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

It’s the end of the year and it’s time to settle the books.

“Learning to see and accept truth has its rewards. First and foremost, intimacy with God increases dramatically when we see that His way should be our way. But when we deny the truth, we deceive ourselves, and God cannot relate to a man who is lying to himself. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks” (John 4:23) ... Openness and honesty always lend substance and credibility to our character, which leads to greater trust. When trust is present, intimacy is experienced in greater measure. But when a man is living a lie in some other area of his life, only false intimacy can result.” Every Man, God’s Man pg. 58

The following is an extract from A Few Good Men:
Jessep (Jack): "You want answers?"
Kaffee (Tom): "I think I'm entitled to them."
Jessep: "You want answers?"
Kaffee: "I want the truth!"
Jessep: "You can't handle the truth!

The year draws to a close and as I look over my last 12 months I am starting to look for answers and understanding into many areas of life. I am trying to find out what parts of the desert were my own doing and what parts were God’s gift to draw out more of my character.

The question is do I really really want to know the truth... and secondly have I bought into the lie that “I can’t handle the truth” or that others can’t handle the truth about me so continuing to live an illusion or in isolation is my only option going into 2010?

Guys ask God to give you His eyes regarding your last year and ask Him what things you need to do to make right which those you wronged and then also make time to celebrate and remember areas where there was fruit and provision in your life.

God, we need you to give us a hunger for truth even if the truth brings with it consequences. Lord we want to walk in the light regardless. Father as we look back on the year show us where went wrong and show us where we went right so we may build a memorial in our hearts to strive for more in 2010. We need your truth. We want to be in the light! Amen.

Rob

Dang this book is working me! I would sure appreciate a break from the beat downs and gut wrenching challenges each page brings. Today refuses to let up once again. We have made it into chapter 4, The Truth: Face it or Flee. I can’t wait ;)

The Lies We Tell Ourselves

“...we’ve all mentally rationalized doing the wrong thing over the years. Here are some of my favorite justifications:

I deserve this. I’ve been working hard.

No one will ever know.

I can’t help myself

It’s part of the job, someone has to do it

As long as nobody gets hurt, everyone’s going to be okay

One last time. I promise. Then I’ll quit.

If she would just do what I want her to do, I wouldn’t be this way

Compared to him, I’m not that bad

Everyone else would do exactly what I’m doing if they were in my position

That’s just the way I am.

It’s really going to help our finances.

It’s too late to turn back now.” Every Man, God’s Man pg. 51

Those lies sound a little way too familiar. John sheds some light on the subject...

John 3:19-21 (The Message) 19-21 "This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."

Gents, I am not sure what each one of you is battling through today but I know there is a God longing to walk us towards truth. Can we welcome Him in to expose any addictions to denial and illusions we have?

Amen,

Rob

Anyone else feeling a little weathered from this last year!? 2010 sounds quiet tiring to me to be honest. There may be the chipper few of you out there who feel opposite and then others of you who know exactly how I feel. I would sure love God to wave His magic wand and make a some things a little easier to brighten the picture of a comfortable new year but I sense there is more character work to be done.

“God understands that the conduct of a man will never outperform the content of his character, because conduct is an expression of character. One precedes the other. Or viewed another way, if we want change, we need character to pull it off.” Every Man, God’s Man pg. 40

Conduct is an expression of character... It’s like your checkbook is an expression of your bank account. You have to have money in the account to cash the check. Checks not connected to a bank account have no value whatsoever. Why do we think it works any different in our lives?

When you asked God to bless you, to enlarge your borders, when you asked God to give you big dreams and to make you the man He created you you to be, when you asked God to bless you financially so you could be a steward of his resources, when you asked God to help you be a good father, husband or friend, when you asked God to help you love others as you love yourself... He agreed to help. The thing is His help did not come in the way you expected it. Rather than waving his magic wand He did something we would never ever do willingly. He enrolled you into his Character Development Class.

We serve a God who values character more than our comfort, just ask Job from the Bible. We have to accept that sometimes His best for us is hard, very hard, that his goal is the refinement of our character and that ultimately He is good whether we can see it in the present circumstances or not.

Guys if we want great things for our lives we have to allow God to build up our bank account to be ready to cash those great things when the time comes.

Luke put it another way...

Luke 6:43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Amen, Have an awesome weekend!

Rob

Our last word was a challenge to become men of integrity. I got so many responses from that email from all of you making me realize just how intense the battle is. We’re desperate to merge our public and private worlds, we’re desperate to end our isolation and begin to feel right about ourselves!

Today’s word enlightens us with the payoff for pursuing spiritual integrity, some of the reasons why we should even bother to journey our private lives towards the light.

“During a break at a men’s conference, a fellow came to me, shook my hand and took a deep breathe before asking a good, selfish question. “So what’s the payoff?” he asked.

“Freedom,” I answered.

King Solomon explained it another way: “He who walks in integrity walks securely” (Proverbs 10:9 NASB). For God’s man, the payoff is a confident, secure walk with God. With undivided loyalty, his choices are clear. With no duplicity, he has no hangovers of character. When he’s away on business, he is the same person as he is at home. He is the same man on Friday and Saturday nights as he is on Sunday mornings. He’s a father who says what he does and what he says. He is a husband his wife can trust and follow.” Every Man, God’s Man pg. 26

Those payoff sound like a dream!

One of the problems is as men we like to know what is expected of us and then to go off and get it done. We’re drawn to tasks, goals and projects. Things that have a beginning and an end. We love the satisfaction of completion. You know how good a cold beer tastes at the end of a long day of manual labor!

What makes the pursuit of spiritual integrity so hard for guys is there is no beginning and end to the testing. It’s a daily, and sometimes a 500 times daily, taking up your cross and choosing Christ, choosing to be in the light. So where and how do you start!?

As Mr. Darrell O’ Donoghue, my fellow african savage reminded me this week in an email...

“I think becoming more significant is a process of lots of little choices every

day to follow Christ, and then one day you look back and realize you have had

a significant life. In short, practice significance.”

Let’s start to PRACTICE INTEGRITY and begin to enjoy some of the payoff mentioned in our Every Man, God’s Man except today.

Amen!

Rob

Gents,

Dammit guys I want us to be the same men in private that we are in public. I want us to always be on the never ending journey toward becoming men of integrity and true character with undivided hearts. Don’t you want to start feeling right about yourself for a change, not simply good from time to time?

Many of us have fallen into an alternate hidden life that runs on a dysfunctional cycle of sin management.

We are presented with opportunities, trials or challenges which test and refine our character along with the potential of developing integrity. We choose our fleshly desires without any real fight. We feel bad, isolate ourselves from God and usually from others. Then the sin hangover starts and lasts a couple days until time magically “heals” and we become “right” enough to come before God again to try do a better job next time.

I am starting to realize I am giving in way too easily and I am forgetting what there battles are for. God is daily presenting me with opportunities to grow. He’s inviting me on a journey where every victory can be used and every failure redeemed. God allows nothing to be wasted. He wants us to be people of the light where nothing is hidden in darkness. God is open and willing to journey with me. Now if I can only truly believe that... perhaps the cycle can be broken!

“The goal is to choose God consistently under pressure and thereby develop spiritual integrity.” Every Man, God’s Man pg. 25

I always say, or i actually just made it up... The greater the odds for failure, the great the opportunity for greatness

God show your glory through our lives. In a time were filth and impurities are so accessible, make us men of integrity the world has never known! Amen

Gents,

Happy Thanksgiving to those who know what that holiday is all about. For the rest off us... enjoy time off work and good food!

Excerpt: “To move beyond adolescent enthusiasm and into a deep experience with God an undivided heart is absolutely necessary. This means answering some direct questions with unblinking honesty:

* Who am I?

* What is going to be at the center of my life?

* Where is my loyalty going to lie?

God is looking for the man who knows who he is and will not be afraid to identify with Him. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, as He is called in the Old Testament, seeks lionhearted sons.” Every Man, God’s Man pg. 23

Reflect: There is nothing more disarming and disappointing than a divided heart. Ever had a team mate that never really wanted to be there, ever been somewhere wishing you were somewhere else, ever tried to get something done yet keep getting interrupted.

All the way back in the garden the enemy knew if he could get Adam and Eve to doubt who they really were, who they should be living for and who they should be committed to, then he could divide their hearts and the battle would be won. It worked and continues to work till this day. There are seasons when I am sold out passionately pursuing the things of God and other times where my heart and mind is set on chasing the temporary things of this world that fade and rust as quick as they came. I want to re-align myself with God so He finds me when he searches the earth... “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9

Challenge: Guys answer those 3 questions... be real and honest, this is not one of those times to lie to yourself to feel better. You whole life is built on these foundations, it would be important for you to know the truth. Share your answers with close buddy and see if they see something you’re missing.

Prayer: Father help us be real and help us hear you with regards to those 3 questions. Start turning our hearts back to you so we can become undivided and available for your adventures. Amen.

Rob

Hey Boys,

I’m back whether you like it or not!

It’s been awhile since we finished Chasing the Daylight. Time for some more heart stirrings and the sound of iron sharpening iron. Here we go...

I am going to work us through a book called “Every Man, God’s Man” by Stephen Arterburn and Kenny Luck and i know are definitely going to be worked!


Excerpt: (Chapter 1- Bogged Down in the Red Zone)

“During the past several years, I have witnessed men commit to becoming God’s man through Every man Ministries. I’ve found that it’s not about asking guys to do more; it’s about asking them to be more...

Doing more puts a man in control.
Being more puts God in control.

Doing more is a safe style for men
Being more is risky.

Doing more implies there is an end to it.
Being more is a process - fluid and unpredictable.

Doing more lets a man pick the changes he needs to make.
Being more allows God to reveal the changes a man needs to make.

Doing more requires trying harder.
Being more relies on training humbly.

Doing more engenders spiritual pride.
being more produces humility through surrender.

Doing more is about correcting behavior patterns.
Doing more is about connecting with God’s character.

Doing more attaches to the public persona.
being more reaches the private self - the man God wants to reach.”


Prayer:
God we ask to prepare our hearts as we go through this book to become the men of God you created us to be each and every moment. Prepare our hearts and minds to be open to hearing you and others as we journey forward. Amen


Just a reminder, the newsletters will be archived at www.robodaily.blogspot.com and you can find all the previous posts from Chasing Daylight there too.

Thanks,

Rob

Chasing 28 - The last one for Chasing Daylight


EXCERPT: “Remember that the person you are becoming in Jesus Christ is your greatest gift to others, so use your influence. Every great adventure is filled with peril and danger, but the risk is worth it. You have already been authorized to move forward, so advance. Impact your world by fighting the battles that are on God’s heart. Move with an urgency that creates a movement. Engage in an adventure so compelling that is causes the awakening of the dead in spirit. In this moment everyone one of us has to choose. Will you seize the power of every moment or let them slip away.” Pg 257.

REFLECTION: Gents, it’s been fun to go through a book that is constantly reminding us to embrace every moment, to unlock the potential in every relationship and situation we find ourselves in and to chase after God with such a fervency and passion that others around cannot help but be swept up to chase after Him too.

May we grow in our love and understanding of God! May that love filter down into our hearts to expand our capacity to love and serve others more deeply and may we see God, through His Spirit, advance His Kingdom in and around our lives!

“As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jesus: John:9-4-5


Amen!
Rob

Chasing 27 - Ready Break!


EXCERPT:  “No football team has ever won a Super Bowl on the strength of the huddle. It’s what happens after the ‘ready, break’ that brings the victory. Saul and all his men assembled and went into battle. Like Israel’s army, you cannot win a war until you leave the assembly and engage the battle. It’s not enough to assemble, you have to go to war.” Chasing Daylight pg.247

REFLECTION:
As Christians we have done an exceptional job at perfecting the “huddle”. It happens every Sunday across the world at what we call “church”.
Unfortunately many people have made the huddle the end game and so we find many Christians quite content to simply show up on a Sunday week after week, month after month and eventually year after year without ever truly taking the heart of Christ to a lost, hopeless, dying world.

Read about Jesus in the New Testament and you will clearly see that he valued the huddle, the gathering with his disciples, fellowship with the Father, but it never ended there, it overflowed into the streets with people being healed miraculously and lives being transformed where ever he went. He sent his disciples out into the world to proclaim the good news and in the book of Matthew commissioned us to do the same. Review your life for a second and if you find areas that have been in the huddle for way to long... now is the time for us to get back in the game!  

Ready Break!

Rob

Chasing 26 - Potential

We are moving into the last chapter of Chasing Daylight called “Awakening”.

“There is so much talk about potential in our culture, as if it’s the end-all of success. Has anyone ever said to you, “He has so much potential”? If you’re under twenty- lets give you twenty five - consider it a compliment. Potential - your untapped or unlocked capacity. Potential - the hint of greatness not yet developed. “He has so much potential” - a statement of praise and maybe even adoration. And then you’re thirty, and you still have all this potential. Pressing forty, and you’re still full of potential. If you’re forty-five and someone looks at you and says “You have so much potential,” pause, excuse yourself, step into a closet, and have a good cry.” Chasing Daylight pg. 237

It’s easy to have potential but to materialize potential into something of substance is another story!
I have the potential to be a great father, husband, friend, businessman or man of faith but that will not and is not happening without tons of hard work, sacrifice and toil.

To start actualizing our potential is going to take continual deliberate choices with our eyes fixed on a pre-established vision. I encourage you to get with God and to re-align or re-establish vision for you and your family.

Potential is still this side of the line... lets cross over!

Blessings Rob M.

www.robodaily.blogspot.com

Chasing 25

I am wrapping up the 2nd last chapter of Chasing Daylight. Just a reminder all previous emails are archived on the iron sharpens iron blog. www.robodaily.blogspot.com


EXCERPT:
“Is the activity of God so powerful around you that it compels others to join you? Do you follow Christ with such a passion that others are drawn to join the movement of God? Are you a God magnet? Do people watch your life and conclude, “Everywhere he goes, God shows up”? But you know that the more accurate description is that everywhere God goes, you show up.” Chasing Daylight pg. 224

REFLECTION:
I had a little BBQ get-together this week with a couple friends and we were all hanging outside cooking up some food chatting away, sharing a little here and there about this and that.   All of a sudden Daniel shows up... Within minutes of him being there we went from a calm collective gathering to a bunch of circus folk laughing our heads off for the rest of the night!
Dan is a great guy who brings so much joy and humor to any situation that you can’t help but join in.

Every one of us spreads our influence where ever we go. Some people I am around make me depressed, cynical, sad and others happy, inspired and passionate.  Whether we realize it or not we cannot turn off our influence... unless you go hide in a hole somewhere.

So I am realizing if I am going to always be influencing people, why not have experience God when they are around me. And the only way to smell, taste and look like Jesus to others is to continually chase after him and allow him to transform us more and more into his image!


Amen,

Have a great weekend.

Rob

Chasing 24
Are You Praying More than you mean it...

I want to share a couple quotes from a few pages in this chapter and let the Lord unpack it in our hearts.

“When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him”
(Matt 6:7-8)

“Too much of our literature regarding prayer is over-focused on how much we pray and too little focused on what happens when we pray. If one danger in regard to prayer is to be prayerless, another is to pray more and remain empty of genuine contact with God.” Chasing Daylight pg. 214-215

“There are some things we just don’t need to pray about. While many things in life remain a mystery, there are some things that God has spoken clearly. Here what we need to do is not pray, but obey.” pg.216

“Our lives are to be a continuous conversation with God, This kind of life of prayer is one where we are sensitive to every prompting and whisper of God. We are not only informing God, but God is informing us.” Pg. 217

“Jesus did not have a value for prayer, for prayer’s sake. He had a value for the intimate communion between God and man.” pg.218


QUESTIONS...
When praying for others or to God ourselves are you babbling a little. Do we need a reminder that we are praying out to the God of the Universe?

Are we praying about certain things we should rather simply be obeying, maybe God has already spoken?

Do we really believe the prayers we pray...?


Blessings,
Rob