Friday Men’s Group 10/11/24

Southwest Men’s Retreat

[Retreat Theme] “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”
Matthew 28:19

Hi Men:
I pray you have been able to keep your peace in light of the storms raging all around. I flashed on this very familiar verse from Is 40:31……….

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary

It’s not only the hurricanes, tornados, floods, wars and the rumors of wars, but the storms of life. Question: Are you one of those who wait for the Lord? Remember men, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

PHOTO ABOVE

I just returned from the Southwest Men’s Retreat in Overgaard, AZ. What an amazing Ministry in the Marketplace (MIM) Conference. It was encouraging to see so many younger men in attendance. The men made the effort to attend this retreat, some traveling across the country. Why? To plunge themselves into the deep waters of the Word, to transform their lives and convict them to take Jesus’ words much more seriously:

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. (Lk 9:23-24)

As I reflected on this conference, I thought to myself just how valuable all these conferences have been in my spiritual growth over the years. I would place being discipled in God’s Word as #1 and these conferences as #2. They not only transformed me, but gave me a sound Biblical Worldview…… looking at the world through a Biblical lens…….. More critical today than ever before.

As you are able, attend as many of these conferences as you can!

IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD & DOWN THE STREET

I was out walking last week before my departure to the retreat and a road crew was just setting up. The guys that hold the traffic and caution signs 🛑 were also getting ready. As I walked by one young man, I said, “How are you doing?” He said, “Great.” I said, “Well have a great day” and he said, “You have a better one!” Now that’s a comment you don’t hear often, so I turned around and said I have something for you and gave him a “Jesus Paid the Price” card. He told me he’s a Christian and attends a large church where I served as an elder almost 30 years ago. I told him if it’s ok, want to bring him something. He said sure. When returned, he was on his lunch break, and I had a whole bag of stuff, Bible tracts, Million Dollar Gospel of John, etc and a small plaque that was given to the leadership team as we launched the building of the new church in 1995.

Michael is the name of my new brother in Christ. We sat for a while and he shared his life with me. His wife is a few weeks away from having a baby and he, like so many in that season of life, is concerned about many things. We traded contact info, grabbed a photo and said goodbye. Later I was prompted by the Spirit to go back once again. So I drove up in my car this time and he was in the middle of the road with his sign, so I rolled down the window and handed him a bag with a leather bound study Bible with some financial support for the baby that’s coming soon. He texted me later that afternoon….. as I read his text, it brought tears to my eyes. If God opens the door, you may meet him at Zion. Please pray for Michael.

A couple other divine appointments
  • THE LADY IN THE MIDDLE SEAT As I boarded SWA for Arizona on Friday morning and took my window seat, it was going to be a full cabin. The middle seat was empty until a “very” beautiful woman sat next to me. We said hi and she immediately started reading from her phone. I asked the Lord if she knows You or is she currently headed to Hell. That thought immediately distracted me from her beauty. I kept waiting for an opportunity, but she kept reading until about 10:45am the fight attendant asked for the drink order. I ordered some juice and she ordered a Miller Lite. Ah Ha…. I had my opening. I said, “That’s my older brother’s favorite beer.” Then the conversation began. After about 30 minutes of asking her questions and sharing my testimony, she wanted EVERYTHING I had (Steps To Peace With God / The Million Dollar Gospel of John / Are You a Good Person? and Jesus Paid It All). I said if you have any questions, my email address is on the back of Steps To Peace. My sense was that Monica was a very lost sheep that needed to be found and loved by the Good Shepherd. Please pray for Monica
  • THE TRAVELING NURSE After the conference, while in the Sky Harbor terminal, Bill McCurine and myself were grabbing a bite to eat. Laverna (?) was right across from us. We started talking to her. She watches Joel Osteen. We gave her the devotional, Thoughts From The Diary Of A Desperate Man and Bill explained who the author was. She was grateful to receive it. I had to leave for my departure and have yet to follow up with Bill.
  • THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY MAN Standing near the departure gate by a garbage bin, I met Eric who is a regional tech for the Cheesecake Factory. We had a short but amazing visit. He used to live in Las Vegas and is now in the Dallas area. He wanted to be put on the Friday Letter and to know more about our conference.

Saved by Grace, through faith,
Dan
(Gal 2:20)

 

We’ll circle back on Hurricane Milton, but here is a quick snapshot of what’s going on elsewhere…..

A Sweet Video from Samaritan’s Purse
Watch on YouTube (2:50 minutes)


Men: Don’t forget to register.
Another great conference headed your way!

2024 Speakers:

Jerry Bangert, Physician – Tucson, AZ
Chris Martin, Real Estate – Lititz, PA
Bill McCurine, Federal Magistrate Ret. – San Diego, CA
Trevor McDowell, Businessman – Phoenix, AZ
Winston Parker, Businessman – Jacksonville, FL

REGISTER HERE TODAY


“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting andtraining in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

When you communicate, either by your words or actions, that you are not open to receiving rebuke, you run the chance of ending as Solomon

Unwanted Counsel – Day 286 Red Book

The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”


Fourth Warning from Hebrews:
A Terrifying Thing…
by Jonathan Koehler | Oct 7, 2024

[Hebrews 10:26-31]
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,  but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.  Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

QUESTIONS:

  1. When faced with a clear situation to sin willfully or proceed down an obvious path of temptation, what does my response say about my view of God and Jesus? How can I bring the proper perspective of my circumstances into focus?
  2. Consider carefully the cup of the wrath of God Jesus faced in His time of prayer in the Garden and in the process of His Roman persecution, crucifixion, and being forsaken by His Father—for your sake.

Men: Make sure you Read Jonathan’s Article. These are some very serious verses. And if you haven’t read his first (3) articles, do so this weekend.


THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA

Ok Men, from last Friday letter we know Hurricane Helene dumped 40 trillion gallons of water and how it would fill various basins, i.e., Lake Tahoe, etc. This week, let’s calculate the weight using the Great Pyramid of Giza.

  • The pyramid weighs approximately 5.7 million tons
  • Amount of water dumped by Hurricane Helene = 40 trillion gallons
  • How much does 40 trillion tons of water weigh? 166.8 billion tons
  • How many Great Pyramids of Giza would this be? Almost 30,000 pyramids!

So God can take a hurricane and have it dump 40 trillion gallons of water in a short time frame. Question: Does this make you “FEAR THE LORD?”


Why Don’t Men Finish Well?

Audio of the Week – Walt Henrichsen

LISTEN HERE (38 min)


Let’s Revisit This in Light of Natural Disasters
Natural Disasters are NOT NATURAL – They are perfectly planned & orchestrated


EXAMINE YOURSELF

Jesus said, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesized in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Did you know that about 62% of Americans claim to have a “relationship with Jesus Christ?”  These people go peacefully into death, believing they are safely on their way to heaven; but Jesus says “many” of them will be shocked and horrified on Judgment Day. How can you be sure you are not one of them?

EDIDENCE BIBLE – Page 1630 (PDF)

Also, make sure you READ THIS PAGE from J.C. Ryle’s Devotional


Men: This is a great short story from Voice of the Martyrs. I hope you enjoy it….

How a Widow Was Encouraged to Stay Focused on Christ

Persecuted Christians often feel alone in their suffering. Many live in remote areas or places where few other Christians, if any, live. But when they receive help from the global body of Christ, they are encouraged in profound ways.

When Ninh’s husband, Doan, was killed in Vietnam because of his faith in Christ, Ninh had difficulty eating and sleeping, and she was too exhausted to work. Her 5-year-old daughter, Mira, was also suffering malnourishment. Ninh’s troubles were compounded when her in-laws demanded that she return the home they had given to her and Doan as a wedding gift. They also took her 16-year-old son, Thai, to live with them.

Ninh and her daughter lived with Ninh’s mother and sister for two months, but Ninh’s mother soon became angry about her Christian faith and kicked her and Mira out of the house.

A compassionate neighbor rented Ninh his empty pigpen as temporary shelter. And with help from the local and global body of Christ, Ninh cleaned and repaired the structure to make it livable for her and her daughter.

Since then, Christians have helped Ninh purchase land, and a small house is being built for her and her children. Ninh plans to start a small business to support her family and dreams of a day when they will have a home that can once again serve as a church. “I want to continue what my husband and I did before his death,” she said.

Until then, Ninh is reminded of God’s presence in her life by the love and support of his people. “I feel more encouraged,” Ninh said, “and more security in my heart to keep going and following Jesus.”


I had this memory card on a walk one morning and saw this huge rock, and it was time to take a photo!

As most all of you know, THEREFORE is a very important word in the scriptures. Check out what verses preceded the verse below. Not only the entire Sermon on the Mount (5-7), but how about the (3) verses preceding therefore? [Matt 7:21-23]

Note: Have you ever thought about the guy that can cast out demons? You need the Holy Spirit to do that…. right? Then Jesus says: “Go To Hell” [my paraphrase]

“Therefore” is an essential word in Scripture that we need to consider what has been previously taught and apply it practically in life. It often marks a critical point where belief turns into behavior or application.