Posted By Mike on June 30, 2010
Ok, so Father’s Day has come and gone. BUT…..to my defense, Cindy and I were in Tanzania with the group from First Baptist North Mobile and Here’s Life MIssion Africa. So, here’s my honor to DADs!
(Thanks for Perry Noble for the heads up on this one)
Enjoy!
Mike
Posted By Mike on June 4, 2010
A couple of weeks ago Cindy and I escaped to Gulf Shores, AL to enjoy the sun and the sand (ok, I DON’T enjoy the sand part). But we realy enjoyed the time together and spending some time with old friends. On the way there I was writing in my journal and realized that I really like to write in my journal. I love grabbing a pen and my journal and just writing my thoughts.For me, there’s just something about writing it down on paper. I can’t explain it. It’s like my internal comfort button gets pushed and held while I write. Yes, I know I’m weird.
I like writing for many reasons. One of the reasons I like writing in my journal is that I don’t have to follow any particular structure. I write in first, second, and third person – and it’s quite possible that it’s all in the same sentence. I admit it’s a bit unconventional, but that’s what I like about it. I’ve never been very good with grammar and sentence structure. So it doesn’t always read very well. It’s probably akin to more of the way I talk. . .and yes, that can be confusing at times.
Side note: OK, I have to ask, how many of actually speak the way things are written? If you’re from the south, not many! Let’s just name it and claim it! Testify y’all!
My journal is just a conglomeration of me being me! It’s a collection of thoughts, struggles, time with God, notes, and just about anything that comes to mind. There’s pictures I’ve drawn of how I feel or what God has impressed upon me. You would also find a process, or two, that I’ve been working through, complete with arrows, boxes, notes, and scribbles. Within the covers of my journal there are my quiet time discoveries and the testaments to some my greatest theological wrestling matches. In there is where I vent about life. And it’s the launching pad of a thousand dreams.
I keep thinking about what I could do with that? How could God use something like the love of unconventional writing? I could blog – that’s what you’re reading now. I’ve been doing that off and on for several years now. My other two blogs are:
I’m still trying to figure this one out. Maybe it’s just an outlet for all that rumbles around inside this warehouse of body and mind. Then again, what if God wants to use it somehow. I wonder how He would do that and what shape it would take? Like I said, I’m still working on it. It’s smoldering.
But what about you? What do you like to do? And what if. . .what if you allowed God access to that like? What would it look like for you? What if you could do what you like to do and do it for God?
Just something to think about.
Mike
Posted By Mike on May 6, 2010
Had a great conversation with a friend of mine yesterday that got me to thinking. He said that often times we in the church assume that if we build the structure the organization will grow. He wasn’t talking about a building kind of structure like a worship center or education building, but the structure of an organization, like Sunday School or small groups – you know, teachers, outreach leaders, coordinators, fellowship coordinators, and the like.
I think there’s some truth in his comment. I think that we think it’s the structure – creating and filling leadership positions, developing accountability groups, setting the expectations, etc. – that does grow an organization. Don’t get me wrong. I think that these are important and necessary to a point. If we don’t create a place to serve and invite people to serve out of their passion and giftedness in these areas you have to ask yourself, “Will it get done?” I often wonder about who’s doing what? What are the expectations of the organization? Where’s it going? How will people know if they are really doing what’s needed? OK, you get the idea. Please remember, I’m a process guy. I developed them in the corporate world and I still develop them now.
But let me throw this monkey wrench in the mix, isn’t it people that grow an organization, especially an organization like Sunday School or small groups? Isn’t it people who love people, love God, and have a passion for their community that grows an organization. . .that grows a ministry?
We do need structure and expectations. But I also believe we can become so caught up in building and maintaining the structure that we really miss the heart of the matter. . .people. . .reaching them and discipling them.
What do you think?
Posted By Mike on May 6, 2010
Our ABF (Adult Bible Study) has been going through the book of Ephesians. Last Saturday night I taught on Ephesians 5:21-24. . .yes, the passage where God, through Paul, says that the man is the head of the wife and the wife should submit to the husband. Guys! Before you start elbowing the Mrs. pay attention to what I’m about to say.
First, submission is about a willingness to surrender your will to the will and leadership of someone else. IT DOES NOT MEAN BECOMING OR HAVING A SLAVE!!!
Second, the ladies in our ABF didn’t have a problem with following their husbands. I wonder if this is just us or is that most women I know. Hmmm. . . anyway. . .there are some things that we guys could do better that would help them WANT to follow us as husbands. Here’s what they had to say:
For their homework this week I asked the guys to spend some alone-time with their wives – no TV, no kids, no computer. And during that time I wanted the husbands to ask their wives what the guys could do to make it easier for their wives to follow them as husbands. It will be interesting to hear what the ladies told them.
And you? When was the last time you asked your wife what you could do to make it easier for her to follow you?
Posted By Mike on May 5, 2010
I’ve been reading through the life of David. I love reading the life of David. I love his heart for the Lord. I finished 1 Samuel this morning. It ends with the death of King Saul and all his sons, including Jonathan, David’s closest friend. After I finished reading I just sat and thought about what I had read. . .the story of the people rejecting God and wanting a king like the other countries, Saul’s appointment as King, God’s rejection of him, and David’s anointing as king. Here’s what I thought about:
What about us guys? How many times have we taken things into our own hands? How many times have we, our families, our employees, our ministries, and/or our futures been affected by the decision to do it ourselves, rather than trust the Lord? I’m that guy. I’m the “Get ‘er Done!” guy. I’m the guy who would rather do something now, than wait and do it later. I’m the guy that says, “What are we waiting for?“ I’m also the guy who can point to situation after situation that resulted much differently than I had planned, simply because I took things into my own hands.
This doesn’t mean that we should just sit on our hands and do nothing! On the contrary, David sought God’s heart and took action. David was a man of action. He didn’t wait. . .unless God told him to do so. That goes for us as well, you know? I think that’s why David’s faith seems so wild, so courageous, so alien to us. When God said “GO!”, David went! When God said “DO!”, David did! I think it’s because David completely and solely trusted God.
What about you? Do you completely and solely trust God? Would you move if God told you to do so? Would you change jobs if God gave you the green light? Would you sell your house and move into a smaller one or give up a day’s wages to serve and help others. . .if God told you to do so? Would you stay at your job, even if you didn’t want to, simply because God said, “wait?”
When was the last time you asked God what HE wanted you to do?
Sometimes it’s not about the main character . . .or who we think is the main character. But it’s always about God.
Posted By Mike on May 5, 2010
I have taken a much needed hiatus. . .and my blog got hi-jacked as well. But I got it fixed. Gave the ol’ blog a new look and been thinking a lot about godly men and their role in the family and in their culture.
So, I’m back. Thanks for waiting.
Mike
Posted By Mike on February 12, 2009
As you may be able to tell, I’m reading through the book of Revelation. I’ve never read it all the way through before, so I thought I would. I’ve read the letters to the seven churches before, even taught some lessons on them in early in my teaching “career.” This morning it was the letter to the church at Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29)
As I read this letter over and over I kept thinking of men. Jesus told the church he was proud of their love, their faith, the good stuff they do, and even how they patiently endure the tough stuff life was throwing at them. Then He hit right between the eyes. Jesus told them that in spite of all the good stuff, He was troubled by. . .literally, “held it against them”. . .their willingness to accept and follow a false prophetess. Jesus called this woman “Jezebel.” Don’t know if that was her real name or a reference to one of the most vile and immoral queens Israel had ever had. Doesn’t really matter much, either way they got the point. She was teaching and they were following her down the road of sexual immorality.
So how does this relate to guys, me included? We trust God, love others, do great things – even in the name of God – and patiently endure the hardships of marriage, rebellious children, layoffs, pay cuts, addictions, and a whole mess of stuff. Yet, we give in to Satan’s lies about lust, pornography, sexual immorality, adultery, and all kinds of sexual sins. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s tough being a godly man in today’s world. But how can we ever be the church – God’s church – when men won’t deal with these ongoing sins?
Listen guys, we have to get over our shame, our guilt, and our pride if we ever hope to face up to these problems in our lives. They’re real and they are tearing down our lives, our marriages, our families, our communities and having an incredibly negative impact on Jesus’ bride – the church.
Let’s start talking about these struggles. Let’s begin encouraging and helping one another. Let’s begin praying for one another. Your wives deserve it! Your children deserve it! Your God deserves it!
Let’s stop being the church at Thyatira. Let’s stop believing Satan’s lies. Let’s be the men God designed and desires us to be!
Mike
Posted By Mike on February 9, 2009
Read Jesus’ letter to the church at Ephesus this morning.
As far as the church (our churches) goes here’s what I wrote.
But I was drawn Jesus’ words, “You have forsaken your first love.” The more I thought about those words the more I thought about the church’s relationship to Jesus. He is their groom and the church is his bride. In essence He was saying that his bride had lost their love for their husband. . .their spouse.
As I mulled these words around in my mind this morning I couldn’t help to wonder about my own marriage. I remember when we got married – the excitement, the wonderment, the awe, the amazement that God would bless me with such a gift. Then I began thinking, after only a year and three months, would Cindy know if I had stopped loving her like I did when we first got married? Would she be able to tell if I was just going through the motions? Am I more madly in love with her today than I was the day we joined our lives together? I wrestled with these questions.
Here’s what I came up with:
What about your relationship with your wife? You just going through the motions in your relationship with her? If not, keep it up!! Our world needs more men like you. You can help by encouraging and teaching others what you’ve learned about keeping the love fires hot. If you are just going through the motions, Jesus said there was a solution. I think it’s risky, but it’s His remedy not mine. He says we need to admit we’ve forsaken our first love; first to yourself, second to God, and third to your wife. This takes guts. It takes courage. It takes a willingness to do things right and be obedient to God – love God and love others, most especially your wife. Then Jesus tells us to repent, or turn from just the motions and turn back to your wife. This may mean getting rid of anything and everything that attracts and distracts your love away from your wife. Finally, Jesus said we shoudl get back to doing those things that you did when you first started falling in love with her.
Like I said, this could be risky, but it’s the right thing to do. Just remember, just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing. Guys, it’s up to us to take the lead in our families. It’s up to you to make things right.
Mike
Posted By Mike on February 2, 2009
Sometime last week there was a copy of Purpose Driven Connection, a magazine put out by purposedriven.com in my box at the church so I threw it on my desk to read later. Yesterday morning (Sunday) I picked it up and thumbed through it. I came across a an article called “Are You Connected?” The article shares the story of how people who, through differing interests, passions, giftedness, etc., are connecting with groups around them. Some connect through music, some through interests in motorcycles or surfing.
Here’s the cool thing that I piqued my interest – they would meet and have church. That’s right, in the pursuit of their passion or interest they would have worship, Bible study, pray for one another, and share the gospel – all the things that we do in “church.”
Then it hit me! How many guys do I know who have definitive interests – fishing, hunting, cycling, motorcycles, lifting weights, running, technology, finances, their jobs, and a bajillion more I just don’t have time to jot down, that could use those gifts, passions, and interests to reach out to other guys?
I remember when I lived in Lufkin, Texas I rode with the Angelina Bike Club. We met every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday to ride mile after mile together. Some went to my church, some attended other churches, some didn’t go to church at all. But cycling was my bridge to this group. It was what I lived for. I prayed for them. I encouraged them. They encouraged me. And I got the chance to minister to those guys.
When I moved to Saraland, AL I bought my first Harley. Man! Did I have a blast using that bike that reach out to people. . .to guys in the same way. Tom Briand and I went on many a ride on our Harleys. We prayed together. We encouraged each other and on several occasions we were able to encourage other guys.
What about you, men? What’s your passion or interest? And how can you use it to reach out to the men in your circle of influence? What if you said something like, “God, I love doing/participating in ________________, I give it to you to reach men who share the same passion.“ Then, you begin open your eyes to who God leads you to. You may have to join a club or organization. Maybe not. You may have to hang out with some guys you normally wouldn’t. But aren’t those the guys we want to reach anyway?!
If we are going to change our families and communities we are going to have to change the hearts of men. And that takes men willing to take a risk. Men who will use their interests, hobbies, and passions to reach out to guys from all walks of life. It will take men who are willing to be bold. Men who are willing to step out on faith and trust God.
Take the challenge!
Mike
Posted By Mike on January 15, 2009
This morning during my quiet time God really dealt with me about my relationship with Him. You see, when my life crashed into God’s transforming power back in 1990, I started living wildly for Him. I was the guy you could place at the end of the spiritual tunnel and tell me there’s a light at the end of it and I would run head-long into the tunnel. Obstacles were issues to be dealt with when I hit them. I saw them as the “deal with that bridge when we come to it.” I saw myself as the “Why not?” guy. I would want to do something, try something new or different and when I was told it wouldn’t work or we couldn’t do it I would invariably ask, “Why not?” When it came to my life through Christ, I believed I could do anything. . .the church could do anything.
Somewhere in my spiritual journey I became tame. Somewhere in time I bought in to and accepted the notion, that I needed to know where the light switches were in the tunnel. I needed to know the whys, hows, and wheres of my journey with God. I came to believe that I needed to, and had the right to know the destination. . .ultimately I became tame, timid, and tired. I began to evaluate and study life. I had to figure life out. And in the process I settled down and became a “responsible” Christian. At some point in my journey I started to ask the “Why?” question. Why would we want do that? Why would you want to change this? Why do we need to do it differently?
Even though I accepted this as normal, there was always a yearning. . .a sense deep within me that knew this wasn’t right. This morning God showed me that I had stopped dreaming big dreams and stopped asking “Why not?” He showed me men, who over the years, have asked the “Why not?” question. Men who have influenced me in the past and continue to influence me, even now. Guys like Steve, Ed, Stacey, and Gene. Guys who don’t let the “Why?’s” tie them to the leash of life. These are men who I have heard with my own ears ask, “Why not?” These guys are an inspiration to me and serve as a reminder that we are not to live the caged life, but to live the wild, adventurous life of following God. Every morning we are to hit the floor willing to live the life focused on the pursuit of the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; the life that knows no boundaries; the life lived with wild anticipation that God will do something extraordinary with me and those who are willing to ask “Why not?”
This morning I committed to God to stop worrying about the how and focus on the what. I apologized for not fighting for Him, for Cindy, and for a few good men. I sought His forgiveness for allowing this world, the church, and my own fears to turn me into a complacent, life-numbing, man whose focused had become “Why?”
What about you? Men, God has called us to be adventurous. He’s put that part of himself within us. He destined us to become leaders and warriors, men who are willing to fight for their King, their Eve, and the hearts and lives of a couple of other fellow warriors. Don’t become what I had become. Don’t become the “Why?” guy. If you find yourself in that place, confess it to God and ask Him to prepare you for the journey. You may have to unload some gear. You may have to set down some comforts. You will have to leave the why’s and where’s behind. You will have to let go of some baggage like pride, selfishness, anger, sarcasm, doubt, and worry. You will have to lace up your boots, grab a knife, sword, or spear, and head out into unknown territory. You will have to trust God – that He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. You will have to stop asking the “Why?” question and will have to start asking the “Why not?” question.
Won’t you join me in the tunnel?
Mike