 Wednesday, February 13 2019
“A New Self"
DADS…as I shared beginning in last week’s blog, there are Six gifts that God has laid on my heart to
share with “us” over what is now the next five weeks (Go back and read week one to catch up).
Six gifts that He gives to us all freely to receive unconditionally daily.
We read in Ephesians 4:22-24:
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,
which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
So what does it mean to "Put off the Old”?
School my brothers is now in session.
It is not private. It is very public and has open enrollment!
A good clue to the meaning of "the old self" is in Colossians 3:8–9:
8 But now put them all away...anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth.
9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old person with its practices.
DADs…so putting off the "old self" is more than just setting aside and putting off old practices, because Colossians 3:9 says we put it off WITH it's practices.
We leave it…whatever it is…and all its parts…and things it creates.
So DADs How do we "Put on the New”?
Colossians 3:12: reveals the new person that we are supposed to "put on”... Paul says, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and loved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience."
Is putting off the "old self" easier than putting on "new self”? DOES IT MEAN TO DISCARD IT ALL?
Do you put new shoes over old ones? If you can do that…I want to see! To enroll in the School of Christ, you have to do both!
DADs the SECOND gift God gives us Today and EVERY DAY is a “NEW SELF”
DADS…let’s receive this gift and Take off the old…put on the new!
Today...You Have Been Remade!!
DADs…do not stand on the sidelines of life…get off the bench…“get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…
God gives you! So…C’mon DADs…Suit Up! Wednesday, February 06 2019
Dads…there are Six gifts that God has laid on my heart to
share with “us” over the next six weeks.
Six gifts that He gives to us all freely to receive unconditionally daily.
I love music.
When I was a kid my grand parents belonged to a record club (Google “records” if you need a definition).
Every month…new arrivals came in the mail. You never knew from one genre to the next.
So needless to say I was exposed to a wide range of artist from:
Willie Nelson (On the road Again) to Gladys Knight and the pips (Midnight train to Georgia)
From Frank Sinatra (My Way) to the Doobie Brothers (Jesus is Just Alright)
from Barry Manilow (Looks Like We Made It) to Ted Nugent (Stranglehold)
Some of my earliest memories are from listening to albums from Johnny Cash live from
San Quintin and Folsom Prison (A boy named Sue)
to Andy Williams Variety show singing (Moon River).
Included in those albums (records) were many Bands…just as diverse!
Eagles; Lynrd Skynyrd; Bread; Back Street Boys, and even great marching bands!
One of my favorite tunes was a Skynrd song called "Call me the Breeze."
Still today I am always on the lookout for my favorite new song!
One of my favorite’s old hymns is called the
Hymn of promise #707 (Typically cannot sing all the way through)
Although I love the melody…its the words that say it all..
"In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see."
In the book of Revelation 5:9 - We read about “A New Song”
9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals, because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased
for God persons from every tribe and language
and people and nation.
DADS, a few thoughts on this New Song available to us all...
So DADs the first gift God gives us today and EVERY DAYis a “NEW SONG”
DADS…let’s receive this gift and sing this New Song Today! You Have Been Remade!!
DADs…do not stand on the sidelines of life…get off the bench…“get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you!So…C’mon DADs…Suit Up!
To follow the “Suit Up” Movement…
Wednesday, January 30 2019
DADs…how many times have you started a project at home thinking you could save a few dollars and do it all yourself?
Hey…you have seen how easy it is on TV…You even google it.
Then, you convince yourself that you really do not need to ask any questions at the neighborhood hardware store because you tell yourself…"I got this!"
You think…that it will only take just a few hours…with the right tools and presto…no problem!
Not long into the work…it becomes evident that you may be in over your head. Panic sets in when you realize you may not be able to do this alone.
In John 5:30…even Jesus knows that He cannot do it all on His own:
30"I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is righteous,
because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
In Romans 13:12 Paul reminds us to equip ourselves:
12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.
So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
DADs, we are not an island. In reality, we need others in our life…and most importantly we need Jesus Christ.
DADs…“get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you!
So…C’mon men…Suit Up! Wednesday, January 23 2019
DADs…one of my favorite places to spend time is in my Man Cave watching hours of college football. Some Saturday’s from sunrise to sunset I center my whole day around game times and sports highlights. Surrounding me in my Man Cave are walls of sports memorabilia and pictures of sporting events. Anybody that might walk into this sports Mecca without knowing me could easily assume my passion and heart for sports. While all these things are all important to me…They are not eternal. I must find and keep a balance. If these things become all consuming…then my relationships with God and family will suffer. I must ask myself, “at what point are these things I desire, hindering my relationships and my role as the DAD and husband God has called me to be?" In the passage, Matthew 6:21:Jesus tells his disciples: 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. DADs...Are your treasures in the right places? What is it I am doing that would let others know by watching me that my love of Christ is my foundation for all other things? DADs…“get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon men…Suit Up! Wednesday, January 16 2019
A good friend and mentor once told me that he believed every person should have his own personal vision statement.
As goal setter myself, I always have understood the importance of having goals to achieve, and a vision statement for my work…but, I had never considered my own personal vision statement.
Since that day, I have not only set my own individual vision statement, I am developing one for my family as well.
As the DAD we must ensure our plan and our vision is “kingdom" like, by ensuring we seek God’s counsel through prayer along the way.
As it says inProverbs 15:22: Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
And in…Proverbs 16:9it reads:
A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.
DADs…it is so important to write your vision today, discerning God's desires and countless blessings, while enlarging His territory.
Write one that includes your role as the DAD and the spiritual leader of your family.
By doing this you will be demonstrating the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and adding value to the precious gifts God has given you.
DADs…“get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon men…Suit Up!
To follow the “Suit Up” Movement…
Wednesday, January 09 2019
DADs…recently I heard a motivational speaker ask the question…“what do you do with your 24?”
Now the speaker was referring to the number of hours each of us have every day!
I thought to myself…what a simple but great question.
If I take inventory of just the past week…it is easy to see that I have wasted a lot of the time God has given me. Often times taking each day for granted.
In one of my favorite scriptures Psalm 118:24:
It says…“This is the day the Lord hath made…let us rejoice and be glad in it”
Way too often as men and DADswe forge forward to the future without being present today. If we are truly going to maximize our brief time here on earth, then we must consider every “24”God gives us!
One of the ways we can honor our "24"is to love our family by NOT over scheduling our calendar with stuff, leading us to miss opportunities to fully live
and be the man God has called us to be.
Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.DADs…let’s start each day, by remembering those God has placed into our lives, to be their cheerleader, and to practice our compassion each day.
Today…do NOTsimply count days…Today...make your "24"count!
DADs…“get in the game”…
Today is game day…and so is every day…
God gives you! So…C’mon men…Suit Up! Wednesday, January 02 2019
DADs…as we turn the calendar to 2019, I ask you, "Do you have a huddle?”
And if you do, “Who is in your huddle?"
Is it filled with people of integrity holding you accountable or do you surround yourself with those that might lead you astray?
DADs for your sake and for your family’s sake, again I ask, "Do you have a huddle?"
Most successful leaders will share, intentional men of substance include people in their huddle that will celebrate their walk with Christ and spiritual journey.
Even Jesus had a huddle. Jesus’ huddle was His disciples. All men with different backgrounds…but all sharing in Christ’s mission.
John 6:3 So Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with His disciples.
DADs…you see Jesus understood the importance of not only having a huddle…but also spending time with them as well.
If you don’t have a huddle…ask God to give you one…then huddle up today.
In 2019 your huddle can keep you focused and remind you to press on towards the goals enlarging His territory and being the DAD God has called you to be!
DADs…“get in the game”…
Today is game day…and so is every day…
God gives you! So…C’mon men…Suit Up! Thursday, December 27 2018
DADs…there is nothing like the rush of finishing a race and cooling down after a great run. Maybe I like cooling down because it means that I am done with my workout…but I think more than anything else…it represents accomplishment.
When I am in the cooling down phase of a run or work out…I find myself reflecting on the work out itself…and it never fails…the harder the workout…the better the feeling!
What I have found is that the feeling of accomplishment carries over into other parts of my life. Physically working out helps me see the blessings of each day.
Even beyond a physical work out is the importance of spiritual fitness. Reaching the cooling down phase with God usually means that you have just experienced a mountain top or life changing experience…and cooling down in the spiritual sense is the time to bow down and give thanks to God for the blessings of the day.
For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will give praise to God.
When was the last time you found time…to cool down and give praises to God?
DADs…as you find yourself between Christmas day and a New Year…make time to "cool down” daily, giving thanks for the countless blessings you have already received...and for all the plans God has in store for you in 2019!
DADs…“get in the game”
Today is game day…
and so is every day…
God gives you! So…
C’mon men…Suit Up! Wednesday, December 19 2018
DADs…the one thing I quickly learned the first 5K race I ever ran was that the adrenaline would kick in at the start of the race and as the runners all first took off...
I would find myself getting caught up in the others pace. Instead of trusting the pace that I had practiced for weeks during my work outs.
The funny thing that happened was that as I got back on my pace…I slowly but surely passed many of those that had sprinted past me at the start.
With God… it is the same. To be in flow with God’s pace is so important…and God’s pace is different for each of us.
With God it is not a sprint…but a marathon.
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
What is important to God is not how we start the race…or even how fast our pace is…but that we are always moving forward…and that we actually finish the race that counts!
DADs…this Christmas season sure to pace yourself…and remember to "Run in such a way as to get the prize."
DADs…“get in the game”…
Today is game day…and so is every day…
God gives you! So…C’mon men…Suit Up!
To follow the “Suit Up” Movement…
Wednesday, December 12 2018
DADS…
The worse part about running is stretching. Being a runner…I have found that the older I get the longer I must stretch.
Oh to be young again and just jump out on the road and run!
Some days I am tempted to skip stretching…and it always results in either poor performance or injury that prevents me from running all together.
Just like running…each day is so much better when you stretch spiritually with God. Either in the quiet of the morning or the still of a late evening…getting into His word through the spiritual stretching of prayer or reading the Bible will give you the peace and joy needed to
press on through life’s work out!
Just as Paul wrote in Philippians 3:14
"I presstoward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
DADs…when you make time to spiritually “stretch" each day…you will be a better dad and husband to your precious family, and better to those God puts into your daily path.
DADs…“get in the game”…
Today is game day…and so is every day…
God gives you! So…C’mon men…Suit Up!
To follow the “Suit Up” Movement…
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