Week 21 - #Prepare "Acknowledge"

"The Power of Acknowledgement"

Matthew 16:19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Galatians 2:16 "Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."

Romans 12:6-8 "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."

What in your life do you need to acknowledge?

Why is it so easy to acknowledge success but ignore the process and even our failures?

To acknowledge is so critical in every aspect.

In preparation for our own acknowledgments we must practice intentional transparency. Transparency in our beliefs, our practices, and our motives.

It is in our acknowledgment through transparency we can realize and utilize the gifts God has given each of us!

We all have gifts but often fail to acknowledge them! By acknowledging our unique talents we can direct them towards the area benefiting those needing what we have the most.

As Paul writes in

Romans 12:6-8 "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."

When you start to acknowledge and name the ambitions that are rumbling around inside you, they open up a new vista of what life was meant to be—full of passion and purpose.

DADs, let's start preparing to engage in our purpose God has planned out for each of us by acknowledging those gifts inside us!

To God be the glory!

DADs, “get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

**Today we prepared for the power of "acknowledgement.” Next week we will consider how to reflect and prepare for the reasons we need to write and send “letters”**

Week 20 - #Prepare - “Yearn"
Are You Yearning on Empty?

Romans 1:11 For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you;

1 Thessalonians 2:8 Thus, yearning over you, we had found our delight in having imparted to you not only the glad tidings of God, but our own lives also, because ye had become beloved of us.

James 4:5 Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says, "The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning?”

One definition of yearn is “to long persistently.”

What do you yearn for? What are those things if absent from your life, even for a short period of time you miss?

Do you yearn to make a difference? Yearn to share life with others? Or maybe to create something never imagined before?

What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning when the “opportunity” clock goes off and your feet hit the ground?

Is there a persistent longing in your life "powering your purpose" and “launching" you into your mission?

Wow. I know. Many Questions. Probably too many!

DADs, the yearning in your life is the spark moving you towards action. But to fuel this yearning, you will need to prepare because like Jackson Browne’s 1977 tune, you don’t want to find yourself “Running on Empty.”

"Gotta do what you can just to keep your love alive. Trying not to confuse it, with what you do to survive '69, I was 21 and I called the road my own I don't know when that road turned into the road I'm on"

"Running on empty Running blind Running into the sun But I'm running behind"

Ever feel that way? Wondering how you got down this road you are on and running behind? Your yearning must be fueled and it must also have direction.

In Romans 1:11, Paul had a yearning to be in person with the Christians in Rome. He wrote: "For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you.”

Paul knew he had the ability to build up the Christians in Rome and he longed to fuel their spirit and to strengthen them. Like many of the gifts God instills within us, Paul’s yearning was a gift to be shared with others.

DADs it is essential to have passion and yearning in our lives. It’s what gives us each purpose, fueling our direction. But our yearning must be grounded in truth and Kingdom like.

Where we turn to and whom we place our trust in will determine the road we find ourselves on.

The yearning that truly makes us smile and most importantly makes God smile, is the yearning we have prepared for, never running blind or finding ourselves running on empty!

To God be the glory!

DADs“get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

**Today we prepared for our “yearning.” Next week we will consider how to discern and prepare for those things we need to “Acknowledge”**

Week 19 - #Prepare - “Love"
"Outdoing One Another In Love"

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showinghonor. (Romans 12:10)

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from apure heart... (1 Peter 1:22)

Finally, all of you, haveunityof mind, sympathy, brotherly love,a tender heart, and ahumblemind. (1 Peter 3:8)

One of my favorite football coaches, Lou Holtz, has been quoted before saying,“I follow three rules: Do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care.”

Oh, how we all need to put these three simple rules into practice with our daily life, and infuse them into our world today!

This week of preparation we focus on love.

How do you show people you care?

Who are the people you love, and who are the people that love you?

Based on our definition of “prepare" what do you need to apply, fix, or establish with your others in regards to love?

I believe the key to prepare for love, lies in one word -intentional.

Whether we speak the words of love directly or we demonstrate through our patience, presence and promotion, we must be intentional in sharing our love for others.

Yes, there are some crossing our paths more difficult to love than others, but in our intentionality we have the opportunity to practice our humility, allowing us to see the best in those otherwise deemed unlovable.

As a human race, we have got to find the way leading to the journey, emulating what Paul exhorted in 1 Peter 1:22: “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart.”

As we mentioned in week one, we must prepare intentionally our “hearts" to become the vessel for loving others.

So where do we start? Wherever you are!

You may currently need reconciliation. Maybe some renewal. Or still yet, choosing to simply start with respect. None will happen without intentionality.

In Romans 12:10 we are reminded to “Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor.”

Can you imagine if we turned our competitive spirits towards intentionally “showing” how much we care and love others? By outdoing one another in showing honor to all those God places in our lives?

In our preparation for love we must not withhold the love God has for each of us.

Like our heavenly DAD, we must share love, show love, be love.

In 1 Peter 3:8, we read these instructions "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind."

DADs, let us out do each other in our preparation today, to intentionally show people we care, with brotherly affection, a humble heart and giving honor!

To God be the glory!

DADs, “get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

**Today we prepared for love.” Next week we will consider how to discern and prepare for those things we “yearn for!”**

Week 18 - #Prepare - "Hurt"
"Before the Hurt"

Jeremiah 29:11 - “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I Peter 4:12 & 13 - “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

Hebrews 12:1 & 2 - “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

In this precious life God has given us, we prepare for a lot of things. We prepare for school. We prepare for a career. We prepare for a marriage and a family. We prepare for anniversaries, birthdays, and graduations, but typically we do not prepare for loss, pain and life’s hurts.

For the most part, I am a glass half full guy, and I have the tendency to look for the silver lining even in the midst of darkness. My daily practice leans towards anticipating and acknowledging the many blessings this life has to offer and they are endless!

But scripture warns us we are also to be prepared and alert to acknowledge pain and sorrow in our journeys, thus not be “surprised at the fiery ordeal” that sometimes will come upon us along the way.

Who wants to face those things? No one! The good news is we have a God that goes before us and never forsakes us, even when facing hurt. No matter the hurt.

Since we are not all Boy Scouts and “always prepared” for every scenario when life’s hurts appear, we can be prepared by finding ourselves in God’s word DAILY. We can lean on His understanding, receive His hope, and know He goes before us.

It is that precious assurance that God stays with us, providing us the will as the author of Hebrews 12 encourages us all “to run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” while “fixing our eyes on Jesus.”

So the question is…

Will preparing for hurt by maintaining a relationship with Jesus daily remove us from any future pain or sorrow?

No, BUT He will give us His eyes to see our hurts differently whatever the circumstances and whatever the hurt.

And not only will He will provide His presence through it all, He will give us His own personal GPS too! As it is written in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

DADs, by securing the foundation of your faith, by first establishing your walk with Christ today, you are preparing for your worst days. This way you can more fully enjoy your very best days.
And when hurt does come, as singer/songwriter Benjamin Rector shares in his lyrics of his song “When a Heart Breaks”,
”This isn't easy This isn't clear And you don't need Jesus til' you're here Then confusion and the doubts you had up and walk away They walk away When a heart breaks”

There are no shortcuts in this preparation! We must not wait till hurt comes our way to look squarely to God. We must prepare today as we are exhorted in I Peter 4:12, to “rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”

DADs, let us each be overjoyed! Even through our pain, our sorrow and hurts today, while sharing this preparation to your children along the way.

To God be the glory!

DADs“get in the game”…Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

**Today we prepared for life’s “hurts.” Next week we will consider how we prepare to love others, and revealing Christ’s love for us**