"He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers..." (Malachi 4:6)
Hey guys, today I want to talk to you about fathering. About being a great dad. About being the father that God created you to be, regardless of our circumstances. What does it take to be a great dad? Well, there is SO much that goes into it- probably much more than I can write in a single blog- but here's a few ideas that you can work off of.
1. Represent a Christ-like model to your kids.
Paul writes in Phil. 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." We are a constant work in progress, always remember that. Jesus promises us that if we abide in Him and hold tight to His words, that not only will we bear fruit, but our prayers will be heard by God. In fact, we did not choose Jesus to make us great men, but rather He chose us! (John 15:5-7, 16-17) Chase after Him-daily; Spend time in prayer and reading His word; and most of all- believe in your heart that Jesus is our Lord and He will hear you.
2. Spend quality time with your kids.
Being a single parent is tough, and I'll admit- I'm guilty in this area as well. There are days that we are tired, sick, stressed, and so on that we just feel like we can't give our kids our all. But do know that this is cherished time, and it's also time we can't get back. Look, you're gonna have bad days- that's a given. Don't beat yourself up when you do. The important thing is that we attempt to give our kids the time they deserve. There's a saying that goes, "Take care of the moments and the years will take care of themselves." Playing a board game can be just as much fun (and cheaper) than going to a sporting event; a cardboard clubhouse or a walk through a nature trail can evoke imagination and education more than a theme park; and most importantly- a hug, a kiss, and the words "I love you" will do more for a child than ANYTHING this world can offer. Statistics even show that when a dad is involved with his children, they have higher self esteem, do better in school, and have more positive attitudes than those without involved dads. You may be saying though, "Look Matt, that sounds good and all, but how can I give what I never received? My dad never loved me or showed me affection- I don't know how to as well." In fact, your memories of your father may not be good at all- but that does NOT have to continue on to your kids! If you can't give love because you never received love, I have a verse for you: John 3:16. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us once and for all- period. Go to the cross. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. (See Romans 10:9) Even if you have before, but have walked away from God- today is the day to recommit your life to Christ. Repent and ask Him back into your life. Finally, as a child of God know that you are both a new creation (2Cor. 5:17) and have attained a new family lineage. (1Peter 1:23) This is God's promise and it will open a new relationship with your children that you never thought possible.
3. Championship Fathering
There is an organization that I highly recommend called the National Center for Fathering. They have an initiative moving right now to make "good" dads "Championship Fathers". Go to their website at www.fathers.com and click on the "Championship Fathering" link. Read it over and once you're done- make the commitment. We will love our kids; we will coach our kids; and we will be great role models for our kids. I have made the commitment myself.
I pray this is a good start for you all, let me know how else I can be of assistance- God bless you all!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Saturday, December 26, 2009
My Spiritual Workout- Part 2
Ok, so I just came up with this yesterday- but I feel it's worth sharing. I will keep you all posted as it unfolds...
The first thing to know is in weightlifting, there is a "protocol" you must follow.
1. You must have goals. If you don't, there's nothing to strive for!
2. You must develop a plan (Workout Routine); If you're not sure how to do this, that's what trainers are for. (i.e. Mentors)
3. Train! Remember, resistance=growth.
4. Nutrition. Your muscles can not grow if they're not fed properly with the right food, vitamins, and supplements
So what does a spiritual workout look like? I'll show you what I have for mine. Keep in mind, workouts are always subject to change, and everyone has different goals and abilities.
Goals: To grow stronger in Christ every day
To become more Christ-like every day
Memorize Scriptures
Be a spiritual leader- home, marketplace, church
Workout:
Daily- Devotional, Prayer, Read the Word
Weekly- Memorize 3 verses, Attend church, Fellowship/Accountability with others
(I also put witness often combined in daily and weekly goals)
Monthly- Be active in ministry, Work with a Mentor
Train: Journal Experiences (i.e. A "workout log")
Experiences (exercise)/Outcome (Document what happened, how it was handled, and
what scriptures I can use to combat it next time)
Did I grow from it?
Food: Bible, Books, Prayer, Fellowship (friends, acct. partner, mentor), Journals
Like I said, this is just getting started- but I am very confident it is a basis for my (and yours) personal growth. Try it out. Make your own version up, and let me know what happens! "Beloved, I pray that is all respects you may prosper, and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." -3John2
In His Name,
Matt
The first thing to know is in weightlifting, there is a "protocol" you must follow.
1. You must have goals. If you don't, there's nothing to strive for!
2. You must develop a plan (Workout Routine); If you're not sure how to do this, that's what trainers are for. (i.e. Mentors)
3. Train! Remember, resistance=growth.
4. Nutrition. Your muscles can not grow if they're not fed properly with the right food, vitamins, and supplements
So what does a spiritual workout look like? I'll show you what I have for mine. Keep in mind, workouts are always subject to change, and everyone has different goals and abilities.
Goals: To grow stronger in Christ every day
To become more Christ-like every day
Memorize Scriptures
Be a spiritual leader- home, marketplace, church
Workout:
Daily- Devotional, Prayer, Read the Word
Weekly- Memorize 3 verses, Attend church, Fellowship/Accountability with others
(I also put witness often combined in daily and weekly goals)
Monthly- Be active in ministry, Work with a Mentor
Train: Journal Experiences (i.e. A "workout log")
Experiences (exercise)/Outcome (Document what happened, how it was handled, and
what scriptures I can use to combat it next time)
Did I grow from it?
Food: Bible, Books, Prayer, Fellowship (friends, acct. partner, mentor), Journals
Like I said, this is just getting started- but I am very confident it is a basis for my (and yours) personal growth. Try it out. Make your own version up, and let me know what happens! "Beloved, I pray that is all respects you may prosper, and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." -3John2
In His Name,
Matt
My Spiritual Workout- Part 1
Hey everyone,
It has been WAY too long since I've blogged- and I'm sorry for that. One of the things the Lord has been helping me work on is the stewarding of my time. We are called to be stewards in every area of our lives: Money, our bodies, our kids, and so on. But what about our time? The world is moving faster than ever before. Fast food, fast cars, high speed internet, text, email, conference calls, no sleep, no family time, burn out's through work, work, work!!! Where does it stop?! We have set such an unreachable bar on success, that we will destroy ourselves and many others along the way to reach it. I am no different. Now, I'm not saying that I've become so obsessed with money and possessions that I've lost focus- quite the opposite actually. Any of you single parents reading this will understand.
I recently took a new job within the past few months. It's a great job, love the hours, people, and atmosphere (most of the time). However, when you combine 40+ hours a week with being a single parent to a 3 year old, doesn't leave much time for anything else. If you combine my hours at work with my time with my daughter, it ranges from (depending on the week) 60-128 hours a week! Granted, sleeping is in there, sometimes- but where is my "quiet time" with the Lord? I also like to work out- it's a great stress relief, and my way to escape sometimes. The problem is, to attain any sort of results- I must put my time in at the gym. So during these long weeks I only have limited amounts of time to lift and spend in quiet time. They both demand my full concentration, so which do I choose over the other? I know the answer, you know the answer- but I don't always make the right choice. It's on those days, or during those weeks when I don't get my "spiritual workout" in- that I suffer greatly from attacks, frustration, and so on. I'm not "strong enough" to "handle the weight" of adversity when it arises. One of my favorite metaphores between lifting and spiritual growth is this: In weight lifting, resistance from the weights literally tears the muscle down. It responds by growing bigger and stronger- thus able to handle "more weight" the next time around. Our walk with God is the same- as we experience trials and adversity, when we go to God for help, we grow in our walk.
I've recently gotten back to quiet time- reading Scripture, prayer, and now doing more journaling. I'll put together what I've come up with so far in the next entry...
In His Name,
Matt
It has been WAY too long since I've blogged- and I'm sorry for that. One of the things the Lord has been helping me work on is the stewarding of my time. We are called to be stewards in every area of our lives: Money, our bodies, our kids, and so on. But what about our time? The world is moving faster than ever before. Fast food, fast cars, high speed internet, text, email, conference calls, no sleep, no family time, burn out's through work, work, work!!! Where does it stop?! We have set such an unreachable bar on success, that we will destroy ourselves and many others along the way to reach it. I am no different. Now, I'm not saying that I've become so obsessed with money and possessions that I've lost focus- quite the opposite actually. Any of you single parents reading this will understand.
I recently took a new job within the past few months. It's a great job, love the hours, people, and atmosphere (most of the time). However, when you combine 40+ hours a week with being a single parent to a 3 year old, doesn't leave much time for anything else. If you combine my hours at work with my time with my daughter, it ranges from (depending on the week) 60-128 hours a week! Granted, sleeping is in there, sometimes- but where is my "quiet time" with the Lord? I also like to work out- it's a great stress relief, and my way to escape sometimes. The problem is, to attain any sort of results- I must put my time in at the gym. So during these long weeks I only have limited amounts of time to lift and spend in quiet time. They both demand my full concentration, so which do I choose over the other? I know the answer, you know the answer- but I don't always make the right choice. It's on those days, or during those weeks when I don't get my "spiritual workout" in- that I suffer greatly from attacks, frustration, and so on. I'm not "strong enough" to "handle the weight" of adversity when it arises. One of my favorite metaphores between lifting and spiritual growth is this: In weight lifting, resistance from the weights literally tears the muscle down. It responds by growing bigger and stronger- thus able to handle "more weight" the next time around. Our walk with God is the same- as we experience trials and adversity, when we go to God for help, we grow in our walk.
I've recently gotten back to quiet time- reading Scripture, prayer, and now doing more journaling. I'll put together what I've come up with so far in the next entry...
In His Name,
Matt
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Out like a Lamb, in like a Lion!
The spotless Lamb, the Lion of Judah. He is our King, our Savior, our God- now and forever! Our Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth for one thing- to lead us to repentance. (Luke 5:32) Although He was God's Son, perfect in every way, and did no wrong to anyone- this world turned on Him and eventually killed Him. However, as we all know- that was just the beginning of His reign.
We must look at our walks with Christ this way: we are dead to sin and have made the decision to not live of this world- however, we are still called to the Great Commission. We are to be salt and light to a dark and dying world, to show them this is not their home, to do greater things than even Jesus did! (John 14:12) We must exercise the love of Christ at all times (Matt 22:39), walk in His image, and understand that the wrath of God was satisfied with the ultimate sacrifice. We are forgiven- period. Our Lord Jesus left like a Lamb, perfect and spotless in every way- but He is not coming back that way!
Jesus did the whole "Savior of the world" thing already- this time He's coming back as the Lion of Judah! He's coming as King for His people and for His Kingdom! "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written on Him that no one knows except Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it, He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, 'KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS'. " (Rev. 19:11-16)
Single dad, parent, teenager, or friend- no matter what you are going through right now, no matter how bad it's gotten- your battle has already been won! Your Lord, Savior, and King is here right now waiting to destroy all things that are not of God in your life. Just open your heart to Him. Confess your sins. Ask for Jesus to take control of your life and to be your Lord and Savior. If you do, His Word promises that you will find rest. (Matt 11:28-30)
We must look at our walks with Christ this way: we are dead to sin and have made the decision to not live of this world- however, we are still called to the Great Commission. We are to be salt and light to a dark and dying world, to show them this is not their home, to do greater things than even Jesus did! (John 14:12) We must exercise the love of Christ at all times (Matt 22:39), walk in His image, and understand that the wrath of God was satisfied with the ultimate sacrifice. We are forgiven- period. Our Lord Jesus left like a Lamb, perfect and spotless in every way- but He is not coming back that way!
Jesus did the whole "Savior of the world" thing already- this time He's coming back as the Lion of Judah! He's coming as King for His people and for His Kingdom! "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written on Him that no one knows except Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it, He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, 'KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS'. " (Rev. 19:11-16)
Single dad, parent, teenager, or friend- no matter what you are going through right now, no matter how bad it's gotten- your battle has already been won! Your Lord, Savior, and King is here right now waiting to destroy all things that are not of God in your life. Just open your heart to Him. Confess your sins. Ask for Jesus to take control of your life and to be your Lord and Savior. If you do, His Word promises that you will find rest. (Matt 11:28-30)
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Assignments
I've been doing devotionals over the past few weeks, and that's fine- but I feel like I need to give you all something concrete to pray over and work on yourselves. Here are 3 different assignments I've given to the group over the past years:
1. Legacy. According to Webster's, the word legacy means "Something transmitted or received from an ancestor or predecessor of the past." It may be in the form of material possessions, or something hereditary- such as addictions and beliefs. My assignment to you is to write 2 paragraphs. The first paragraph would be if you were to leave this world right now- what would your legacy look like? The second paragraph- what do you want it to look like?
2. Positives in your life. We are so quick to complain in our nation of how bad things are. Yes, we do suffer hardships, but no where near what about 80% of the world does! To put this in perspective, make a list of EVERY positive in your life, then think of others around the world and their situations. Here's a few examples of mine: I'm saved by the blood of Christ; I have a wonderful daughter whom I love and she loves me; I have clothes, a home, food, and a car; I live in a free country with fresh drinking water; I am healthy and in good shape.
3. Being the best father you can be. Make a commitment list and place it somewhere in your house where you will see it every day (mine's on my front door so I see it before I leave every day). On this list, put every single thing you will commit to to ensure you are being the best possible father you can be. (i.e. Put God first, give our kids undivided attention, abstain from self-destroying behaviors, not bad mouthing their moms, ect...)
Pray over each one of these before and after you do them- you will be surprised at the change in your frame of mind when you do! God bless....
1. Legacy. According to Webster's, the word legacy means "Something transmitted or received from an ancestor or predecessor of the past." It may be in the form of material possessions, or something hereditary- such as addictions and beliefs. My assignment to you is to write 2 paragraphs. The first paragraph would be if you were to leave this world right now- what would your legacy look like? The second paragraph- what do you want it to look like?
2. Positives in your life. We are so quick to complain in our nation of how bad things are. Yes, we do suffer hardships, but no where near what about 80% of the world does! To put this in perspective, make a list of EVERY positive in your life, then think of others around the world and their situations. Here's a few examples of mine: I'm saved by the blood of Christ; I have a wonderful daughter whom I love and she loves me; I have clothes, a home, food, and a car; I live in a free country with fresh drinking water; I am healthy and in good shape.
3. Being the best father you can be. Make a commitment list and place it somewhere in your house where you will see it every day (mine's on my front door so I see it before I leave every day). On this list, put every single thing you will commit to to ensure you are being the best possible father you can be. (i.e. Put God first, give our kids undivided attention, abstain from self-destroying behaviors, not bad mouthing their moms, ect...)
Pray over each one of these before and after you do them- you will be surprised at the change in your frame of mind when you do! God bless....
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Heat is On
Read Mark chapter 12; and also 1Peter 1:6-7
In his letter Peter explains that we should "rejoice" in our trials- for they may even be "necessary" for our faith to increase. We often use the metaphor "in the fire" to describe the things we're going through, or even how God "turns the heat up" on us to expose and remove our iniquities. Peter says that even gold, which we consider to be one of the most valuable metals- will perish in the fire. However, our faith in God INCREASES when we're in the fire- and the result is not destruction, but PRODUCTION in our lives!
In Mark chapter 12, Jesus explains that He is the "cornerstone" of our faith (verse 10). Those who reject Him will be destroyed, but those who don't shall be part of His Kingdom. We are to love God first with all that we have, and others as ourselves (vs 29-31); Honor God with our finances (vs 17, 43, & 44); and know that Jesus is Lord (vs 35-40). When we do these things, we grow in the Lord, and when the heat is on- we WILL rejoice! For we know that we are standing on a firm foundation in Christ, growing in Him and closer to Him each day.
In his letter Peter explains that we should "rejoice" in our trials- for they may even be "necessary" for our faith to increase. We often use the metaphor "in the fire" to describe the things we're going through, or even how God "turns the heat up" on us to expose and remove our iniquities. Peter says that even gold, which we consider to be one of the most valuable metals- will perish in the fire. However, our faith in God INCREASES when we're in the fire- and the result is not destruction, but PRODUCTION in our lives!
In Mark chapter 12, Jesus explains that He is the "cornerstone" of our faith (verse 10). Those who reject Him will be destroyed, but those who don't shall be part of His Kingdom. We are to love God first with all that we have, and others as ourselves (vs 29-31); Honor God with our finances (vs 17, 43, & 44); and know that Jesus is Lord (vs 35-40). When we do these things, we grow in the Lord, and when the heat is on- we WILL rejoice! For we know that we are standing on a firm foundation in Christ, growing in Him and closer to Him each day.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Loving the Unlovable
"The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged..." (2Tim 2:24)
Jesus Himself laid out the standard by which we are to carry this out. He endured persecution, punishment, betrayal, and pain in ways that we could never imagine. So what happens when we confront these issues in our daily lives? It may even be something small and insignificant, but it dwells within us until we blow. Or maybe we've been treated unjustly, perhaps by someone who really knows how to push our buttons, and not only attack us- but use others close to us in the process (like our kids).
I personally experienced this a few weeks back. I won't go into detail, but I will say I was falsely accused in a situation that involved me and my daughter, without anyone ever confronting me on the issue. They just went behind my back and blindsided me. Naturally my first reaction was anger, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, I ran to my room (I have a cross on the wall), fell on my face and cried out to God. I admit I was mad, crying, and shaking all at once- but the comfort of Jesus fell upon me (Phil 4:7). I called my mentor and we talked; I prayed, and turned it over to God. The next day I woke- but filled with anger! It took a good portion of my week to finally let it go, which obviously in the long run, drained me in every possible way.
You see, I knew what I had to do- turn it over to God and move on, but I struggled. This is where we MUST have God's Word rooted so deeply within us that when situations arise, we can combat them in a peaceful way. Don't get angry (Prov. 15:18, 19:11); Don't be vengeful (Rom. 12:19); Forgive and move on (Luke 23:34, Matt 6:14); Rejoice! (1Peter 4:12-13, 5:10, John 16:33); and finally- Love (2Peter 1:5-7). Please do me a favor- look these scriptures up, don't just read this blog. There are so many more verses that we can apply, but this is a great start. Jesus set the standard on forgiveness and love- let's honor Him by living in Him. (John 15:5, 1John 4:4)
Jesus Himself laid out the standard by which we are to carry this out. He endured persecution, punishment, betrayal, and pain in ways that we could never imagine. So what happens when we confront these issues in our daily lives? It may even be something small and insignificant, but it dwells within us until we blow. Or maybe we've been treated unjustly, perhaps by someone who really knows how to push our buttons, and not only attack us- but use others close to us in the process (like our kids).
I personally experienced this a few weeks back. I won't go into detail, but I will say I was falsely accused in a situation that involved me and my daughter, without anyone ever confronting me on the issue. They just went behind my back and blindsided me. Naturally my first reaction was anger, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, I ran to my room (I have a cross on the wall), fell on my face and cried out to God. I admit I was mad, crying, and shaking all at once- but the comfort of Jesus fell upon me (Phil 4:7). I called my mentor and we talked; I prayed, and turned it over to God. The next day I woke- but filled with anger! It took a good portion of my week to finally let it go, which obviously in the long run, drained me in every possible way.
You see, I knew what I had to do- turn it over to God and move on, but I struggled. This is where we MUST have God's Word rooted so deeply within us that when situations arise, we can combat them in a peaceful way. Don't get angry (Prov. 15:18, 19:11); Don't be vengeful (Rom. 12:19); Forgive and move on (Luke 23:34, Matt 6:14); Rejoice! (1Peter 4:12-13, 5:10, John 16:33); and finally- Love (2Peter 1:5-7). Please do me a favor- look these scriptures up, don't just read this blog. There are so many more verses that we can apply, but this is a great start. Jesus set the standard on forgiveness and love- let's honor Him by living in Him. (John 15:5, 1John 4:4)
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