Friday Men’s Group 11/4/22

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2

Hi Men:

Have you reflected on your identity “in” Christ this week? I have included from Ken Boa’s Daily Growth a few verses that will encourage you (see below the Red Book devotionals).

I wanted to pause and reflect on a brother who passed into the presence of Jesus this week…… Gayle Jackson. I took the photo above of those lenticular clouds from my backyard on Wed Evening with the moon peeking out. I have been reflecting on those verses from Hebrews 12. Gayle Jackson’s life, exemplified the 1^st verse and he always ended our conversation with the statement that we need to “finish well.”
The Lord walked Gayle to his new home on Sunday the 30^th of October. For those who were fortunate enough to have Gayle intersect their lives, he was a man you never forgot ….. a humble and gentle man, who had a profound understanding of the Word and its application for our life, both temporal and eternal. Gayle shared with me years ago that God brought Walt Henrichsen into his life in 1970 and Walt being obedient to the command in Matthew 28:19 begin “making” a disciple of Gayle. 20 years later, both Walt and Gayle published the book, “Studying, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible.” Many men have and are today using the riches in this book. In 2008, Gayle published another book, “Honoring Your Parents” This book took me to a whole different level with my own mother as she aged.
I have no idea how many men’s lives were touched by Gayle Jackson. I met Gayle at the Great Lakes Men’s Conference in 2008. We roomed together with Lee Yih and Winston Parker. They were the speakers for that conference and I shared the India Story. Gayle was the lever that got the Leadership Conference at Callaway Gardens, GA off and running. Then he started a regular blog that challenged men to live their lives through a Biblical world view. Here is the link to his blog. Gayle knew clearly when he walked out the door of his home to go to work at IBM, his primary focus was not to make money, but to represent Jesus. There are hundreds and hundreds of men that knew Gayle far better than me, but when he called to see how I was doing, I never forgot those calls. I remember one call very distinctly when Gayle asked about the Bible Studies I was involved in. He said if they are just to gain more knowledge, I need to ask “So what!” “What does it mean to me and my intimacy with Christ?” ….. and “What is the application?” We can attend Bible Studies, book studies and go to conferences. But if they are not renewing my mind and have ‘Boots on the Ground’ application, what is their purpose?

I thought of the article 2 weeks ago, “Friend, You Can Be Ready To Die”
E² Vegas.org/Friday-Mens-Group-10-21-22 I love where the author said: “A blood-bought sinner has just stepped on Satan’s neck and leapt up into eternal happiness, by God’s grace and for His glory.” That’s the Gayle I remember……

Please pray for his wife Connie and family. The funeral is tomorrow at noon in Roswell, GA.
Photo: Bob Newell, Gayle Jackson, me and Lee Yih at “The Guys’ Thing” men’s conference, Tomales Bay, 2013.

“Oh Lord, I pray that I Finish Well”
Dan
(Galatians 2:20)

—————-

If you are planning on attending Zion, please register.
Thank you men!

Zion Boot Camp 2022

We covet your prayers for Zion

Men:

This verse is one to commit to memory if you haven’t already. And it’s not only about money, but everything you have

“For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive?
And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Cor 4:7)

Take some time reflecting on these two devotionals:

Why Is It Hard for Rich People to Get to Heaven? & Making Enemies – Day 310 & 311 Red Book
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically

Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”

Never forget that: “Money is Radioactive”

Do you want to be encouraged this week? ….. Then pause to reflect upon these familiar biblical affirmations

“Feed my mind and heart, O Lord, as I affirm these truths from Your Word concerning my identity in Christ”

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, they have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

If I died with Christ, I believe that I will also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, may I consider myself to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:8–11)

I did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but I received the Spirit of adoption by whom I cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself testifies with my spirit that I am a child of God. (Romans 8:15–16)

My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in me, whom I have from God, and I am not my own. For I was bought at a price; therefore may I glorify God in my body. (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)

KenBoa.org/Daily-Growth

Men: This is only 3 minutes. When I listened to it, I thought of the verses in Eph 2:8-9

“Do we have the power in ourselves to let the light of God’s grace into the darkness of our sinful hearts? Today, R.C. Sproul exposes the fatal flaw in the idea that our salvation rests on our own ability to cooperate with grace.”