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Real Dudes,
Just take a few minutes and think about this question…what keeps you up at night? —--------------- When you have something that’s weighing on your mind – what is your go to, what do you resort to? Allowing it to consume your mind and causing you to lose sleep? OR, handing it over to the Lord and allowing Him to see you through whatever the situation may be, thus getting a good night's rest? Please know this…I’m not saying that what you’ve experienced or are currently experiencing isn’t real or traumatic. I’m not attempting to belittle what it is that you’re going through. What I want to encourage each of you, myself included, is this – what is your go-to – what do you resort to when the unexpected enters your life? Do you look for God to sustain you, or do you choose to lose sleep over it due to attempting to tackle the issue on your own? Consider the Psalm 3 passage below. What was it that David was experiencing? What was it that David was able to do in verse 5? Wouldn’t you love to be able to say and do that? I used to have a phrase on a picture on my wall when I was growing up…it read, “Rest in peace, God is awake.” That’s my prayer for each of us. Stay well-rested men…lay down, sleep. God WILL keep you and your mind safe!!! If He can protect David from 10,000 men that wanted to kill him, then don’t you think He’s got you too? Try David’s prayer in Psalm 3 and trust in however God chooses to answer. Practicing His Presence, Nate Psalm 3 (NLT) A psalm of David, regarding the time David fled from his son Absalom. 1 O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. 2 So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!” Interlude 3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. 4 I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude 5 I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me. 6 I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side. 7 Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked! 8 Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people. Interlude Psalm 3:5 in the NKJV… 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. David’s resolve…a good prayer for each of us to adopt as well!!! Psalm 4:8 (NLT) In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Matthew 6:21 (NLT) Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
For further study… One author states that “Sleep is often used as a means of expressing peace and security under Yahweh’s protection.” (VanGemeren 2:554) One study Bible breaks Psalm 3:5 down like this… I lie down and sleep; This phrase reflects a deep trust in God amidst adversity. In the context of Psalm 3, David is fleeing from his son Absalom, who has usurped the throne. Despite the chaos and danger surrounding him, David finds peace and rest, illustrating a profound faith in God's protection. This trust in God for safety during sleep is echoed in other scriptures, such as Psalm 4:8, where David again expresses confidence in God's ability to provide peace and security. The act of lying down and sleeping signifies a relinquishing of control, acknowledging that God is sovereign over all circumstances. I wake again, Waking up is portrayed as an act of divine grace and protection. In the ancient Near Eastern context, sleep was often seen as a vulnerable state, where one was defenseless against enemies or natural threats. David's ability to wake up safely is attributed to God's providence. This reflects a broader biblical theme where life and breath are gifts from God, as seen in Job 33:4 and Acts 17:25. The daily renewal of life upon waking is a reminder of God's continual care and faithfulness. for the LORD sustains me. The sustaining power of the LORD is central to this phrase. The Hebrew word for "sustain" implies support, provision, and upholding. This is not just physical sustenance but also spiritual and emotional support. Throughout the Bible, God is depicted as the sustainer of life, as seen in Nehemiah 9:21, where God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. This sustaining power is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who sustains all things by His powerful word (Hebrews 1:3). David's confidence in God's sustenance is a testament to his relationship with God, trusting Him to provide all that is necessary for life and godliness. https://biblehub.com/psalms/3-5.htm
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Real Dudes,
How’s the challenge been going? Have you been looking for a new face that could potentially develop into a familiar friend? Why is this important? If you are – or will be going through something difficult in the days ahead, then who would you have to help you through that time in your life? Consider the two passages below…what was the difference between the man laying on the mat, and the man laying on the porch? Let me ask you this, could you name four men that would be willing to come and carry you to get you the help you need? Or would you struggle to think of four men? Three? Two? How about just one? My heart breaks for someone who would say “I have no one.” Men, that doesn’t have to be you. Isolation and withdrawal aren’t the answers. Get plugged into Ox Strong…get plugged into a solid Church. Place yourself around people who will be genuine when they say, “I’m here for you if you ever need anything.” And then you be there for them too in their time of need. Maybe it’s help through a surgery, or help through a spiritual battle, or help through a struggling marriage…whatever it is – who do you have to help carry you to Jesus when you can’t put together enough strength to get yourself there? Praying for each of us!!! Nate Mark 2:1-5 (NLT) When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” John 5:1-9a (NLT) Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed--lay on the porches. 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” 7 “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” 8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” 9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! Songs: Carry You to Jesus by Steven Curtis Chapman I Will Carry You by Ellie Holcomb Real Dudes,
Let me ask each of you this question…Is it possible to meet someone for the very first time and become instant / lifelong / devoted friends? Check out 1 Samuel 18:1-4 (NLT)...in this passage we read that, “After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. 2 From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home. 3 And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. 4 Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.” We would typically say that instant connections/friendships don’t just happen. Ok, then what just happened between David and Jonathan? What happened is that God provided an immediate bond/connection/friendship between these two men…He knew that they’d both need each other throughout their lives. God orchestrated it, it was instant, it was genuine, and it was long lasting. God knows that friendships can’t be developed and happen in isolation. This is why God emphasizes the importance of friendships and community. He knows who we need and when we need them in our lives, and as is His nature…He WILL provide like He did for David and Jonathan. About a year ago I got together with some of the other associate pastors here in Marshfield. I shared a prayer request concerning the struggles of moving into a new community and the longing to develop friendships. Here’s what one of the associate pastors prayed. “Lord, I pray that new faces will become familiar friends for Nate and his family.” I don’t know if this has ever happened to you, but have you had someone pray for you and a phrase that person said stood out to you? A message that you just absolutely needed to hear from the Lord. This was a time for me…that New Faces Will Become Familiar Friends. Looking back at my life I have seen that happen a time or two. There are men in my life that I’ve become close friends with and remained close friends with after meeting them for the first time. Men that I still stay in touch with. Men that God knew I’d need in my life to help me through some tough times and struggles in my life. Men, Think about it…What new face in the last year or two has become a familiar friend to you? If you can’t think of any, then please know that I’ll be praying that God will send you someone in the days ahead. I’ll be praying that you’ll be looking for a brother to come alongside you. I’ll be praying that if isolation and loneliness are your safe spaces, that you’ll trust God to lead you from there and into some amazing friendships. I’ll be praying that if you’ve been burned by “friends” in the past, that you’ll recognize when God is behind what could potentially become a legit friendship. So my challenge to each of you is to be intentional about introducing yourself and meeting a new face…you never know what that face might turn into, a familiar friend perhaps? Don’t miss out on God leading a new friend into your life. Give it a chance…if it doesn’t work out, then you know that you at least tried. And don’t give up…God will provide as He always does in His perfect way and time. We all long for belonging in life, so I pray that you’ll seek out friends who will encourage you in your walk with the Lord. You got this, men!!! Just when you’ve convinced yourself that you have NO friends…check out the passages and song below. Such great reminders. Praying for you, Nate John 15:12-15 (NLT) 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. James 2:23 (NLT) And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. Song: What a Friend We Have In Jesus by Alan Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znWu2HCJ92c Real Dudes,
Oftentimes we’re told that since we’re Christians we should never be unhappy…that we should always display the joy of the Lord that’s in our hearts. We’re convinced that being unhappy is selfish and self-centered. Well guess what, we’re still imperfect humans who do in fact experience unhappy moments. The question is, how do we choose to respond in those moments, and what can we learn and be reminded of while experiencing them? Michigan State Men’s Basketball Coach Tom Izzo was asked last year what he thought of the transfer portal in college sports. Izzo’s response and question was, “You know what, what's wrong with being unhappy? I'm unhappy most of my life. Unhappy drives you. Unhappy pushes you. Unhappy makes people realize, 'You know what? I'm not good enough. I've got to get better.'" Many of us respond differently to unhappiness when things don’t seem to be going our way. Think about it, how do you respond? Do you shut down? Do you give up? Do you attempt to run from your problem at hand? Or do you attempt to look for any area of your life that needs to be improved upon in order to make the situation better for yourself and for others around you? We can choose to be miserable people, but we can also choose to be a pleasant and easy people to live with or be around? Listen, I’m not saying there’s never a time to leave a situation that’s proven to be too much for you to handle. I’m also not saying that we all have a license to be unhappy. And I’m not saying we shouldn’t pursue happiness in life. All I’m saying is that maybe sometimes our response to the situation can then affect our performance, happiness in life, and our relationships. The problem can often be that rather than looking within ourselves to see what we did or could do differently, or praying and asking God to reveal something that needs to change, we begin blaming outside personalities for the sole reason of our unhappiness…thus, displaying a bitter and miserable life. What if we could get to the point where we could resist running from the unhappy situation, and instead, choose to just be still, and ask God what He’s attempting to teach us in that moment. According to the following verses, what lessons can be learned during unhappy moments in life? What truths and promises can we be reminded of during unhappy moments?
These verses remind us that He is close…He is with us…He will help us…He will hold us up…He will comfort us. They remind us that weeping is temporary and joy comes in the morning, and that victory is found in Him. Men - Are we learning? Are we leaning into the truth and His promises? What are we doing with the unhappy moments in our lives? Looking back, what purpose do you now see that God had in allowing you to experience an unhappy moment/situation? Unhappiness made Tom Izzo realize something in his life…what is your unhappiness causing you to realize? Practicing His Presence, Nate Full Article: Tom Izzo chides 'unhappy' transfers, rips new NCAA portal rules - ESPN https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38626090/tom-izzo-chides-unhappy-transfers-rips-new-ncaa-portal-rules |
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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