy enough to join The Journey the following year.  Joe was new to the things of faith.  He was an ex-Marine, who had been a strong, handsome, exuberant young man.  Now, weakened by the extensive string of surgeries and hospital stays, this frail little man was forced to lean on the strength of the Lord.   In the midst of this fight for his life, Joe emitted a glow that was unmistakably from God.  He went on The Journey with a group of men, not sure if each Journey session might be his last.  He had no idea what an impact he had on those around him.

As Joe sought to grow closer to Jesus, he was a constant reminder of our dependency on God and the fragility of life.  His Journey brothers grew to love him, and they laid their lives down for him.  There were many more prayer sessions, as men were carrying Joe to Jesus’ feet, asking for healing.  These prayer times with Joe began an entire ministry, as some of these Journey guys began going on “prayer missions” to pray for others in need.  Joe joined the men on one mission as they prayed over a woman dying of ALS.  She appreciated the prayers and the counseling of the men, but she paid close attention when Joe spoke.  Of all those in the room, only Joe understood what it was like to face death.  Joe truly was a walking miracle.  He was already on borrowed time, and it was almost as if God just wanted him to complete The Journey before heading home. 

As the year progressed, the liver failure returned and Joe was in and out of the hospital.  Joe’s wife, Stacy, was surprised to meet all these men who had such a love and concern for her husband.  They weren’t just casual visitors to the hospital.  These men would sit by Joe’s bedside for hours, wanting to give Stacy much-needed breaks.  They would laugh with Joe, cry with him, read him Scriptures, pray with him or just stand guard like a fellow soldier watching over a man who was down.

At one moment, much like when Paul was caught up to heaven, Joe looked out his hospital window and commented on the bus which was waiting for him.  It seemed clear that his time on earth was short.  Joe began to process all of the God-sightings in his life.  He remembered a time, during one of his hospital stays, when Jesus literally picked him up out of his hospital bed and held him in His arms.  The moment was so vivid that Joe had drawn a picture of Jesus’ face. 

The interesting thing is that these Journey brothers, who were ministering to Joe in the best way they knew how, felt like they were sitting by Jesus’ bedside.  The love they felt for Joe reinforced the love they felt for the Father and the love He had for them.  It was a blessed expression of The Journey, way beyond anything that could be contained in a curriculum.  All of these Journey brothers were treated to the most unique Journey experience ever.   This was the real life that Christ meant for us to experience as we abide in Him and as we love one another.

Joe never made it to the Journey Commencement weekend, but he graduated to the final Journey.  He took his last breath on earth while his wife and Journey brothers were nearby.  The ministry that Joe’s family experienced from The Journey was so powerful that many of the men were asked to be Joe’s pallbearers.  We are all on this Journey if only for a little while, until our bus pulls up to the window.  Oh that we might give ourselves to the Lord and to the people He brings across our Journey.  This is the fruit that lasts…forever.

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Influencers Weekly Devotional

Saturday, April 27, 2013

 

The Great Divider

by

Bryan Craig

 

"Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.'"  Matthew 12:25

 

            Many refer to Satan as "The Great Deceiver," for Jesus Himself called him "the Father of Lies."  I think another title could be ascribed to him, "The Great Divider."  It seems to me that he works double-time trying to divide us.  He must have been paying attention when Jesus said the words above.  Division causes destruction, and after all, we know our enemy is out to steal, kill and destroy.  If he can divide us, he has accomplished his intended purpose.  I see 4 major areas where Satan is working against men to cause division.

 

            First, and foremost, he wants to divide us from the Father.  As we know from John 15 and in The Journey, Jesus said if we abide in Him, we will bear fruit, but apart from Him, we can do nothing.  If Satan can keep us from abiding with the Lord, we will be ineffective.  Do you ever wonder why it sometimes seems so difficult to get up in the morning and spend time in the Word?  Or think about the heavy resistance you feel at times when you are trying to get the family to church?  Or how many times do you feel unworthy to approach the Father or do anything for Him?  You feel defeated and thus, you don't spend time with God.  He seems far away.  As you know, sin separates us from God, and so, we are very capable of separating ourselves from God.  However, I can assure you the Enemy is working hard to keep you from the Father.

 

            Second, Satan wants to divide us from our spouses.  Marriage is highly esteemed by God.  When Jesus talks about His relationship to the body of Christ, He refers to Himself as the Bridegroom and us as His Bride.  This is another affirmation to the kind of intimate relationship God desires with us.  If God hates divorce, Satan hates marriage.  I believe Satan knows how beautiful a Christ-centered marriage can be, where two people are serving one another and glorifying God in the process.  He despises this picture of God and His people, united forever in Heaven.  So, he builds wedges between couples.  This happens in mostly subtle ways through misunderstandings, annoyances, pride and selfishness.  It just so happens that opposites attract.  We find a spouse that fills in the voids in our life, so they sometimes act completely different from us.  Satan seizes that by twisting it into resentment and disgust.  Once the intimacy is broken, the door opens for all other kinds of temptations which lead to infidelity.  The wedge can become so strong and the household can become so chaotic, people throw in the towel.  This happens every day, among believers and unbelievers alike.  I believe Satan is involved in this every step of the way.

 

            The third division Satan causes is a divide between Fathers and their children.  Scripture talks much about the importance of training up our children so that as they grow up, they will be rooted in God.  It is no accident that God refers to Himself as our Father.  He is the ultimate picture of a loving Daddy.  Children clamor for their earthly Father's love and approval and blessing.  The Father's blessing was important from the beginning of creation.  God intends for Fathers to represent Him to children.  Fathers are to be strong and trustworthy, but also loving and full of grace.  Children determine their view of God by what they see in their Fathers.  Satan knows all this, so he will divide men from God or from their wives which disrupts the family unit.  Or he will just get men so busy handling all the responsibilities of life that they are not available to their children.  This division can be so damaging to kids that they will turn away from God and toward all kinds of evil. 

 

            Lastly, the Enemy divides us from other believers.  It has been stated before that God is our Father, and He has adopted all of us believers, which makes us all family.  He intends us to live together in peace and unity.  Satan tries hard to keep us from the fellowship of believers.  He will try to tempt us to inflict harm to one another through disagreements or harsh words or miscommunications.  When we get hurt, our next temptation is to withdraw from the community.  If Satan can isolate us, we are much weaker.  Just like the wolf who attacks the sheep that has become separated from the flock, Satan can much more easily overtake us when we're alone.  Jesus Himself was more vulnerable when He was alone.  We see this played out all the time, especially in church or among churches.  Satan is always trying to pit us against each other, turning everything into some sort of competition.  When that happens, we all lose.

 

            So, where is the hope?  Jesus did not leave us alone.  He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us until we rejoin Jesus in Heaven.  Think about the power of the Holy Spirit.  He is "The Great Uniter."  He works against Satan's schemes, as Jesus intercedes on our behalf with the Father.  The Holy Spirit rewards us as we get still and seek the Lord in His Word.  He pours His fruit into our lives.  He offers forgiveness for our sins, and He instills worthiness into our spirit.  He helps us love our wives like Christ loves us.  He helps us offer them the same forgiveness we have received from Him.  He shows us how when we put aside our selfish desires and serve our spouse, we find a unity and satisfaction in our marriage that is truly beautiful.  He helps us bless our children with our love and with our time.  He helps us show them the grace they so desperately need.  Lastly, he helps us to love others, so that we show that we are His disciples.  We become peacemakers, taking the lead in reconciliation.  When we see Satan trying to cause dissension, we nip it in the bud with love and understanding.  We don't operate on our own agendas, defending our own causes, but we look for opportunities to serve side by side with all types of believers.  We trust the Holy Spirit and His agenda, for He is always working to build unity.  And He is all about completing the work Jesus began. 

 

Jesus knew of Satan's schemes to divide, and His prayer for us sums up His desires:

 

"I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.  I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as we are one:  I in them and You in Me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me."  John 17:20-23

 

"Lord, we love You.  Please help us be aware of the devil's schemes in our lives to divide us from you, from our spouses and children and from other believers.  Please help us yield to Your Spirit so that we can overcome Satan's temptations and his attacks.  Guide us in the way everlasting.  Thank you, Lord.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

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Stories of Influence- A Man Learns the Power of Journaling

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Come on in.  Have a seat and relax.  Listen to a story of how God is meeting men through The Journey and taking them to new heights.  We are truly part of something special that God is doing, and we need to tell the stories.  "Every man has a story and every story is worth hearing."  In addition to the Influencers Weekly Devotional, you will receive a "Story of Influence" each week.  Be encouraged.  If you would like to submit a story, email it to information@influencers.org. 

 

 

Stan turned into his kids' school parking lot and another car nearly cut him off.  The two drivers exchanged glances, but as they got out of their cars, they realized they were fraternity brothers from college.  They walked into the school together and caught up on life.  Stan shared how his son was learning so much at his Christian school, and he was starting to challenge Stan in his faith.  He described how he was starting to go to church and how he looked forward to it each week.  The fraternity brother talked about how his life had changed so much since college, and he talked about his faith.  He told Stan about The Journey.

 

Later, he gave Stan a Journey book.  It wasn't long before Stan said this was exactly what he was looking for.  He joined a Journey group and really enjoyed the honesty and transparency of the group.  During the group, he shared a deep concern he had for his father.  His father was a devout atheist and very proud of it.  Every time Stan tried to talk about faith, his father had an intellectual challenge back for him.  Nevertheless, they were very close.  Stan loved his Dad, and he saw the emptiness in his life.  Stan's parents divorced when he was younger, and his Dad lived alone.  He remembers a key event in their family when a tragedy struck.  He remembers watching his uncle, a man of faith, handle the situation with poise and grace and confidence.  At the same time, his father was a wreck.  Stan remembers thinking of the dichotomy between these two men in his life.  As he began to pursue the same faith his uncle enjoyed, he so wanted that for his Dad.

 

His journey group shared Stan's burden for his Dad.  They began to pray for this situation and encouraged Stan with scriptures and thoughts for him to share with his Dad.  Over time, his Dad's heart slowly began to crack open to the things of faith.  Stan completed his Journey group and felt so positive about the experience that he agreed to be a Co-Guide the following year.  Meanwhile, his Dad moved to town, and Stan was so happy to be in closer proximity to his father.  They enjoyed some special time together, and Stan continued to look for opportunities to influence his Dad for Christ.  He definitely saw a softening beginning to occur.

 

One day in Journey group, Stan shared a prayer request.  His father had just been diagnosed with cancer.  He was very concerned, as was his Dad.  A few weeks later, something was not right.  They could not get hold of Stan's Dad, and he rushed to his Dad's apartment.  Stan found his father lying dead in the middle of the room.  He had taken his own life.  His Dad couldn't face the prospect of his deteriorating health and the burden he might be on his family.

 

For the next few days, Stan had so many emotions and thoughts and questions flooding through his spirit and his brain.  For the past year, he had heard about the concept of "journaling" through The Journey, but admittedly, he had never tried it.  Now, in his hour of need, he was compelled to try, in hopes he could find some answers for his searching heart.  He felt lead to go to his father's apartment.  He sat there for hours in last place he saw his father, and he journaled.  He started at the beginning, writing all about his Dad and their relationship and the circumstances which lead him to move to town.  He documented every detail in the sequence of events up to his death.  He journaled his thoughts and questions, crying out to God with pen and paper.  That apartment, which had been the source of great sorrow, became a sanctuary to Stan.  He felt the presence and peace of the Holy Spirit.  The Lord ministered to him in a powerful way.

 

He came to the Journey group which he was now Co-guiding and shared the story with the guys.  "I finally understand the power of Journaling," he told them, as he showed them the pages he had written.  For a Guide to admit that he never journaled before really showed some courage and transparency.  And the testimony it provided was truly amazing as the men saw a glow of peace on Stan's face.  The men experienced the beauty of The Journey, as they saw the Lord walk intimately with Stan through this very dark and trying time.  They saw the Love of the Father and the Grace which He poured out so lavishly.

 

The men who know this story remember it every time they seek to teach a Journey group about Journaling.  It really is a blessed and anointed way to help a man connect with the Father.  If you don't believe us, just ask Stan.

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Influencers Weekly Devotional

Friday, April 19, 2013

 

Free

by

Rocky Fleming

 

“The Man (Jesus) is free – free from what people think, free from religion, free from false obligation. People won’t like it, won’t understand it; they’ll draw false conclusions, point fingers, and worse.  He is free from that as well.  Oh to be so free.”  John Eldredge – Beautiful Outlaw

 

In his wonderful book, Beautiful Outlaw, John Eldredge compares the freedom of Jesus’ life and message with the legalistic bondage that had a stranglehold over the Jewish Nation at the time.  Jesus walked in stark contrast to the religious “royalty” that thought and taught that they had God and what He wanted figured out.  They thought Jesus was too free from the confines of their religion.  He was not good enough.  Think about it:  In the minds of the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus didn’t measure up.  They thought that the Messiah wasn't religious enough, and His freedom garnered their disapproval.  Could this attitude still be happening in this day and time but not by the Pharisees of old, but with an attitude of performance Christianity?  Consider how legalism, even with good intentions, can push grace out the stained glass windows of a church, and how our freedoms in Christ can be robbed from us.     

I’m reminded of something that happened one Sunday night in the hallway of a church I attended over 30 years ago in Mississippi.  A man came up to me that night and began his words; “I need you to forgive me for some thoughts about you I’ve had.”  Ok, I’ve been around the block a few times, and I knew that he was not really interested in my forgiveness, but rather he was about to make his point that something about me upset him.  I put on my tougher than you are skin, and waited on the assault.   He followed up, “I have resented that you don’t go to the main church service on Sunday night, but instead skip out after the class you lead before the service.  I’ve had a real struggle with it, and I’ve resented you because of it.  Therefore, I ask you to forgive me.”  It is obvious that he was not repentant of a wrong against me, but simply used mock humility as a tactic to speak his mind.  I could go on about this maneuver and spend some time with how un-Christ-like this disingenuous manipulation is.  But right now I will stay on point about how legalism can slip into a church, even though it comes from genuine concern, and a sincere desire to serve Christ.  This is where I am headed.

Now guys, I’ve had some big challenges before, and this one was a small pebble thrown at me by a very small minded, judgmental, legalistic guy.  But, even though the intent of his words, and the legalism in his little manipulative heart would greatly anger me today, I came dangerously close to allowing his words to influence me then to his way of thinking.  How could that be?  Well, you need to understand at that time of my life, I was what some would call a “performance driven Christian,” and if I heard anyone tell me I was leaving something on the field after I gave it my best, I wanted to know what it was.  My first thought would be to consider if his criticism had any truth to it.  The ironical thing about this man’s take on things was his ignorance of the facts of my life at that time, for he was only looking at my imperfect church attendance record.  That's is what legalism strives to do.  It hopes to secure perfection by keeping rules, and it becomes judge and juror against those who do not measure up, even if it is our own self we are looking at.  Truth is, at that time in my life, my wife and I had three young children, and I maintained a high-pressured career in the insurance business.  Even though these things were true, we led two discipleship groups two nights a week for our church, in addition to teaching a large Sunday school class on Sunday mornings.  We were also at the church on Wednesday nights for prayer meeting, and did private mentoring to those people we were discipling.  Throw in a deacon meeting and being on the church finance committee, by the time Sunday night rolled around we were cooked, and leaving after our discipleship group that evening before the main service was an option we exercised.  We needed family time … and rest … and this was why I was being criticized. 

If I looked at a guy today in my church who was keeping up that pace, I would do him a favor and give him permission to back off some of the demands he placed on himself, and focus him toward his family and his walk with Christ more.  But no one was telling me to slow down to protect these things, for legalism had crept in that church and was fanning the flame of performance Christianity.  We know that Jesus said the Sabbath was created for man and not man for the Sabbath.  However, the entire time we were in that church, I never heard it preached and I was certainly never challenged about being too active, or legalistic with my performance driven philosophy of ministry, or following Christ for that matter.  The only criticism I got was this case, which was not keeping the rules because I missed a Sunday night service.  This legalistic attitude reminded me that I wasn't good enough, even though I was giving it my best effort.  But grace came to my rescue.  Thank God for grace.

If this same question came to me today from that man or any other person, I’m afraid to say there would be a different response, and it would not be very kind.  You see, I now see this kind of attitude as the same that scorned Jesus, and rebuked him for His freedom, and because He was also not keeping the “church rules.”  Different time and place, but the same mean spirit was spoken to Him and to me.  Just like in His time when it was the religious self-righteous legalist who criticized Him, likewise, I was seeing the same thing happening in my own church.  I said it right.  It wasn’t a Pharisee in Jerusalem criticizing me, as was the case with Jesus.  But it was the same spirit in my own church … the spirit of the Pharisee.  Have you ever had an evil spirit such as this come at you?  Ugly and judgmental isn’t it?  You won’t find Christ in it.  However, you will surely find Satan in those accusations, for that is where it comes from.

As followers of Christ, we are indeed empowered for ministry, if it is God breathing into our ministry and not ourselves or other men.  There was some of God in what I was doing, and that was the good part.  But there was a whole lot of me in it as well, and it made it out of balanced.  I know that our over-activity those days sounds like a lot of ministry work for a non-professional to be involved with.  But, believe it or not, it was a joyful pleasure to be serving our King in all those things that we did.  We strove to protect our marriage, and our family time.  That was top on our priority list.  We also had a vibrant ministry in and out of the church.  But, we were tired a lot as were a lot of the faithful people in that church, and we could have been vulnerable had God not reshaped the way we see His love for us and the way we carry out our sacred responsibility in serving His cause.  Unfortunately, we had to leave that church to find the right perspective.  You see, that church was a petri dish for culturing this legalism in the hearts of its members.  It applauded us when we were too busy and discarded us when we burned out and didn’t serve its cause.  This church was all for us when we kept in step with the programs and routine, but quilted us if we didn’t follow the rules.  I’ve no doubt that this man didn’t speak on his own accord but was also manipulated to say it by some staff member who resented us leaving early.  What a shame it is when a church’s leadership, who has an opportunity to model what grace looks like and that can set us free from the Accuser’s voice, presents the spirit of the Pharisee that yokes us to the slavery of busyness, and makes us attentive to everything he accuses us of.  What a shame that a church’s leadership would lead its members in this same spirit, instead of the Spirit of Christ who sets us free from a perspective that tries to convince us that God only approves us if we work for Him until our tongue hangs out.  

Got big news for a church that goes in this direction.  We already have God’s love, so help your members learn how to walk in it.  Give them the freedom to find this out, by holding them loosely by what you demand of them, and grace them by allowing them to find the God of Grace that He is.  Protect them, and take them to the place where they can experience Him and find peace and joyful harmony in their fellowship with Him and other believers.  Believe me, if you will lead your members to a love relationship with God and allow them to see Him as He really is rather than the way the spirit of the Pharisee presents Him, He will win their hearts, and they will serve in your church with the empowerment of His Spirit.  It all hinges on getting them hooked up with Him in an abiding relationship that shows them how to live with Him, before they live for Him.  When that happens, you will see people who will joyfully and not grudgingly serve the purpose of your church, and you will see amazing fruit that will be produced and reproduced.  Do it the way Christ did it.  Let grace be your congregation’s guide and you its companion, and you will never have to use legalism or guilt as a tool for getting things done again.

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Stories of Influence- Intimacy with the Lord Carries a Man through a Betrayal

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

 

Come on in.  Have a seat and relax.  Listen to a story of how God is meeting men through The Journey and taking them to new heights.  We are truly part of something special that God is doing, and we need to tell the stories.  "Every man has a story and every story is worth hearing." In addition to the Influencers Weekly Devotional, you will receive a "Story of Influence" each week.  Be encouraged.  If you would like to submit a story, email it to information@influencers.org. 

 

 

Jim was a Pastor and a Church Planter.  He had never really been part of a men's group, and he was intrigued about The Journey.  So, he decided to join a group of men, none which were from his own church.  He was so blessed by The Journey.  The times of extended time in The Word and journaling were building an intimacy with the Lord that he had never experienced.  He also enjoyed being one of the guys on the journey of life rather than assuming the pastor role where he felt pressure to have all the answers.  Two-thirds of the way through the process, he walked into his Journey meeting with a look on his face that couldn't be ignored.

 

"Jim, is everything okay," his Guide inquired, for it was obvious that something was going on.  Jim fought through his emotions as he told his Journey brothers about the biggest betrayal he had ever experienced.  He had just discovered that his wife was having an affair.  It all seemed too impossible to be true.  They were part of the ministry team at their new church plant.  They had a great marriage.  Jim felt like everything in life was going so well.  His wife had reconnected with an old boyfriend from her home town and everything went downhill from there.  Now, she wanted a divorce.  Suddenly, Jim felt like his life was falling apart.

 

Jim leaned on his loving Daddy, Abba Father and that is all he could do.  God have him a grace and a power that he never knew possible.  He was willing to forgive his wife and reconcile with her.  He was able to love her in the midst of his own pain and anguish.  However, his wife was unwilling to let God's healing power into their marriage.  She chose to leave Jim. 

His Journey group and his church came around Jim.  They prayed for him, cried with him and encouraged him.  He appreciated the support, though it could not provide much comfort to his wounded soul.  He leaned on what The Journey had emphasized.  He pressed into the Father's loving arms.  At one point, he left town and had his own Prayer Retreat for a few days in Colorado.  This was really a turning point for him.  This was when he truly surrendered his pain and this betrayal to the Lord.  It was during this time that he began to realize that Jesus, Who was tempted in every way we are, understood the pain of betrayal. 

 

Life moved on, and Jim walked in a peace that transcended understanding.  He poured himself into serving, and he continued on with his Journey group.  He enjoyed the richness of the relationships God had given him.  He was close to the Lord.  He went on to lead a Journey Group.  He believed in the importance of men finding that intimate relationship with Christ.  He worked in the community, helping the cause of orphans.  Jim had grown up in a dysfunctional family, and he was rescued by a loving Christian family.  He wanted to help kids who, like him, needed rescue.

 

God looked down upon his loving son, Jim, and said, "It's not good for Jim to be alone."  When Jim least expected it, God opened his heart to the love of a woman again.  A beautiful, young woman who attended their church caught Jim's attention in a new way.  They went on a date, and before he knew it, Jim was in love.  Jim and Tabi were married about a year ago, and they are enjoying a wonderful marriage.  Tabi went through The Journey with a group of women and is now co-guiding a group.  Jim is Co-Guiding his third Journey group.

 

He says he doesn't know what would have happened if he had not been in The Journey during the biggest trial of his life.  In every Journey group, men face trials of many kinds.  We've often wondered whether the trials were the result of Satan's attacks on men who were seeking to grow in Christ in The Journey or whether God knew men were going to go through a trial so He encouraged them to join The Journey to help them through it.

 

Either way, we are thankful that God gave us The Journey, for guys just like Jim and many more to come.

Category: Stories of Influence

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