Day 30 Overcoming Temptation

A Wise Man Knows When to Fight and When to Flee!

The Lord’s prayer has been helping to shape our prayer life in a more full and balanced way. It’s good to start out with God’s Praise (Our Father in heaven, holy is your name) and then pray regarding God’s Priorities (Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.) After God’s Praise and God’s Priorities, we come to our Petitions- for provisions (daily bread), pardon (forgive us our debts) and now we come to protection- “Lead us not into temptation.” 

Doesn’t this seem like an odd request? We are told clearly that “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt any man.” James 1:13. This is just an old way of saying, “lead me away from temptation.” This prayer makes sense in light of what Jesus said to his sleepy disciples as he agonized in prayer in the garden, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Mt.26:41. Jesus' command to “watch” reminds me of a military watch or guard. They were to keep watch, to be alert! “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NLT. Being watchful or alert and prayerful comes out in Paul’s following exhortation- “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Col.4:2 NLT. Looking at these last three verses, we see that we must be alert and prayerful to deal with temptation. I wonder how many times a day, people fall prey to it because they don’t pray. God wants to lead us away from temptation, not be led into temptation, so he has given plenty of guidance for victory over it throughout his word. Here are several important points to keep in mind for ourselves and others we can help.

1.-Don’t believe the serpent’s lies. From the beginning, Satan has deceived people into believing that God’s way isn’t the best way. His oft' repeated lies are-“God can’t be trusted. There’s more to life. If it looks good, go for it!”

2.-Keep a healthy distance from tempting people, places and things (Ps.1:1; Prov.7:6-10). If you can’t change your friends, change your friends. Fix your focus on enjoying God’s good ways instead.

3.-Get rid of whatever has been tripping you up. And change your stinking thinking. So don't dwell on ways to indulge your evil desires. Instead, rely on Christ and strive to reflect Him. Notice how Rom.13:14 puts this- "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

4.-Name the temptation for what it truly is. When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he said, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?!” Gen.39:9.

5.-Temptation looks far better than it ever is. “It’s might look like big scoops of chocolate ice cream covered with whip cream, but each scoop is just horse plop. Anyone for it now? Sin’s aftertaste is truly disgusting. Let the ruined lives of those who have gone after sin, remind you of this. Do you want to end up like them? See Prov.5:8-14.

6.-The gravitational pull toward the temptation gets weaker the farther you move away from it in thought and action. That’s why the Bible says, “Flee the evil desires…” 2 Tim.2:22. Since nature abhors a vacuum, we must replace the evil with the good. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Rom.12:21. It's like going on a diet. "Get out the bad, get in the good."Replace harmful behaviors with helpful ones.

7.-Thank the devil, so to speak, for the temptation. I’m not really on speaking terms with Satan, but it is a great way to frustrate his tempting ways. Every time a tempting thought invades, let it serve as a reminder to thank and praise Jesus for his victory over sin and Satan. Singing a praise song works wonders for many and many a time. Satan can’t stand a singing saint. (Speaking of speaking to the devil, it’s been said, “Every time the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.”:)

8.-Remember that sins of the body must be conquered (swearing, stealing, lying, cheating, drugging, immorality, etc.), but sins of the heart we will battle until the day we die. We will keep fighting the good fight of faith against such ongoing foes of pride, lust, greed, passivity, unfaithfulness, lack of love, etc. That’s not good news, but it’s the truth, and it’s a way we can demonstrate our love and faith to God. Our devoted redeemer and holy one is worthy of our devotion and holiness. Battle on! You are not alone. (1 Pet.5:8-9)

9.-Recognize, you are no match for temptation when you get too close to it. So flee it. Be alert. What’s going on in your heart? Are you attracted to a pretty woman that you have no business getting close to at your place of business? Establish wise boundaries. Here are some that wise men have established to protect themselves from an affair- "I will not flirt. I will not be huggy and touchy. I will not share my marital issues. I will not linger. I will not be go out for a meal alone with her or chauffer her alone. I will use my wedding ring as a reminder to myself and others." It’s not a sin to be attracted to an attractive woman. That just proves you’re a healthy man. But to flirt with her just proves you’re a foolish man. (Prov.6:20-7:27)

10.- Renew your mind. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Rom.12:2. Write down key MP3 verses to help you in your specific temptations and review them frequently. Let the temptation again trigger you to pray, to move away, and to review transforming truths. Let old weaknesses prompt you to become strong in God’s word.

Tomorrow, we will look at more practical points from God's word on dealing with temptation.

G.a- Several passages have been quoted or referred to. Pick one and share your thoughts on it.

G.b- Write a key portion of the passage on your MP3 card for later mediation, prayer, praise and passing on. After you've written it out, do the Did it.

G.c- How many individuals or groups did you share the riches of your MP3 card with since you posted yesterday?

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Online pornography has become a huge source of temptation and destruction in millions of men's lives. Chris White is a Bible teacher who earlier in his Christian life struggled and eventually gained freedom over such. He tells his story on a YouTube video he posted. http://conspiracyclothes.com/nowheretorun/video-archive/?tubepress_page=2  Check it out if you wish. It could be a helpful resource to and others who may need your help in this area. He doesn't mention installing online filters, but that can be a big help. Of course if a guy installs such himself, he could easily uninstall it. I had a techy friend come over and put such on all the data coming into our home. Peace of mind.

Day 29...Can You Shake Hands Like Men?

As we have been working our way through the Lord’s prayer, we’ve come to a very challenging portion of it- “Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.” Sin is such a huge issue that God himself had to come down in flesh and cruelly die to provide forgiveness for our sins. Every ruptured relationship that we or others may be struggling with is rooted in sin. Thus, it must be uprooted. God is most merciful to forgive us when we confess our sins. We reflected on this yesterday- “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Prov.15:33. We also reviewed our helpful way of encouraging ourselves to confess rather than conceal our sins. We simply write Y for "Yes" after the letter R at the end of our daily comments. Again, the letter R stands for such things as Repented, Reconciled, made Restitution, Regained my Respect in God’s eyes, the eyes of others and in myself. Speaking of the word restitution, let’s answer a question regarding it and then tackle some other questions related to forgiveness.

What is restitution anyway?

The word is used 14 times in the Bible and it means to make amends, to repay. The goal of restitution is restoring things to a friendly or peaceful relationship. A proper apology could be the one I taught my son as a child, "I'm sorry; what I did was wrong. Would you please forgive me? What can I do to make it up to you?" It is because of the Bible's wise teaching on making amends that we practice restitution when a brother would wrong another by not calling him back by the end of the following day or being late for a meeting. He is to make amends with a doughnut or a drink. (My brew is Diet Mt.Dew:) Notice that this is not some heavy fine, though the wrong was wrong indeed.(As a matter of fact, if this same issue occurs again, the wronged party is to contact another coach so that we can help the offender to overcome such.)  The doughnut or drink is an inexpensive thing, designed to foster a happy resolution. As a matter of fact, we encourage the offending person to buy a few doughnuts so he too can all the more enjoy their next time together. Why? Because this isn't about shame but celebrating restoration. All is well now. Restitution restores the respect owed to the other team member and one's self-respect (and vice versa). We can never respect ourselves when we have acted disrespectfully. 

People can try to minimize, rationalize or conceal their sins against another, but it is still a barrier in the relationship until it is broken down by confession and restitution. We are following God's example- he devises ways so that a person may not remain estranged (2 Sam.14:14). Restitution is aimed at the restoration of the relationship. This is the heart of God and our heart in this matter. God celebrates relationships restored and so do we. When a brother rights his wrong via confession and restitution, he also gets to put a Y after that R. And that puts points on the board for the team and for himself. We celebrate the strength it took to make that wrong right. Way to go!

Why do so many recommend to write a list of wrongs you need to right?

Writing helps our minds to clarify things and may expose hidden things. Paul wrote, “we have renounced secret and shameful ways.” 2 Cor.4:2. We know that “he who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Prov.28:13. So it is wise to clean house, to gain a clear conscience. May this be our testimony- “We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.” Heb.13:18. The letter R is about helping you be a warrior of Respect and honor. So right wrongs.

But what if the person I wronged has done a whole lot of wrong to me to begin with? They may deserve a whole lot worse than you ever did to them. But as my father used to say when I returned wrong back to my brother or sister, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” Here’s what our Father says, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Rom.12:17-21.

This is what God did for us. He overcame our evil by doing good for us. He gave far more than food; He gave us his Son that we might be reconciled to him. Reconciliation is so Godlike and of such great importance to God. Look what he has even commissioned us to do- God “reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Cor.5:18-20. May we also not count people's sins against them.

We are ambassadors of reconciliation! So if we realize during our time of worship that we have offended someone, what should we do? Jesus said, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” Mt.5:23-24. Wow! Reconciliation is even more important than worshiping and giving. So seek to settle matters quickly. Make this “a big rock,” a top priority issue.

But what if the person is no longer alive?

You could imagine them still alive before you and confess your wrongdoing.

But what if I don’t even know where the person lives anymore?

Then you could pray, “Lord, if you want me to seek their forgiveness, then you will need to surface them.” God will orchestrate things as He sees fit. He is glad that you have a willing heart to make things right.

But what if it would only make things worse?

Then leave that with God as well. Perhaps write out a letter of confession nonetheless to get it cleansed out of you, then get rid of the letter as God does with our sins.

But what if the person is still not a safe person? I don’t want to have a relationship with him (her).

You don’t need to. Ask for forgiveness or granting forgiveness is not the same as trusting them again. Trust is something that is earned by being trustworthy.

Note: If the person you are talking to doesn't know you're a Christian, it's often good to begin by saying, "God has convicted me that what I did was wrong..." Give God the credit for such. You might be pleasantly surprised at where the conversation goes because of this. 

G.a- There might be other things that you think are important to add to our discussion on seeking forgiveness from a person we have wronged. If so, feel free to share if you wish. Or if you have a personal story you want to share, without getting into intimate details, that could be very helpful to others. This kind of sharing with others is huge. We are not modeling perfection for our team mates, but modeling what to do with our imperfections. JC Penney said, "When you fall down, get up." We want to coach people to get up.

G.b- Several Scriptures were shared again today. Pick one that especially grabbed you; write it out and share briefly your thoughts on it. Then also write it on your MP3 card. Do the “Did it” when you did it.

G.c- How many individuals or groups did you share the riches of your MP3 card with since you posted yesterday?

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Day 27-28 of Basic Training

Day 26...It Takes a Real Man to Do This!

The last two times we have focused on the powerful portion in the Lord’s prayer- “Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.” But what if I am the one who has sinned against another? Can I claim that it’s all under the blood and ignore what I’ve done even in my B.C. days? No, we should go back to those whom we have sinned against and confess such. (I’ve had to do so.) Notice this is what the prodigal son did. He had terribly insulted his father on earth and in heaven and so he confessed, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” Luke 15:21.

The father gave him a warm embrace and extended amazing grace. But that doesn’t mean others will when we confess our wrongdoings against them. Why? Perhaps they are hardened in heart or perhaps our confession seems insincere to them. When my boy was little and wronged his sister, we told him he needed to say he was sorry. He hated doing this, so through gritted teeth and without moving his lips, he would say, “Sorry.” So later we had him say the following, “I’m sorry; what I did was wrong. Will you please forgive me? What can I do to make it up to you?” He didn’t like saying that either, but the last questions usually prompted my daughter to extend mercy and grace to the little sinner. (Hmm, wonder where he got that sinful streak? “It was the woman you gave me”:) 

By the way, isn't it amazing how both children and adults blame other people for their sins. Or they justify it or minimize it. For example, you might hear a believer cuss while on the job. His coworkers may stick it to him a bit and say- "And you call yourself a Christian?!" To which he might say such dumb things as- "Well, you guys make me so mad!" "I didn't say, I was perfect, but I am forgiven, which is more than I can say for you guys." What should he instead say to his coworkers? "You know, you're right. Please forgive me for that." This is the right and quickest way to rebuild his testimony. 

Even after being a Christian for many years, I know confession of my wrongdoings is still tough for me to do. Yet, confession of sin is foundational for growth. Relationships with God and others suffer greatly when we brush our bad behavior under the rug. Plus, we lose respect in our own eyes and the eyes of others. We tend to think we will lose face if others knew we blew it. So how can we help ourselves and our proteges to get better at this vital practice of confession that we foolishly naturally shun?  If only there was a way we could commend men for having the courage to right a wrong? There is! Thanks to our daily online fellowship and our GREAT scoreboard we help each other in ways which most Bible studies sadly skip. offline weekly groups can never do. How? We commend you for being honest. No, this isn't like a confessional booth. As you've seen, you don't need to tell all of us the details us of how you were rude to your wife and how you later apologized to her. Though, you can. Instead, simply type Y for Yes after the letter R. The letter R stands for Repented, Reconciled, Regained my Respect. Sometimes, it is wise to also call up a coach if you're dealing with a tough issue. That's why Scripture says, "Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." James 5:16. Stronghold sins need to be exposed to the care and prayer of others to be broken. 

But what will my brothers think? 
They will Respect you! You also will be helping the team score on the board. (So the team with the most honest sinners may win that day:) Just imagine what this can do for a man's marriage? Picture a man's wife saying to her friend, "My husband is not the same man he used to be. He rarely could admit his wrongs, but now he seems more motivated to do so. I don't know what's gotten into him?" I do! He is now being made to feel like a hero not a zero for admitting his wrongs. (Just now, my wife walked into my office and I confessed how I had recently been hurtful with my words. She graciously forgave me. I feel better and she feels better. Anybody want to recruit me onto your team? I might put a whole lot of points on the board for you!:) So let's normalize the fact that "we all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man" Ja.3:2. If a man tells me he is never at fault in what he says, he has the fault of lying! "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8. So we make heroes out of the men that have the guts to heroically tackle sin in their lives. It takes real strength and humility to do so, and God honors humility (Prov.15:33). So let's honor what God honors. Our relationships with all people will only improve as we quickly seek to right wrongs. 

G.a- Prov.28:13 is hugely helpful in regards to confessing sin, rather than ignoring it. So please look it up and write it on your MP3 card (Meditation, Prayer, Praise, Pass it on). Do the “Did it” when you did it.

G.b- Please comment on anything that we covered today in the blog.

G.c- How many individuals or groups did you share the riches of your MP3 card with since you posted yesterday?

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Day 25...This is Essential for Victory, Freedom and Peace in Your Life!

“Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” This is such a huge topic and issue that we are returning to it. Today, we want to focus on forgiving others and dealing with stronghold sins. It's essential for victory, freedom and peace in your life. We especially need to confess the deadly sin of unforgiveness. In light of the huge sin debt that our Lord has forgiven us, how dare we not forgive the relatively small sin debt of others (Mt.18:21-35). I know it doesn’t feel small at first, but it’s crucial that we bring closure to their sin against us, or it will close off our fellowship with our Father. Jesus highlighted this right after giving the Lord’s prayer. He said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” Mt.6:14-15. The older brother’s unforgiveness toward his prodigal brother hardened his heart and kept him from enjoying his father’s joy and fellowship at the celebration. He ended up resenting even his father’s grace.

So if the Spirit of Christ should point out an area where we are harboring unforgiveness or are failing to reflect Christ in thought, word or deed, then follow David’s example- “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Ps.32:5.

But if we foolishly seek to hide the enemy (our sins), rather than confessing and ridding ourselves of such, then great setbacks await us- “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper…” Prov.28:13. The strong walls of Jericho fell to Joshua and the people as they obeyed God. But they were next soundly defeated at the small town of Ai because one man saw, coveted, and stole forbidden things. He concealed his transgressions. It wasn’t until he confessed his evil that the army was victorious. How horrible to think that if I should cherish sin in my heart, that I could hinder not only myself, but the army of God and M3.   

So if you (including me) ever end up struggling with a concealed and enslaving sin, then it’s time to use another powerful, divine weapon to drive it out- confessing to another brother who can help you conquer. Breakthroughs begin when dark, enslaving sins such as pornography, immorality, drugging, drinking, etc are exposed to the light- ”Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Eph.5:11. Such sins are sickening to your soul. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16. 

We want to be righteous men who are prayerful and helpful so that a struggling brother feels safe to open up to us. When he does, we want to lovingly seek to restore him, hating the sin, but loving the sinner. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal.6:1-2. The law of Christ is His law of love. God's great love that forgave us is to motivate us to forsake our sins and help others overtaken by sin. Love is the greatest.

G.a- Once again, we’ve covered several important Scriptures. Pick one from all of the above that especially grabbed your attention; write it out on our blog and briefly comment on it.

G.b- Write out a portion of that passage on your MP3 card. Do the “Did it” when you did it.

G.c- With how many individuals or groups did you share the riches on your MP3 card, since you posted yesterday?

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Day 24... Fight Against the Enemy within the Gates!

Today we come to a surprising phrase in the Lord’s prayer- “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” But, aren't we already forgiven? Then why do we have to ask God to forgive us? Answer: God, as our Judge, has forgiven our sin debt because it was paid for by His Son, the Innocent One. Thus, we are eternally right in his sight and will be forever together. But as our Father, God is calling us to forgive others as he has fully forgiven us. We are to be like God, “forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” Eph.4:32. Today we will begin with this first phrase “Forgive us our sins.” Tomorrow we will deal with those who have sinned against us and stronghold sins.

Because of salvation in Christ, we are forgiven and new creations in Christ, but we still have an “enemy within the gates” that wages war against our soul. We must constantly guard our new hearts from the enemies of sin and Satan. Men, we are in a battle. Passivity is our downfall. 

Thus as soldier’s, we are given this manly command, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” Prov.4:23. If an enemy could capture or pollute a town’s well, the people were doomed. Thus, our hearts must be guarded at all costs from enemy attack. The corrupt nature wants to ruin us. So it is- kill or be killed. “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" Col.3:5-10.

But what do we do when our guard has slipped and such enemies have breached the gates of our Mansoul? We must drive them out! But how? “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” 2 Cor.10:4. The first weapon to use to drive out sin is surprisingly simple- it’s confession. As we come to this part in the Lord’s prayer, with God’s help we can do a quick scan of the land of our heart. Has bitterness crept in? Name (confess) the enemy. Is it resentment, pride, lust, greed, bad language or unforgiveness to others? We should confess these as soon as we are aware of them, even in the middle of our day. When we confess such sins, God gives us a wonderful promise to claim-“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9. The waters of cleansing are waiting for us (John 13:6-11). When I confess what sins I am aware of, He then even cleanses me from what I’m not aware of- all unrighteousness. TYF! (Thank You Father!)

Thus, we don’t need to go on a witch hunt of introspection to find sins to confess. To fix our eyes on searching out sin is a dark and despairing pursuit. We are called to fix our eyes on Jesus who brings forgiveness, joy and peace. Instead, at this point in the Lord’s prayer, simply invite God to search you-

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” Ps.139:23-24.

G.a- As we have seen, there are plenty of passages that speak to us about this vital subject of sin, confession and forgiveness. (To save you time, I wrote them out, rather than asking you to look them all up.) Pick out one verse or phrase out of the many that were quoted above and share your good thoughts regarding such.

G.b- Copy down 1 John 1:9 on your MP3 card. Then do the “Did it.”

G.c- With how many individuals or groups did you share the riches on your MP3 card, since you posted yesterday?

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The above picture of warriors fighting reminds us that we are in a terrible battle. But the weapons we must use to defeat satanic forces that hold men in apathy are supernatural. They include the sword of the Spirit and the spear of the Spirit- the word of God and prayer. So we need to be prayer warriors. We're deceived by the enemy already if we think we can win otherwise. Keep praying Attack prayers. Pray that we would be MANLY men who would forcefully advance God's kingdom against the forces of darkness.

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Day 23...A Man Brings Home the Bread!

Jesus has been teaching us a more excellent way to pray using the pattern of the Lord’s prayer. It begins by focusing on God- His praise and his priorities. So we began by praising God as our Father and honoring his holy name. Then we aligned ourselves to God’s priorities- seeking first his kingdom and his will to be done in our lives. It is after this that our glorious King graciously invites us to present our requests before him. He is happy to hear even our requests for daily bread. 

It is our daily bread- our physical needs that so often people worry about. Jesus seems to almost gently laugh at the thought of worrying about food and clothing (Read Mt.6:25-34). He had just taught us to pray to our Father in heaven who is so great. We saw he is so amazing that 900 different names and titles are showered upon him in Scripture. So how silly to worry about food and clothing. He is our devoted Father. We are to “seek first the kingdom of God.” The appropriate way to pray about any such earthly concerns is given to us by Paul, “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Phil.4:6 NLT. (Worry and worship don’t fellowship together.) It’s interesting to note how little ink Paul gave to praying for others' physical needs. But he certainly wrote a lot about praying for the spiritual needs and growth of others. Would you like to see?

G.a- Click the following link and you’ll see a very helpful arrangement of Paul’s prayers.  http://www.regent.edu/lib/research/divinity/divinity-paul.pdf
Pick out one that you’d like to use when praying for others. Please share that with us now. Feel free to use another translation or paraphrase it. And if you wish, share anything that you especially liked about it.

G.b- Write the most important part of that verse on your MP3 card and then do the “Did it.” As you look over that powerful prayer you picked, please pray it for your loved ones, teammates and even your future protégés. One day you can look at them and say, “I’ve been praying for you before I even met you!”

G.c- With how many individuals or groups did you share the riches on your MP3 card, since you posted yesterday?

Yes, the Lord invites us to pray about our daily bread- the physical provisions that we need such as for food, clothing, income and health concerns. But now you are armed with a powerful prayer to help others spiritually. This seems to be far more important in God’s priorities. When praying, I don’t always know what to pray- Does God want to miraculously heal this elderly person? But I always know that God wants to improve their spiritual health. 

Speaking of spiritual health, do you ever wish you had a guide for praying more significantly for the spiritual health of your family? Then pray for your FAMILY members that they would be Faithful, with A+Attitudes, that they would become Mature in character, that they would be Influencers for the kingdom, Loving, and Yoked to good spouses. 

I’m so glad God is giving you such great daily bread from his word. Feel free to share it with others. I had a friend from seminary days who would ask me, “Got any fresh bread?” Yes, you and I do- hot out of the oven of Scripture today. Best of all, Jesus is the bread of life. "If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever." John 6:51

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We've been learning a lot about prayer. We can and should pray for our daily bread. But prayer is no substitute for not going off to work to provide for our family. God's word even declares, "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Tim.5:8. Wow! So beware or lazy loafers- those who don't bring home the bread. Down the road, as you think about who to pick to be a protege, avoid men who make poor excuses for being poor and not working. 

Day 22...MANLY Men Wrestle!

It's time to wrestle! When we come to “Thy will be done” in the Lord’s prayer, it’s important that we begin praying for God’s will to be done in our lives, in our family members and even in our future protégés. (You will have such as you faithfully go forward with us.) So often, believers don’t have much depth when they pray for others- “Lord, bless ‘em real good.” And yet we have learned that prayer is vital to activate the word and growth in people’s lives. No wonder Jesus and the apostles made it such a vital priority. (It was a big rock that they made time for.) Please don’t leave out praying after reading. Pray the passage into your soul throughout the day as you review your MP3 card (Meditation, Prayer, Praise, Pass it on).

My son (not pictured) is in his second year of wrestling. As you know, it’s a very intense sport. 

Praying for others can be intense at times like wrestling. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Eph.6:12. Paul commends a teammate named Epaphras, saying, “He is always wrestling in prayer for you that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” Col.4:12. So as we make time to pray after reading God’s word and come to “Thy will be done” it’s here that we need to wrestle, praying powerful prayers for ourselves and others. But what should we pray for? Based on the above verse, we can pray confidently knowing that it is God’s will for ourselves and others to stand firm in all the will of God, to be mature, to be Christlike. 

Christ was devoted to doing the will of God. So we are to follow his example to also do the will of God. Christ did the will of God by being godly (Mature) in his character. That is certainly part of the will of God. He also fulfilled the will of God by Actively mentoring disciples to multiply. He did the will of God by Nobly battling to free people from bondage and Loving everyone deeply. He did the will of God by being Yoked in a devoted relationship with his Father and his men. He was the perfect example of being MANLY. This was the will of God for him and for us.

So when we pray, “Thy will be done” we want to pray that we would be MANLY like Christ. So pray for yourself and your teammates that we would be MANLY-   

Mature in Character- to be power H.O.U.S.E. men- Hungry, Obedient, Unstoppable, Strong in the Lord, Empowered.

Active in mentoring- just as Jesus was- that you would have many spiritual descendants.

Noble in battle- that we would fight the good fight for our purity and the freedom and involvement of others

Loving in relationships- that we would learn to love better, especially our family members.

Yoked to Christ and a band of brothers- that we would be devoted to Christ and each other.

This is a powerful way to pray God's will into other men, and we would ask you to join us often pray in this MANLY way. (People will also be surprised at the maturity of your prayers for them. No-"Bless 'em real good Jesus" prayers :)

Read Eph.6:10-18. Only MANLY men dare go into such a satanic fight. So we better be fully armed. Notice that the armor of God seems to end with the weapon of the sword of the Spirit- the word of God. But then another powerful, but unnamed weapon, is lastly exhorted to be used. I call this long distance weapon, the spear of the Spirit. Discover it and use it often. It's crucial for victory.  

G.a- Share one thought that struck you from your reflecting on anything written in today's blog. 

G.b- Write out Col.4:12b (b=the last half of the verse) on your MP3 card (Meditation, Prayer, Praise and Pass it on verse.) then do the "Did It." 

Since people may ask you what MANLY stands for, write out the meaning of MANLY on your MP3 card. "Mature in character, Active in mentoring, Noble in battle, Loving in relationships, Yoked with Christ and a band of brothers." You can use this also as a way to pray for others to stand firm in all the will of God. (Yes, knowing what MANLY stands for will be on our upcoming test :) 

G.c- With how many individuals or groups did you share the riches on your MP3 card, since you posted yesterday?

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Announcements

Day 20-21 of Basic Training

Day 19... Your MANLY Manhood is Made Here- at the Crossroads of...Self will or God's will.

The Lord’s prayer is giving us a major overhaul to the typical shallow, self-centered prayer life that many believers have. We are learning that prayer is God focused. So don’t focus on how many prayers you’ve seen answered. Many people give up on prayer because they approach it like a vending machine. If it doesn’t give them what they want, they don’t go to it anymore. But prayer is first and foremost a relationship with our Father. It’s about loving and appreciating him and becoming more like him. Thus, the Lord’s prayer teaches us to start off with praise to God who is now our devoted Father, and praise that his name is so holy and wonderful. Then we saw that after Praise comes desiring his desires- his Priorities- “Thy kingdom come.”

Today we want to look at the next prayer Priority- “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  We are especially praying, “Thy will be done in my life.” But what is the will of God for my life? That’s a huge subject. Fortunately, discovering the will of God for your life is already revealed in the word of God. Apart from that, God gives us great freedom to choose such things as where we want to live and work and even what to eat. Note this freeing, permissive will of God even in the garden of Eden- “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden…” It is only in matters of sin- that which would terribly harm us- that our Father speaks out of his loving, protective will- “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Gen.2:17. This protective will is better known as his prescriptive will. Just as a doctor prescribes medicine for our well-being, so does our great physician and Father.

Insanely, our selfish, sinful nature totally opposes God’s will. But as believers we now know that God’s will for us is good, pleasing and perfect. That doesn’t mean that doing the will of God will always be easy, for our mission involves a terrible battle against the enemy to set captives free. In another garden, the last Adam struggled greatly not to pursue his own will, but the will of his Father- “Abba, Father…take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:36. To carry out the will of God includes prayer. And so Jesus prayed. And then he exhorted his sleepy disciples to pray- “watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation...” Mark 14:38. (Thus, we need to develop and maintain a daily life of prayer, since temptations lure us daily.) God’s will is not that we fall into temptation and sin. Instead, God’s word declares, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified” (holy, morally pure) 1 Th.4:3. Once again, we see that the will of God is revealed in the word of God. So to help ourselves be transformed and carry out the will of God, what is essential?

Read Rom.12:1-2. There we see that God’s will is that we should not be conformed, but transformed. We are not to be conformed to this fallen world’s values and thinking that excludes God’s will. Instead, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This renewing or overhauling is like overhauling an old, defective engine. The corroded parts are replaced by new parts according to the manufacturer’s specs. As we spend time in God’s word, the manufacturer’s specs, we discover that his will is good, pleasing and perfect. This creates a desire to do his will, which we gain from his word.  

G.a- Write down one thought from any of the verses or points we've covered today regarding the will of God.

G.b- Read Psalm 40:6-8 which underscores this. (It is actually a prophecy of Jesus, as confirmed in Heb.10:5-10. These are called Messianic psalms or portions.) Copy down verse 8 on your MP3 card (Do the “Did it” thing). Don't forget to review this and pray it into your heart.

G.c- With how many individuals or groups did you share the riches on your MP3 card, since you posted last?

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T? Did you share that "I Thought" outreach link or any other gospel seeds with a lost persons since you posted last? If so, please put the number.

Speaking of prayer, let’s do that now. Pray through at least the first portion of the Lord’s prayer that we have covered-Praise him that he is, our Father. And you could praise him for any of His 900 names and attributes that he is known by. Then pray about God’s priorities- for His kingdom to come and advance in men's hearts. Pray to be a Power HOUSE man who forcefully advances God’s kingdom. And pray for His will to be done in your life and those you share with. His will is also that you will multiply manly men. We believe you will do great things and surely triumph as you remain true to the will of the Lord.

Day 18...Thy Kingdom Come...This Means War

You weren't made to simply be a nice Christian. You were made to fight! Without a battle to fight, our manhood shrivels up. There is a war to be won. And Jesus is calling us to battle for his kingdom. Warfare prayer is definitely essential in this, for we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of wickedness. We are called to call on the Lord to help us in our great commission to advance the kingdom of God. It is forceful or determined, unstoppable men who do this.That is what you're being trained for. 

It is crucial that you first understand who you are fighting for- it is for the honor of our great King, who is also our Father in heaven. Most holy is His name. The whole world needs to be set free to honor Him. Thus, Jesus next teaches us to pray- “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This is not a polite portion of the prayer. It is an imperative prayer- a warfare prayer. It is not simply asking for Jesus to come back, but for God's kingdom to come invade here and now. We are to be soldiers warring for God's kingdom to be advanced. There are men that need to be prayed free and recruited into active duty with us. Who comes to your mind? Pray! May they end up being men recruited and activated by you. That is a vital accomplishment for which we honor men for. So make war on the floor to see men freed and fighting with us.

"Thy kingdom come..." The New Testament actually mentions the kingdom of God a lot. Here are just a few passages regarding God's kingdom, which is now here spiritually and one day will come physically when our King returns in glory. 

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. Mt.3:2; 4:17
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God. Mt.5:3 (They know that apart from God, they are bankrupt spiritually.) 
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves Col.1:13

Whoever practices and teaches God's word "will be called great in the kingdom of God" Mt.5:19 (By writing down and sharing your MP3 card with others are helping to advance God's kingdom. And such warriors, God calls great! So keep looking for people with whom you can share what you're learning, including family members, friends, coworkers, future proteges.

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Mt.6:33 (Put his priorities above your own. We are to make advancing his kingdom far more important than advancing our comforts.) 
"...in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: preach the word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction." 2 Tim.4:1-2

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of God has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it. Mt.11:12 
That's who you are- forceful, determined men. And that's what we are training like a military unit to do- to forcefully advance God's kingdom, despite Satan's fierce opposition. The enemy seeks to hold on to his prisoners of war. But we are called and determined to set the captives free- both the lost who are in chains and those who are saved, but sidelined. 

Earthly battles and kingdoms are advanced, based in part, by how forceful or determined the men are in battle. Even though God gave the promised land to the Israelites, they didn't conquer all the enemies living in the land. Why? Because it says, "the Canaanites were determined to live in that land." Judges 1:27. I'm not a racist, but I can tell by what nation a person is from if they will conquer for God's kingdom or not. Any "wanna be warrior" is bound to fail if he is from the nation of Procrastination. Does he come up with excuses for not keeping his word? For not remaining unstoppable? For not fulfilling his duty? He is sure to succeed if he is from the nation of Determination. In other words, "It's not the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog!" Despite initial fear, if men will "be men and fight" they can conquer. 1 Sam.4:5-11 is a pointed story in this regard. Sometime you ought to check it out. The losers may surprise you.

G.a- We've read a number of Scripture verses. Please share a thought from anything you've read today in this blog regarding men and the kingdom of God.

G.b- Write out this "warriors phrase" on your MP3 card "the kingdom of God is forcefully advancing and forceful (determined) men lay hold of it." Mt.11:12. "Write "Did it" when you did it.

Pray over this verse on your MP3 card today asking God to help you be such a forceful, determined man to advance his kingdom. And pray that God would stir up other men to become determined warriors with you. Jesus told his men in training to pray for such- "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Mt.9:37-38.

We are in a terrible war, and determined soldiers like you are few. Thus, we have called in air support- prayer support. Please thank the prayer warriors you recruited who are praying for you. We have seen today that earnest prayer is an essential weapon in advancing God's kingdom. So that's why we daily pray Attack prayers. May it never be said of us, "I have never travailed nor brought forth children, neither did I nourish up young men..." Is.23:4. We will labor to see young men and old be raised up to be manly and multiply. Let us attack and advance God's kingdom.

"Thy kingdom come!"

G.c- With how many individuals or groups did you share the riches on your MP3 card, since you posted yesterday?

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T (Starting tomorrow, you will be able to score here as well.) 
As you've probably discovered, T stands for Telling others about Transformation.
Not only do we need to pray for the lost, but we also need to share with them the gospel- the good news. Aren't you glad for the people that shared the good news with you? We recognize that not everyone has the gift of evangelism or even the gift of gab. Striking up an evangelistic conversation with others can be intimidating for a a lot of people. So we use a very easy approach. We simply pass along the link to Greatest Mini-movies. We can send it to them or give it out on a card. It can be as simple asking a person, "Have you seen these greatest mini-movies yet?" as you give them the card. You can put your contact info on the back if you want to invite them to get back in touch with you. Then you could say, "I'd love to how you liked them." Until you get your cards, just focus on sending unsaved people the link to one video at a time from the site.
Watch the following one and pass it on to someone. This one is called, "I Thought" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcft7b-6abc. It's hauntingly thought provoking. 

Day 17...The Father You Never Had

So many men have grown up in homes without a father or without a good father. Many carry "the father wound" to this day. The cure is forgiveness for our earthly father and being renewed by our heavenly Father's unconditional love. You will be experiencing that tangibly in M3. One day you will see the Father and be embraced. Until then, He uses people to help and heal father wounds. That's what you'll experience through lots of godly affirmation and encourgement. But since none of us can read your mind, let us know specifically when and how we can help. Speaking of being healed by the Father. Let's talk about our Father today.

Yesterday we began an upward journey in prayer that promises to take us far beyond the lowlands many have dwelt in.  We found that an old familiar prayer reveals the map to get us there. It's the Lords’ prayer and it begins with praise. Unfortunately, most people begin their prayers with, “Thank you Lord for this day. Bless me and bless my family. Keep us safe and in good health. And bless all the missionaries. Amen.” If it was any longer, I’d fall asleep! What an unmanly, emasculated prayer! Where is the connection to the One who is so holy that angels cover their eyes as they cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty”? Where is there any praise that God is no longer our outraged Judge, but now is our loving Father in heaven?

Speaking of God as our Father, this is how Jesus teaches us to begin praying- "Our Father, who is in heaven." The awesome Creator of the universe wants us to approach him as our loving and faithful Father. He has none of the failing characteristics of earthly dads. He is everything we could hope for and so much more. He has not only redeemed us from our slavery to sin, he has adopted us. 
And that's not all- "Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father." Gal.4:6.

The Jews at that time didn't typically address God as Father. Jesus was introducing such a wonderful term of endearment. But for most of us, knowing that God is our Father isn't a radically new thought. Many of us grew up with the "Our Father" prayer. And now as believers, we know God personally as our Father. Yet our relationship with him can seem quite distant. This is partly due to the fact that he is our Father who is in heaven, while we are still here on earth. That is why we long for his kingdom to come. 

Another reason why our relationship with the Father can seem distant is because knowing the fact that he is our Father is not enough. There is an act that can make the fact that God as Father dear to us. It's...prayer.

G.a- Reflect on Eph.1:15-18 (though all the rest of the chapter is praiseworthy) and briefly write out what strikes you about this passage.

A few days ago we learned how to REAP by Reading, Exploring, Applying and Praying back the Scriptures. Now we see all the more that to really apply the facts that we may have read and explored, we need to pray them into our hearts. If you've ever met a person who is very knowledgeable of Scripture, but they don't seem to have much joy in their knowledge, perhaps it's because they haven't spent much time praying it into their hearts. Thus, the prayerful reading and response to God's word is a very important practice to develop. We have not really REAPed if we have not prayed it over. That's why prayerful meditation on a verse or phrase on our MP3 card is so helpful. Please don't leave your time of Bible reading without responding in prayer or praise. It makes such a difference over time.

G.b- So write out Eph.1:17 on your PM3 card and seek to review it and pray it for yourself and others (Write Did it, when you wrote it out.)

G.c- How many individuals or groups did you share the riches of your MP3 card with since you posted yesterday?

Here's an acronym I’ve used for many years that helps me reflect on and praise God as my Father. So instead of just saying, Thank you Lord that you’re my Father” and moving on, I’ll often slow down and praise him as my F.A.T.H.E.R- Father, I praise and thank you that you are-

Faithful- You are faithful to care for all my needs and faithful to forgive me. Great is Thy faithfulness!

Available- Because of Jesus, I now have access to your throne and can receive mercy and grace anytime.

Teacher- Thank you for giving me and teaching me your word. As a Father, how kind of you to mentor me.

Helpful- You help me in ways I never even asked for or expected. So many unprayed answers!

Empowering- Thank you that you offer your power for living. Your Spirit is the wind beneath my wings.

Rejoicing - Thank you for all your encouraging words in your word and that you even rejoice over me with singing. Zeph.3:17

Speaking of singing, the best way I connect my heart to my head is by praying and singing. The greatest book of prayers is the book of Psalms and they were written to be sung. The devil cannot stand a singing saint. (And a whole lot of other people can't stand the way you sing either Dave :) Even if you can't sing well, "make a joyful noise unto the Lord." I personally believe there is a connection between singing and being filled with the Spirit.*  Enjoy and recommend great songs of praise. Since the giant eraser machine attacks me at church, I write down a portion of a song that I especially like, and then carry it with me during the week.   

As you know the prayer of prayers begins, "Our Father" not "My Father." The Lord's prayer reminds us that we are not out there alone. We are part of a family of believers. And isn't it interesting that you get to know a person better through other people who know him. That's one of the added benefits of this blog. We can get to know our Father better from through our sharing with each other.  

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