Gents I am excited to start this new book called Crazy Love by Fancis Chan. It’s been one of those books that has moved me from the middle ground of comfort in many areas of my life and created an urgency to pursue the God of the universe in a whole new light. A quote from the summary on the back of the book says it well... “Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.”

“This book is written for those who want more Jesus. It is for those who are bored with what American Christianity offers. It is for those who don’t want to plateau, those who would rather die before their convictions do.

I hope reading this book will convince you of something: that by surrendering yourself totally to God’s purposes, He will bring you the most pleasure in this life and the next. I hope it affirms you desire for “more God”- even if you are surrounded by people who feel they have “enough God.” I hope it inspires confidence if you have questioned and doubted the commitment of the American church. I want to affirm your questioning, even while assuring you there is hope.” Crazy Love pg. 21

It’s very easy to get comfortable on the journey when you set the pace. It’s also easy to be comfortable when you are around other people that are comfortable. Often the Lord brings people into my life that have raised the bar in areas I have settled for less. It’s around them I feel re-inspired to pick myself up off the couch and journey further.

Father,

Will you renew our understanding of you, will you captivate our hearts by simply revealing the truth of who you really are. We have settled for comfort in so many areas of our walk with you and we are in desperate need for new conviction, passion and a love for you... that changes everything! Amen.

Blessings,

Rob

"Here’s what is working against us, guys. We are traveling through life unconnected and unexamined, but we’re careful to maintain an image suggesting that we’re OK when we really aren’t. The guy we present in public looks all right, while deep inside we harbor great turmoil and conflict. But we don’t live in a vacuum; those emotions have to go somewhere. Some of us who feel unconnected choose avenues of relief and comfort outside of God’s plan, which only brings harms to relationships with Him and others. “ Every Man pg.142

Having lost the influence of a father figure in my life since I was about 12 years old, I like many of you had to develop an independent spirit early on just for mere survival. The whole goal of independence is freedom from control or the influence of others. The problem is the only way to effectively live independently means keeping everyone at an arms distance, hiding your weaknesses and keeping a wall of self protection around your heart at all times. It’s an easy position to justify and actually often disguised as a strength.

About 3 years ago I began to pray, “Lord please help me acknowledge my need to need.” I was no longer content in being independent and had come to realize and embrace that we were created as humans, by God himself to NEED and depend on others in a healthy way. The pursuit of true community has no longer become “optional” for our own family. I’ve got a ways to go but I can’t tell you how much more liberating it feels when I journey with others instead of alone any more!

Here’s a little commentary from Eugene Peters in his book called the Message regarding 1 Corinthians 12:

"Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you're still one body. It's exactly the same with Christ. By means of his one Spirit, we all said good-bye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything. (This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized.) Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain—his Spirit—where we all come to drink”

Blessings and a great weekend to you gents.

Rob

“Every day for the last year, with a few exceptions I have a standing 7:30am appointment with God and I have kept it. I don’t take any calls, but i do keep a pad of paper handy so that if something work-related suddenly invades my mind, I can make a quick note and get back to my silent conversations with God. What worked was that I finally began to take time with the Lord personally - a personal meeting with a real person. I decided to treat Jesus like a person by spending regular time with Him. It’s been the best year of my life, bar none. For me, I have to have a time and a place set aside.” Every Man pg. 135 -136


I must say the emphasis of the daily “Quiet Time” has been a point of contention in my heart throughout my journey.
One part of my heart reasons that Jesus longs to have a relationship with us where we are not obligated or under church law to spend time with him alone but actually WANT to do so.
How excited would Natalie be if I said... “Here’s some flowers, I heard it’s what husbands are meant to do so that's the only reason I got them. Oh, and I guess i need to also take you on a date every now and then too.”

The other side of my reasoning says we as men have a tendency to gravitate away from intimacy, especially with the Lord and so without setting up a consistent place and time with Him we will always maintain a “safe” distance from Him and never truly grow our souls.
I heard someone once say “Just keep showing up” and I believe that is just what we as men sometimes need. Making a time and place to keep showing up with Jesus would ensure even in the times when our circumstances or excuses get the better of us, we still find our way to His presence.

I like many of you have mastered the “how to do things for God” but I can’t wait for us to grow and learn more how to simple just “be” in His presence.

Amen,
Rob

A real grill master knows how to prepare a damn good marinade and makes sure to have the meat soaking at least a few hours if not overnight before the actual BBQ takes place. It’s during this soak when the acids, oils and herbs start to work themselves deep inside the meat to ensure every bite off the plate delivers pure joy to our souls.

“The first step towards integrity with God is throwing our way out, surrendering unconditionally to His standard, and then moving fully toward His plan. The reason so many men I talk with are unfulfilled in their relationships with God is that they will not give up their ways.” Every Man pg. 69

As men we are famous for holding firm to our ways and thinking we know better than others and usually God too. Ha it’s funny how many times I have fought to the death on something and been wrong in the end. If only I had allowed myself to be teachable, changeable and submitted to God along the way.

If you are like me, we have come to understand the concept of surrendering our lives to God but the next word in today’s excerpt that comes after “surrendering” is usually the road block for me and most others... “unconditionally”.
That means we surrender our ways, our wills, our knowledge, pride, standards, families, our bodies (more specifically your man parts :) and pretty much everything else in your life to God and do so UNCONDITIONALLY (WITHOUT ANY CONDITIONS)!

Let’s Pray;
God we long to be more hungry and desperate for You! We get in the way with our conditions and our half hearted attempts at surrender. Will you meet us where we are at and lead us into a deeper knowledge of who you are because I believe when we get just a glimpse of your greatness, your glory and your love, we will crumble at your feet. We want to be all yours my Lord!
Amen

Blessings,
Rob

Guy's today is a little longer but I wanted to share a little more of a personal Story with you guys on the topic. Would love any feedback on your own journeys. You can email me or go to the website and click on "comments" below the post.

“The second way a man can respond to God is out of fear. This response says, I hear clearly what You’re saying, but I just don’t believe You can meet my needs as well as I can. Like pride, fear causes us to reserve control of certain areas of our lives and keep them away from God’s influence. The results can be disastrous.” Every Man pg. 66

How often I have tried to have my needs or wants met outside of God’s ways. Looking back I can see how my actions were motivated out of the fear of losing what I had or not getting what I wanted when I wanted it.

Last year was a very challenging year for our business and therefore also our personal finances. What we thought would be a short period of hardship turned into weeks and those weeks became months and as the months ensued, hope and trust that God would come through in ways we had hoped for grew dim. The first part of Proverbs 13:12 kicked in... “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

At first I feared that the Lord would not provide adequately to maintain my standards and I turned to the next best lifesaver, my VISA card. Visa would ensure I don’t loose anything I want or need during these tough times right!?

Rob what is the root of your worry right now?

Lord I am not making enough to cover the nut and as the man of my house I am responsible for a wife and kids and making sure there is a roof over their heads and food on the table.

Thats honorable Rob but let me ask you, as your Father and as one ultimately responsible for you and your family, have I ever not covered those needs, have you ever been without shelter and food?

No Lord, you have always taken care of our basic needs.

So your worry, anxiety and fear is not about whether I will take care of your NEEDS. What then is it about?

...about the things I WANT? Like my standard of living, keeping my house which I like, or my two cars and probably even harder, making sure I reach all the dreams and desires I have for my life?

Exactly!

So my fear is motivated by the things I WANT to have the things I want to keep and the things I want to happen, not necessarily the things I need.

Exactly!
So I need to rest in your provision and assurance that you will cover my needs but now trust that you will give and take away everything else as you see fit? That means I have to trust that you are good...

It was from this time with the Lord that I started to praise the Lord for how He has blessed us as a family with all the things we need! I have begun to turn over my WANTS to the Lord and to no longer take them for myself. Surrendering our hopes and dreams, our desires and wants to God is harder than I thought but I have to believe I serve a Good God who knows when to give and when to take away and I do not want to stand in His way any longer and especially not with my Visa card.

Blessings,

It’s 2010 ready or not, Happy New Year!

“Whether God is calling you to some great mission or simply moving you to confess a failing, the fear of the unknown may make you uncomfortable... Either pride will blind you, your fear will intimidate you, or your faith will prevail.

PRIDE: I know better

God has a way of showing us that we don’t know as much as we think we do. He will act to show us that we do not know better than He does.

That’s what happened to King Nebuchanezzar, who had to learn some lessons in humility. Talk about humbling: For seven years, the king suffered from mental illness that caused him to roam the pastures outside the palace and chew on grass like a cow. After paying the price for his pride, the once self-centered king said: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:37)” Every Man, God’s Man pg. 65-66

There have been several areas of my life where I have mustered up my strength and tried to knock the ball out the park and have been struck out each time. God has broken down my confidence and my pride and I finally feel like I’m poised to give God all glory, praise and worship when He does finally allow breakthrough in some of those areas.

If I can believe in 2010 that God is good, that He knows best and that apart from Him I cannot produce lasting good fruit, then this year may open up to some huge possibilities! If I continue to think and act as if I know best then I can look forward to another year of roaming the pastures chewing grass like a cow.

Father, you are the one that breathes life into anything we do. Unless you build the house we labor in vain. God we lay down this new year and ask you to humble our hearts in such a way that you receive all glory and honor. Amen.

Rob