Category: Men

The Making of a Man: Adventurous Dave & Mike

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Discipleship, Faith, Men, Missions

Most men love adventure!  Whether it’s the quest to run and complete a 50K, to climb and repel a sheer rock wall, to soar through a canyon like a bird (Wingsuit – Base Jumping Video), or thread the Bonsai Pipeline and all with a GoPro camera, I’m sure each of your have your definition of adventure!

We had the privilege of hosting two men of adventure this past weekend at our local church.  One man, Dave, left a comfortable position in West Virginia to move his family without the promise of full financial support to a larger city, Raleigh, North Carolina, to start a church in the inner city near North Carolina State University.  The other man, Mike, left the comfortable confines of Florida, doing what he loved, and moved to southern Spain for several years.  While there, he learned the Spanish language and helped to plant churches while raising a family of four.  Seven years ago, he moved to the Basque country of northern Spain to an area steeped in tradition and a completely different language.  Once again, to help a church and serve in an already established ministry among the Basque people as well as other internationals.  Both of these men are just ordinary men who have given their lives to Christ, a life of adventure of faith and courage.  Trusting daily for the supply of God’s grace and watching the Lord always provide spiritually, mentally, socially, financially, and emotionally.

You want adventure?  Give your life as a disciple to completely follow Christ!  Jesus said as recorded in Luke 14:26-27, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”  A disciple of Christ . . .

  • Risks his life for Christ.
  • Walks by faith in Christ.
  • Lives by the Word of Christ.
  • Give his life to proclaim and pursue Christ.
  • Goes wherever Christ leads him to go.
  • Trusts his life to Christ for now and eternity.
  • Suffers and stands for the cause of Christ.
  • Learns of Christ “while sitting at his feet.”
  • Bears the cross and the reproach of Christ.
  • Serves all for the sake of Christ.
  • Willingly surrenders his family to Christ.
  • Give his all to Christ.
  • Lives for the day he will see Christ.
  • Prepares for the day when he will stand before Christ.

Now, men, that’s a life of adventure!  That’s a life filled with purpose! And your Servant Leader, Conqueror, Shepherd, King, Armor, and Captain of your salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ, always leads you in His triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14)!!  And He records it all on His eternal “GoPro” in order to reward you one day at the greatest moment of your life outside of your personal salvation!

So today, if you are men who have been truly born again (John 1:14; 3:16; 14:6), then let’s join Dave and Mike and live a life of adventure with Christ!  The rush of base jumping, kayaking, running, or other extreme sports can be satisfying and fun, but it only last for a short while.  Adventure for Christ lasts a lifetime, is every day, and has eternal rewards! Are you ready for some real adventure?

Friday’s Findings

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Love, Marriage, Men

Here we are at end of the week, and I’m sharing some blog posts that lead into Valentine’s Day.  Hope these are helpful.  I trust that your weekend is filled with many answers to prayer, opportunities to serve, and full of God-glorifying, Christ-exalting, Spirit-filled worship!

23 Things Love Is  – Here’s a good post written by Paul Tripp for you and your spouse to read through to see if you are really loving each other as God would have you to.  Be honest with each other.  It will do you and your relationship much good!

Love Is Not For Sissies: How Trials Make Love Stronger – Enough said; great post.

Improve Your Marriage Today – Here are three simple steps to help your marriage move on and grow!

Everyday Romance – How Sweet  It Is – This is one of the best blog’s out there about love and marriage.  Looking for some practical tips, advice, and ideas, this is it!  This post is a simple one that will keep romance in your relationship. Check it out and get out of your rut (if you’re in one)!!  Thanks, Debi, for all you work.

Marriage Matters

by Dale, posted in Marriage, Men, Renewal

Valentines Date 2015

V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E.  That holds special significance to my wife and me.  Monday, we went on our special Valentine’s date to celebrate 36 Valentine’s Days together!  Because marriage matters, each day is an opportunity to grow your relationship.  As I’ve said so many times in the past, it’s the little things that add up to a big marriage!  Valentine’s Day is not a make-up day for a sad, little marriage.  It’s just one more day to make special and enjoy the gift of marriage!

So, while seated in the corner of the restaurant, by the window, all alone, Denise started V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E.  She took each letter and used it as an acrostic for why she loves me, using one word for each letter of the word valentine.  Wow!  Then I did the same with her.  Wow, again!  As we looked into each other’s eyes, at times it was a smile and then tears.  We reminisced, became nostalgic, and were removed from all other distractions.  Oh, the meal was delicious, but my memory from our dinner will be this special moment together.

Sometime this week, on your Valentine date or after the kids have gone to bed or whenever you are able to do so, look each other in the eye, hold hands, and share V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E.  Why? Because marriage matters to God (Ephesians 5:18-33).

For some additional thoughts, check out my wife’s blog post:  Improve Your Marriage Today

The Making of a Man: Your Obituary

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Death, Men

What will be written about you when you die?

Even though I am heavily involved in the use of electronic devices, the internet, and social media, I still like to read the newspaper.  In yesterday’s edition of our local paper, two articles caught my attention.  One was the obituary of a decorated veteran who served in World War II and the Korean Conflict. As I read about his military accomplishments and grit to overcome being severely wounded in combat, my heart swelled with patriotic pride!  And then near the end of this long obituary was this sentence, “He was a member of __________________ Church.”

From there, I turned to the Sports section and read the lengthy article concerning the passing of the legendary basketball coach, Dean Smith. I remember watching him coach the Tar Heels all the way back to the days of Charlie Scott, Mitch Kupchak, Phil Ford, George Karl, Bob McAdoo, and Tommy LeGarde and the famous “Four-Corners Offense.”  There is no doubt that Coach Smith was one of the best to ever coach basketball.  As I read on into the article, I came upon some information that really grieved my heart.  His life was also given to support vocally and financially some causes that are not biblical, even though he was a member of a Baptist church.

As I look in the mirror today, I know that one day, if Christ does not return before, I will die and an obituary will be written about me.  I have blemishes in my life.  How thankful I am for 1 John 1:7-9 that reminds me, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I need the power of the Gospel every day; I am a man in desperate need of grace each day.   But today, I must be living with the finish line in mind, the Bema (2 Corinthians 5:10), and the resolve of Paul who said, For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

What will be written in your obituary?  The purpose of this whole post today is wrapped up in the words of missionary statesmen, C.T. Studd:

“Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

 

Marriage Matters: Go Look in the Mirror

by Dale, posted in Marriage, Men

Recently my father-in-law said something that I think needs to be repeated.  While talking to my wife on the phone, he recalled his growing up days of wearing his Sunday church clothes for dinner and throughout the whole day.  He continues to do so for the reason that it’s the Lord’s day and that’s how he dresses for church, but there’s another reason that bears repeating, “Your mom sees me in my regular clothes all week and out of respect for her, I like to stay dressed up.”

Men, what do you do out of respect for your wife?  Do you . . .

  • Keep yourself looking nice and fit for your wife? Just an interesting thought here.  We want our wives to look good, but we dress slovenly and with no thought for what she might like.
  • Open the car door for her?
  • Seat her at the table?
  • Speak well of her to others?
  • Clean up after yourself such as pick up your clothes, clean the bathroom sink when you are finished, put the lid down (you know what I mean)?
  • Compliment her in private and public?
  • Make sure her car is taken care of, cleaned out, etc.?

Men, if you aren’t sure, ask your wife.  After all, we are to be the best servants in our home.  Christ gives you His best.  Men, let’s give our wives our best (Ephesians 5:25).

The Making of a Man: Men’s Prayer Advance

by Dale, posted in Men, Praise & Worship, Prayer

Photo5  

Executives.  Missionaries.  Hunters.  Teens. Former drug addicts. Pastors.  White-collar/blue-collar. Musicians. Sinners. Millennials. Fishermen. Unsaved.  Broken.   Hurting.   Lonely.  Spirit-filled.  Disciples.  Multi-cultural. And I could go on and on.  This is a brief description of over 600 men that gathered in the mountains of Central Virginia for what is called Men’s Prayer Advance.  Imagine that many men coming to sing, eat, worship, listen to preaching, pray, sleep, sing, eat, pray, listen to preaching, worship and watch the Spirit of God work and move!  This is my third Advance in four years.  This is the highlight of my year as far as a ministry event is concerned outside of my own church.  Why is this Advance so special?

Uninhibited Worship – From the time the sessions begin at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday and end at noon on Saturday, I am in the midst of men singing with gusto, praising the Lord and letting the texts of the songs flood their hearts with praise that comes out through their voices!  The songs include “It Is Well With My Soul,” “Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners,” “In Christ Alone,” “I Will Rise,” “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” and “Father, I Adore You” just to name a very few.  Imagine standing with men as described above singing with hands raised, shouts of joy, tears, and real meditation.  I’m telling you, it has got to be a precursor to the heavenly praise that awaits us.  Men . . . worshiping the Lord.  I said, men.

Ambitious Praying – Ambitious is an adjective describing an attitude of prayer that is 1) “eagerly desirous to obtain success” (Dictionary.com) in believing, faith-filled prayer, 2) to have an earnest, eager desire for and in prayer, and 3) prayer that takes effort.  That’s the kind of praying we were challenged to give our life to on a daily basis.  That’s the kind of prayer demonstrated among the men attending the Advance.  To hear over 600 men crying out to the Lord (Psalm 61:2) in fervent prayer as we gathered many times in the Spring Center was an awesome experience.  Hands raised in pleading prayer; voices crying out in adoring praise and earnest petitions; tears flowing in brokenness before God; lives touched by the Spirit of God; and two men on Thursday night crying out to God for salvation (and testifying of it later on that night)!!! 600 plus men assembled before the Throne of Grace!!!  Wow!!  (By the way, no Super Bowl game holds a candle to that experience.)

The best part of the emphasis on prayer is what’s known as the “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” Before lunch on Friday, we go someone on the camp site and get alone with God for one hour.  Here’s the statement that I’ve heard most from men after the “Sweet Hour of Prayer,”— “I didn’t know I could pray for one hour.  It went by so quick!”  Enough said.

Furthermore, I love what the name of this event says, Men’s Prayer Advance.  We are not attending a retreat or  in retreat mode.  We are advancing in prayer!!

Spirit-empowered Preaching – Every message I heard was like fresh manna from Heaven.  The power of God was upon the preachers as they delivered the Word with courage, compassion, and conviction leading to change.  Sitting under the preaching of an Irishman who has walked with the Lord for years was like listening to a prophet of God.  This man knows the heart of God and has learned His heart in the quiet place of personal prayer and the blessing of corporate prayer as well as meditation on God’s Word.  The practical, applicational, straight-forward, “right down where we live” preaching of one of the other men was a touch down from Heaven, too!  Powerful, Spirit-filled preaching exalts Christ and glorifies God.  That is what we heard many, many times in the main sessions and break-out meetings.  God honors the preaching of His Word!

Undistracted Meeting with God – There is something special about going way up in the mountains and getting away from so much that distracts us in our lives.  Cell phone service was sketchy at best.  The whole emphasis of the three days was simply meeting with God.  Nothing else.  May I say right here that every man of God should plan in his yearly schedule a time or two in the year to get away for a day to just simply meet with God in prayer and Bible study.

So, there’s just a brief out-pouring from my heart why the Men’s Prayer Advance is so special. Many, many times, in the moment of a song, prayer and/or preaching, I found myself saying, “I wish this would not end.”  So often I felt like a sponge just soaking in all I could in the moment.  Just think; that’s the way it will be in Heaven!

Men, are you advancing today?

Want to join us next year, January 28-30, 2016?  Check out the following link:

Men’s Prayer Advance

P1011261  P1011283

The Making of a Man

by Dale, posted in Men, Prayer

Trucks, cars, guns/hunting, soldiers, cowboys, football, basketball, sledding, bicycles & motorcycles, hiking, the farm, the outdoors, the Word of God, the local church, The Wilds, evangelism, and strong preaching!  That sort of sums up my boyhood years right through my teens.  Just typing those words brings back some really great memories!  These were some of the important ingredients of growing into manhood that my parents always gladly provided (except the motorcycle) and encouraged.  There is so much I would love to share with you about each one.  My background is one of the reasons I love Ephesians 6:10-20.  Read it as a boy all dressed up in his cowboy boots w/ holster and six-shooter or as a soldier in your front yard with the neighborhood boys getting ready to take out the enemy or baling hay and stacking it up in the top of the barn on a blistering hot day or as it is so portrayed, putting on your shield, armor and sword and preparing for battle!  Read it with some umphh in your voice; with gravel in your teeth; with heart pumping out of your chest; and sweat oozing from underneath your helmet!!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Are you ready for battle?  Is your heart still pumping with vigor?  Is this a manly passage or what?  Wow!!!  Men, I notice something that is so manly coming out of this passage that is a huge need in our lives today—-it is verse 18.  I will say it now rather than lead into it by more verbiage—–you are no more a man than when you are in earnest prayer on your knees before God the Father!!!  The dressing room for the armor of God is the prayer room.  There you put on each piece which is Christ (Next Tuesday, we will examine each part of the armor). Oh, just look at those manly words in verse 18, praying always, being watchful to the end, perseverance. That’s the characteristics of a strong man, a man of truth, faith, ready for daily conflict, and ready to defend and protect!

Men, we must be men of prayer!  For far too long, the ladies have led the charge when it comes to this awesome privilege.  I am so grateful for a praying wife and a praying mom, but oh the sight I see right now is the many, many times I saw my dad on his knees weeping for lost souls within his family, church and city, crying out for revival among the saints, adoring his Heavenly Father through intercession and supplication, and praising God for all His goodness in answered prayer and for Who He is!!!  Thanks, Dad!!  The Tonka trucks and cap pistols are long gone—but the need for men of prayer remains!!!!  How are you dressed today, men?

The Making of a Man

by Dale, posted in Men, Prayer

“It is virtually impossible to find a man greatly used by God who is not strongly devoted to prayer.” (The Masculine Mandate, p. 39)

Look at these men of prayer and their recorded intercessions with God.  What do you learn about these men?  What do you learn about prayer?  What do you see that would help you to be or continue to be a man strongly devoted to prayer?

Elijah (1 Kings 18:36-39)  And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

 

Stephen (Acts 7:54-60) When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”  Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

 

Daniel (Daniel 9:3-19) Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.  Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land.  O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him.  We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him.  And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.  “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth.  Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice.  And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly! “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us.  Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate.  O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.  O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

 

So, what do you see in these prayers? 

  1. Men praying for God’s glory.
  2. Men being honest and transparent before God.
  3. Men whose prayers were not self-centered, but God and others centered.
  4. Men praying for their enemies.
  5. Men praying for their nation.
  6. Men whose praying was part of their everyday conversation; it was natural.

These are just a few. I’m sure the Lord revealed more to you.  Men, let’s be greatly used of God because we are strongly devoted to meeting and talking with God; being men of prayer!  Prayer makes a man of God!!

The Making of a Man

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Evangelism, Family, God's Word, Marriage, Men, Parenting, Prayer

Last Tuesday’s blog was the first entry in the weekly series entitled, “The Making of a Man.”  As I said in that blog post, January 6, my heart’s desire is to see us be genuine, Spirit-filled, Christlike, servant leaders . . . men of God.  Obviously, to do so, we MUST be in the Word of God on a daily basis reading the Word and letting it read us.  Also, I mentioned that oft-repeated statement, “Leaders are readers.”  So, in today’s post, I want to share some book titles that have impacted me in my relationship with Christ, my wife, my children, my ministry and life in general.  Many of these books can still be purchased in book form, or as many of us do today, you can get the Kindle edition.  Men, let’s read the Bible first, and then let’s read other good books so we can be made a man of God!

Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes

“The Christian leader’s vision of God makes all the difference in his life” (p.163).  I have read this book several times and have even used it with deacons and men’s meetings.

Disciplines – Kindle Edition

 

The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make, Hans Finzel

“Top-flight leaders really aren’t born, they learn by trial and error.” (p.18)

“My greatest fear is that our best days were our past days.  I loathe the thought that we should fade into irrelevance” (p.71).

Top Ten Mistakes – Kindle Edition

 

The Masculine Mandate:  God’s Calling to Men, Richard D. Phillips

“It is virtually impossible to find a man greatly used by God who is not strongly devoted to prayer.” (p. 39)

“God intends for man to have a [wife] who bears God’s image along with man, and who with man can look upward to God and live for Him.” (p. 58)

Chapter Five, “Man as Shepherd-Lord,” is an excellent read.

Masculine Mandate – Kindle Edition

 

Power Through Prayer, E.M. Bounds

Here’s a little book that every man of God must read!!  A classic.

Power Through Prayer – Kindle Edition

 

There are many, many others, but these are just a few.  I’ll share more in later posts.  Men, let’s take the challenge to read, to share, to grow, and to make a difference for Christ wherever we live!

Rod: The Churchman

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Church, Men

Rod

Last evening before prayer meeting, we were invited to our daughter and son-in-law’s home for supper to celebrate his birthday.  While waiting for supper to be put on the table, Andrew shared a book he had received as a Christmas gift entitled Manly Dominion by Mark Chanski.  The book’s description is as follows:

In billards, the four-ball is passive; it’s the one that gets knocked around by the other balls. Christian man, is that you? Are you knocked around by your environment, rather than taking you God-given assignment to lead? Mark Chanski’s book is a clarion call to all Christian men to face life’s challenges with Manly Dominion. It will challenge and encourage you to lead, wherever God places you, with Spirit-filled conviction. No Christian man (or woman!) living in today’s world should be without it. Read carefully, and transform your life!

As I flipped through its pages, the following two paragraphs from Chapter 18, Churchmanship, arrested me:

However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver (2 Samuel 24:24). David’s worship slogan must be ours. Church worship and service must not be engaged in passively and cheaply. We must resolve to be aggressive and expensive in our public devotion to our Lord.

Passive, “come when I feel like it,” low priority, cheap churchmanship is in an offence to our Savior when we claim to worship. How much did it cost Jesus to coerce justice to sheathe its sword against us as sinners? It cost Jesus the heavy price of his own life blood poured out on the cross. The sincere Christian thinks: the sword of justice that I deserved to have run through me for eternity in hell, ran through my Lord Jesus on Golgotha.”  (p. 149)

After a delicious supper, we headed for the service at church and truly met with the Lord in a most powerful way. The visiting speaker showed us in supreme fashion how the Lord is saving souls in some of the roughest places in the world! He shared with us the stories of thousands of people who faithfully attend church in war-torn cities and villages.  Some attend undercover with the constant threat of persecution. We were all moved by their testimonies and conversion stories. We all left saying, “What a Savior!”  But that’s not the point of this whole blog post.  I saw a genuine “churchman” last night.  I’ve been watching him for over fourteen years.  He turned 89 years old last week, shuffles when he walks, is having heart surgery today, and came to church last night in the bitter cold of 10 degrees and howling wind!!  Why?  Because he is part of the body of Christ that meets in local assembly and is not passive or cheap about his love for Christ and His body!  His devotion and resolve has always been “aggressive and expensive” and not “come when I feel like it.”

Men, look at the cross. Look at your Savior hanging there for you.  Look into the faces of the many who faithfully attend their local church under the constant threat of terror and death. Look into the face of this 89 year old man.  Are you a genuine churchman?  If so, may “David’s slogan of worship” grow within in your heart!   If not, what’s your excuse?

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)