Equipping the Man in the Mirror Jan/Feb/Mar 2010 by Stephanie Lopez

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Men were created to work.

We feel most happy, most alive, and most useful doing the work we were created to do. Does that describe the men you know?

Learn how to experience the power of God in your work, to bring about social transformation through your work and how to make your work life count for the glory of God!

Patrick Morley, author of The Man in the Mirror, knows that men everywhere want their lives to count, to make a real difference. He has written a book for men in the workforce who want to integrate their faith and work. Whether a businessman, construction worker, salesman, lawyer, accountant, or plumber, men will be introduced to principles which provide a better understanding of themselves and how to be most effective and valuable in their chosen career.

Order this new book today! Go to www.maninthemirror.org or call 800-929-2536 and order one for yourself and several for your small group!

Table of Contents January/February/March 2010

Featured Articles

q Letter from the Editor by David Delk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 q New Book! A Man’s Guide to Work by Dr. Patrick Morley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 q Ten Reasons to Attend the Summit by Brett Clemmer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 q Strange Effect of Holiness—Excerpt from The Holiness of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 q Five Questions for Tom Cheshire of RPM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Resource Tools

q Equipping Your Men’s Small Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 q Resource Catalog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 q From the Web: disciplemen.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Devotions

q January 2010 Devotions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 q February 2010 Devotions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 q March 2010 Devotions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

At the end of many of the devotionals you will find an abbreviation for a resource that expands on the devotional material. If you’d like to order the book, CD, or read more from that resource, please go to www.maninthemirror.org. MIMBS—Man in the Mirror Bible Study : MIMBS 1—The Life of David—Hot fire Makes Good Steel : MIMBS 2—A Worthy Leader : MIMBS 3—A Man Empowered by the Holy Spirit : MIMBS 4—Hanging Out with Jesus—The Power and Limits of Prayer : MIMBS 5—Solomon’s 12 Secrets—Strong Coffee for Men :MIMBS 6—The Key to Lasting Change

: MIMBS 7—Hanging out with Jesus—Hopeless : MIMBS 8—Hanging Out with Jesus—When Men Hang Out : MIMBS 9—Gospels—Fierce Love of God : MIMBS 10—Ancient Wisdom for Uncertain Times : MIMBS 11—Task 4 Create a Grace-Based Home :MIMBS 12—Solomon’s 12 Secrets—Find the Shoe that Fits :MIMBS 13—The Meaning of the Cross

Equipping the Man in the Mirror: January/February/March 2010, Vol. 5, No. 1 Publisher: Man in the Mirror, Inc. • CEO: Patrick Morley • Executive Editors: David Delk and Brett Clemmer Publication Manager: Lucy Blair • Art Director: Cathleen Kwas • Contributing Editor: Stephanie Lopez Writers: Lucy Blair and Ruth Ford Office: 180 Wilshire Blvd., Casselberry, Florida 32707 Phone: 800-929-2536 • Fax: 407-331-7839 • Web site: www.maninthemirror.org

Copyright © 2010 by Patrick Morley and Man in the Mirror, Inc. All rights reserved. Subscription Information: One year—$25. Two years—$43. For reprint requests or bulk subscriptions call 407-472-2100 or send an email to EQMIM@maninthemirror.org and ask for reprint permissions. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked nkjv are taken from the the New King James Version. Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked the message are taken from the The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright ©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked nlt are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

The YOU-TEACH-IT event is one of the most “flexible” ways to bring a Man in the Mirror seminar to your men. It’s also a “powerful” way to change lives. Call to find out more TODAY!

Serving Pastors • Training Leaders • Transforming Men

Call Pam or Jim today to schedule your next men’s event at 800.929.2536 or www.maninthemirror.org/events. Mention this ad and receive 10% off your scheduling fee. Hurry! Offer expires 3/31/10.

Letter from the Editor

by David Delk . We are excited to share this first issue of 2010 with you, both in print and online. Please let other men know how the magazine helps you grow in your walk with Christ. 2009 was a very difficult year. Like most ministries, we have faced hard choices and significantly cut staff. And those who remained worked for reduced pay. One of the cost-saving measures we adopted was to skip the physical printing of one issue of this magazine. That’s why we are so happy to get this edition in your hands. Even with lowered resources at our disposal, our ministry efforts actually increased, not decreased. We are moving forward, not shrinking back. Now more than ever, men need to be transformed by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Reaching men really does change the world. There’s no more strategic investment we can make than to disciple a man. And there’s no more leveraged way to invest our time and energy than to help church leaders more effectively reach and disciple the men in their communities. Because of partners like you, in 2009 God allowed us to… 44Distribute over 450,000 books through leaders and churches! 44Train more than 2,500 leaders to disciple men in their local churches 44Serve more than 45,000 men through our weekly online video bible study 44Touch the lives of over 100,000 men in seminar attendance since 1996

We work hard to be great stewards - over half our revenue is earned through our ministry efforts. This means every $1 of donations actually accomplishes more than $2 of ministry! As one of our partners has said, “We feel so blessed to have come across this Spirit-filled ministry. God has definitely made an impact on our lives through the use of Man in the Mirror ministry.” —T.J. Thanks for allowing us to partner with you in this battle for men’s souls. It’s a privilege and honor to walk alongside you. If you haven’t yet registered for the Annual Summit (January 28-30, 2010), please do so right away at www.maninthemirrorsummit.org. I know of no better way for you to be personally blessed and encouraged by what God is doing in the lives of men and leaders across America. Those who attended last year expressed that it was a great way to ignite their year of worship and service to God. We’d love to have you join us this year for this time of encouragement, learning, and friendship. For the glory of Christ alone,

David Delk President, Man in the Mirror

A Man’s Guide to Work by Dr. Patrick Morley Here’s an excerpt from A Man’s Guide to Work: 12 Ways to Honor God on the Job, January 2010, Moody Publishers.

From the Introduction You were created to work, and you will feel most happy, most alive, and most useful when you are doing the work you were created to do. Unfortunately, over 50 percent of all workers are dissatisfied with their jobs—a record high—and as many as 80 percent are not in jobs best suited for them. That’s tragic, since about half of your 112 waking hours each week will be devoted to work and your work commute. Most men do not have what we might call “a theology of work.” They feel theologically stranded—left to cobble together their own doctrine of work. They have not been trained for the marketplace. Ask most Christian men, “Is business or plumbing a calling, like being a pastor? What is God’s purpose for you in the marketplace?” or a dozen similar questions, and you will probably get blank stares. That’s not because the Bible is thin on the subject. Far from it. The Bible is replete with wisdom for every work situation you will ever encounter.

From Chapter 1—Calling: Businessman, Plumber, or Minister—Same Thing Men who follow Jesus Christ are an occupation force “ordained” to serve in the markets of men. We should regard work not just as a platform for ministry—work is ministry, and we are stewards put in charge until Jesus comes back, a fifth column who infiltrate a world stained by sin, acting as salt that preserves the way of Christ and light that leads broken people out of darkness.

44Same Work, Two Results Picture two airline ticket agents. They do exactly the same job, but one views his work as something he does to earn money, so when he finishes his shift, he can do what he really wants to do. He is easily irritated by customers complaining when their travel plans go awry.

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The second agent views his work as a calling. Every time someone comes to him with a problem, he sees it as an opportunity to serve the customer and represent his great God. The agent does what he was called to do to the glory of God, even when facing resistance from a particular customer. That second ticket agent understands a big idea: Whether you’re a businessman or a minister, your work is a calling. It has intrinsic value, and it has potential to bear eternal fruit that honors God.

44Is Work a Blessing or a Curse? Many assume that work is part of the curse that resulted from Adam and Eve’s sin—what we commonly call “the fall.” As a result of that sin, God told Adam, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground” (Genesis 3:17–19). Ouch! But work itself was created prior to the fall in Genesis 2 as a blessing from God, not in Genesis 3 where, because of the fall, work was made difficult. Because of the fall, though, we must do our work while feeling the prick of thorns—it is both a blessing and a curse.

44Is a Career in Ministry More Spiritual than a Career in Business? Once I visited a church in my hometown. For about forty minutes, the guest preacher said, in essence, that if you really love Jesus, you will go to the mission field. When the service was over, I slinked out of the sanctuary. I felt that if I didn’t become a full-time career missionary, I always would be a second-class citizen in God’s kingdom. That distorted view, severing our work life from our spiritual life, is biblically inaccurate. Work, it turns out, can be a calling just like going into the ministry. Every vocation is holy to the Lord. God makes no distinction between sacred and secular. If you look up the word secular in your Bible concordance, what will you find? Nothing, because the word secular is not in the Bible. Twentieth-century evangelical theologian and philosopher Francis Schaeffer, in answering practical questions written to him by everyday people, noted, “One thing you should very definitely have in mind—that is that a ministry such as teaching the Bible in a college is no higher calling intrinsically than being a businessman or doing something else.” God calls some people to be pastors or teachers or evangelists. And He calls some to work in businesses, hospitals, fire departments, or construction. continued on page 6

continued from page 5

44You Are an “Ordained” Worker A man who once visited the Friday morning Man in the Mirror Bible study told me, “All my life I wanted to be a high school math teacher. Finally, my dream came true. But I soon saw two problems. First, my students were coming to class with problems math can’t solve. Second, the Christian teachers in my school don’t know each other. God has put a vision in my mind about how to address those two issues. I am an ordained math teacher.” He sure got that right. If you are a Christian in the marketplace—whether driving the truck, fixing the computers, or running the company—you are “ordained” to that position.

44Work Is Ministry As already noted, work is not just a platform to do ministry— it is ministry. If you are a waiter, every couple sitting at your station is a divine appointment. They provide an opportunity for you to serve them in the name of Jesus Christ. “How may I help you?”“May I take your order?” If you are a salesman, every appointment is holy, and every closing is sacred. If you are a manager, every time you intervene between two employees who cannot see eye-to-eye, you have an opportunity to demonstrate the reconciling power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The landscape designer, the building contractor, the UPS delivery man, the chief executive officer—all of these people have chosen employment that can be spiritual when accomplished within the circle drawn by Scripture. Every vocation can be holy to the Lord, if we look to Him day by day for His help. For the Christian, all of life is “spiritual.”

44Work Should Bring Glory to God Not everything you do has to result in someone’s immediate salvation. Just working in a way that wins the respect of other people is valuable to God’s kingdom. And furthermore, it is valuable to work in such a way that you limit your dependence on other people (e.g., not going into debt). Those simple aspects of living out your calling will enhance God’s reputation in our culture. Simply put, your work is a summons to follow Jesus. Your work enables you to go where Jesus would go, to be what Jesus would

be, and to do what Jesus would do. That is a calling. We will experience resistance—that’s part of the curse. But when we see work as a calling, we know we can do it for God’s glory. Work is a noble and holy vocation. That’s the “big idea”: Regardless of whether you’re a businessman or a minister, your work is a calling. It has intrinsic value, and it has potential to bear eternal fruit. I pray your work will be a place where you can feel happy, alive, and useful because you know that you’re doing what you were created to do.

• Dr. patrick morley

After building one of Florida’s 100 largest privately held companies, in 1991 Dr. Patrick Morley founded Man in the Mirror, a non-profit organization to help men find meaning and purpose in life. Dr. Morley is the bestselling author of The Man in the Mirror, No Man Left Behind, Dad in the Mirror, and A Man’s Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines.

In the book A Man’s Guide to Work, Pat has included several practical ideas to help you discover or confirm your calling. Order a copy of this new book today and learn how to make your life work count for the glory of God! Go to maninthemirror.org or call 1-800-929-2536.

10 Reasons You Should Attend the 2010 Man in the Mirror Annual Summit

by Brett Clemmer . The theme for this year is: (re)introducing the church to men (and men to the church). Building on the success of the 2009 Summit, we’re looking forward to exploring new ways for the church to reach men and help them build spiritually powerful lives. We want you to join us! Want to know more about why you should come? Here’s ten reasons to attend the Summit…

Inspirational worship led by singer/songwriter John Waller, whose credits include songs on the soundtrack for the breakout movie, Fireproof, and the hit single, While I’m Waiting.

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Great general sessions, including a Celebration of Changed Lives, and the vision for Man in the Mirror for the next 10 years with Patrick Morley. 5 workshop sessions, featuring 5 distinct tracks with more than 25 different workshops to pick from. Learn about several new initiatives from Man in the Mirror, including developments in the Field Network, Leadership Training Center, website and more.

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Learn about “No Man Left Behind Churches” and “The Journey to Biblical Manhood.” Be encouraged and informed by leading men’s discipleship practitioners as they share their success stories and best practices. Lots of time to interact with church, ministry and denominational leaders representing over 100,000 churches in America.

Attend the Man in the Mirror Bible Study, a 24-year success story. Workshops for wives featuring Cynthia Heald and Ruthie Delk. And of course, all of this is happening in Orlando…in January!

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For more information or to register, go to www.maninthemirrorsummit.org, or call us at 800-929-2536.

Man in the Mirror

ANNUAL SUMMIT January 28–30, 2010 Orlando, Florida

(re)introducing the church to men (and men to the church) Join us at a gathering of leaders from churches, ministries and denominations who are passionate about men’s discipleship. Link arms with cutting edge leaders and fellow warriors in the battle for men’s souls. Worship, Workshops, Fellowship, Prayer, and More! Featuring Dr. Patrick Morley Keynote Speaker, Workshop Leader

Cynthia Heald Women’s Workshop Leader

John Waller Worship Leader

For more information or to register, go to www.maninthemirrorsummit.org or call toll free at (800) 929-2536.

Strange Effect of Holiness by R.C. Sproul . Excerpt from The Holiness of God A few years ago one of the leading golfers on the professional tour was invited to play in a foursome with Gerald Ford (then president of the United States), Jack Nicklaus, and Billy Graham. The golfer was especially in awe of playing with Ford and Billy Graham (he had played frequently with Nicklaus before). After the round of golf was finished, one of the other pros came up to the golfer and asked, “Hey, what was it like playing with the president and with Billy Graham?” The pro unleashed a torrent of cursing, and in a disgusted manner said, “I don’t need Billy Graham stuffing religion down my throat.” With that he turned on his heel and stormed off, heading for the practice tee. His friend followed the angry pro to the practice tee. The pro took out his driver and started to beat out balls in fury. His neck was crimson, and it looked as if steam was coming from his ears. His friend said nothing. He sat on a bench and watched. After a few minutes the anger of the pro was spent. He settled down. His friend said quietly, “Was Billy a little rough on you out there?” The pro heaved an embarrassed sigh and said, “No, he didn’t even mention religion. I just had a bad round.” Astonishing. Billy Graham had said not a word about God, Jesus, or religion, yet the pro had stormed away after the game accusing Billy of trying to ram religion down his throat. How can we explain this? It’s really not difficult. Billy Graham didn’t have to say a word; he didn’t have to give a single sideward glance to make the pro feel uncomfortable. Billy Graham is so identified with religion, so associated with the things of God, that his very presence is enough to smother the wicked person who flees when no one pursues. Luther was right, pagans do tremble at the rustling of a leaf. They feel the hound of heaven breathing down their neck. They feel crowded by holiness, even if it is made present only by an imperfect, partially sanctified human vessel. The golf pro’s reaction to Billy Graham was similar to Peter’s reaction to Jesus Christ. “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Both felt the trauma of the presence of the holy. Holiness provokes hatred. The greater the holiness, the greater the human hostility toward it. It seems insane. No man was ever more loving than Jesus Christ. Yet even His love made people angry. His love was a perfect love, a transcendent and holy love, but His very love brought trauma to people. This kind of love is so majestic we can’t stand it. Copyright © 1985, 1998 by R. C. Sproul. All rights reserved

• R.C. Sproul

Dr. R. C. Sproul is chairman and president of Ligonier Ministries and is the Minister of Preaching/Teaching at Saint Andrews Chapel in Florida. He has served as a professor at several seminaries throughout the country.

Purchase this great resource for every man in your church! To order go to www.maninthemirror.org or call 1-800-929-2536.

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Equipping Your Men’s Small Group

Get all your men engaged in the regular study of God’s Word by using this magazine as a small group tool. At the end of each week’s devotions, you’ll see a box containing discussion questions and exercises. These can form the basis of your time together. These pages supplement those questions with additional steps.

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Small Group Guide continued from page 11

r 1/1– 1/3: This weekend you learned about the process of refining steel

and how God refines character in our own lives. Suggested Application Step (SAS): Memorize one of the versions of John 16:33 that were read to your group. Make an effort to reflect on that verse each morning and evening of the next week.

r 1/4–1/10: These devotions focus on our view of God and how that relates

to our everyday lives. SAS: Start each day this week with a prayer asking God to show you what is proper and what is skewed in your view of Him. Ask for His help in changing what needs to be changed.

r 1/11–1/17: This week you will read about the fruit of the Spirit. SAS: Ask each man in the group to write down the fruit of the Spirit that they believe God wants to build in their life. In next week’s meeting, be ready to share if there have been any new ways that fruit has been demonstrated in your life. r 1/18–1/24: Our devotional theme this week is about the power

and mystery of prayer and the impact of persistent prayer. SAS: As a group, keep a prayer journal over the next month. It should include the prayer requests and answered prayers that you have shared as a group. In 30 days, go over this journal and see how God has been at work through the prayers of your group.

r 1/25–1/31: This week your men will consider the characteristics of

Solomon and specifically, his wisdom. SAS: Imagine the impact that God’s wisdom would have in your life if you sought after it consistently on a daily basis. List the ways wisdom could change or improve your relationships with family, friends, work, ministry or church.

r 2/1–2/7: This week you’ll be contemplating the importance of preparing your home (heart) for the filling of the Holy Spirit. SAS: Write a personal definition of what it means for you to be filled with the Holy Spirit and what you need to “clean out” from your heart to prepare it for Him.

r 2/8–2/14: These devotions focus on difficult or hopeless situations and the power of God’s hand in your life at those times. SAS: Have each person write a prayer for someone going through a hopeless situation (divorce, illness, death of a loved one, etc.) Be sure to (1) praise God for His continued care for that person(s), and (2) pray for ways that you can be used in the life of that person(s) to convey God’s love to them.

r 2/15-2/21: This week your men will see the importance of learning to trust God with every area of their life. SAS: Ask each man to identify one area of their life where they have struggled to really trust God. Let them share with the group what it would look like to give that area over to Him and how that would make them feel. r 2/22–2/28: This week you’ll get to see how God asks us to despise

sin and hide His word in our hearts. SAS: With your group, discuss what it means to hide God’s word in our hearts. Choose a passage of Scripture for the group to memorize and meditate on this week. Discuss the impact this exercise had on your lives next week.

r 3/1–3/7: These devotions focus on the temptations of life and how to handle times of failure. SAS: Ask each man to write a description of how the group should help one another when we are tempted or we fail. Share those descriptions with each other over the next few weeks. From last week: share any impact the memorized Scripture had on your week.

r 3/8–3/14: This week you’ll learn that God’s plan is the only plan and it is always bigger than our plan. SAS: Think of a time when you tried to make your own plan work and then a time when you sought God’s plan and followed it. List three things you learned from both of those choices. r 3/15–3/21: These devotions will help your group think through

what it means to be a godly father to your children and create a Grace-Based Home. SAS: Review the characteristics of a Grace-Based Home on page 51. Sit down with your wife and see if this describes your home.

r 3/22–3/28: These devotions will help your group think through the

meaning of life as described in Ecclesiastes 4. SAS: Write out a personal mission statement for your life. Talk about how to incorporate what you learned from Ecclesiastes and what your mission statement says about the meaning of your life.

Use Equipping the Man in the Mirror for Your Small Group

•• Start with the group discussion questions at the end of each week of devotions. •• Looking for ideas for your small group? Check out the resources for men and women on page 32.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—January 1, 2, 3 Hot Fire Makes Good Steel I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:33 nlt

Have you ever seen how steel is made? They take a piece of scrap metal, which doesn’t have the strength of refined iron, and heat this metal up to an incredible temperature, thousands of degrees, and then blow oxygen into it. When it becomes molten, the impurities bubble up to the surface, and then it’s called slag. They run the impure metal off. The purified metal is then poured out into forms to make ingots. Then they take these ingots of steel and reheat them to 2200 degrees. They then shape this soft, but not molten, malleable steel ingot into sheets for cars or other uses. This process of heating the steel, pouring off the impurities and firing it again strengthens the iron and perfects it into a metal that can be used in totally new ways. We can find a similar process in the lives of many Biblical characters. Men like Moses, David, Daniel, Paul, and others went through a “fire” or time of adversity and

became stronger. Forty years in the desert, running for their lives, facing people who want to do them harm, struggling with an ongoing illness or infirmity—all these times were used for good in the lives of spiritual men. They might have doubted God’s ways during their trials. But God used hot fire in their lives to make them into good steel. Are you going through a difficult season and not able to see the purpose? Do you know someone who has had more of their fair share of woes? Has it been difficult to see God’s hand in these times? Take heart and allow God to use this time in your life to strengthen you. He molds His men into good steel. MIMBS 1 Do you know a man in your life who is going through a difficult time? Pray for an opportunity to be an encouragement to him this week. How can you show him the love of God through the pain of life? Daily Reading: Genesis 1:1-7:24, Matthew 1:14:11, Psalm 1:1-3:8, Proverbs 1:1-19

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For January 1-3—Read John 16:33 aloud from several different translations of the Bible (ex. - The Message, New Living Translation, or The Amplified Version) •• Which of those versions was the most meaningful to you? Why? •• What trials in your life have been difficult for you to understand? Were you able to make sense of them later in life? •• How can we share in each other’s trials and burdens? Are you facing a trial in your life that we can lift up in prayer today?

Monday—January 4 • God Is Worthy …They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power …” Revelation 4:10b-11a

Several years ago, I met two men on the same day. These men weren’t just different —they literally stood as complete opposites of each other. One was bitter about how his life had turned out, and his disappointment drove him away from God. The other had equally difficult circumstances, but he expressed a desire to give his life over to God in a way he had never done before. In fact, I walked away with the impression that he was ready to walk on hot coals, if that was what was required to get to God. These two men illustrated a basic principle to me. You see, one did not see God as worthy, and the other did.

Eventually, every man will have to come to terms with this principle. When I first became a Christian, I understood in my mind that God is worthy. At some point, I began to actually believe and trust it in my heart. And eventually, I learned to live my life as an expression of that belief. Where are you on that journey? The only life worth living is one where God is treated as most worthy. MIMBS 2 How worthy is God in your eyes? How is that impacting your life? Daily Reading: Genesis 8:1-10:32, Matthew 4:12-25, Psalm 4:1-8, Proverbs 1:20-23

Tuesday—January 5 • A Representative List In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12

What do we mean, when we say God is worthy? We mean He has value, and He deserves all of the things listed in the verse above—power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and praise. As incredible as it seems, that’s not even an exhaustive list of the things God deserves. It’s just a representative list—a short inventory, if you will, that could end with “etc.”, because God is also worthy of worship and submission, and every other positive response you can imagine. That’s why the word worthy carries a sense of weightiness and gravity. When I think of God, I almost feel a little pressure coming down on my shoulders. I feel a little

tightness somewhere in the area where my heart is. I know men who get teary-eyed when they talk about God, because they are so enraptured by His worthiness. And why is He worthy? Because He’s our Creator, our Sustainer, and our Redeemer. He made us, He keeps us, and He works to redeem us from the eternal consequences of our rebellious choices. MIMBS 2 What one or two qualities could you add to the “representative list” in Revelation 5:12? Daily Reading: Genesis 11:1-13:4, Matthew 5:126, Psalm 5:1-12, Proverbs 1:24-28

Wednesday—January 6 • Our Creator The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. Acts 17:24-25

God created everything—everything you find precious, everything you love, and everything you value. In fact, he even created you. Psalm 139 tells us that God created your “inmost being” and “knit” you together while you were in your mother’s womb (see verse 13). That passage goes on to note that your Creator knows when you sit or lie down. He knows every word you’re going to speak, even before it forms on you lips. And in the Gospels, Jesus explained that God is so interested in the details of your life, he even knows how many hairs you have on your head (Luke 12:7). Because God is so aware of who you are, you can assume that He also has a plan and a purpose for you. He is aware of the goals you’re

pursuing, the ambitions that guide you. And He’s equally interested in your wife and children, your neighbor, your boss or your employee. God created everyone and everything that exists. He is worthy, simply because nothing would exist without Him. MIMBS 2 When you think of God as the Creator of the universe, how does it affect your view of his worthiness? Daily Reading: Genesis 13:5-15:21, Matthew 5:27-48, Psalm 6:1-10, Proverbs 1:29-33

Thursday—January 7 • Our Sustainer From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. “For in him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:26-28a

There is a parable about a woman who was enduring a difficult time. Entering an old grocery store, she approached the owner, saying, “My husband is sick and can’t work. We have seven children. May I get some groceries today? I’ll pay you as soon as I can.” The grocer berated her, but she wouldn’t give up. Finally he said, “Put your list on this side of the scales. I’ll add groceries to the other side, and I’ll give you whatever equals the weight of your list.” The woman fumbled in her purse, found a pen, and wrote something on a paper. Then she put it on the scale. The grocer began

adding food items to the other side, and he kept adding and kept adding, until the scale was completely full. Still it tipped toward the list. Finally the grocer picked up the paper and found that it simply said, “Lord, you know my needs. I’m putting this in your hands.” Don’t believe the illusions of our culture, only God is your sustainer. MIMBS 2 Describe a time when you have seen God’s sustaining power. Daily Reading: Genesis 16:1-18:15, Matthew 6:1-24, Psalm 7:1-17, Proverbs 2:1-5

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—January 8, 9, 10 • Our Redeemer “You are worthy … because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9-10

Every man—regardless of whether he is a believer—has three basic questions about God: Does He know what I’m going through? Does He care? Can He do anything about it? The answer to all three questions is YES. He knows, He cares, and He already did something about it. The blood of Jesus, poured out at the cross, purchased men for God. He is worthy, because He is our redeemer. The implications of the above passage can be expressed in five words: •• Purchased—If you’re a Christian, it’s because you’ve been purchased by God. You belong to God. •• Kingdom—You’ve been incorporated into a kingdom, which implies that your king’s authority should be reflected in your lifestyle. •• Priests—God’s kingdom is comprised of priests. That means our lives are holy, and we have responsibility to minister to and pray for others. •• Serve—Regardless of where you live or work, your ultimate purpose is to serve God. •• Worship—Revelation 4 and 5 show scenes of worship. That word literally

means to kiss, the way a dog licks its master’s hand. God is looking for that kind of submission. If you are already walking with God, the question you should be asking is, “What difference will this information make in my life?” When you get a phone call from an angry customer, will you remember that you are purchased? Will you remember that you’re part of a kingdom of priests, called to serve and worship? If you’re not walking with the Lord right now, the question you should be asking is, “Why not?” Jesus told a story about a boy who left his home and lived in a way that would dishonor his father. But he came to himself and returned home. He admitted he was no longer worthy to be called his son. But the father welcomed him. If you’re not worthy, just tell Him that. The one who already redeemed you will also welcome you. MIMBS 2 Which of the five words above is most meaningful to you right now? Share your thoughts with another man in your group. Daily Reading: Genesis 18:16-24:51, Matthew 6:25-8:17, Psalm 8:1-9:20, Proverbs 2:6-3:6

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For January 4-10—Have someone read aloud the devotion for Monday, January 4, “God is Worthy”. •• Which man described in the story did you most relate to? Why? •• What circumstances in your life have driven you to God? What circumstances in your life have driven you away from God? •• How has your view of God played a part in those situations? How would you describe your view of God today?

Monday—January 11 • Strong DNA He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” Acts 1:7 The Message

Spider Man is a great movie. A little itsy, bitsy spider comes down and bites this boy. He is a high school nerd who gets picked on. After the bite, they show a DNA strand with little broken pieces. Suddenly, because of this spider bite, something begins to happen inside the boy. Everything missing in this DNA strand is put in its proper place, and he becomes strong, and perfect, and whole. He goes on to become a super hero. It’s a great spiritual analogy for the work of the Holy Spirit. Bible heroes, men like John, Paul, Peter, Stephen—what do they have in common?

One of the things that they have in common is they are full of the Holy Spirit. They’ve been empowered by the Holy Spirit. All of their broken pieces came together and they became powerful instruments used by God in great ways. Just like those men, we all can be changed by the work of the Holy Spirit. MIMBS 3 Do you desire to be used by God in great ways? Talk with another man about how God can change your “DNA” to make you a more powerful man. Daily Reading: Genesis 24:52-26:16, Matthew 8:18-34, Psalm 10:1-15, Proverbs 3:7-8

Tuesday—January 12 • He’ll Never Leave And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16, 17

What does it mean to be a man filled with the Holy Spirit? Jesus said, “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor.” Notice He says “another Counselor.” Jesus referred to Himself as a Counselor, too. Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit as a Counselor who would be with us forever. He also says that He will not leave us as orphans. Jesus was informing His followers that even through His death on the cross, He would be with them. He knew that when He was crucified and buried it would very confusing for them. He wanted them to know that no matter what was coming for the disciples they would not

be alone. That message is for us as well. We have a counselor in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Whatever you are going through today, you are not alone! You have the presence of Jesus Christ and the comfort and counsel of the Holy Spirit. He never leaves us! MIMBS 3 Discuss with your small group what it means to have the counsel of the Holy Spirit. How can you help each other be attentive to that counsel? Daily Reading: Genesis 26:17-27:46, Matthew 9:1-17, Psalm 10:16-18, Proverbs 3:9-10

Wednesday—January 13 • Priceless Gifts

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Galatians 5:22, 23 The Message What if I were to tell you that you could have everything in this world you ever dreamed of, but in order to receive it you would never be able to experience any of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Would you be willing to do it? What if you could keep half of the fruit of the Spirit? Let’s say you could have love, joy, peace and patience, but you couldn’t have kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol? Would you be willing to do it? What if you could have love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and

self-control, but no peace, no joy? Just take any one of the fruits of the Spirit and think about it. Can you imagine what it would be like to have $1 million or unlimited income and never have any peace? Or love? Or kindness? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are priceless gifts that make life worthwhile. MIMBS 3 Spend a few minutes thanking God for the fruits of the Spirit. Which of these fruits do you need to allow God to cultivate in your life? Daily Reading: Genesis 28:1-29:35, Matthew 9:18-38, Psalm 11:1-7, Proverbs 3:11-12

Thursday—January 14 • Filled Up?

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Galatians 5:17 nlt So, you have your quiet time in the morning and you are very aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit, right? Then you start driving to work. What happens? You get cut off in traffic. You lose your temper. You get to work and your boss gives another person the recognition you deserve and you’re just really, really ticked off. You were aware of the Holy Spirit a minute ago and now, all of a sudden, you are leaking. There are two forces are working in us all of the time. Even when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our human nature is there and leaks out from time to time. We can read our Bible, pray, serve others, love our

families, and teach Sunday school. We will still have failures and will still blow it. We can find comfort in the fact that even the apostle Paul struggled with the same two forces in himself. He says in Romans 7:15, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” (NLT) MIMBS 3 How have you blown it this week? If you did, confess that to the Lord and ask for His grace and forgiveness. Daily Reading: Genesis 30:1-31:16, Matthew 10:1-23, Psalm 12:1-8, Proverbs 3:13-15

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—January 15, 16, 17 • Daily Choices Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart”. John 7:38 nlt

There is a man who used attend our Bible Study. He and his wife became Christians through our ministry and he is now too old to attend. For whatever reason, I bonded with this man in a personal way, so on Friday mornings, when I leave the Bible Study, I call him on the way home as kind of my reminder. He’s a shut-in, it’s encouraging to him, and it’s encouraging to me. But let me be honest with you. He’s been suffering from some confusion in recent months, and sometimes when I call him, it’s a task. Calling him is not a natural thing for me. I teach a Bible Study because that’s one of my gifts, but mercy is not. So calling this man, although I enjoy it, has really become a burden. I am just doing it by faith. This morning I walked out of the house, and I was already in the driveway, the car had started moving, and I realized I didn’t have my cell phone. My gut reaction was to not go back and get it. I backed the car out of the garage, and then I

had a stronger impulse come over me and it said, “Go back and get your phone.” I believe that was the Holy Spirit directing me. My natural instinct was to forget about the phone and the call and go about my day. It would have been easy for me to keep the car going down the driveway. I had a choice. That day I listened and went back to get the phone and called this elderly man. We each will have those daily choices. We don’t always listen, but the Holy Spirit is nudges us and gives us the opportunity to be used by Him. So listen up and let Him flow through you. MIMBS 3 Can you think of a time when you were nudged by the Spirit? Did you listen? How were used by Him? Daily Reading: Genesis 31:17-36:43, Matthew 10:24-12:21, Psalm 13:1-15:5, Proverbs 3:1626

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For January 11-17—On a large piece of paper or white board, write all of the Fruits of the Spirit (listed in the devotion for Wednesday, January 13). •• Do you believe those fruits are for all Christians? Why or why not? •• How do you think you receive the fruits? Are they just imparted or do you have to work to develop them? •• Which fruits do you struggle the most with? Are there similarities around the group? Pray that God would help you with the fruits you need to develop.

Monday—January 18 • Persistent Prayer Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. Luke 11:10 The Message

If one of our children were to become deathly ill, what should we be praying for? We would want health for our child. We would want our child to live. Is that the will of God? Of course, we want healing, but we also want the will of God. It can be very confusing. Many people have been in this situation and prayed for healing, but some people still die even after lengthy and gut-wrenching prayer. Others have seen their prayers answered and experienced complete healing. Do our prayers have any influence over God’s master plan? Today’s verse indicates that God listens to us and wants us

to ask Him for our needs. There is another passage in Luke 18 about a widow who is persistent in asking a judge for justice. Because of her persistence, the judge grants her request. These scriptures (and others) tell us that God does listen and acts on our prayers. Are you asking for specific things in your prayer life? Are you being direct with God? Or are you afraid to tell God what you really want? MIMBS 4 In your prayer time this week, be direct with God. Tell the Lord the desires of your heart and ask for what you need. He is listening! Daily Reading: Genesis 37:1-38:30, Matthew 12:22-45, Psalm 16:1-11, Proverbs 3:27-32

Tuesday—January 19 • Unchangeable Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! Romans 11:33 nlt

There are some things that God will not do, whether we pray or not. God will never sin or lie. God’s character will never change. There are some other things that God does not do when we pray. I don’t believe we have seen too many people with amputated limbs and the limb has actually grown back. He doesn’t turn back time so that you can redo something from your past. He does not suspend the laws of nature. You can count on gravity if you jump off a building. All things are possible through God, but we can pray and pray for the power to fly or any other super power and we can assume those things will not happen.

God character doesn’t change. We know He is good and we know He is all-knowing. If there are things in life we cannot change, we must accept those things. The Serenity prayer opens with, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.” There are things in life that we just have to trust to God with even when prayer doesn’t change them. MIMBS 4 Are you having trouble trusting God with a difficult issue? Ask God to help you trust him even while you persist in prayer. Daily Reading: Genesis 39:1-41:16, Matthew 12:46-13:23, Psalm 17:1-15, Proverbs 3:33-35

Wednesday—January 20 • Protection’s Disguise When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil. With one hand strike my foes, With your other hand save me. Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now. Psalm 138:7, 8 The Message

I was talking to a friend a while ago, soon after the housing market fell out. On that dramatic day my friend was in New York City, to complete the sale of his company to a venture capital firm for a huge fortune. But the announcement was made before closing and the venture capitalist backed out. He went home in tears, devastated, all the work and prayers he had put in. And the whole thing fell apart on him. He went back home and a couple of weeks later he got a phone call from a company who wanted to be acquired. He was able to multiply the size of his company many times over and his personal fortune many times over by acquiring this company. In other words, what looked like complete disaster in his case, a few months

later turned into an enormous blessing way beyond anything you could imagine. Sometimes we mistake protection as suffering. Often times God is protecting us, but we think it’s suffering. It feels like suffering at the time, but some time down the road we are able to look back and see God had His hand in the situation. He is always protecting us, even when we cannot see it. MIMBS 4 Is there a recent situation that has devastated you or someone you love? How would your view of that situation or change if you knew it was simply God lovingly, protecting you? Daily Reading: Genesis 41:17-42:17, Matthew 13:24-46, Psalm 18:1-15, Proverbs 4:1-6

Thursday—January 21 • My Will or His? I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. Matthew 5:18 nlt

One year, I had the brilliant idea to take 15% of my time and start the Morley Leadership Center. I prayed and was convinced this was God’s will for me. It soon became obvious that it would take a lot more of my time to really make it work. I wasn’t prepared to work it that hard. I put a year and a half into it and then decided to stop doing it all together. I could say, “Lord what was that about?” But I didn’t. I’m convinced it was His will for me to start it and then to stop it. I don’t need to know the in between. Even though it put me upside down financially, in no way do I view it as a failure. I know the goodness

of His will. Stop and think about it –who knows better how your prayer should be answered for your benefit? You or God? It is kind of a no brainer when you think of it like that. We can have great confidence when we trust the will of God, and pray Thy will be done. MIMBS 4 Have you been praying that God would give you what you want or what He wants? In what ways might you need to change your prayers? Daily Readings: Genesis 42:18-43:34, Matthew 13:47-14:12, Psalm 18:16-36, Proverbs 4:7-10

Learn More About the Power of Prayer. Order Drive Time Spiritual Disciplines. Page 31

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Friday, Saturday, Sunday—January 22, 23, 24–•–The Mystery of Prayer Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” Mark 10:27 nlt

There is nothing I cannot ask for and nothing God cannot do. That statement is 100% true. But there is a lot of mystery between those two statements. God’s word tells us that we should ask God for anything. We should be able to ask our loving, heavenly Father to give us the desire of our hearts. We can come to Him and share our deepest needs. As His children, we can bring Him our sorrow, our joy, and share both the little and big things of life. From reading the Bible, we know God to be all-powerful and all-knowing. He can turn water into wine, make the blind see, part the seas and even raise people from the dead. He is a God of miracles. But (and this is the mystery), God doesn’t always give us what we want. He doesn’t heal everyone in an earthly way. There were Christ followers in the Bible who were martyred. People lose their jobs and homes. Sometimes we

don’t get the miracle we request. So our real prayer should be a believing prayer like this, “Lord this is what I want, but what I really want is what You want.” Lay your desires at His feet and ask Him to give you what He wants. Jesus, while in the garden, gave us a wonderful example of a believing prayer when He prayed to His Father, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”(Luke 22:42) We may know what we want and we can ask God for that, but we also need to know that His answer may be different than ours. And that answer gives us the opportunity to desire what God wants to do in our life. MIMBS 4 As you pray with your small group, how can you help each other pray with the right attitude? How can we show each other our belief through our prayers together? Daily Readings: Genesis 44:149:33, Matthew 14:13-16:12, Psalm 18:37-20:9, Proverbs 4:11-27

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For January 18-24—From the devotion on page 21, have the guys in your group define persistent prayer. •• Why is persistent prayer important? •• Does persistent prayer change God’s heart or mind? Does persistent prayer do anything for us? •• Is there a person or situation that you have prayed for over a long period of time? Have you seen an answer? How have the devotions or your discussion changed your perspective on that prayer request?

Monday—January 25 • God’s Plan Don’t Always Make Sense I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. I Kings 2:2, 3 nlt

Before King David died he anointed Solomon as the new king of Israel. He became the king as a boy, perhaps only 12 years old. Solomon was not next in line for the throne because he was not the oldest child. David had promised Bathsheba that Solomon would be king. Solomon was a special young man and he inherited a vast empire to rule. Most of us can’t even imagine leaving even a small amount of money in our will for a 12 year old to manage. Let alone a kingdom! A middle school boy became a king, a warrior, a ruler and one of the wisest men in the Bible. God’s plans don’t always make sense to us. He used the offspring from a relationship that started with an adulterous affair

between David and Bathsheba as the next king. Many must have questioned David’s choice and God’s plan. It is only through time and history that we see how God’s plan worked out. Are you questioning God’s plan for your life? Does it feel like life just doesn’t make sense? Ask God to give you more faith in His plan for you. MIMBS 5 In what area of your life are you having difficulty trusting God and His plan? Talk about that area with the guys in your small group to see if they have some godly insight. Daily Reading: Genesis 50:1–Exodus 2:10, Matthew 16:13-17:9, Psalm 21:1-13, Proverbs 5:1-6

Tuesday—January 26 • What Would You Ask For? That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” 1 Kings 3:5 nlt

Solomon faced a very difficult question. The Lord asked him what he wanted. That is a loaded question. Think about it. You go to bed tonight and, in a dream, God comes to you and says, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you.” What is the first thing that comes to mind? Many of us would ask for money, fame, youth, success, love, or a new house, sports car or boat. The young king, Solomon, asked for wisdom. God was pleased with his answer and told Solomon he would be wise and, in fact, he would have more wisdom than anyone. God would also bless him with fame, riches and a long life.

Why was God so pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom? Solomon realized he needed the wisdom of God to effectively rule over Israel. Solomon’s rule lasted 40 years and he used his wisdom well. He built the first temple in Jerusalem. He brought enormous prosperity to his country. He built new cities and ports and authored parts of the Bible. All through the wisdom of God. MIMBS 5 How do you define wisdom? How could the wisdom of God be helpful in your life? Daily Reading: Exodus 2:11-3:22, Matthew 17:10-27, Psalm 22:1-18, Proverbs 5:7-14

Wednesday—January 27 • Make It Count “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” Ecclesiastes 1:2 nlt

I know a man in Pittsburgh who is selling his business. He just started his company six years ago and he has already found it wearisome. He said, “I just want to sell it and I want to do something of value with my life”. Maybe you can relate to his story. Solomon begins the book of Ecclesiastes with that same thought. Here was a man who explored all the things that were being done in the world and set out to write out an explanation of what he found. He revealed that, apart from God, everything is meaningless. As Solomon observed, “What’s there to show for a lifetime of work, a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3 The Message). Although God had given Solomon great wisdom, he had great sorrow and failure in his life. He had worshipped other gods

and been involved with many women and pagan countries. Perhaps you are struggling with the meaning of your life. Be encouraged! Even the greatest and wisest of kings found out that nothing matters unless God is in it. MIMBS 5 Where have you felt the futility and meaninglessness of life? How has God shown you ways to invest in things that really matter? Daily Reading: Exodus 4:1-5:21, Matthew 18:120, Psalm 22:19-31, Proverbs 5:15-21

Thursday—January 28 • In God Alone And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Mark 8:36 nlt

You know the drill. You set a goal, work hard and diligently meet the goal—euphoria. Two weeks later, the novelty wears off. So, you set a new goal. But the new goal is always bigger and better. Two weeks later, the novelty wears off. You have to set another goal. The sense you get at the end, “What have I gained? What is the meaning of all this?” It seems so futile. If men could find even a trace of meaning in any worldly pursuit, what would they do? They would take it. They would pursue the worldly meaning, and they would not pursue God. So God, in His grace, has stripped the world of all its meaning. Apart from God you cannot find meaning. Do you

realize that this is incredibly good news? God knew if we are to have a meaningful relationship with Him, He had to destroy all possibility of confidence in the world. Most of us have tried to succeed on our own and make our lives into something important. And just like Solomon, it is through of our failures that we realize that what really matters is found only through God and His grace. MIMBS 5 What have you learned through your failures in life? Have those failures brought you into a deeper relationship with God? Daily Reading: Exodus 5:22-7:25, Matthew 18:21-19:12, Psalm 23:1-6, Proverbs 5:22-23

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—January 29, 30, 31 • Enjoy Life You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. Psalm 4:7

Ken, a member of our weekly Bible Study, had major surgery. While he was hospitalized, word spread through the medical staff that there was an incredibly cheerful, elderly man recovering from surgery. One morning Ken looked up to find a doctor standing at the door. The doctor had heard of Ken’s disposition and wanted to know how, in the midst of a hospitalization, a patient could have such a positive outlook on life. The doctor shared about the ways he had tried to find meaning and contentment in his life. Ken shared his earlier struggles with those same issues. One day, Ken had cried out to God and asked him to come into his life. Ken invited the doctor to ask Christ into his life. He told him it was the only way to the true meaning of life and real happiness. Real happiness (like Ken’s) stands out in life. We have all said, “I would be happy if ___________”. What is your

“fill-in-the-blank”? I made more money? My kids were well behaved? I never had to work again? I won the lottery? But can you find enjoyment during the difficult times? During a layoff, a divorce, a loss, or a season of illness—can you find joy and contentment? Are you able to rely on the Lord and His plan when life isn’t going your way? Ken knew the secret that Solomon shared in Ecclesiastes. Solomon, Ken and the doctor had tried to find meaning in other ways. All those pursuits are futile. The true meaning, happiness and joy of life come only from a life dedicated to Christ. MIMBS 5 Are you experiencing the joy that only Christ can give? Are you trying other earthly ways to find happiness? What might need to change? Daily Reading: Exodus 8:1-13:16, Matthew 19:13-21:22, Psalm 24:1-25:22, Proverbs 6:1-15

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For January 25-31—Have your group share some of the things that they learned about Solomon from this week’s devotions. •• What would you say was Solomon’s greatest characteristic? What actions or decisions were influenced by that characteristic? •• Have you ever asked God for wisdom about a particular situation in your life? Why did you feel you needed His wisdom? •• Did you ever make a decision and later wish that you had asked God for wisdom before that decision was made? How could that have made a difference?

Monday—February 1 Figuring Out What It Really Means To Be a Man Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

You are one of 113 million men in America over the age of 15. You’re probably one of the 42 million men who profess a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you read this devotional regularly, you are one of only about 6 million men are actively involved in discipleship or spiritual growth beyond church attendance. Too many men are basing their beliefs about manhood on the things of this world or the examples they have in their life, both good and bad. For many, those examples may have been abusive, distant or an alcoholic. For others it may have been what they have seen in movies, on reality shows or in video games. We all struggle with relationships,

maturity, careers and making major life choices. But those of us in a relationship with God can look to Him for guidance, read His words for direction and seek the counsel of other believers. Let’s consider how we can live a life that demonstrates the impact of our relationship with God and seek ways to share that impact with those who desperately need Him. MIMBS 6 Complete this sentence: Manhood is… Where does your definition of “manhood” come from? Has that definition changed as a result of your relationship with God? Daily Reading: Exodus 13:17-15:18, Matthew 21:23-46, Psalm 26:1-12, Proverbs 6:16-19

Tuesday—February 2 Thanks Be to God—Through Jesus Christ Our Lord

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. Romans 7:21-23 About 1 in 18 American men actively seek to understand what it means to be a godly man. Even among those who engage in that effort, it can be a struggle to live a life demonstrating the changes God is making in their hearts and minds. What is it about us men that makes it so difficult to live the kind of life we want, to be the kind of man we want to be? We continually fall back into things that really don’t represent who we want to be before God. Paul noted this struggle in Romans 7 when he wrote the passage above. In seeming despair he wrote, “What a wretched

man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” But then he answered the question: “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord.” May Christ rescue us and help us to be Godly men! MIMBS 6 What sinful habits do you have that you need Jesus to rescue you from? Spend some time in prayer repenting and renewing your trust in God. Daily Reading: Exodus 15:19-17:7, Matthew 22:1-33, Psalm 27:1-6, Proverbs 6:20-26

Wednesday—February 3 • Sweeping Is Not the Goal “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean, and put in order.” Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits … and they go in and live there…” Matthew 12:43-45

Jesus paints an interesting scene with a man, his house and evil spirits. Sounds more like a horror flick than a sermon! What is his point? Notice the man’s activity. He swept his house clean. The reality is, when Jesus told this story, he was talking to some very religious men called Pharisees. He used a metaphor of someone who likes to get everything just the way it’s supposed to be. Men learn at an early age that success comes from playing by certain rules. That’s what we do in elementary school to get chosen for the kickball team. That’s what

we do in college to get into the right fraternity. That’s what we do on our jobs to get promotions. And the list goes on and on. We like to “sweep.” But Jesus’ story reminds us that sweeping isn’t really the goal. The house must be inhabited. A neat, orderly but empty life is an invitation for the devil to move in with his friends. MIMBS 6 Is your life orderly but your heart empty? Are you following the rules to get by, or truly preparing to share your house—your life—with Christ? Daily Reading: Exodus 17:8-19:15, Matthew 22:34-23:12. Psalm 27:7-14, Proverbs 6:27-35

Thursday—February 4 • Getting Ready for Guests That’s what this generation is like: You may think you have cleaned out the junk from your lives and gotten ready for God, but you weren’t hospitable to my kingdom message, and now all the devils are moving back in. Matthew 12: 45 The Message

When was the last time you cleaned your house? Some people clean just because they enjoy it. But for most of us, thorough cleaning only happens when we are expecting guests. We host a home Bible study group on Wednesday evenings. The couples involved think we are trying to disciple them, but actually I just want the house clean once a week! When we come in on Wednesday, it’s all hands on deck until everything is put in its place. Why? Because company’s coming. It’s the same with our lives. You don’t just sweep the house to leave it empty. Too many men are busy doing all the stuff that

everyone tells them they need to do, keeping it all clean … but their hearts are dead. They’ve never understood that doing the right things mean nothing if our hearts are not filled with love for Christ. And if you sweep the house just so you can leave it empty, you are asking for the wrong company to show up. MIMBS 6. What does it look like to keep an area of your life “swept clean,” but empty? Do you have areas like that in your life? Daily Reading: Exodus 19:16-21:21, Matthew 23:13-39, Psalm 28:1-9, Proverbs 7:1-5

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q Friday, Saturday, Sunday—February 5, 6, 7 • Be Filled With the Spirit Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:17-18 If you work hard to “clean” your life, but you don’t do it with the goal of hosting the right company, then at best you will only have an empty shell. At worst, you will find your house inhabited by the wrong guests. So how should you “fill your house”? Suppose you are washing your car, and you have a bucket and a sponge. When you submerge the sponge, what happens? It sucks up water until it is full. If you wring out the sponge, it’s empty again. And when you put it back into the bucket, the same thing happens. The sponge gets filled up with water. But what if you don’t wring out the sponge? What if you just move it from one bucket to another? It won’t soak up any water from the new bucket because it’s already full. Our lives are like that sponge. We are immersed in the world and its “dirty water.” If we are empty, we soak it up, and you can see it in our lives. So we repent. We say, “I know I need to do better.” We work hard to stop the negative behaviors that we feel guilty about. We squeeze out all the nasty water. But if that’s all we do, when we go back into the same tense situations, difficult

relationships, or temptations, our sponge is just going to soak up all the dirty water again. It can be a frustrating cycle. So how do we fill up our lives with the right things so that there’s little or no room for the negative ones? We need to immerse our lives in the clean water of God’s Word, prayer, fellowship with Christian brothers, and other opportunities often referred to as “spiritual disciplines.” Here’s the good news: you’re filling your sponge up right now! Daily, we need to ask God to fill us with his presence and strength. The reality is, even if you can make your way in the world on your own strength, you can’t do that spiritually. We were made for relationship with God, and our hearts know that. Nothing else will truly satisfy. MIMBS 6 Have you ever felt like you’re caught in the cycle of “cleaning up” your life, only to find yourself falling back on negative behaviors again? Do you have enough sources of “clean water” in your life? Daily Reading: Exodus 21:22-27:21, Matthew 24:1-25:30, Psalm 29:1-31:8, Proverbs 7:6-8:11

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For February 1-7—From the devotions for Wednesday, February 3 and Thursday, February 4, why is “sweeping not the goal”? •• In what ways have you swept your house without really preparing it for guests? What is the difference? •• Are there areas of your life that are clean but not inhabited by God? Strategize together about how to invite God into ALL areas of your life. •• Spend a few minutes in prayer as you surrender your hearts to God to fill with His desires.

Monday—February 8 • Invitation to a Party Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses.” Luke 14:16-18a

Jesus described a man who sent out party invitations, only to find that no one could attend. Most of his invitees had “valid” excuses. One man wanted to check out a newly purchased property. Another had just been married. They were so busy “sweeping” and keeping their lives respectable, they totally missed the opportunity to celebrate. Does that sound familiar? Are you taking out the checklist of your life and noting, “The family is okay, the wife is okay, the job is okay …” But at the end of the day, when you’re lying in the dark, your nagging thoughts might say, “There must be something more than just doing this all again tomorrow.”

I want to tell you, you were made for more than just keeping a set of rules and checking items off your list. You were made to join God’s party, and to help Him transform the world. I believe that’s the meaning that every man longs for. If we come to Him by faith, choosing His way rather than our own, we’ll find the key to lasting change. MIMBS 6 Did you identify with the “checklist” mentality described in the last paragraph? How can you join God’s party? Daily Reading: Exodus 28:1-43, Matthew 25:3126:13, Psalm 31:9-18, Proverbs 8:12-13

Tuesday—February 9 • No Hopeless Situation Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed with me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5

At some time, everyone I know has found himself in a seemingly hopeless situation. I’ve had my own life issues that deflated my sense of hope. I know other men who have endured seemingly endless custody battles. Others have experienced financial disasters. Others have dealt with health problems or employment issues. In the midst of that kind of difficulty, we all tend to wonder if God is ever going to answer our prayers … in fact, is He even listening? The Psalmist must have been tempted to give up hoping for God to answer his prayer. In Psalm 42 he wrote, “My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God’?” (verse 3). That sounds pretty hopeless. But twice he spoke to himself and said, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise

him …” (verses 5 and 11). Where did that confidence come from? Somehow in his lifetime of experience with God, the Psalmist knew there is no such thing as a hopeless situation. MIMBS 7 Think of a time when you have felt hopeless. Were you able to put your hope in God? If you are in a hopeless time now, find a brother to walk with you and point you towards God as your strength. Daily Reading: Exodus 29:1-30:10, Matthew 26:14-46, Psalm 31:1924, Proverbs 8:14-26

Wednesday—February 10 • Would You Like to Get Well? One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” John 5:5,6 nlt

He had been disabled for 38 years. Though paralyzed, he somehow arrived at a place where sick people might get healed. When the pool waters stirred, the first one in the water was healed. We don’t know why Jesus picked him from the crowd of disabled individuals. We do know that Jesus didn’t even wait for this man to ask—our Lord went to him and simply asked, “Would you like to get well?” Frankly, the man never really answered. He just offered excuses, “I have no one to help me into the pool … While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” He thought the key was to be “in the right place at the right time.” He suffered from two afflictions: A physical one: he was

paralyzed. And a spiritual one: he didn’t see any possibility for healing. But Jesus brushed the man’s physical and spiritual handicaps aside. He said, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” And the man did. The simple reality is that no situation is beyond Jesus ability to show mercy and power. MIMBS 7 Do you know someone who has struggled with something for so long that they have lost hope? Have you? Pray for an encounter with Christ for that person where they can experience his power and love. Daily Reading: Exodus 30:11-31:18, Matthew 26:47-68, Psalm 32:1-11, Proverbs 8:27-32

Thursday—February 11 • Jesus Believed in Him

At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked ... So they (the Jews) asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him … John 5:8-14 I watched a movie called Bounce, in which Ben Affleck played a man in recovery from drinking too much. His new male assistant invited him to an AA meeting. Affleck’s character responded that he didn’t want to go. And besides, he explained, he doesn’t believe in God. The assistant responded, “He’ll be so crushed when he hears that.” This reminds me of an important point in John 5. A man was paralyzed, and then he encountered Jesus, and suddenly he could walk. But the man didn’t know who Jesus was. I don’t just mean that he didn’t recognize Jesus as the Son of God. He didn’t recognize Jesus at all! You see, in this case, it wasn’t the man’s faith that healed him.

This man didn’t believe in Jesus at all, but Jesus believed in him. Sometimes, God works in our lives as a response to our faith. Other times, He works in our lives in order to reveal His love to a faithless man, or remind us when our faith is running a little low. It’s not our faith that heals, it’s His power. MIMBS 7 Have you seen God work in your life when your faith was running low? Or work in the life of a faithless man to reveal Himself? Share these stories with a brother. Daily Reading: Exodus 32:1-33:23, Matthew 26:69-27:14, Psalm 33:1-11, Proverbs 8:33-36

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—February 12, 13, 14 Hope Points Toward Eternal Purpose Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope. Hope now; hope always! Psalm 131:3 The Message

In my life, I have endured some hopeless situations, both financial and physical. I was a real estate developer in the 1980’s relying on borrowed money for my business. Let’s say I had $200 worth of properties, and my mortgages totaled $150. That kind of shows my situation, albeit on a smaller scale. But then recession hit. The value of my property was cut in half. Suddenly I had only $100 worth of property, but I still had $150 in debt. I threw myself on God’s mercy and chose to believe He had the power and the desire to deliver me—so, unlike many of my peers, I chose not to declare bankruptcy. I worked hard, but to be honest, mostly I cried out to God. I begged Him to intervene. At one point I called my lawyer and said, “I can’t do this anymore.” God extended mercy to me through this brother, and he took over for awhile, until I was able to resume. And over the course of seven years, we were able to right our financial ship. I learned something in that process—even when I lost hope, God did not lose hope in me. I also have endured debilitating migraine

headaches, and I’m grateful they don’t come as often as they used to. When I was in my mid-30s, the pain would become so intense; tears would stream down my face. I remember one specific time when I lost hope. But over the course of time I’ve found that his grace is sufficient for the day. I found a passage that clarified the purpose that God sometimes has when He allows us to endure physical suffering. Peter wrote, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin” (1 Peter 4:12). When I read this verse, it reminds me that God has a purpose for my suffering, and it brings me hope to persevere. MIMBS 7 Are you in a situation now that feels hopeless? Do you have a brother you can “share the load” with? Have you ever looked back on a difficult situation and found that God was working something into you that had eternal purpose? Daily Reading: Exodus 34:1-38:31, Matthew 27:15-28:20, Psalm 33:12-34:22, Proverbs 9:1-10

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For February 8-14—On this page, read aloud Pat’s story of a desperate time in his life. •• Were you able to relate to Pat’s story? Have you had a similar time of desperation in your life? •• Did that time draw you closer to the Lord or drive a wedge in your relationship with Him? How might you handle that situation differently today? •• Is anyone in your group or circle of friends in a desperate time right now? How can you support them? Take some time to pray for them.

Monday—February 15 • Keep Praying “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly…” Luke 18:7-8

Jesus helps people who are caught in hopeless situations, but sometimes we think we should be able to fix the problem on our own. When we try to do that, we inevitably lose hope—like the man at the pool in John 5 who couldn’t get in the water. Jesus said, “Do you want to get better?” And the man basically said, “Of course! Can’t you see I’m trying everything I know, but it’s not working?” Because he was so focused on his circumstances, he didn’t even realize he was having an encounter with Jesus Christ. Sometimes we don’t pray because we think we’ve already asked too many times. Luke 18 records a parable about a hardhearted judge. This woman needed him to grant her justice, and he kept delaying. But she wore him out with her persistence, and

he finally he ruled on her behalf. Jesus basically said, “If an unjust judge will respond that way, how much more will your heavenly Father respond to you.” Nothing is too hard for God. You can’t ask too many times. Keep praying! MIMBS 7 Is there a situation that you haven’t been praying about? Why? Start or renew your efforts to ask God to heal or help you—be persistent! Daily Reading: Exodus 39:1-40:38, Mark 1:1-28, Psalm 35:1-16, Proverbs 9:11-12

Tuesday—February 16 • Hanging Out With Jesus Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. John 1:45-46

The Gospel of John records that Jesus spent about 30 years in relative obscurity before he showed up at the Jordan River and asked his cousin John to baptize him. Based on John’s testimony, two men asked Jesus if they could hang out with Him. Those two men became three, and then four … and the fourth man invited Nathanael to hang out as well. Nathanael was suspicious of Jesus’ credentials, but he agreed to go, because Philip challenged him. It was as if he said, “Don’t make up your mind until you experience this for yourself.” Jesus didn’t make people jump through any hoops before they were allowed to hang out with Him. He didn’t say, “If you want to follow me, you have to believe first.” So

Nathanael came, and in their very first conversation, Jesus demonstrated how well He already knew this man. Nathanael said, “Rabbi, you are the son of God; you are the King of Israel” (John 1:49). Hanging out with Jesus is the best way to move from intellectual knowledge to personal belief. MIMBS 8 Would you describe yourself as being a person who has intellectual knowledge about Jesus, or a person who believes in Jesus? Are you hanging out with Jesus enough for Him to reveal Himself to you? Daily Reading: Leviticus 1:1-3:17, Mark 1:292:12, Psalm 35:17-28, Proverbs 9:13-18

Wednesday—February 17 • Putting Faith in Jesus This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. John 2:11

Five men were hanging out with Jesus at this point, and they all went together to a wedding in a place called Cana. A wedding celebration in this culture would go on for several days, and as it happened, the hosts of this party ran out of wine. Jesus’ mother was there, and she intervened by asking Jesus to solve their problem. “Do whatever He tells you,” she said to the servants. At Jesus’ bidding, they filled jars with water, and Jesus told them to pour some out and give it to the master of the banquet. Sometime in that process, the water became wine—in fact, it was the best wine at the whole party. This was Jesus’ first miracle, and the verse

above implies that it caused His disciples to put their faith in Him. That word implies trust, obedience, surrender and confidence. That’s a huge difference in attitude. Up to this point, these five disciples had invested time and energy in following Jesus. They knew about Him. But now they believed in Him. MIMBS 8 Who in your circle of friends clearly has moved from knowing about Jesus to believing in him? Ask that person what led them to a place of trusting and surrendering to Jesus. Daily Reading: Leviticus 4:1-5:19, Mark 2:133:6, Psalm 36:1-12, Proverbs 10:1-2

Thursday—February 18 • Growing Together As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Some of us would like to just hang out with Jesus and not bother with other people. That simply isn’t the Scriptural norm. In fact, one New Testament writer admonished, “…let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another …” (Hebrews 10:25). I remember when I was about 12, I wanted to know God. I learned all about Him. I could give historical facts about Jesus. I have a vivid recollection of having a book of liturgical prayers, and I sat for long periods in earnest, wanting to experience God. But I was alone. It’s difficult to move from knowing to believing when you hang out

with Jesus by yourself. Scripture shows believers gathering in groups. There is great value in being part of a community of believers who are following Jesus together. The wise Solomon said, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” That principle affects our following, for it’s easier to trust when you’ve seen how God has been faithful in the lives of other people. MIMBS 8 Are you involved in a community of believers? How is your involvement, or lack of involvement, affecting your relationship with Jesus? Daily Reading: Leviticus 6:1-7:27, Mark 3:7-30, Psalm 37:1-11, Proverbs 10:3-4

q Friday, Saturday, Sunday—February 19, 20, 21 • Learning to Trust I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 William Temple, a Church of England priest who became a bishop and finally rose to the position of Archbishop of Canterbury in the early 1940s, defined conversion like this: “Conversion is simply giving as much of your self as you can to as much of God as you can understand.” That’s all Jesus asks. But on-going surrender requires trust, which is learned through hanging out with Jesus. Let’s look at a metaphor that may help us understand this process. Suppose you wanted to take up racing and be my codriver in my car. The first time you get in my car to do a few test laps, what will it be like? Well, I know from experience—it will be ugly, even if you’ve driven a race car before, because you won’t be used to my car. The more time you spend with my car, the better you’ll get at driving it. Eventually you’ll reach a point where you trust the car. In other words, when you are getting used to a car, you trust yourself rather than the vehicle. But there comes a sweet moment when you pass from knowing that the car should pass in the corner to believing that it will pass in the corner. You’ve learned to trust the car. It’s the same with being a disciple. As you

spend time with Jesus, you’ll learn His ways, and you’ll find yourself trusting Him more and more. We know the Apostle Paul experienced that. Before his conversion, Paul was a Pharisee—a very religious man. I imagine he could quote a lot of Scripture. He knew a lot about God. But his life did not reflect God’s love and grace. Then he met Jesus, and he started hanging out with Him, in community with other believers. As a result, he was able to completely surrender himself to his Lord’s leading. He made an indelible mark on the world through his missionary journeys and his epistles. And this verse explains why—he had learned to “live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” He had passed from knowing to believing—living by faith—because he spent time with Jesus and found him to be trustworthy. MIMBS 8 Rate your level of trust in God on a scale of 0-10, with 0 representing no trust at all, and 10 representing total trust. If your goal is to move closer to the “10” on that scale, how do you think that will happen? Daily Reading: Leviticus 7:28-12:8, Mark 3:315:43, Psalm 37:12-38:22, Proverbs 10:5-9

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For February 15-21—Share these definitions with the group: Faith—belief that does not rest solely on logical proof or material evidence. Trust—reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence. •• How do these definitions translate into your relationship with God? •• Is there a specific area of your life that you struggle with trusting God? Finances, marriage, children, time, etc.? •• What does that struggle reveal about your view of God and His care for you?

Monday—February 22 • The Value of “the Story” Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. John 1:40-42

There is great value in inviting men to come with you, so they can hang out with Jesus. They won’t see God’s glory out in the world, but they’ll see it in you and in your life. They need to hear the story of Jesus—the story of what He has done and is doing in individual lives. In the 1920s, J. Gresham Machen wrote a book titled Christianity and Liberalism. In that book, he explained, “the strange thing about Christianity is that it adopted an entirely different method for communicating the message.” He noted that Greeks used preaching to get across the message. But Christianity transformed the lives of men, not by appealing to the human will through preaching, but by telling the story of Jesus—not by exhortation, but by

narration of an event. That event, of course, was Jesus’ death and resurrection, which continues to change people’s lives even 2000 years later. When the most eloquent exhortation fails, the simple story succeeds. Men’s lives are still transformed today by a piece of good news—Jesus died and rose again. Why is it worthwhile to invite men to come and hang out with Jesus? Because they get a chance to hear the story. MIMBS 8 Take a few minutes to write your “story”—how is Jesus death and resurrection still affecting you today? Daily Reading: Leviticus 13:1-59, Mark 6:1-29, Psalm 39:1-13, Proverbs 10:10

Tuesday—February 23 Firsthand Experience Trumps Secondhand Knowledge My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:5-6

When Jesus showed up with the disciples after His resurrection, Scripture tells us they were afraid, because they thought He was a ghost. That was misinformation. But Jesus didn’t scold them. He simply stood in their midst and said, “Touch me and see” (Luke 24:39). Many people are making up their minds today about Jesus, and the only resource they have is secondhand knowledge from the media and other people who are not Christians themselves. That means nonbelievers are teaching nonbelievers what it means to be a Christian. What’s wrong with that picture? It breaks my heart to realize that millions of men have decided they don’t believe in God. And that decision has been based

on misinformation. It’s worthwhile to invite nonbelievers to hang out with Jesus, because that is where they will get a clear picture of who God is. That’s the only way to make a valid choice. Jesus knows that firsthand experience trumps secondhand knowledge. That’s why it’s worthwhile to invite men—even misinformed unbelievers– just to hang out with Jesus. MIMBS 8 Explain how hanging out with Jesus helped you in your decision to follow him. What opportunities can you create for men at all stages of their spiritual journey to encounter Christ with you and your brothers? Daily Reading: Leviticus 14:1-57, Mark 6:30-56, Psalm 40:1-10, Proverbs 10:11-12

Wednesday—February 24 Despising Sin and Fearing Its Consequences I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:12-13

I remember a conversation with a Christian leader who was having a tremendous impact in our community. I watched him for a few years, and my respect grew. I found myself saying to him, “As you continue to be faithful in the work you are doing, I would not be surprised if God used you in a much larger leadership role.” He expressed appreciation. Then I found myself half kidding him, saying, “But it also would not surprise me if I were to get a call next week saying you had left your wife and run off with another woman.” He graciously laughed, but my teasing comment did hold a warning. I am astonished at how many men have given every

indication that they were walking with the Lord, and then suddenly I heard that they had done a stupid thing that made a shipwreck of their faith. Many men do not finish well, and I see a simple reason for that— we don’t fear sin. We must understand that fearing the Lord automatically requires that we despise sin and fear its consequences. MIMBS 9 Looking at the verse from Proverbs and examining your own life, do you hate evil and despise sin? Have you become complacent to sin and lost your fear of its consequences? Daily Reading: Leviticus 15:1-16:28, Mark 7:123, Psalm 40:11-17, Proverbs 10:13-14

q Thursday—February 25 • Love Motivated Jesus’ Earthly Ministry Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1 Why would God’s Spirit compel Jesus to go into the wilderness with the intention of subjecting him to Satan’s temptation? To answer that question, you must consider that Jesus’ purpose was redemption. The world is a hostile place where men do what seems right in their own eyes. The end result of that is chaos and bondage. Jesus entered our world so He could free it from the stranglehold of sin. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world so much, even in its wasted condition, that He

was motivated to give His only son. That’s a fierce love on God’s part. And His purpose was so that anyone who believed in Jesus would not be devoured, but would have everlasting life. God’s fierce love motivated every part of Jesus’ earthly ministry, including this wilderness temptation. Jesus did it for you. As we study His experience, we will find comfort in his victory. But we also will find a strategy for our own wilderness experiences, when we must face temptation. Jesus’ example gives us the hope of victory. MIMBS 9 What comfort do you find in the fact that Jesus was tempted? Daily Reading: Leviticus 16:29-18:30, Mark 7:24-8:10, Psalm 41:1-13, Proverbs 10:15-16

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—February 26, 27, 28 Saturating Your Mind with God’s Word Jesus answered, “It is written: …” Matthew 4:4

Knowing Jesus was hungry from fasting, Satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread so He could eat them. When that didn’t work, Satan suggested that Jesus should throw Himself off a high pinnacle to prove He was God’s son. When that failed, Satan offered to give Jesus the world in exchange for His worship. All three times, Jesus resisted by answering him with God’s written Word. Jesus apparently had so filled Himself with Scripture; it was His most natural weapon for confronting temptation. One of our greatest comforts as Christians is that God loved us so much, He was willing to allow His son to be tortured so that we could be delivered from temptation. Hebrews 4:15 tells us, “…we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” That one verse summarizes Jesus’ wilderness experience. He was tempted in every way. That means our Lord can sympathize with us when we go through all kinds of temptations, because He has walked in our shoes. Jesus’ example encourages us, because it means we also can overcome temptation and sin. Why? Because we have access to the same weapon that Jesus used. We have

God’s Word. And God promised, “My word …will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). It’s a powerful weapon, described in Hebrews 4:12: “…the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” But our ability to use that weapon depends on our familiarity with it. The Psalmist wrote, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). That implies more than a casual familiarity. If I “hide” something in my heart, that implies that I have spent time with it, meditated on it, digested it, made it part of my life. Jesus proved the effectiveness of God’s Word in resisting temptation. We have access to that same weapon, but we must train ourselves to use it. MIMBS 9 Make a list of ways to “hide God’s Word in your heart.” Which of the most effective for you? Which do you need to incorporate in your life more effectively? How will you make that happen? Daily Reading: Leviticus 19:1-23:44, Mark 8:1110:12, Psalm 42:1-44:8, Proverbs 10:17-19

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For February 22-28—Read aloud Proverbs 12:1-16 from an easy-to-understand version such as the New Living Translation or The Message. •• What does it mean to despise evil or sin? What does it mean to fear the consequences of sin? •• How do you reconcile these two thoughts from the Bible: love one another and despise sin? How do you love someone that lives in their sin? •• Share with each other some situations where God has used you to love someone and despise sin or situations where you struggled to do those two things.

Monday—March 1 • Know the Playbook How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. Psalm 119:9

The devil isn’t God—he’s just the devil. •• He doesn’t know everything. •• He can’t be in more than one place at a time. •• His power is not infinite. In fact, Satan shows up in Scripture less than 100 times. In one sense, he’s not really a big deal, unless you pay too much attention to him. At the same time, he is extremely persistent. And he also has a scouting report on you. He’s been watching game film. He knows your weaknesses, your moods. He knows when your defenses are weak. He has designed a few

trick plays. The devil very definitely wants to have his way with you. Now I’ll let you in on a little secret. The devil is all offense, but he has no defense. He cannot defend himself when you go on the offense with Scripture. Read Matthew 4—you’ll find that God’s Word is our weapon, our “playbook,” if you will. And if you want to win, you have to know the playbook. MIMBS 9 How does your knowledge of God’s “playbook” affect your ability to “resist” and “stand firm”? Daily Reading: Leviticus 24:1-25:46, Mark 10:13-31, Psalm 44:9-26, Proverbs 10:20-21

Tuesday—March 2 • Unexpected Temptation For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:16-17

A guy named Steve told me a story that really illustrates how temptation works. Steve’s mail order company had made him a fortune. In fact, he was so wealthy that, in the early 1990s, he was written up in Forbes Magazine. Steve is a Christian. He said he was just standing in line at a coffee shop one morning, with about 10 people ahead of him, and he thought, “I wonder if these people know who I am.” Suddenly he was faced by an overwhelming temptation to be lulled into arrogance and pride because of his financial success. Grace is brutal sometimes, because God loves us too much to let us stay in these

traps. Over the next two years, Steve lost everything. He attributes it all to that one single thought. The devil said, “You know, you really are something.” And Steve reveled in that. Then the Lord took everything away. Now Steve’s grateful that God did that, because “the world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” MIMBS 9 Describe a time that temptation sneaked up on you because you weren’t alert. What was the result? Daily Reading: Leviticus 25:47-27:13, Mark 10:32-52, Psalm 45:1-17, Proverbs 10:22

Wednesday—March 3 • Temptation Happens to Everyone No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

The Bible promises that you will not be tempted by anything that other men have not also endured. Basically, sin expresses itself in four ways: •• Sins against yourself, like sexual impurities. •• Sins against God, like idolatry. •• Sins of the heart, like selfishness, dissensions, envy and bitterness. •• Sins of excess, like gluttony, drunkenness, orgies, etc. If you are struggling with something, rest assured that others have fought the same habits and temptations. If you are bombarded by repetitive sin, I guarantee you—you’re not alone. Claim the

Scripture written above. God will provide a way out. You might say, “I’ve tried it, but it’s not working.” You have to decide if you believe your experience or if you believe the authority of God’s Word. The key to overcoming temptation is to believe that God is God. He has all power, all knowledge, and He’s always with you. He is awesome, majestic and holy. Accept the authority of His Word on faith, and see what He will do. MIMBS 9 Think of a time recently when you experienced temptation. How would it have helped you to know and apply this verse from 1 Corinthians? Daily Reading: Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54, Mark 11:1-26, Psalm 46:1-11, Proverbs 10:23

Thursday—March 4 • We Like Our Temptations Too Much Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith … 1 Peter 5:8

Sometimes we don’t resist sin, because we don’t believe God’s promise to help us. Other times we simply like wallowing in our temptation. Someone might like “adjusting the blinds,” because it gives an opportunity to see the woman next door sunning herself. You know why you adjust those blinds? Because you don’t really believe God’s Word that says Satan is seeking opportunity to devour you. Many men have souls that are dying because they didn’t believe God’s warning, and they let Satan’s diseaseinfected fangs sink into their hearts. Sometimes we allow things in our lives that might be okay, but our attachment stands in the way of full surrender. I had

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smoked cigars for 28 years, and I felt that was permissible. But I suddenly became aware I wasn’t willing to give them up. I needed two weeks until I could write in my journal, “Lord, if you want me to give up cigars, I’ll do it, because I belong to you.” Surrender isn’t easy—if it was, we’d call it something else. But it’s the most effective way to resist the devil. MIMBS 9 Is God drawing your attention to an area of your life that he wants you to deal with? What will you do about it? Daily Reading: Numbers 2:1-3:51, Mark 11:2712:17, Psalm 47:1-9, Proverbs 10:24-25

Give your small group a glimpse of God’s holiness. Order R.C. Sproul’s book to study. Page 32

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—March 5, 6, 7 • When We Fail

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9 It’s not easy to be a Christian. In fact, it’s impossible, except through the power of Jesus working in us. As we’ve already noted, we need to saturate our minds with Scripture, until our minds and hearts accept the authority of His Word in every situation. That’s key to winning the battle with temptation. Charles Spurgeon once said that when you pricked the Puritans, they bled the Bible. I want to have that kind of relationship with Scripture. I want it to be so much a part of my life that it frames my natural response to every circumstance. But God’s Word also says that our failure does not limit His faithfulness. Because of God’s character, we can trust His promise to provide a way to escape temptation. But even when we fail to avail ourselves of that escape route, He’s still faithful. God doesn’t just offer an exit from temptation—He also offers restoration from our failures. The verse above indicates we shouldn’t ignore our sin. Rather we should confess it—agree with God that our actions and attitudes were wrong. Then trust his promise to forgive and cleanse. Pray this prayer: Father, for the sins I’ve

committed, I’m sorry. I even confess that, while there is much of me that doesn’t want to sin, there’s another part that nurtures and unintentionally encourages sin, because I like it. Sometimes temptations come to me. Other times I put myself in their way. Father, for every repetitive behavior, I seek Your help. Help me to absorb Your Word, so I can daily live it out. Show me how to respond as Jesus did when He was tempted. Help me not to give in to Satan’s schemes. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for all of my sin. Thank You that I can surrender to You knowing that, when the Father looks at me now, He sees Your righteousness rather than my unrighteousness. Give me the power to resist temptation, and to resist it gladly. Please remove Satan’s fangs from my spirit, and heal me from my sins. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen. MIMBS 9 The verse above says if we confess our sins, God will forgive us and cleanse us. How do you experience that on a regular basis? Daily Reading: Numbers 4:1-9:23, Mark 12:1813:37, Psalm 48:1-50:23, Proverbs 10:26-30

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For March 1-7—From the devotional on page 44, what four categories do sins fall into? •• Is there one category that most men seem to struggle with the most? If so, why is that? •• If and when you fall into temptation, how does that make you feel? •• What are some strategies that you can use to defeat temptation? What activities can you intentionally incorporate into your group to support each other?

Monday—March 8 • Daniel’s Ancient Wisdom He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:14 nlt

What would you say is the greatest issue that the world faces today? A bad economy, breakdown of the family, exclusion of God from everyday life, famine, integrity issues, terrorism, health care—many things come to mind. We live in uncertain times. Daniel also lived in uncertain times. There had been much upheaval in the kingdom and Daniel was in exile. His country was occupied, and he was wondering what in the world was going on. Daniel had a dream that doesn’t exactly clear everything up, but it was a prophecy of a Messiah. In his vision, Daniel saw the coming of the Son of Man. Daniel prophesied about

the coming kingdom of God. Daniel gave ancient wisdom for his uncertain times, but these words apply to our uncertain times as well. He told us that Jesus, the Son of Man, would be given all authority. That means He is in control no matter the circumstances. With all the mistakes we make, what a blessing to know that He has authority over everything. In the midst of the world’s chaos, God is in charge. MIMBS 10 Do you believe He is control of your family, our country and the world? Are you thankful? Daily reading: Numbers 10:1-11:23, Mark 14:1-21, Psalm 51:1-19, Proverbs 10:31-32

Tuesday—March 9 • Every Race, Color and Creed He was given power to rule—all the glory of royalty. Everyone—race, color, and creed—had to serve him. Daniel 7:14a The Message

Our country recently elected our first African-American president. Many people felt like this shattered the racial barrier. The division that had extended from slavery through the civil rights movement became invisible when we elected a black man as our leader. We love to divide the world into categories today—economic, racial, ethnic, countries. But, there is no us and them. We are all in the same boat. The only category that matters is that there are those who know Christ and have been granted forgive-

ness in grace and peace because of His love and those who have not. Once we know Christ as our Savior, we need to understand that our mission is to help others get there as well. This needs to be our first and primary mission. We need to reach out to those who need the love and forgiveness we have received through Christ. Men from all over the world need Christ. Men of all colors need Christ. Men in all religions need Christ. Share the love of Christ with all men. MIMBS 10 Discuss the needs of men with your small group. Has your group had an “us and them” mentality? How can your group change that to actively reach out to all men? Daily Reading: Numbers 11:24-13:33, Mark 14:22-52, Psalm 52:1-9, Proverbs 11:1-3

Wednesday—March 10 • Investing in the Kingdom His rule would be forever, never ending. His kingly rule would never be replaced. Daniel 7:14b The Message

One of my favorite places is Cumberland Islands, a national park off the coast of Georgia. Some ruins are there and one is a beautiful house with an indoor swimming pool—state-of-the-art for its time. Here we are 100 years later, and it is a crumbling shell. The reality is that so many men give their lives to things that will not last. The things of this world are temporary. Very few people will remember our names 50 to 100 years from now. Many of us spend the majority of our time building a temporary kingdom. We build our homes, our portfolios and our careers. All of those are important, but they will not last. There is a different kingdom that will last for eternity. If we make investments in that

kingdom we will have investments that will not fade or pass away. God’s kingdom never ends. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away. Eternal investments are in people and their souls. What really matters? Caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, loving others and sharing God’s love with them. Invest in God’s kingdom by inviting others into His kingdom. MIMBS 10 Think about your last week. How much time was spent investing in things that will pass away? How much time was spent investing in the kingdom of God? Daily Reading: Numbers 14:1-15:16, Mark 14:53-72, Psalm 53:1-6, Proverbs 11:4

Thursday—March 11 • An Undefeated Kingdom In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 2:44

What is something you have wanted to do, but fear has kept you from doing it? Is there a lifelong dream you would like to accomplish? Perhaps you thought of skydiving, becoming a famous author, swimming with sharks, or walking on the moon. Those would be exciting. Maybe fear has kept you from talking to your neighbor about God. Have you thought about a short term mission trip? Perhaps you have felt that you should start a small group or Bible study? What is holding you back? God’s kingdom can’t be defeated. When we think about being a member of His kingdom, we should have a sense of victory and

excitement because we are a member of the winning team. This allows us to take big risks for God. His kingdom cannot be defeated. When He calls you to speak up, give of yourself or sacrifice—step out in faith. When we truly believe that His kingdom can’t be defeated, we will take big risks for God. MIMBS 10 Is fear holding you back from taking a risk for God? How can the promise of God’s certain victory be an encouragement to you today? Talk to a few other men about your ideas. Daily Reading: Numbers 15:17-16:40, Mark 15:1-47, Psalm 54:1-7, Proverbs 11:5-6

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—March 12, 13, 14 God’s Big Plan is the Only Plan For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 nlt

As we read through this week’s devotions, we learned: 1) God is in control; 2) People from all nations need God and can worship Him; 3) God’s kingdom will never end; and 4) God’s kingdom cannot be defeated. What does knowing those truths do for us? How does it change our lives? If we could truly believe the above statements, what would it allow us to do? Reflect on these possibilities: •• If God is in control, that allows me to surrender. •• If people from all races, colors and creeds need and can love Jesus, that allows me to love with abandon. •• If God’s kingdom never ends, that allows me to be patient. •• If God’s kingdom cannot be defeated, that allows me to take risks for the Lord. Just as in Bible times and in Daniel’s life in particular, our world seems very confusing. We have wars that seem unwinnable,

random acts of terrorism, marriages and families that are falling apart, and flu epidemics. What Daniel needed to know and what we need to know is the same thing: God’s plan is the only plan and it is always bigger than our plan. When we surrender our hearts to His plan, we find that is what we were made for. We can find the true meaning for our lives in His plan, His love and His kingdom. Ask God to show you new ways to approach the confusing times of your life. Are there areas that you need to surrender, love with abandon, be patient or take a risk for His sake? MIMBS 10 How have you reacted to times of confusion in your past? Have those reactions worked well for you? Why or why not? Daily Reading: Numbers 16:41-22:20, Mark 16:1-20, Luke 1:1-56, Psalm 55:1-57:11, Proverbs 11:7-11

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For March 8-14—Ask someone to read aloud the devotion, “God’s Plan is the Only Plan” from March 12, 13, 14. •• Surrender, love, patience and kingdom-minded risk: which of these do you feel like you are the least comfortable with? •• What would you have to believe to be able to incorporate this characteristic in your life? What keeps you from believing that? •• What big risk does someone in your group need to take for God? How can you support him in that? Pray for God’s guidance and inspiration.

Monday—March 15 • Family Patterns

The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! Deuteronomy 30:6 nlt You don’t have to look very far to see that adults have issues. Some of us see it every time we attend our family reunions. You know what I mean—you might cringe each time your great uncle opens his mouth or your out-of-control nieces and nephews drive you crazy. Every family has problems. Many adults carry baggage around from their childhood. As grown-ups, those problems look like the inability to hold a job or having so much ambition that relationships suffer. Perhaps you know someone who is completely self-sufficient and won’t share himself with anyone. Or someone who always needs to be the center of attention.

Reflect on your family for a moment. Do you see any patterns keeping you and your family from the abundant life that God wants to give you? Is there some issue that has trapped you and repeated itself over and over again? You may need to surrender that area to the Lord and allow Him to change your heart and then your action. MIMBS 11 What changes might you need to make for your family? What action can you take this week to start making changes? Daily Reading: Numbers 22:21-23:30, Luke 1:57-80, Psalm 58:1-11, Proverbs 11:12-13

Tuesday—March 16 • Growing Up

The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. Proverbs 23:24 nlt My son recently went on a mission trip. One of the young men with him grew up in a poor home and didn’t have a father figure. The young man is in college, but he has no concept of how to manage his finances. There are even some simple things like hygiene that he just doesn’t have a clue about, because he’s never had the training. As a matter of fact, his family recently had their electricity turned off, and yet his mom drives a brand new Jeep Cherokee. He lacks some essential training to help him mature into a productive, healthy adult. As parents, we all teach our children lessons—good ones, bad ones, intentional and unintentional. Most lessons seem simple. We help our infants learn to smile, eat, talk

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and walk. We teach them to share their toys and to say “please” and “thank you.” Along with those basics, we need to be intentionally teaching our kids about God’s love, His Word, and biblical principles. Parenthood comes with much responsibility. Take it seriously. Your child will never have a more influential teacher and your job will never end. MIMBS 11 What lessons did you learn from your parents? Which of those lessons have meant the most to you as an adult? Daily Reading: Numbers 24:1-25:18, Luke 2:135, Psalm 59:1-17, Proverbs 11:14

Strengthen your family and marriage! Check out The Marriage Prayer. Page 30

Wednesday—March 17 • What Would Dad Do? Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. Psalm 34:11 nlt

In an interview with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., right after the death of his father, he said, “Everything that happens from here on out for a long time, I’ll always think, what would Dad do? What would his decision be on it?” Every kid needs a father like that. You could see there was a bond between this father and this son. In video clips from their past victories, you could witness this father and son embracing and the joy they shared together in the sport. Dale’s father left an impact on him. His dad displayed an outward expertise in the world of racing. More than that, he taught his son those skills. They had a common

passion and career. Have you had that shared knowledge or shared time with your dad? Your son or grandson? That is powerful! In the New Testament, Jesus invited the children to come to Him and be with Him. He knew the influence He would have on them. MIMBS 11 What do you think are the most important life lessons for your children? How much time can you invest this week in helping them learn them? Daily Reading: Numbers 26:1-51, Luke 2:36-52, Psalm 60:1-12, Proverbs 11:15

Thursday—March 18 • 21st Century Families Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. Psalm 145:4 nlt

We have age-segregated our children away from adults in our culture. In the 1900s, families had to work, eat and play together. Children needed to help with chores and there was casual contact with adults who modeled values that the children would then adopt. By 1930,

fathers went off to work and it was determined that children needed compulsory

education. With this shift, a host of adultsponsored youth organizations like scouting, camps and church youth groups arose to help meet the needs of children. Now, fast forward 80 more years. Today our children are bombarded by a variety of influences—family, day care, school, peers, TV, movies, internet, stores, etc. There are wonderful things about our way of life and there are areas that need our attention. One thing we desperately need is to integrate children back into our lives. The children in our homes, neighborhoods and churches need relationships with adults who can model the love of Christ to them. MIMBS 11 In your church or neighborhood, are there opportunities for you to influence a child? Daily Reading: Numbers 26:52-28:15, Luke 3:122, Psalm 61:1-8, Proverbs 11:16-17

q Friday, Saturday, Sunday—March 19, 20, 21 • Grace-Based Home So the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children. Psalm 78:6 nlt It is the responsibility of the father to create a Grace-Based Home. It is a place where a child can develop in the safe confines of a home that will love him, correct him and see him through that development. So, what are some of the characteristics of a Grace-Based Home? First of all, fathers need to have real personal relationships with their children. Fathers have to invest into the child long before a conflict or a difficult choice comes up. Trust needs to be continually built, then a child will want to learn from the father when they need help or direction. Secondly, fathers need to consistently enforce fair and flexible rules. Kids need to know the boundaries and that dads care more about a relationship with them than the letter of the law. Third, a father encourages children to risk and experiment. I love the story about the interview with the successful businessman and the young reporter. He said, “Well, Mr. Smith, you’re

one of the most successful businessmen in the community; you’re really a leading citizen. How did you get to be that way?” He replied, “Good judgment.” The reporter asked, “Wow, how did you get good judgment?” He answered, “Bad judgment.” Fourth, fathers need to resolve conflicts quickly, fairly and honestly. Children need the confidence that conflicts are not just settled to end the problem, but that dad is actually working toward a just solution. Fathers need to be involved and prepared enough to know the games that siblings play. Finally, a father models what he wants to reproduce and is vulnerable about his own mistakes. Show your children how to work hard, love your spouse and family and care for others. When you make a mistake, tell them about it, apologize and make an effort not to repeat it. MIMBS 11 Did you grow up in a Grace-Based Home? Have you established a Grace-Based Home for your children? Daily Reading: Numbers 28:16-33:39, Luke 3:23-5:11, Psalm 62:1-64:10, Proverbs 11:18-22

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For March 15-21—Have each man write down these three titles for three lists: My Grandfather, My Father, Me. Under each title, make a list of words that might describe each life (occupation, leisure time, chores, etc.). •• Take a few minutes to share your lists with each other. •• What was the biggest difference between you and your grandfather? You and your father? •• What does it mean to you to be a godly father? How can this group help you in that effort?

Monday—March 22 • Trying On a Lifestyle of Power Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed—and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors—and they have no comforter. And I declared that the dead who had already died are happier than the living who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

Scripture reveals that, when Solomon died, the Israelites approached his son and said, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you” (1 Kings 12:4). Oppression didn’t stop when Solomon died. In fact, his son didn’t respond favorably to the people. He threatened to make their lives even harder, so they rebelled. Oppression still exists in many forms in our culture. You may be under the oppression of an unreasonable employer. You may find yourself forced to do things you don’t want to do. You may not have the opportunity to air your opinion in a planning

meeting. Oppression happens in buying and selling, relationships and in litigation, as parties press each other to get the best possible result from a deal. Solomon hadn’t suffered from oppression—he had benefited from it. And still, he said, death would be better than living in that state. He tried the lifestyle of power, but it didn’t fit. MIMBS 12 Describe a time when you suffered or benefited from oppression. What did you learn from that experience? Daily Reading: Numbers 33:40-35:34, Luke 5:12-28, Psalm 65:1-13, Proverbs 11:23

Tuesday—March 23 • Trying On a Lifestyle of Work And I saw that all labor and achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:4

When someone engages in an all-out pursuit of wealth, we say he is “trying to keep up with the Joneses.” That’s the attitude that Solomon is describing here. A man is desperately unhappy, because he covets what his neighbor has. The envy propels him to work harder. He accumulates the same belongings as his neighbor. But he finds he’s still not happy. Solomon said such a man is “chasing after the wind.” By contrast, as Moses was preparing the Israelites to go into the Promised Land, he warned them about chasing after wealth. He said it might cause them to forget God. That’s what happens when we try to “keep up with the Joneses.” Moses explained, “You

may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). If you’re chasing money, you’re chasing the wind. If you’re remembering God, you’re pursuing something that will last forever. MIMBS 12 Have you worked simply for the purpose of accumulating possessions? What did you learn from that experience? Daily Reading: Numbers 36:1–Deuteronomy 1:46, Luke 5:29-6:11, Psalm 66:1-20, Proverbs 11:24-26

Wednesday—March 24 • Trying On a Lifestyle of Idleness The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:5-6

Ecclesiastes 4 describes different lifestyles that we can “try on” to see if they fit. In the previous devotional, we saw that Solomon tried on the lifestyle of the workaholic. Here we see that he also tried on the lifestyle of the underachiever—the lazy person. Solomon explained that this kind of person “ruins himself.” In other places, Solomon wrote: •• “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man” (Proverbs 6:10-11). •• “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4).

•• “He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment” (Proverbs 12:11). Solomon concluded that neither extreme is healthy. This coincides with another passage from Proverbs: “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9). MIMBS 12 In your own words, explain the wisdom of not pursuing either extreme when it comes to work. Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29, Luke 6:1238, Psalm 67:1-7, Proverbs 11:27

Thursday—March 25 • Trying On a Lifestyle of Isolation Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless—a miserable business. Ecclesiastes 4:7-8

We see in these verses that Solomon also describes the lifestyle of a loner. I’ve heard that in Deadwood, South Dakota, there’s an inscription written by a prospector. It says, “I lost my gun, I lost my horse, I have no food, the Indians have been chasing me, but I have all the gold I can carry.” That reminds me of an encounter recorded in Scripture. Jesus was teaching a large crowd, and someone asked him to arbitrate a financial dispute. “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” This man apparently was choosing possessions over relationship. Jesus replied, “… a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Then He told a

story about a man whose crops did particularly well one year. Rather than sharing his wealth, the man decided to build bigger barns and store it up for himself. The story doesn’t mention any other person, so this man apparently lived in isolation (Luke 12:13-19). Solomon called that kind of attitude “meaningless.” God called that kind of man “a fool” (Luke 12:20). MIMBS 12 Why would Solomon say that choosing wealth over relationships is meaningless? Discuss what that looks like with some other men. Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-49, Luke 6:397:10, Psalm 68:1-18, Proverbs 11:28

Friday, Saturday, Sunday—March 26, 27, 28 Finding True Meaning This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:16

Ecclesiastes 4 exposes a number of lifestyle choices as “meaningless.” Solomon reveals that pursuing power, labor and achievement, indolence, isolation and popularity all lead to a fruitless existence—“a chasing after the wind.” I don’t think anyone would vote for Solomon to be president of the Jerusalem Optimist Club. According to my count, in the entire book of Ecclesiastes, he used the word “meaningless” about 38 times. He used the words “worthwhile” or “good” or “better” about 52 times. He used the words “evil” or “harm” 31 times. With one brief but heavy lecture, Solomon is trying to spare us from wasting years of our lives in meaningless activity. The Old Testament notes that, when Solomon first became king, God came to him in a dream. “Ask for whatever you want me to give you,” God said. Solomon felt the weight of his responsibilities. He said, “Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong…” (1 Kings 3:8-9). Solomon basically asked for the knowledge of good and evil. That leads us to Solomon’s despair spelled out in Ecclesiastes. You see,

Solomon had to come to terms with something that haunts all men, regardless of whether they are following Jesus. Every day you will have to make choices. Some things will be obviously evil. But if we aren’t using the Bible as our guide, then every path that is not obviously evil will seem to be obviously good. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon warns of another force at work in the world—he calls it meaninglessness. Fourteen times Solomon warns us against the meaningless activity of “chasing after the wind.” We live in a culture that offers many choices. We don’t have three channels on our TVs anymore—we have hundreds. You would think that having more choices would bring delight. Instead, choices consume our energy, especially when we thought we were pursuing something worthwhile, and we found instead it was meaningless. We’ll only find true meaning when we study God’s Word and seek His plan and purpose. MIMBS 12 Describe a time when you pursued something, and you eventually found it was meaningless. What truth could have kept you on the right track? Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 5:1-10:22, Luke 7:11-8:21, Psalm 68:19-69:36, Proverbs 11:2912:3

For Your Small Group

❏❏ For March 22-28—Read together Ecclesiastes 4. •• What does this passage tell us about the meaning of life? About idleness and labor? •• How have you struggled with the meaning of life? How would you describe your conclusions from that struggle or from the passage we read? •• How can ministry or serving others help you find the meaning of life?

Monday—March 29 • Road vs. River But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15 nlt

I used to think life was like a road. I believed we controlled our circumstances. The tires met the road, I held the steering wheel, and my car went wherever I willed. When I was about 50, I realized my car was more like a boat. Instead of being on a road, I’m really on a river. The water has a current, and if I don’t adjust my steering, I’ll just drift with the river. I’ve been through times when my whole calendar was marked up. I had no margin in my life. Sometimes it was because my choices threw my life out of balance. But sometimes it was because I associated with people whose decisions were wreaking havoc in their lives and mine. I got caught

in their wake. If you’re battling a sense of meaninglessness, it may not be your fault. But if you don’t accommodate for the underlying current, you’ll end up wherever the river takes you. Be intentional about studying God’s Word and doing what it says. It will help you set a course toward fruitfulness and purpose. MIMBS 12 Do you agree that life is more like a river than a road? Describe circumstances from your life to support your answer. Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32, Luke 8:22-39, Psalm 70:1-5, Proverbs 12:4

q Tuesday—March 30 • Even When Life Seems Futile, God Is Good Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46 A man once told me he didn’t use the Bible as his guide for most of his life, and he ended up with a sense of futility. One morning, as he sat in a donut shop, he said, “God, I know I’ve made some mistakes, and I’m sorry about that. But I really do need some encouragement today. Would you please give me a rainbow?” The person he was waiting for arrived, and they left together, driving to a ministry appointment at a prison. As he pulled onto the interstate, my acquaintance saw a rainbow arching across the highway. Over the next seven days he saw three more rainbows. He returned to the prison the following week, and he noticed a banner

hanging on the front of the podium –a picture of a rainbow. When he went to lunch, the place mats had been decorated by school children. His featured a beautiful rainbow with the words “God Loves You.” Even when life seems futile, God is good. His love is the primary thing that will fill our lives with meaning and purpose. MIMBS 12 How does it help you to know that, regardless of your circumstances, God’s love can fill your life with meaning and purpose? Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23, Luke 8:40-9:6, Psalm 71:1-24, Proverbs 12:5-7

Wednesday—March 31 • Willing to Bear Our Sins “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. Luke 22:42-43

During a trip to Israel, we retraced the passion week of Jesus. It was extremely rewarding to track the steps that Jesus took on His way to the cross, where He died for our sins and was then buried and rose again! We started at the Garden of Gethsemane and spent time in the place where Jesus prayed with his disciples and was arrested. We toured the House of Caiaphas, where the high priest questioned Jesus and asked, “Are you the Christ”? Later, we made our way to the Antonio Fortress, where our Lord and Savior could have been beaten and crowned with a crown of thorns. We walked the Via Della Rosa, the road where Jesus carried His cross. Last, we visited the places (the Church of the Nativity and the Garden Tomb) where

He might have been crucified and buried. These were moving and stirring days. This special journey brought a palpable, tangible reality to the story of Easter. Although Jesus was without sin, He was willing to bear the sins of everyone—your sins and my sins. What a price He paid for us! MIMBS 13 Does the Easter story seem “real” to you? Take time to reflect and ask God to write the reality of Jesus’ sacrifice on your mind and heart. Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20, Luke 9:7-27, Psalm 72:1-20, Proverbs 12:8-9

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Third Millennium Ministries Resource Description Third Millennium Ministries’ (IIIM) mission is to equip church leaders in their own lands by creating a multimedia seminary curriculum in five major languages in fifteen years. IIIM is an Evangelical Christian parachurch ministry in the Reformed tradition. Our goal is to provide Christian education to hundreds of thousands of pastors around the world who lack sufficient training for ministry. We are meeting this goal by publishing and globally distributing a free multilingual, multimedia, digital seminary curriculum in English, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Russian and Spanish. The curriculum is designed to be used in support of existing schools, as well as by groups and individuals.

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Victor Lopez Leadership Skillset Ministry Expertise: Field Trainer—Man In The Mirror, Director—Hispanic Ministry for FMI, Pastor Ministry Experience: Teacher, 3 years Outreach Center Pastor, Leader— Short Term Mission Trips to Latin America, Field Trainer, Evangelism, Youth Ministry Leader Denominational Affiliation: Assemblies of God. Location: Casselberry, Florida

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Five Questions For... Tom Cheshire, Founder, RPM For over 20 years God has been using Tom Cheshire to mentor men and to develop leadership teams. This lifelong passion has led him to organize Relevant Practical Ministry for Men (RPM). Tom is also a pilot member of the Man in the Mirror Field Network.

•• What does RPM do and why did you join the Man in the Mirror Field Network? I disciple men, in central Illinois and beyond, by being a resource to the local pastors, men’s leaders and men. I got to know MIM from years of being a part of NCMM (National Coalition of Men’s Ministries). I’ve personally grown through various MIM resources, and I was telling people about MIM all the time. So to make an ‘official’ commitment was a very natural step to make.

•• How has being a Field Network Representative been an encouragement to you and impacted your ministry? The Reaching Every Man (REM) training seminars is by far the biggest impact on the churches and leaders we reach. Reading No Man Left Behind (NMLB) was a breakthrough moment for me. The REM training is a four-hour overview of the NMLB book and the disciple-making model. This training strikes a chord with leaders because it is a paradigm shift that calls for change, while also being a great encouragement.

•• What other resources or opportunities have helped you in ministry? I’ve been hosting Iron Sharpens Iron regional men’s conferences for several years with great success. Another excellent resource is Men’s Fraternity. This large group Christ-centered manhood study curriculum equips men with a foundational understanding of their identity in Christ.

•• What are the most important qualities for men’s ministry leaders? Honesty, compassion and perseverance. Honesty with men and honesty about yourself are both keys to men trusting you. Compassion is key because I need to remember God’s grace and mercy to me and extend that to men. Perseverance because while I believe that reaching and equipping men is the MOST important ministry of all, that doesn’t make it any easier.

•• What encouragement can you give to others who are engaged in the battle for men’s souls? Stay the course! If you think you are being led to full time ministry to men, walk for a season with a man who is already in ministry. Intentionally seek other men to speak into your life. Be a disciple AND a disciple-maker. You will see marriages healed and strengthened, families restored, communities changed and most importantly God glorified!

• Tom Cheshire

Tom lives with his wife Jan in Williamsville, Illinois. Tom and Jan have been married for 27 years and have 2 daughters, Amelia and Lindleigh. Tom is an elder at “Delta Church“ in Springfield, IL and enjoys running, camping and St. Louis Cardinal baseball!

The vision of Man in the Mirror is for every church to disciple every man. Does this resonate with you? If you are called by Christ to help churches disciple their men, then we’d like to come along side you to further your efforts with our training, products and resources. That’s what our field network is all about. For some, it is a part-time effort; while for others it is a fulltime calling. Ministry work requires both spiritual and financial resources. The men in the field are covered in prayer and equipped with training and “know-how”. A revenue stream that helps them sustain their efforts is also available. Serving Pastors. Training Leaders. Transforming Men.

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