Sunday December 13, 2009

Since August I have had this impression from the Lord to spend some time sharing with the men of Hope about living Holy Spirit empowered lives. As the women exited to go into the next room to pray and intercede I shared the following points with our men.

Discipline vs. Passion:
Our relationship with the Father was never intended to be just about living with Christian disciplines. Imagine a relationship that only has the disciplines of responsibilities and duties; not very fun or desirable. Our relationship with God might begin with good spiritual disciplines, but out of those disciplines is suppose to come this passionate pursuit of the Father. It might be that many Christians struggle to grow because they’ve approached a relationship with God in the form of a task or duty rather than true passion and love. How long have you been a disciplined Christian yet haven’t seen the fruit that you read and hear about? Maybe, the Holy Spirit is trying to get you out of the Christian discipline mode and into relationship mode?

Confession:
A lifestyle of confessing is key to our growth. I’m not just talking about confessing your sins, but also confessing your faith! Through confession we are to experience the love of the Father. The same way Jesus experienced the love of His Father at His baptism. When was the last time you experienced the love of the Father through the confession of your sin or your faith? If it hasn’t been recently, I pray you put a side everything and start confessing. Not out of duty, but from a posture of desiring relationship.

Transparency:
Our children are in need of better leaders to look up to. Leaders that walk with integrity, honesty and transparency. Meaning they let the light of God shine out of them as much as they let it shine in them. There is nothing that won’t be exposed, all things will be revealed. It’s time as men to start being more transparent in our relationship with God. He sees all things already so it’s not like we would be confessing anything new. A life that is lived in transparency empowers the generation that is looking to become more rather then less. It’s time to get the Windex out and do some cleaning up – inside and out.

Accountability:
You’ve heard all the bad four letter words, but when did a 14 letter word become so bad? As transparency empowers a generation, accountability empowers an individual. We can only be held to the standard by which we chose to live, no matter what anyone else wants. In the end the choice is ours. As men it’s time to rise up and start changing the standards that we’ve settled for in our relationship with God. Just knowing about Him isn’t enough. There is so much more for each of us, but it does require us standing up and taking responsibility for our lives.

Enabled and Empowered:
Our purpose as born again believers is to disciple the nations. We have been enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill this commandment. The nations are in need of men and women who will bring the confession of Jesus Christ into the marketplace with signs and wonders, while living a life of transparency and accountability so that others will rise up and walk in the love and power of Jesus Christ long after we have passed away.