Real Dudes,
So thankful for the time that we had getting together this past Saturday. We had 21 men in attendance…one new attendee, and one gentleman even came all the way from Des Moines to hear brother Skip Lowe speak. Skip did a fabulous job sharing his heart with us that day…he wanted to dedicate this message to his son Jacob whom they just dropped off at college this past Sunday. Below are a few notes that I took from his challenge to us. Hope you get a chance to read the notes and or view his challenge to us on-line at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbsCGZ08k0Q. Hope y’all have a great month…looking forward to being back together with each of you in September. BTW…Christmas is almost here. Enjoy, Nate Leadership/Fatherhood Skip talked briefly about his Father, Bernie Lowe Jr., who was a loving and yet strict father. Skip and Linda have been married for 25 years. They have lived in Grinnell for 20 years. This past Sunday he and Linda will be dropping their son Jacob off to college at U of I. In 2016 he felt as though he was drifting further in his relationship with Jacob and so he knew that he needed to be more intentional as a father to him. He and Jacob have since then taken several train rides together. Skip encouraged each of us to find connectivity time with our children…to demonstrate how faith works…to train them up in the way the Lord would have them to go…and to be a godly example to them. As father’s and leaders we need to put… Compassion into Action.
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Looking for an opportunity means to be Watchful, Devoted, and Covetous.
For instance, let’s first consider one of the 12 Disciples whom Jesus handpicked…Judas. Matthew 26:14-16 (NIV) 14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched [LOOKED] for an opportunity to hand him over. Watchful --- meaning he was looking for the right moment to hand the Lord over. He wasn’t that customer who is “just looking.” He is prepared to pounce on the opportunity when the opportunity presents itself. Devoted --- he was serious in his efforts to hand the Lord over to the chief priests. He was all in and there was nothing that was going to stop him. Covetous --- he was excessively eager to obtain his money and selfish ambitions (a self-above-others approach). Was it worth it? Did he experience regret / “buyer’s remorse”? Where did Judas learn this from? 1 John 2:16 (NIV) For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. John 8:44 (NIV) You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Sermon that I Preached at Grace Community Church in Grinnell on 7-31-22
Looking for an opportunity to _______________. When I went to Southeastern Community College right out of High School I worked at a Tradehome Shoe Store in Burlington, IA. Some customers would come in and give the typical “I’m just looking,” but others were much more serious about purchasing a pair of shoes right at that moment. They’d show me on the wall or rack what they were interested in, and I was trained to bring them that pair and another pair I thought they’d be interested in…just in case they weren’t sold on the pair their heart was set on after they tried it on. In today’s world…I’m sure you know what it’s like to intently watch for the best deals that come up for whatever it is you’re hoping to purchase. Some of you are just looking and adding items in your cart, but others of you are much more serious and ready to and or have already hit the button that’ll send all your favorite items directly to your house. As someone who is serious and looking for an opportunity to make that next purchase do you find that it has consumed your time and mind? If you think you’ve forgotten about that item you’ve been looking up, then your computer will be sure to remind you. It’s amazing how your computer recalls what you’ve looked up recently…and now ads for that item continue popping up on your screen without you asking for them. These ads are there to remind you that you really really really “need” this item. Can you not wait for the next opportunity to look to see if someone outbid you? Or if the item is all sold out now? Or if the item is in route to your doorstep? Or maybe, just maybe you go ahead and make the purchase just so you’ll stop thinking about it…only to regret the purchase later on? Another thing to keep in mind is that we all have differing emotional experiences and attachments to certain items, and some of us are more decisive than others when it comes to knowing what to purchase and when to do so. These are all reasons as to why I left a blank in today’s title of the message…“Looking for the opportunity to _________________.” What does that phrase mean? Looking for an opportunity means to be Watchful, Devoted, and Covetous. In the next blog I'll explain what this looked like in Judas' life. |
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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