Vern Deveraux – East Rim of Zion 2001
The Joy of the Lord is your strength
Nehemiah 8:10
[Note: Sorry for the delay, I’m currently in Tucson for the wedding of a dear brother’s son
Take some time over the weekend going through this material. God may put a few men on your heart]
Hi Men:
I pray this week you have kept your eyes on eternity and who you are “in” Christ.
One of my favorite photos during my Scoutmaster years is the one above. We were backpacking with some of the scouts on the East Rim Trail of 
Zion National Park. For Vern Deveraux, a wonderful brother and scouter, this was one of his first significant backpacking trips. Like the old saying, experience is the best teacher, Vern packed too much stuff (didn’t we all when we ventured out for the first time). In this photo, Vern is giving his backpack a piece of his mind 😊. By the way, God used Vern in a significant way in Troop 256 for many years. Not only as an Asst. Scoutmaster, but he was our Committee Chairman, Advancement Chairman and held other positions. Both the men and the boys loved this dear brother. What a Christ-like example he was! He is now living in Montana with his wife Susan.
The photo at the left is our group that backpacked the East Rim, while the other groups in our troop did the West Rim, Subway and Base Camp.
————–
What’s my point?
The older we become, the less the physical capacity we have and yet God will increase our spiritual opportunities as we seek Him with all our heart and soul. So how do we do more with less? In my humble opinion, it’s part of what Hudson Taylor coined as the “Exchanged Life.” Read these two opening paragraphs in this short biography of J. Hudson Taylor:
“He was a joyous man now, a bright, happy Christian. He had been a toiling, burdened one before, with latterly not much rest of soul. It was resting in Jesus now, and letting Him do the work – which makes all the difference!” Thus spoke a fellow missionary of Hudson Taylor.
The pioneer missionary in the interior of China who had come to full realization of the Savior as the ever-present, indwelling One, testified: “My soul is so happy in the Lord! And as I think of the blessing He gave me on that happy day…… I know not how sufficiently to thank and praise Him. Truly Jesus is the great need of our souls. And He is the great gift of our Father’s love – who gave Himself for us, and makes us one with Him in resurrection life and power.”
Men, this is the real deal, otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Also, I might suggest you seek the Holy Spirit’s counsel for these two familiar verses: Philippians 4:13 and Ephesians 6:10.
It’s not that the Lord is necessarily going to carry our physical backpack, but He will certainly carry our spiritual backpack. Otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Men, do you believe Jesus when He says this?
Overwhelmed by The Cross,
Dan
(Galatians 2:20)
“We serve a loving God, He doesn’t kill people!” Really?……….
Who Defines Justice & God and His Commandments – Red Book Day 63/64
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”
When I saw this in our brother, Lyle Brennan’s daily email earlier is week, I thought it was time to give all of us a quick review.
Remember, if you are certain of your salvation, why do you need to walk by faith? And guys……. Assurance & Certainty are NOT synonyms
The Barna Group, MacArthur, SBC and others have stated, (my paraphrase) “over 75% of those claiming they are born-again evangelicals, are headed to hell.”
I can’t think of anything more terrifying than this….. A “Christian” walking around thinking he’s saved when in all actuality he’s headed to the place Jonathan Edwards described in last week’s email (E2vegas.org/Friday-Mens-Group-2-25-22 ) Men, time to start working out your own salvation with fear and trembling! (Phil 2:12)
The Sabina on-demand movie event starts TODAY! ……. from noon EST today through Sunday, March 6, at midnight EST.
I believe you will need to register to have access to the movie
Sabina: Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years is the story of how God’s love transformed an ambitious, worldly atheist into one of the greatest Christian women of the 20th century. The film opens with Sabina Wurmbrand risking her life to show Christ’s love to three Nazi soldiers. Why would a Christian from a Jewish background risk her life to help her enemies — members of the army that killed her entire family?
Experience the amazing true story of biblical love and forgiveness that has inspired millions around the world.
To register and see this movie for free, click here: SabinaMovie.com
MIM CONFERENCES
Please pray for this conference, it begins tonight
Lost Valley Men’s Retreat – March 4th – 6th
MIMcolorado.com/Lost-Valley-Mens-Retreat-2022
Short Video from India
Men, I wanted to encourage you. This week I received a video from pastor Daniel Janagam in India, of whom many of you know. He was teaching his E2 seminars (Evangelism/Discipleship) over several days in the state of Gujarat, India (20 hours by train from Hyderabad). His translator was a Methodist pastor for 11 years. Listen to this amazing testimony (only 1-1/2 minutes long)
Pastor Sirish
“Now he understands the power of E2”
Pastor Sirish, Testimony (YouTube 90 seconds)
There are numerous reasons why you shouldn’t indulge in pornography.
One of the most important is that it puts your soul in danger of hell.
Joe Carter, The Gospel Coalition
TheGospelCoalition.org/Pornography-Acceptable-Sin
Almost half of those surveyed (47.6 percent) self-identified as Christian, which means a significant number who claim to follow Christ not only use pornography but think it’s beneficial. Could this be a sign that pornography is becoming an “acceptable sin”?
We have addressed this many times before. Porn has “eternal” consequences. I have no idea how a man who is engaging in porn can call himself a Christian in light if these (2) verses. If you know someone who is, have him click on the above link. Also have him read the attached PDF: “Everyone Needs to Change….” (See Below)
1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21
“The Cross does not give us a minor shift or two with
regards to a few of our ethical and moral and religious values.
The Cross radically disrupts the very center and citadel of your life from self to Christ.
And if the Cross has not done that, you’re not a Christian.”
Everyone Needs to Change, Including LGBT People
“Every believer who is transformed by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit experiences a change of identity and lifestyle. It’s unreasonable to expect that the same power that raised Jesus from the grave—that resides in a regenerate person’s soul—is not going to change who you are and change your desires.” -Alan Shlemon-
Men: This article is Biblical and straightforward. Stand to Reason is a solid ministry and the author, Alan Shlemon nails it…….. and it goes “way beyond” just the LGBT issue. One example of many I just flashed on: My ancestors came from Ireland. When they arrived in America, they we were oppressed, subjected and downtrodden. Where are my reparations? If I’m thinking Biblically, at the Cross, my identity changed from self to Christ. I have been reconciled to Christ (2 Cor 5)……… and I am now His Joyful Slave! This is the power of the Gospel…..
https://www.str.org/w/everyone-needs-to-change-including-lgbt-people Only a 3 minute read…… and pass it to your buddies. They need to read this!
Crazy, this just came out today regarding the LGBTQ issues surrounding the United Methodist Church
https://julieroys.com/methodists-delay-general-conference-conservatives-plan-leave/
In Closing: (See attached Blog: The Importance of Our Minds, Part 1)
“One of the most frightening truths in the NT is God’s ability to confound my reasoning, darken my thinking (Rom 1:21-22). God obviously does this to unbelievers (2 Cor 4:4) but there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that He won’t confuse my thinking if I ignore the essential role His Word has in my relationship with Him.”
