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Day 34
Day 34 | Build A Movement
ACTIVITY
Continue:
- P.A.C.T.—Pray | Ask | Confess | Thank
- P.A.S.S.—Pray Prior | Author's Intent | Stop when Convicted | Share
Your Call To Act (C.T.A.) today is:
- Build a Movement of Men. Start leading other men!
- Just structure a small group around our five activities. If you need an outline do this:
- PRAYER—(5 minutes) As a group, ask for prayer requests and then using the P.A.C.T. method to pray.
- SCRIPTURE—(20 minutes) As a group, select a paragraph/section of scripture and study it using the P.A.S.S. method.
- BROTHERHOOD—(15 minutes) In pairs and use the 411 method to have a discussion
- ACCOUNTABILITY—(10 minutes) In pairs, D.O. accountability
- MINISTRY—(10 minutes) As a group talk about your need for obedience and how you influenced others this last week.
PROV. 27
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.
3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that flees its nest
is anyone who flees from home.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.
10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.
14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.
15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping
of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and whoever protects their master will be honored.
19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.
20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied,
and neither are human eyes.
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but people are tested by their praise.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding them like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove their folly from them.
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
and to nourish your female servants.
PROV. 28
28 The wicked flee though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.
3 A ruler who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.
4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
but those who heed it resist them.
5 Evildoers do not understand what is right,
but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than the rich whose ways are perverse.
7 A discerning son heeds instruction,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor
amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.
9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
even their prayers are detestable.
10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.
11 The rich are wise in their own eyes;
one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.
13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.
15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.
17 Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
will seek refuge in the grave;
let no one hold them back.
18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.
19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.
20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good—
yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.
22 The stingy are eager to get rich
and are unaware that poverty awaits them.
23 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.
24 Whoever robs their father or mother
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is partner to one who destroys.
25 The greedy stir up conflict,
but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.
26 Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.
28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
PROV. 29
29 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
4 By justice a king gives a country stability,
but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.
5 Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.
6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin,
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.
7 The righteous care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked have no such concern.
8 Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.
9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.
10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.
11 Fools give full vent to their rage,
but the wise bring calm in the end.
12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.
15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.
16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.
18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.
20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.
21 A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.
22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.
23 Pride brings a person low,
but the lowly in spirit gain honor.
24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.
25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.
27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.
TRANSCRIPT
Goal: Build A Movement
If there is one thing that is complicated, it’s this question. “What we should study or talk about when we get together?” And I understand why men feel this way. There is all kind of curriculum on the market today. So much we swim in an ocean of content. Combine this with the fact that men are coming from a variety of backgrounds, with a variety of issues, and a variety of spiritual maturities.
I’ve got an idea, let’s punt on choosing a curriculum, let’s just build five things into men? Prayer, scripture, brotherhood, accountability, and ministry. And then let’s do it repeatedly and watch what God does. It’s what Jesus did.
We need to think simpler about this, we don’t need more material than the Bible. We don’t need a complicated scope and sequence to spiritual development. Men need to hear from God and act like Jesus.
Just structure a small group around our five activities. If you need an outline do this:
- PRAYER—(5 minutes) As a group, ask for prayer requests and then using the P.A.C.T. method to pray.
- SCRIPTURE—(20 minutes) As a group, select a paragraph/section of scripture and study it using the P.A.S.S. method.
- BROTHERHOOD—(15 minutes) In pairs and use the 411 method to have a discussion
- ACCOUNTABILITY—(10 minutes) In pairs, D.O. accountability
- MINISTRY—(10 minutes) As a group talk about your need for obedience and how you influenced others this last week.
DEVO
The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.—Proverbs 28:1
The world has plenty of villains; those who intentionally execute evil. And the world has plenty of cowards; those who intentionally execute evil by doing nothing. The latter is often worse than the first because this person sits idly aside knowing the truth, conscious stricken, and choose to do nothing with it. A classical Greek Philosopher once said, "A third of people are villains, a third are cowards, and a third are heroes. Now, a villain and a coward can choose to be a hero, but they’ve got to make that choice.”
But cowardice is not a new problem; it's an old one. When a man is empowered with morality and mission and sits idly aside, he's giving power to wickedness which results in aimless pursuits. And these aimless pursuits leave men feeling the weight of fear thus fleeing in every direction. Every man has experienced the guilt and shame that goes with cowardice. So why allow these thoughts, feelings, and be to continue to control your life? Be brave. Be courageous. Do something "bold as a lion" today.
DO THIS: Reflect on a moment you act cowardly—and then be bold instead.
PRAY THIS: God, help me to stand up for your righteousness with my friends, colleagues, and family members. Even more, silence the inner voice that prompts me to shrink back and flee when faith is needed. Build boldness, courage, and faith in me on my path to being a better man.
Share That You Completed Today's Challenge
I am trying to get several men to also do the 35 day challenge. I have had some say they don’t have time. I am praying for them
13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Ready to get out build and lead more men.
The greedy stir up conflict but those who trust in the Lord will proposer.
Lord help guide my daily actions to avoid stirring up conflict with others.
Chapter 27
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice
I need to continue to seek fellowship and guidance from my fellow Christian men and friends.
V28
14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble
I need to continue my Daily Acts of Obedience and Influence – and do not let me hard harden
Chapter 29
22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins
I need to turn my daily battle with things that anger and frustrate me over to the Lord!
Proverbs 26:11 is powerful and true. One cannot let their guard down (as described in the devotional today.). It’s easy to slip back into sinful patterns if we’re not diligent with what’s been learned
It makes me wonder how often fear of failure freeze me in place and keeps me from stepping out in faith.
I’ve not commented up to this point, but I need to say there are two things that have greatly impacted me these past 5 weeks. One is praying out loud. It has been incredible! Keeps my focus and it has drawn me even closer to the Lord. Two is listening to you read the Word. I follow along and it has been equally great! I have downloaded an app that will read Scripture so I can continue this practice every day! I can honestly say the moment I wake in the morning I can hardly wait to get started. Thank you!!
29 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
sometimes this is me.
I think what he describes we do in our mens groups in some ways. I also think that the practices we have laid out here are key to our foundation with God. I feel like this has moved me closer to realizing a daily walk with God.
We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Let’s enjoy the present day.
Don, Your Scripture in Pr. 27:19 NIV, reads much different than mine in the TPT. I like your translation better, and I also liked your sentiment. {The TPT reads, “Just as no two faces are exactly alike, so every heart is different.”}
(2/26/21) Proverbs 26:4 The Passion Translation
“Don’t respond to the words of a fool with more foolish words, or you will become as foolish as he is!”
I have what I consider a foolish, unbelieving, liberal friend who made some foolish remarks about Trump. I responded with an equally foolish, and extremely facetious remark which I thought was quite humorous. He thought I was responding with a serious, factual answer and spent a large part of his next email trying to prove his point.
I had to apologize to him for wasting his time and concede that he was right all along. I should have “responded with words of wisdom” so the “fool wouldn’t think he was so clever” as written in verse 5 that followed.
I like Proverbs 27:19 “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” So the question for me: Is my life reflecting the love of Jesus Christ?
(2/25/21) Proverbs 25:16 The Passion Translation
“When you discover something sweet, don’t overindulge and eat more than you need, for excess in anything can make you sick of even a good thing.”
My problem is that I frequently overindulge. I need to exert more self-control, especially with the Herrera’s sweet things.
Wounds of a friend.
nough said!!
Proverbs 27: 17 “ As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” What a great verse for me to remember how I can help another men that need love, compassion, a listening ear, a friend in Christ. This teaching of Called to Act has benefited me on how I need to act and build a movement of Christian men. This will be my prayer to make this happen. Good simple disciplines to make this work.
Pray for me for healing on my lower back .I have 4 bulging disc and my pain is constant. Thank you for this study and all you do to help men Grow in Christ!
This is what we want to do at Community Heights Alliance!
Getting every man from church in a group! And that will require more leaders hopefully from this group! Leading is not hard and does not mean you have to have all the answers. Just a willingness to biblically through things with other brothers!
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.
23 Pride brings a person low,
but the lowly in spirit gain honor.
29 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.
So many verses hit me and are applicable.
1) this is why we are here. To be around other men. To learn wisdom from them and for us to hold each other accountable.
2) my pride and ego and anger have gotten in the way too many times to count. I’ve lost a lot because of it.
3) when I am corrected or have been called out by someone I typically stand defiant against them, no matter what. Then I am quick to respond hastily. After some time of reflection I can almost always see the error in my ways. If only I had been open to rebuke and quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.
Thank you for these tips and ideas. Looking forward to building a movement and pouring into other men. It is something that is so desperately needed today.
This devotional journey has been great, Vince ! Looking forward to being the light and continuing to answer God’s nudges in my life. Abundant Blessings ~
Having a hard time with these comments. I am new to Christianity and really want this to take over my daily life. I am having problems with expressing my thoughts and feelings with brothers because of my lack of knowledge. I have joined a small group and church and read and pray daily. Frustrated is where I am and I dont want that to drive me away.
Hopefully you get this Dale. I feel the exact same way. I don’t have much knowledge about this so how can I teach or pass the word? Sometimes our actions speak louder than words. We usually know right from wrong, it’s just a matter of stepping out of our comfort zone. Especially when we feel a nudge to do so. I try to see those nudges as God or the Holy Spirit trying to tell me something or teach me something. I don’t always react soon enough, but I have never done something after a nudge that I know is right, and then regretted it later.
Being a good example is a great way to lead, especially at first. Do it even though it appears nobody is watching. Inevitably someone always is and the reward can be amazing! Keep up the good work and keep going to the Bible study! God bless!
– Cory
Thank you I have enjoyed these challenges it has helped me.
I love this because it lets me know that as long as stand strong and firm in the word of God and follow his instructions, I will always find strength and security in him to help lead me through life!
I have been part of my church’s men’s group for over 7 years, and I have been leading it for just over a year. It is such a blessing to me to be part of a group of men who meet together for brotherhood and to study God’s word.
I am thankful for the 5 activities that Vince shared: Prayer, Scripture, Brotherhood, Accountability, and Ministry. While my group does the first three well, I feel like we have some room to grow in the latter two areas. I am excited to share this with them and pray for the Lord’s leading.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.
If you ask, you will receive. Doing the right thing in the midst of wisdom from the Lord in congunction with making one’s own right decisions, leads to an abudant life. I’m amazed with how he cares for me on a daily basis! We are blessed!
Howdy,
After listening to this mornings lesson, one of the issues that I struggle with is the fact that we men live in a spread out area and most of the men use this as a reason to not gather very often. I could definitely use prayer on this matter.
Brother Don Crisp
I pray for wisdom to help people at my job,and to learn the gospel
I will pray how we can take the momentum from iron sharpens iron and expand our men’s group.
Blessings to you all
Great Call to Act, today! I have been meeting with my small men’s group for over 6 years now, and it has been such a blessing to me. Vince, Thank you for your encouragement!
I will pray about the task presented to me today thru Vince’s activity. God Bless you my Brothers
Verse 27:17
Had to stop on this verse today, especially when thinking about the topic of groups of men. I have learned both from positive and negative experiences that I am shaped by the people I surround myself with. I am being “sharpened” whether it is by good influence or bad influence. There have been times I’ve had to remove certain people from my life and I really treasure the groups of men (and women) I have in my life now.
I believe I am committed to be more focus on God, Jesus and scripture and be accountable
Driving the learning from this challenge into daily practice and using the structure outlined with Prayer, Scripture, Brotherhood, Accountability and Ministry will be my guidelines moving forward. I would like to try this with my accountability partner. Lord, please be with Bryan and continue to guide his leadership for our Mens group at Grace and I ask You to keep me on track to move forward in my relationship with You.
I will ask our school Bible Study members if I should email to remind them about our weekly meetings.
I need my Lord to give me strength to walk daily with Him.
verse 27:23 kind of sums up the theme for yesterday’s, day 34’s, challenge, “be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.” starting a men’s small group is MAKING a flock, holding each other accountable is giving the men careful attention. I will be emailing you tomorrow Vince as I need help starting a small group and I have to go volunteer at AWANA tonight as a leader, but I am going to get on this challenge and really make a lot of change in my life, I need to be held accountable by other men on a weekly basis and the comradery alone, based on my experience in Fight Club, is worth it.
This is a great method to use in building men. And I must be intentional and to act. Disciplemaking.
Thank you, God, that I already have a circle of good Christian men in my life, my friends and brothers in Christ. Help me to stay connected to them and not follow my tendency to hide or think that I don’t really belong. Help me to listen to your voice and those positive voices in my life, not the voice of the enemy.
Eric – praying for your wife and positive outcomes of these tests.
Prayer
Scripture
Brotherhood
Accountability
Ministry
P.S.
BAM!
There is a saying, evil flourishes when good men do nothing.
The Bible speaks of the separation of the sheep and goats and I believe we are in that time. God makes His appeal through us and it is just as much our responsibility to bring His people, our brothers and sisters home.
We have to stop with the divisions, the labeling and the tribes, because all belong to God. We do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but spiritual darkness, dark forces that know their time is nearing the end and doing everything in their power to destroy families, friends and nations! It is our job as men to teach our children, (Deut. Chapter 6), stand firm against the oppressed, trust Jesus fully, pray unceasingly and stand firm with your brothers.
Jesus said “apart from Him, we can do nothing, so I encourage my brothers to stay in the Word, to speak truth to each other and thank you Vince for pulling this together!
Let’s finish well!
To God be praised!
Stand for Christ. Share his good word. Be an example for all to see
Verses to dwell in and ponder:
Proverbs 27:
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
19 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.
20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.
Proverbs 28:
5 Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.
26 Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
Proverbs 29:
11 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.
20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
21 A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent.
Vince and all, the 35 Day Challenge has been a Blessing and a Gift from the Holy Spirit, as I’ve gained discipline, wisdom, peace and humility.
I truly believe it is another stone that the Lord has put in my path, to pick up, as I walk his path, and not mine.
I feel now more confident than ever that I can (finally) have the courage, discipline and vision to go the next step in what God wants me to do to grow His Kingdom and be as a disciple, mentor and leader for Him, for His praise, honor and Glory!
Vince, you are a Blessing and a brother in Christ!
Too much to condense and discuss today. Let’s finish strong!
Perfume and incense make you feel good, and so does good advice from a friend. Proverbs 27:9 ERV
I feel good with PV REACH MEN. Thanks for being there for me and your wise advice.
A lot to chew on today !!
Lord help me to constantly be aware or what I am doing and with whom I am with. Guard my heart and mind to make good choices. Thank you for your word and the guidance it brings !!
Great study, Vince. I needed it.
Thanks!
This 35 day Challenge has been timely and building transformation in my life. At the beginning of January a group men and myself began getting together on a weekly occurrence. We let Jesus lead the direction in terms of the content we wanted to cover. Right now we are discussing vocation and what God has called us to do. How do we get out of feel like indentured servants to our work and start using the vocational callings God has called upon us. Continuing to develop our brotherhood and accountability has been extremely fruitful. Thank you Vince for pushing us to become better men!
Love this. I’ve been a member of two groups that resemble this outline. One has turned into a coffee clutch with a very low bar and is directionless. The other is vibrant and full of the spirit. I have become a bit tired and cynical but these 34 days and Rush Limbaugh’s cancer announcement Yesterday has given me a renewed sense of urgency. Praise God for his patience and loving kindness. Keep looking up men. Here to testify. God is good.
Great prayer in today’s devotional! Lord, I pray you would build boldness, courage, and faith in me on my path to be a better man. Help me to slay passivity…
Proverbs 28:14 “Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart falls into calamity”- Amen! There should always be a little fear when we try to comprehend the vastness of God, and that makes adoption as sons so much sweeter.
I think this template listed above is a great way to structure a men’s group
Absolutely Mike!! This is how I want to see our men’s group led!!
Super excited!!
I pray this vision of movement resonates with many of us and we start seeing more men passionate about the Kingdom!
Thank you Venice for being an activating leader amongst Christ’s church. Your 30 Virtues of a Man devotional book has lead to numerous heartfelt conversations that the Holy Spirit has blessed.
This Call to Act series was well thought out and very helpful. I hope the Lord ignites a firestorm of obedience and ministry from it.
May your joy be complete as you take comfort in this.
Going through Proverbs has reminded me of the lengthy survey checklist we sometimes have to fill out prior to seeing a doctor. We can fudge a bit on the survey but the doctor can usually see through it. When we isolate ourselves, we tend to fudge a bit on sin issues we have in our life. Brotherhood and accountability based on God’s Word is priceless. This challenge has been just what the doctor ordered for me! I know when I leave the doctor if I don’t take action on what he suggested I find myself in the same condition or worse when I return. Vince has encouraged us to take action with a brother and a bible. Prov 27:9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.
Vince, I started this challenge over a month ago with the attitude ‘why not? This challenge is in my inbox, I need to grow spiritually, why not me? Why not now?’ So, I started this challenge, equal parts excited and terrified, as I had no idea what you were going to ask me to do.
Over a month later, I am steadily in the Word and intentional in my (audible) prayer. Praying in my head now seems awkward and uncomfortable. After all, do we speak to our closest friends only in our minds? Why should speaking to the Friend of Sinners be any different?
An area I wished to grow, and still wish to grow in, is my community with other Christian men. I can pray and fellowship with Christian men just fine but do not have a close circle of Brothers that I meet with, read the Word with, confide in and pray with/for.
After today’s challenge I realized just how much a loner I have been, and every fiber of my being fights against fellowship with others. Satan has pretty much left me alone the last month or so but boy, oh boy is he taking notice of this now, stoking the fires of my anxiety, depression and self-loathing. Now that I am certain God is all I need to do this and grow in this, the devil is ferocious in attacking.
Thank you, Vince for all this will mean in my life and in the growth of the Kingdom. Thank you for sharpening so much iron with your life. I would ask that God would take me to places I would not choose to go, to bless me and men around me with blessings we could never ask for or imagine.
I am excited to see what is happening with men’s ministry at different churches. Men are responding to God’s call to rise up and lead. The importance of being a part of a community of Christian brothers cannot be overstated. I believe we see men on a regular basis who desperately need the community we are experiencing. We know our own faults and failures, and those can keep us from reaching out. Reach out anyway!
I am doing that at church now with some younger men. I really live pouring into them, it helps me as well!
This has been very helpful in my walk with the Lord! I have found that these main themes of brotherhood and accountability have been more important in my life than I could have ever imagined. I used to think I didn’t really need these things, but I was quite wrong. Doing life with other brothers in the Lord has not only encouraged me much, but it has made me into a better man and spurred me on in doing good! We are in this fight together, may we find more men doing it alone and pull them into fellowship with us and fight against the enemy together!
The enemy does not want us to be united together as men so he can destroy us in secret and so we have no one to help lift us up again. I want to encourage all my brothers to stay united, to not grow weary in doing good, and to press on for the prize awaiting us in Christ Jesus!
Well said Josh. I agree.
Thank you Vince! This has been great.
“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.”
Day 34:
From Vince:
“We are building these patterns into our life because we are 1 week or 2 weeks from being horrible men.”
I’m thankful for this challenge and The guys who are supporting me.
3 chapters of proverbs is too much for a single day for me to prayerfully reflect on. I’m going to cut myself off at 27 and then finish the book one day at a time through Saturday.
27:7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
I’m thankful for God working to “un-fill” me during this challenge. I feel called back to His word each day (hungry) and I pray that this continues.
Thank you for getting me started off on the right foot thus year. I’ve been blessed with new insights of Christian living, put away sinful habits and rejoice in God led life. Putting together a group will come as God leads. For now just continue to grow in Christ.
Meeting with accountability partner tonight for second time. Last night, we attended a men’s group and the plan is to expand this model to other men in our church. Praise God! Thank you, Vince, for your time and energy spent pointing us to the Word.
Build boldness and courage in me .
We cannot sit back and do nothing to help, if we are followers of Christ.
Standup for weak, poor and less fortunate for God has equipped us to be hero’s, not villains or cowards.
I must Follow Jesus and Build A Movement. My marching orders. Thank you Vince for your guidance and nuts and bolts structure on how to do this.
Had these 3 verses really jump out at me today…………………….
Proverbs 27:9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
MY TAKEAWAY-You have no fear of taking advice from a good friend or in this case brotherhood, because you know they have your interest at heart. Thank you Jesus and thank you VINCE!!!!!!!
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
MY TAKEAWAY-STOP Disqualifying yourself, flee from all the guilt as a man, Fear the LORD, become more Obedient and that will make you so RIGHTEOUS!!!!
Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
MY TAKEAWAY-Fear is lack of faith. If we have faith in the Lord, we have nothing to fear.
KEEP UP THE FAITH MEN………………………and GOD shall give you peace and rest!!!!!
And another gem that I’m remimnd of. When at Man Camp I took home a saying that has proved to be true and helpful to me in all the Ministry that I’m involved in. Vince spoke of developing a rythm. The saying I heard went something like this; Balance is like a unicorn it doesn’t really exist. Therefore what we need to aim for is rythm. What would it look like if we all worked into our rythm at least 2 meetings a week, other than church on Sunday, with our brothers in Christ?
Thank you Vince for your heart for men and leading us 35 days. Accountability and ministry are the two areas in our group that needs adjustments.
Thanks Vince
These two verses stood out for me. “Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.” “Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.“ Live each day for the Lord as if his coming were tomorrow for we do not know the day of His return.
It’s great to start off the year and just a couple days from completing an entire book of the Bible. We have started a new men’s group and I’ve made it a new goal to reach out to other men and encourage them to be part of a brotherhood. I’m still working on the prayer. Proverbs has definitely been instrumental in structuring a men’s group and forming a better moral outlook on relationships. I’m inspired!! Thank you!!
Okay. God is greater t hff an anything I could imagine. Yesterdays devotion sent by Vince was “Never Removed”. I read this yesterday during my time. I send it to my wife knowing she was having a mammogram, but unaware of the implications in the verse from Isaiah. The email has dissapeared. Hmmm. Well any way, my wife has a sonogram tomorrow.
Proverbs 27:19- As water reflects the face, so ones life reflects the heart. God may you continue guiding me on the path of live as you see fit !
Proverbs 27:1 – such great words as we all know men that talk about grand plans for tomorrow but do nothing today. I pray this group of men take action today!
“those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet”. I take this as being in community oh, no, being a team with one another in close proximity consistently and service to one another and to the Lord. It was said previously to turn to your neighbors not a distant relative when tragedy strikes. I think this also points to being in a relationship with those in close proximity to us. We’re learning this through the Q source and scripturally we are reminded
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. This verse is so fitting and true. I definitely become dull on my own and easily distracted. A life lived not accompanied by other believing men has been a tough lonely road without the companionship of another man to share my struggles with has made me a very dull individual all the while wanting to be sharpened. Dear lord thank you for this 35 day challenge to help make me become aware of how important it is to have other men in my life has been so valuable. Amen.
Thank you. I have followed every day. It has been a need for me.
28:19 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but whoever follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty. Love these chapters today! Marked down Vince’s 5 things: another one of his ways of teaching balance.
Hmmmm, Becoming more involved in our men’s ministry? As a few of you know I’ve been thinking about this for some time. I believe God is calling 2 or 3 men to lead in this area. Are any of you guys willing to partner with me in this area? Perhaps a new evening Iron Men group with these concepts as a roadmap.
Let’s get together and chat
I dig the blueprint, and hope a good core group of men unite to this end.
I, however, must guard my evenings with my family. Godspeed and God bless!
Good words today about righteousness. It has come up in Men’s group, small group, and worship. Help me to not take it lightly and to be bold when you call on me.