Behold the Man -- a men's conference

On January 28 I enjoyed the fellowship of 900-plus Christian men gathered for a one-day conference at Calvary Fellowship in Mountlake Terrace. In addition to wonderful worship and prayer, the day featured four speakers: Ben Courson, Brian Holman, Mike MacIntosh and rap artist This'l.

From Courson, my notes included a challenge to "do the thing that scares you the most." Satan, he suggested, "often speaks to us through a well-meaning friend." He urged those in his audience to "do that which, without God, is doomed to fail."

From MacIntosh: "A godly man has a heart for Christ; stop at the cross, and give Him your heart;" and "Take it seriously that God is calling you, and has a precise mission for you."

From This'l: Culture tells us that a man is judged to be "successful" based on things like material possessions and sexual prowess. A godly man models his life after Jesus Christ, and is willing to fight for his family, church, community. He wore a shirt bearing the words of one of his songs: "I signed up to die," referencing the decision to "die to self" and live for Jesus.

From Holman, a former professional baseball pitcher: "Never quit. Trust in God. Never give up;" and "Failure is inevitable, but it cannot derail God's plan for your life. It can only test your resolve. Use failure as a fuel. Fear is what stands between a man and an extraordinary life."

To hear each speaker's entire presentation, go to the following:
http://calvaryfellowship.org/audio/tag/Events%7CSeries/NW%20Mens%20Conference%202012#

Mission ministry doesn't require passport

“The mission field is wherever you are called to be. I believe our days are numbered, so it doesn’t matter what country I’m in.”

Those are the words of 24-year-old friend David Grove, who came home recently for a brief visit in the U.S. before returning to missionary work in Kampala, Uganda.

I recall the days of my youth, when I thought all "serious" Christians must serve as full-time ministers or missionaries. Today I understand how childish and restricting that idea was. When we are surrendered fully to God, when we grasp the magnitude of His grace in our own lives, we have a desire to share the good news with everyone. Our "mission field" then becomes wherever God has placed us: family home, school, workplace.

I pray that I will be recognized as a child of God, set apart from those who do not yet know Him, and that I will be willing, even eager, to "introduce" Him when God presents opportunity. In the meantime, I give thanks for Christian missionaries who respond to the great commission, leaving familiar, comfortable surroundings to bring the gospel to all corners of the world.

Isaiah 61:1
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners."

Fight for your family

At prayer service the other night our fellowship entered into prayer in defense of marriages. I recalled vulnerable times in my own marriage, times when I was preoccupied, focused on career but passive about my critical role as spiritual leader of my family. This song by Sanctus Real captures beautifully the heart cry of a wife and children seeking love and leadership from husband and father:

"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent, but on the inside

Oh, I can hear them saying

Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?"

Lyrics by Matthew Hammitt, Jason Ingram, Christopher Jame Rohman

I give thanks for God's perfect plan of love; for the gifts of marriage and family. I give Him thanks for giving me "new eyes" to see my wife and children as He sees them, and for a passion to be responsible for leadership in our home.

A father's "rules for living"

The following item was printed in "From On This Day," a book by Robert J. Morgan, Copyright 1997

Heinrich Bullinger was a good pastor and a better father. He was born in 1504 to a priest who embraced Reformation views. Young Heinrich loved Luther’s writings, Melanchthon’s books, and the study of the Bible. At the age of 27, he took the place of slain Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli as pastor of the Grossmunster of Zurch, on December 23, 1531.
Bullinger continued Zwingli’s practice of preaching through books of the Bible, verse by verse. His home was open from morning till night, and he freely distributed food, clothing, and money to the needy. His wisdom and influence spread across Europe.
No one was more affected than his own son, Henry. When the young man packed his bags and set out for college in Strasburg, Heinrich gave him ten rules for living:
1. Fear God at all times, and remember that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom
2. Humble yourself before God, and pray to him alone through Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate.
3. Believe firmly that God has done all for our salvation through his son.
4. Pray above all things for a strong faith active in love.
5. Pray that God may protect your good name and keep you from sin, sickness and bad company.
6. Pray for the fatherland, for your dear parents, for the spread of the word of God.
7. Be reticent, be always more willing to hear than to speak, and do not meddle with things you do not understand.
8. Study diligently. Read daily three chapters of the Bible.
9. Keep your body clean and unspotted, be neat in your dress, and avoid above all things intemperance in eating and drinking.
10. Let your conversations be decent, cheerful, moderate.

The advice was taken. Henry Bullinger became, like his father and grandfather, a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Don't miss Christmas

The following is written by Pastor Greg Laurie, distributed as one of his daily devotionals. I have added some elements for emphasis.

"This Christmas, don't miss the point of celebrating Christmas. Don't be like the innkeeper who missed Jesus because he was too busy (see Luke 2). Make time for the Lord. Don't be like King Herod who was too afraid to let Christ rule His life (see Matthew 2). Turn your heart over to Christ. Finally, don't run your life like the Roman Empire, who missed Christmas because other gods took the place of Christ in their lives. Allow nothing else to take the place of worshipping Jesus Christ."

"On Saturday night or Sunday morning we will unwrap our Christmas presents, but eventually the novelty of it all will wear off. In time, your Christmas gifts will mostly be forgotten. But God has given us the ultimate gift—the gift of His Son Jesus Christ."

"Don't miss Christmas this year. As Watts and Handel once wrote, "Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room." (Joy to the World)

His perfect plan, from the beginning

(Go to link below)

http://www.seekfirstmedia.com/Videos/family-talk/

Enjoy this brief video from Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk titled: "The Christmas Epic."

Wintley Phipps & Amazing Grace

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1312
Go to this link to learn more about the timeless gospel song "Amazing Grace." Wintley Phipps not only sheds new light on this song, but delivers an unforgettable rendition.