Category: Preparation

Making heaven your goal

12/2/2013

It was kind of a surreal experience.... We had just arrived at our mission in Quito and here I was less than 48 hours later standing at the graveside of a man I didn't know and hadn't even met.

I watched as the gravedigger dug the grave by hand. He would occasionally stop and put his chin on top of the shovel and seem interested in what was going on as he rested. There was hardly anybody there. Just the man's wife, a couple of other people, the pastor, myself and the Ecuadorian gravedigger. Being one of the few English speaking churches in town, the widow called the pastor with whom I served on staff and asked that he do the funeral. I was there as support.

The story of this man's life ended sadly. He was a very successful American businessman who had visited Ecuador frequently and ended up buying some lucrative property in Quito so that he could retire. He had quite a nest egg. His goal in life was to retire with his wife at this property in Quito and live a life of ease and luxury.

What was interesting was that this man and his wife arrived in Quito about the same time my wife and I had arrived. We may have even been on the same airplane. What he hadn't considered, as he grew older, was that his health wasn't as good as it had been in the past. Quito has an elevation of over 9,000 feet (btw - Denver has an elevation of just over 5,000 feet) above sea level. People who visit Quito often come down with Soroche (altitude sickness). The symptoms are very similar to carbon monoxide poisoning. The stress of the Soroche that he was experiencing taxed his body and his heart stopped working.

So, here we have a man who saved his whole life, gathered quite a bit of money and bought some nice property in Quito so that he could retire, and within 48 hours of achieving his goal, he died. From what his wife described, it also appeared that he died without knowing Jesus as his Savior.

Jesus talked about this. He said, "Now what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?"

Jesus, who taught a parable about a man who amassed fortune and trusted in himself, said, "You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?"

Having a goal is not bad in and of itself. However, if your goal excludes God and is just to please yourself, know that you may never reach it. If you do, it won't last forever.

Everyone dies.

Then there is reward or payment.

Yet, if you have a goal and it includes God and pleasing Him, you WILL reach it.

"Don't store up treasure on earth..."

Make heaven your goal.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN

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Premarital advice: 5 things to remember

9/3/2013

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As wedding season winds down, you’ve probably seen many people say “I do” over the past few months. Maybe you were even lucky enough to tie the knot with the person you love.

But maybe you’re hesitant to make this big committment. After all, it’s a commitment fraught with failure in our culture. We don’t blame the wary. It’s an intimidating prospect when you begin to realize that the rest of your life is going to be promised to one other person.

Most books on marriage are written by seasoned professionals. How did these authors, stalwarts of marital success, get so good at loving and serving each other? And how come so many other couples have a hard time making the cut?

There are no hard-and-fast rules, but if our friends ask us about what to expect in that first year of being married or how they can make it easier, we certainly recommend they read some of the great literature on the subject.

But, of course, each marriage is different, and the literature doesn’t cover everything. Fresh from one year together, here are five things that marriage books might forget to mention:

1. Marriage can be really fun! If you brace for a storm and it turns out to be only a mild drizzle, you might be pleasantly surprised that it went so well.

Many people caution against being married. From television to books on marriage, the outlook can seem grim. But we discovered that despite many trials, our married life was not drudgery. Rather, it produced hope and joy in our lives.

In all of the crises and unexpected adjustments during your first year of marriage, don’t forget that it’s meant to be enjoyed! If that means letting some (or many) things go, or if that means mounds of forgiveness heaped on your partner, do it.

Our best advice is to lighten up and remember you’re growing closer to your best friend! Heed the caution and advice of others, but never lose sight of one of marriage’s best parts: friendship.

2. You can and should minister to your spouse. While finding a new church or adjusting to a new environment can be unpredictable, there is one sure thing: Your new partner is in need of some serious ministry.

We don’t mean that you need to cook them every meal or always take out the trash; we actually mean that you need to pray for and with your spouse.

Much like a pastor caring for a member of the congregation, open up time in your schedule to talk about scripture, faith and church. When your husband or wife feels as though he or she is faltering in faith, make sure to pray, counsel and offer unconditional support.

Even if you are finding it difficult to start a new ministry life in a new place, you can be sure that your spouse needs a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear.

3. Your “role” is always evolving. Most of us like to think that we are going to permanently fall into certain roles once we are married. The truth is, these roles are continually shifting. Roles and expectations are amazing, but only so long as you are willing to adjust and be flexible to new ones.

With all of the unexpected changes that occur in that first year of marriage, be open to taking over the roles of cooking, cleaning, working, etc. for certain seasons of life in order to help the other person out.

In our marriage, since both of us are on-and-off students, we seem to shift roles every time a new term begins. When one of us was taking the dreaded medical school admissions test, the other gave up study, sleep and even work in order to be of service.

What makes all of this very simple and easy is our shared desire to always put the other person first. What makes it very difficult is finding the middle ground where both of us can flourish and pursue the dreams that God has instilled in both of our hearts. But as long as both of us value and understand the other’s goals, we can find that happy medium and serve each another appropriately.

4. God simply needs to come first. This is the most important lesson of all, and yet it often gets left out as a given. Our paths in that first year can suddenly shift in new directions and it’s important to put all of our needs into context.

What is the primary goal of our lives and who or what are we serving? Once you can answer this question with your spouse, you can tackle many difficult problems.

When one of you struggles in your spiritual life, drop everything in order to help reinvigorate their relationship with God. This is the foundation of a marriage and its primary source of fuel.

5. A dedicated counselor or pastor is a must. When the relationship becomes rocky, sometimes the only thing to do is get an outsider’s perspective.

Relationship meltdowns can happen in an instant, and none of us are immune to them. For the sake of your marriage, get to know someone who can speak with clarity and understanding into your lives.

In that first year of marriage, being out to sea without a paddle could have disastrous consequences. So get in the habit, early, of developing the kinds of relationships that support your marriage with people who are willing to give wise counsel.

This article is from Relevant magazine. For the original post with comments, go to: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationships/5-things-premarital-advice-books-left-out

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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Temptation: Looking Ahead

2/22/2013

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There is an important principle in handling temptation. Did you know that many times, you can anticipate temptation?

Look at the picture of this mountain path and I will try and describe this principle to you. Imagine yourself at the bottom of this mountain and you want to reach the top. The path circles around the mountain, rather circuitously and over time, you get to where you know this mountain fairly well. You know that when you get to the east side of the mountain, the drop is shear and the side is craggy and the path is treacherous. Fortunately, for you, the path has rails (like in the picture) that help you stay steady. On the north face of the mountain, the wind is very brisk, you almost feel like you will be blown off the path. On the west side, the path is lush and covered with trees that shield you from the rain and sun. On the south side, it is stark and barren and the sun or the rain beats down upon you miserably.

You know pretty much what's coming ahead because you have been there before. So you continue on your journey in anticipation. You know that you need support when you come to the slippery east side. You know that you need to grab trees and use your walking cane on the windy north side. You know that you can take it easy and enjoy yourself on the west side. You know that you need to apply protection to prevent sunburn on the south side.

Usually, as you traverse up a mountain, it takes less time to go around it because it is usually smaller the further up you go. Just like temptation, the more you prepare for it and the more times you say no to temptation, the easier the path.

Do you have the picture? Do you get what I am saying?

Think of this path as your life. You can pretty much predict what will happen if you go certain places. If you have to go someplace treacherous, get some support. Take someone with you, be accountable when you go there. If you find yourself in a place that can blow you off your feet, look for trees and walking canes that you can grab onto. If you are in the heat and need to apply SONSCREEN, ask God for His protection.

This is the principle to handling temptation: Anticipate, think, plan, pray. Use your brain. Trust the Holy Spirit's guidance.

You can't use the excuse, "I just couldn't help myself, after all I'm only human."
God gave you a brain, you're not stupid.
You're not an animal that just reacts.

You can think and plan ahead...

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

My thanks to Tom Eisenman for this concept.

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Heavenly excitement

11/28/2012

2 Comments

I've been excited about heaven recently. It's kinda strange because I have been preoccupied with looking forward to going there.

This is different than what I have had in the past. I have written about a dream that I had about heaven. I have speculated about my reaction to heaven possibly being similar to how our kittens experience transition from one home to another. I have also considered how people with disabilities may experience heaven. But this time, my thoughts about heaven seem different.

This is not about my frustrations of living in a sinful world. This is not about my frustrations of living in a body that is aging. This is not about my desire to finally be free of my sinful tendencies. This isn't a reaction to the bad news that I read about everyday and wanting Jesus to return to end suffering.

This time, for the past couple of weeks, I have been filled with excitement about the prospect of heaven. I don't know what started this emotion but I am enjoying it. Maybe I spend too much time in my head pontificating about what things could be like. Maybe I'm too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good.

But, I'm just putting this out there.
Heaven is something that gets me really excited.

I don't envision all the imagery found in Revelation.
I don't think about flying around playing harps and acting all righteous.

I see heaven as a place very similar to this world but being at total peace with myself and everyone else.

God's Peace will rule heaven.

I imagine running and not getting tired.
I imagine climbing mountains and not worrying about gravity.

I imagine traveling, visiting, remembering, spending an eternity with those whom I have only read about.

I imagine hearing story after story of God's faithfulness and grandeur.

I imagine meeting people that the world threw away and trashed but are highly prized by God.

I imagine getting to REALLY KNOW people and not worrying about time, expense or image.

I imagine time spent with Jesus.

I imagine times of review of people's lives and seeing where God intervened and nobody knew about it.

I imagine that I will be surprised at how involved God's Holy Spirit has been with us.

I imagine there will be no concept of time.

I imagine...

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

2 Comments

What is your goal?

11/27/2012

3 Comments

It was kind of a surreal experience.... We had just arrived at our mission in Quito and here I was less than 48 hours later standing at the graveside of a man I didn't know and hadn't even met.

I watched as the gravedigger dug the grave by hand. He would occasionally stop and put his chin on top of the shovel and seem interested in what was going on as he rested. There was hardly anybody there. Just the man's wife, a couple of other people, the pastor, myself and the Ecuadorian gravedigger. Being one of the few English speaking churches in town, the widow called the pastor with whom I served on staff and asked that he do the funeral. I was there as support.

The story of this man's life ended sadly. He was a very successful American businessman who had visited Ecuador frequently and ended up buying some lucrative property in Quito so that he could retire. He had quite a nest egg. His goal in life was to retire with his wife at this property in Quito and live a life of ease and luxury.

What was interesting was that this man and his wife arrived in Quito about the same time my wife and I had arrived. We may have even been on the same airplane. What he hadn't considered, as he grew older, was that his health wasn't as good as it had been in the past. Quito has an elevation of over 9,000 feet (btw - Denver has an elevation of just over 5,000 feet) above sea level. People who visit Quito often come done with Soroche (altitude sickness). The symptoms are very similar to carbon monoxide poisoning. The stress of the Soroche that he was experiencing taxed his body and his heart stopped working.

So, here we have a man who saved his whole life, gathered quite a bit of money and bought some nice property in Quito so that he could retire, and within 48 hours of achieving his goal, he died. From what his wife described, it also appeared that he died without knowing Jesus as his Savior.

Jesus talked about this. He said, "Now what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?"

Jesus, who taught a parable about a man who amassed fortune and trusted in himself, said, "You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?"

Having a goal is not bad in and of itself. However, if your goal excludes God and is just to please yourself, know that you may never reach it. If you do, it won't last forever.

Everyone dies.

Then there is reward or payment.

Yet, if you have a goal and it includes God and pleasing Him, you WILL reach it.

"Don't store up treasure on earth..."

Make heaven your goal.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN

3 Comments

Preparing to die

2/18/2012

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Jesus is our example of a real man. What does a real man do when he is faced with the inevitability of his death?

Look at the way that Jesus handled His impending mission. Jesus talked to His Father about His calling to die. He spent significant time telling His Father how He felt about what was about to happen. He took His best friends with Him but He didn't allow His friends to dissuade Him due to their inability to be supportive.

The day of His crucifixion, He spent time with His followers and let them know what was going to happen. His death was to happen during Passover. During Passover, a tradition is to sing the Hallel Psalms, chapters 113-118. They are to be sung as a prayer. What is interesting is chapter 118, the last scripture that Jesus and the His disciples sang. Jesus knew what He was going to go thru. Look at some of the key words that Jesus sang:

What can man do to me?

I will look in triumph over my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

They surrounded me on every side but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

The LORD is my strength and my song, He has become my salvation.

I will not die, but live. I will proclaim what the LORD has done.

This is the day the LORD has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Give thanks to the LORD for He is good.

His love endures forever.

So, the conclusion... When you know that you are going to face a severe trial, face it like a man. Be like Jesus. Spend time with your LORD and have confidence that you will emerge victorious because HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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Preparing yourself for service

1/28/2012

2 Comments

How do you prepare yourself for your day? For many men, it's to hit the alarm clock and then full on until bed time again. A real man works hard. But a real man has to gain sustenance.

Where do you get your strength? I would encourage you to pray this prayer before you start your day. Do it several days in a row until you can grasp the full meaning and meditate on it throughout the day. You might be surprised with the results!

This is St Patrick's breastplate prayer . It is to prayed upon starting your day and Psalm 5 is to be added.

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;*
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

_______________________________________

* Note: "day of doom" is an Old English term meaning "Day of Judgment."

2 Comments

Making heaven your goal

Premarital advice: 5 things to remember

Temptation: Looking Ahead

Heavenly excitement

What is your goal?

Preparing to die

Preparing yourself for service

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