“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662)
Happy New Year Men!
Rather than addressing what 2021 might bring to the plate, I’ve been praying this year will mark a noticeable change in our life: “Less of us and more of Him.”
I say this because reflecting on the verse above and the familiar quote by Blaise Pascal really got me thinking. As many of you know, Pascal contributed greatly to physics and mathematics even though he died at age 39. According to Pascal, we fear the silence of existence, we dread boredom and instead choose aimless distraction, and we can’t help but run from the problems of our emotions into the false comforts of the mind. The crazy thing about Pascal’s statement, he made in the 1600’s. What about today? I don’t know if any of you are like me, but those times I head out the door and forget my cell phone, I’m a bit rattled….. There are people I want to call from my car, what if my wife needs to get ahold of me or if I’m running late and need to call the person I am going to meet? It wasn’t too long ago we didn’t have smart phones and social media was non-existent. How many people do we see in restaurants, etc sitting there having no conversation with another human, but scrolling endlessly through their phones? There was a study published 6 years ago in Science magazine showing people “loathe” being made to spend 6 to 15 minutes in a room by themselves with nothing to do but think!
I also love this second quote by the famous French Post-Impressionist, Paul Gauguin (1848 – 1903)
“Life is hardly more than a fraction of a second. Such a little time to prepare oneself for eternity!”
Without belaboring this, what’s my point? As I have mentioned so many times before, most people believe there is life after death. So if you don’t believe in eternal oblivion, here is the main question: What are the only 2 things that will pass into eternity? Most of you should know by now the answer is:
God’s Word and People
(and not your homes, cars, pets, hobbies, investments, etc)
So I’m sure you would agree God’s Word and People are very important. The question is, how much time are you spending in God’s Eternal Word and pouring your life into people based on His Word? This week I will limit my items below to address several important things.
I believe this year, more than ever, we must “…………always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you………”
Dan
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
(John 3:30)
Please Calendar: January 16th 7am Pacific
Men: This 3 hour Zoom conference will answer questions like:
Who am I?
Why am I here?
What am I supposed to do?
Whose Job is the Ministry / Owning our Priesthood
MIM E2 Webinar: Saturday, January 16th from 7am -10am (Pacific Time) Zoom link to be sent later
Purpose: To Encourage, Connect, Challenge and Exhort Soldiers Living Out E2 to be Steadfast in the Battle and Finish Strong. More Information: Click Here
Attention Zion Men: One of the teachings that was to be held at the Zion Boot Camp will be taught during this call by Jerry Bangert.
Click on the image cover below to download a free electronic copy or to order your hard copy Click Here
Bible Reading Plans for 2021
Some of you already have a Bible Reading Plan for 2021, but for those that don’t, here are a few suggestions:
- Lyle Brennan (lyle@lylebrennan.com) sends out his Daily Devotion with the Blue Book Devotional and the Bible in One Year. If you would like to receive this Daily Devotion email, please Click Here
- The Navigators have a Bible Reading Plan that you can manually check off as you read (See attached)
- Or………… there is also the Discipleship Journal Reading Plan (and other plans) through YouVersion you can do from your computer or smart phone: Click Here
- To know more about YouVersion/Bible.com click on this link: https://www.bible.com/about
Men: Make a commitment to read though the Bible in 2021
A Lamentation for Reality
What the Bible teaches about it….. By Jerry Bangert
As both Winston Parker and Bill McCurine stated, this is a powerful piece. Print it off and ponder more than once! Click Here or see attached.
A few closing quotes on the Bible
The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives. D.L. Moody
An honest man with an open Bible and a pad and pencil is sure to find out what is wrong with him very quickly. A.W.Tozer
A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t. Charles Spurgeon
The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts. George Mueller
Be very sure of this – people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it. They understand it too well; they understand that it condemns their own behavior; they understand that it witnesses against their own sins, and summons them to judgment. They try to believe it is false and useless, because they don’t like to believe it is true. J.C. Ryle