Dear Men
 
This Sunday is Father's Day
 
This must be a time we pray for the men in our lives, families, community and country.
 
At Lagoonside church in Knysna of the GardenRoute, we firmly believe the end goal of the Christian life is to become the man that God wants us to be. We do this by allowing his vision, mission, purposes, and goals to shape our lives. This involves healthy habitual disciplines.
A discipline, or in our case "spiritual discipline," is a training activity that helps to shape and mould character over an extended period of time that accelerates and focuses the process. Spiritual discipline is the "strict training" that Paul was talking about 1 Corinthians 9:25-27.
1Co 9:25  "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." 
 
Here are some Foundational Spiritual Disciplines to embrace
 
PRAYER
Prayer is a fundamental discipline, and we men need to learn to build prayer routines into the daily patterns of our lives. Prayer is talking with God. For newer Christians, talking to an unseen God is unusual. And it's unusual because when we are having a conversation, there is usually someone physically standing in front of us that talks back. Prayer does not exactly work like this. But the small hurdle of learning to talk with an unseen God is not the central issue men have with practicing the discipline of prayer. The primary problem is all the other pressing issues that keep us from praying and developing a pattern of prayer. Daily we face demands that compete for our time or distract us. Because of this, men go days, weeks, and even months devoid of prayer, trusting only in human effort rather than also trusting in God through prayer. This can leave us feeling physically exhausted and spiritually depleted. Since so many other things compete with this priority, we need to be reminded of its priority and encourage men to strive to make time.
One of the best methods to help you get moving into regular prayer is the A.C.T.S. Method. This acronym stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. This method is easy to learn and easy to use.
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SCRIPTURE
People want the truth, and I believe they're on a search for it. As Christians, we believe truth originates from God alone. God's Word is the revelation of the truth, and Jesus is the physical representation of truth. But we cannot know the truth if we don't know how to spend time in the Word and with Jesus. Small doses of it, spoon-fed in short readings one time a week on a Sunday morning is not enough. Men, I challenge you to read your Bible. We can show you how to read it, study it, memorize it, and pray it. To teach someone how to read and study the Bible; is the greatest gift we will ever give a man. And it's the primary way we hear from God. The following are a few pointers on how to get started.
 
First, just start reading. I would recommend starting in the New Testament with the Gospel of Mark, as we are teaching through it on Sundays already, maybe even use a Bible App on your phone. (I'd recommend you use a KJV or ESV version). Read a few minutes each day. One of the great apps over the last few years that I have pointed men to is the Daily Audio Bible or the YouVersion Bible.
 
Second, read a trusted devotional. Short and easy-to-read devotionals teach us how to dig meaning from the Bible. I would use a devotional that includes Bible verses and then expands on these verses. When it comes from a trusted person or trusted source, it helps you to learn how to draw practical application from your Bible reading. It's like having a personal coach as you focus on a few verses from the scripture.
 
Third, establish regular patterns. This step is not so much about quantity or quality--it's about developing a routine. Setting small daily goals and repeating them is essential. Even ten minutes per day for a month will result in positive habits and will become rewarding over time. Then increase the repetitions and the length of time as able.
 
Third, go to the next level by learning how to study the Bible. This is a little more involved and requires more effort, but it's the greatest gift you could ever give yourself or another man. I would use the Inductive Bible Study Method. This method will teach you how to observe, interpret, and apply God's Word correctly. While it's great to learn from a pastor and discover how they observe, interpret, and apply the Bible, every man should learn how to become self feeding, to discover the truths in God's Word for themselves. Speak to one of the Elders  /Pastors for help with this.
 
BROTHERHOOD
Men need relationships with other men. Most men not only fail to develop meaningful relationships with other men, but they also lack adding in the spiritual component that must undergird it. Men prefer to go life alone for several reasons—time is valuable, relationships take work, chemistry is challenging, and autonomy is easier. But the biggest reason I believe men don't establish spiritual connections with other men is that many have never experienced one before. Having never had one, they don't know how to do it, and because of this, they have never experienced the benefit. All this leads to men defaulting to superficial male relationships that focus on trivial matters. They press the easy button.
 
Men who participate in one on one relationships or small groups mature spiritually faster than those who do not. This environment is a place where the previous three disciplines can be sharpened and experienced. Men need to be involved in a Christian community, and not just the occasional weekend gathering. Smaller gatherings regularly are where men can discover some things about themselves and others. Spiritual growth doesn't happen in isolation; it occurs in a community, and men need other men. When men link arms, great things happen. Take, for example, Jesus and his men. What Jesus did changed the world, but he used other men, otherwise the world would have never heard the good news Jesus proclaimed.
 
ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability with another man is perhaps the leading indicator of spiritual success in a man's life. Brothers in accountable relationships make a great man of God. Jonathan made David better. Barnabas made Paul better. Paul made Timothy better. Jesus made the Twelve better. And it wasn't just happenstance and acquaintance; it was intentional brotherhood with substantial doses of accountability.
 
Spiritual accountability is perhaps one of the most misunderstood practices in male spiritual relationships. I believe this is because when men hear the word "accountability" in a religious context, they immediately assume a negative connotation. Men mostly hear about a need for accountability when issues of sin arise. Therefore accountability means that we need help because we can't overcome our financial problems, sexual addictions, or marital conflicts. This understanding is unfortunate because it has given accountability a bad name and leaves out all the spiritual potential of accountability in brotherhood. If we brand accountability this way, it makes a man look weak, and men don't want to feel and look this way—unless they are in desperate need of help and don't care.
 
Here are a few things we need to understand about accountability. First, it needs to be proactive and positive, not exclusively reactive and negative. Spiritual accountability should be focused on the things I should start doing and continue doing. While occasionally, we all need a little accountability around some areas of sin that I need to stop doing, failure to fill the void activities we've stopped with activities we need to start fails to initiate positive momentum. We need some accountability around actions that will have a proactive and positive impact on our spiritual life. For example, men need accountability in praying with our wife, regularly giving, reading Scripture, forgiving self, casting anxiety on God, and things like this.
 
Second, men need to invite self-imposed accountability. Too often we think someone else needs to hold us accountable, and I think this idea, while well-meaning, fails to work successfully. However, when a man invites self-imposed accountability based on declared goals, there is a much higher return and long-term benefit. Accountability of any kind that is self-imposed produces more significant results—this is especially true in this case.
 
Third, accountability needs to be spiritually-focused. We need men not only to hold us accountable but to help us dig for the spiritual aspects. Accountability to behaviour change is essential but add in the spiritual purpose and potential spiritual outcomes of it, and then we focus on doing the right behaviours for the right reasons. We have to remember we are becoming the men God wants us to be, and we are doing it for his glory, not our own. Therefore, when it comes to accountability, here is what we are looking for positive willing spiritual accountability.
 
PERSONAL MINISTRY
Christian men who are accelerating their spiritual growth are involved in personal ministry. Personal ministry includes things like mentoring other men, leading a small group, teaching a class, organizing a mission trip experience, serving on a board of a non-profit, or conducting a study in a workplace environment. I get excited when men do this because now they are moving from being a disciple to discipling others. They are finding unique ways to use their passion and talent for eternal benefit.
 
Some men need to be pushed to take this step. Too often men wait too long before taking this step. And I think men sometimes need a little push on this one since they prefer to disqualify themselves for lack of knowledge and because of personal sin. They need another man to say, "Get off the bench and into the game."
 
Speak to our pastors and see how you can be encouraged and built up in the faith. Make yourself available in the Sunday Meetings to be involved in the service, attend Iron Man Men's Digging Deeper Study each week, bring a friend to one of our Men's Breakfasts, or get involved in a Life Group Or Men's Bible Study.
 
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."  (2Pe 3:18)
 
 

Forty Days Of Prayer
Pointers to Ponder on Prayer This Week

Prayer is like breathing, it is essential to the abundant life of the believer. We should be aware of the fact that God is not obligated to hear our prayers, so we should understand some thoughts from God's Word on why some prayers remain unanswered.

1. Not God’s will
We must always seek God’s will. It’s all about Him and the advancement of His kingdom not you.

1 John 5:14-15  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 

Mathew 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 


2. Wrong Motives and Ungodly Prayers.

James 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 

Proverbs 16:2  All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit. 

Pro 21:2  Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart. 

3. Unconfessed Sin

Psalm 66:18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 

Isaiah 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 

4. Rebellion
Living a continuous life of sin.

Proverbs 28:9  If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. 

John 9:31  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 

Pro 15:29  The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. 

1Peter 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 

5. Closing your ears to the needy
Proverbs 21:13  Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. 

6. You are not having fellowship with the Lord
Your prayer life is non-existent and you never spend time in His Word.

John 15:7  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 

7. Doubting
James 1:6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

8. God didn’t answer so you can grow in humility.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

9. God didn’t answer because of your pride.
Pro 29:23  One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. 

James 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

10. Hypocritical prayer for attention
Mat 6:5-6  “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6  But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 

11. Giving up
Just when you give up that is when God answers. You must persevere.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18  pray without ceasing, 18  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 

Luke 18:1  And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 

12. Lack of faith
Heb 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 

13. You won’t forgive others
Mar 11:25  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 

14. God is making you rely and trust in Him more.
Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 


15. Our awesome Lord is in control and God has something better for you.
Ephesians 3:20-21  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

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.

16. You didn’t ask.
James 4:2  You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 


17. Treating your spouse badly
1 Peter 3:7  Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. 


18. Not yet: We must wait for God’s timing
Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.

Ecc 3:1-11  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2  a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3  a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 
Ecc 3:4  a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5  a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6  a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7  a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8  a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. 
The God-Given Task 9  What gain has the worker from his toil?  10  I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11  He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 

Continue in your pursuit of God, by trusting the Lord completely, and patiently. Knowing the Lord through His Word and the aid of the Holy Spirit will equip you to pray more effectively

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