A Few Words about Few Words

I’ve always admired two kinds of people—those who speak well, and those who don’t speak much.  I appreciate the former and am in awe of the latter.    I realize that sometimes it’s a personality type—some folks are just naturally quiet.  (May their tribe increase!)  But blessed is the man who has disciplined himself in the grace of brevity.

There are many warnings in the scriptures against talking too much:

James 1:26
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

Eccl 5:3
As a dream comes when there are many cares,
so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

Matt 6:7
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because oftheir many words.

Prov 10:8
The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Prov 15:2
 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

Prov 17:28
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Prov 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.


Better sign off.
Brian

Seize the Day

Hello Guys,

Treasure this time in your life kids, while you still have your choices.

Your 20's go by in a blur.

Your 30's you get a little bald, grow a pot-belly

Your 40's one of your old girl friends becomes a grandmother,

Your 50's you'll have a surgery, you'll call it a procedure, but it's a surgery

Your 60's you move to Ft. Lauderdale, eat breakfast in the afternoon, dinner, the night before, and wander the malls in search of the ultimate soft yogurt; wondering why the kids don't call.

Your 70's you have a heart attack, and in your 80's you wind up babbling to a Jamaican nurse that your wife hates, but you call mother. Any questions?

Billy Crystal, from City Slickers.

I have always been known as one that tries to squeeze as much life out of each day as I can, and for a lot of my adult life, that took on some pretty selfish forms. Just how many ducks can you kill in a season, seemed to be a common theme, as I hunted sometimes in four different states in one year. In my 30's the most wonderful thing happened when I became a parent, and life was not just about me anymore.

I started serving in the churches I attended, and eventually went into full time ministry. Which, I promise, is not a guarantee that you will not be selfish anymore.

I guess, since I am old enough now to have seen how some life choices have played out by people I know, I am more motivated than ever for my life to count for something. To end my days wandering the mall is a fate worse than death. Heck, just about any day wandering the mall is a bad day for that matter. But to get to the end of those days and not have made a positive impact on someone.....

I spent several years trying how to figure out how to do this, and what I finally came up with is to be the man God made me to be, and let God take care of the rest. That takes the pressure off, I promise, but it's not quite as easy as it sounds. Have you ever noticed how hard it is for people to follow their dreams? The stuff that God has put deep in your hearts to fulfill. The stuff that you think everyone will think you are crazy if you even try. Our enemy, I promise, brings out the big guns whenever a man gets close to pursuing his dreams.

One of the stumbling blocks that men have in getting started pursuing their dreams is wondering if they are from God or not, because, quite frankly, most dreams don't involve going into full time “ministry”, and that’s ok, God calls us to do lots of different kinds of things. If we were all supposed to be clones of each other, we would all have the same fingerprint.

Here is a couple of good, but for sure not all, the filters you can use for a test. One, do you absolutely love doing it? Does the effort of whatever it is seem like you are really in your groove? Most people's gifting comes so easy to them that they think anyone can do it.

Then, two, will anyone else be affected by what you do? Will their hearts be stirred, will jobs be created, will your children respect you for taking a chance? If so, there is a great chance this is from God.

One line from Seize the Day from Carolyn Arends (great song btw)

Well one thing I've noticed, wherever I wander Everyone's got a dream he can follow or squander You can do what you will with the days you are given I'm trying to spend mine on the business of living So I'm singing my songs off of any old stage You can laugh if you want, I'll still say Seize the day, seize whatever you can 'Cause life slips away just like hourglass sand Seize the day, pray for grace from God's hand Then nothing will stand in your way Seize the day Later guys, Ok, don't forget, Band of Brothers Friday morning at 6:15. Dog Soliders will start again in October. Check out the Man Minute, by Jason Cruise who is with the OUtdoor Ministry Network. I have been subscribing to him for a year now and have really enjoyed him every monday. Thats about all the men's stuff that going on right now.

Whats that smell?

Hey Guys,

The author John Eldredge has touched many men since 2000 with the book, Wild at Heart. Early on in it, he asks the question, if in Genesis, it says that God made men in the image of God, male and female He made them, then how do we bear the image of God as a man?

He then says to go through scripture and look at what about God appeals to men? Something that looks more like a man than a woman, and he comes to the conclusion that men bear the image of God in their strength. In their ability to come through.

I have taught this for several years now and I struggle to get men to understand that I'm not talking about how much you can bench press or some other similar feat of physical strength.

Well, this weekend I was rereading a Donald Miller book and I came across a section that further explains this.

Donald was in a coffee shop (at a point in his life that he REALLY needed some maturity) with some friends and complaining about the reality of life. How reality stinks. The owner of the coffee shop, a very successful Portland businessman, replied that “Life is like a fine wine, it cannot be appreciated by children”.

Donald was later grateful for the sting that came with this quote, and the maturity moment that it provided (more about Donald's story can be found in a fascinating book “To own a Dragon” about him growing up without a Father).

That kind of strength, not only to go through each day, but to savor each day like a fine wine, that is what comes of following God in the adventure He has for each of us, of knowing that you are made to follow God and to expect a wild ride (He's not a tame lion, you know).

So, if reality is stinking for you these days, ask yourself where are you not following God? What looks risky that you are not entering into these days?

Heres to enjoying the adventure

Alex

Friday Morning 6:15 Band of Brothers at the warehouse.

I will start recruiting for this years class of Dog Soldiers soon. If you are interested, let me know.

Lots to do in Joplin. Contact Ryan McLain if you want to take a group up there, he has some contacts.

No Plan B

So I’m sitting here in the hospital as my wife recovers from surgery.  When we learned that her thyroid gland had a “suspicious lump” on it we began to pray and asked others to pray.  (By the way—thank you!)  When I pray I usually just go for broke and ask God to work a miracle.  In this case I was praying that God would miraculously dissolve the lump and that the surgeon would not need to cut on my wife.  But as I prayed I also thanked God for plan B—the things that God uses to heal a lot of people—skilled surgeons, advance medical technology, and good medicines.  In this case God used plan B.  Half her thyroid is gone, no cancer detected at this time, and good drugs are hard at work—thank God for plan B!

But it occurs to me that God himself doesn’t have the same luxury.  He sent his son to die in payment of our sins.  He rose again, ascended back to the Father and gave the Holy Spirit to empower believers to be His witnesses.  He has entrusted us with the task of making disciples ofall nations—no plan B.  If we don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.  Such is God’s faith in us.  He’ll do his part and he knows that because of his power that is at work within us, His holy purposes will be achieved.  God will work through our feeble efforts.  Though we bumble and stumble along the work will be done.

It has to happen.  There’s no plan B.

Brian