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Real Dudes,
This past weekend I just felt like my head was in the clouds. Couldn’t think, couldn’t feel emotions, I just felt blah. I knew I would be leading baptisms on Sunday, but there was no emotion about that before I got to the church. That was devastating to me, because I was going to be baptizing a good friend of mine and I knew he was super excited about taking this step of obedience. I prayed and asked God to help me identify what was going on with me, to wake me up and to help me make it through the day with a sincere spirit. Shortly after I arrived at church one of our greeters at the front doors shook my hand and pulled me in close. He quietly told me that he appreciates all that I do at the church. It wasn’t that I was longing to hear that or seeking it out, but God in His perfect way and time spoke some words into me through one of His children, and it completely changed my outlook on the entire day. Thankfully, baptisms and other aspects of the morning became a blessing for sure and I was glad to share in the excitement of the one I would be baptizing. Crazy timing, but this morning I read a verse that fits perfectly here. Before I jump into that verse, I would like to remind us of what Jesus tells us in John 10:27, He says that “‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me’.” If we know God’s voice then we should desire the same as what some other Bible Characters express in Scripture. Consider…
Men, what is it that you would want Him to pull you in and remind you of? Just a word of caution…if we’re not careful we’ll run to the wrong voices during our time of need. For instance, in… Psalm 42:3 we read, “My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, ‘Where is your God?’” Psalm 42:10, “As with a breaking of my bones, My enemies reproach me, While they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’” Psalm 11:1 “In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain’?” Maybe it’s even your own voice that’s leading you down the wrong path. For example, we read the following in Luke 12:19, “And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’” Which voice(s) will you give more attention to? Whichever you choose could affect your day, your mood, your family, your outlook on everything, your character, your eternal destination, etc. I just want to encourage each of us to desire and long to hear His voice. Come to Him (Lord, I am coming). Cry out to Him today and ask Him to say to you something that you need to hear right now. What is it? What do you need to hear from Him or from His people? Ask, allow Him to pull you in, and then be listening for His response. Hope this helps you as much as it helped me. Practicing His Presence, Nate
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Real Dudes,
I recently had a conversation with someone and used the phrase “misery loves company.” This is a phrase that I hadn’t used in a long time. I thought it’d be fitting to bring it up with each of you today as well. One author states that, "‘Misery loves company’ means unhappy people find comfort or validation in knowing others share their suffering, either by commiserating (a burden shared is lighter) or by wanting others to be miserable too, making their own pain feel less isolating or unique, a concept rooted in ancient ideas of shared woe.” An example from the Bible that comes to mind is Martha. Whether she realized it or not, Martha wanted Mary to be just as miserable as she was. Read Luke 10:38-42 and ask yourself, “what company was Martha more concerned about, Jesus or the company of misery?” Luke 10:38-42 (CSB) 38 While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” 41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” Men, don’t get distracted…recognize the signs early so you don’t get sucked into the company of misery. Do some self-examination – What company do you long to be with most often? It’s easy to see where Martha went wrong, but are you able to recognize any Martha characteristics in yourself? How would others describe you? What would Jesus say about you? How is it that you can leave misery far behind and not allow that characteristic to define you? What would change about you if you spent more time with Jesus, rather than marinating in your own misery? And lastly, remember this, just as much as misery loves company, Jesus does too. That’s what he commended Mary for…that she just wanted to be in His presence and sit at His feet. May that be said of each of us as well. Practicing His Presence, Nate Song: Nothing Else (The Belonging Co, feat. Cody Carnes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUjPMLi5OzQ Real Dudes,
I’ll just leave you with this passage, and then my challenge to each of you is what the Apostle Paul reminds us to do in verse 18…WHO in your life could use an encouraging word right now? Let me encourage you to reach out to him/her as the Lord nudges. Practicing His Presence, Nate 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NLT) The Hope of the Resurrection 13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words. |
AuthorNate Smith is a husband, a father of 6 girls, grandpa to 3 granddaughters and one grandson, a police and fire chaplain, a pastor, and has a passion to see men grow in Christ. 
#girldad including granddaughter
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