LET’S GET STARTED ON YOUR NEW JOURNY
Welcome to the Men Pursuing Christ journey!!! No matter if this is your first time or if you have read the Men Pursuing Christ Devotional many times, my prayer is that you will find your walk with God will become stronger every time. As you begin this "New Journey" of Men Pursuing Christ, I implore you to take a moment and evaluate your last few years or possibly even your entire life through the eyes of God. When I started looking at myself through His eyes and not just looking at myself through my paradigms, I was amazed that I found myself having a Christian Walk of mediocracy. Because my parents were believers and made sure that their children would be in church "every time the doors were open," I became a believer at a young age. One would think that by attending church, being in Sunday School, singing the Hymns and worship songs, listening to sermons, and being around other believers, their foundation would be substantial, almost perfect (or mature) in Christ. For those like me who have been believers for a long time, assessing our life through God's eyes is easier than a new believer or a non-believer. For we know and understand God through His Word. I discovered that knowing God's Word was one thing, but doing His Word, at times, was the more challenging part. Excepting the Salvation of Christ was the easy part, however denying myself, taking up His cross and following Him was difficult.
James 1:22: "Be doers of the lord, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves."
The title of this devotional, "Men Pursuing Christ," clearly conveys its intent. My desire is that this book will lead us to reflect on our current lives and strive to reach the place where Christ wants us to be. Our goal is for all men to become so strong in their walk with God that those around us will see the difference and be-inspired to follow Christ as well. We aim to become disciples who are knowledgeable in the Word and have the ability and desire to make more disciples.
We must pursue Christ in everything we do and become rock solid in our faith. So why wait? Today is the day that God is calling you to take up your cross and follow Him. Let's become men who will never turn back, give in, give up, or stop pursuing God.
Psalms 139:23-24, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting."
Your change begins today.
Changing the things that holds you back from building a stronger relationship with God. God doesn’t need us to be good, live well, or fit Him into our busy schedule. God ask us to, “Surrender All.”This new journey of “Men Pursuing Christ” will bring each one of us to a point of believing that God has a plan for our lives. His plan begins as a calling for us to become men of integrity and to put all our trust in Him. You must trust God to be in charge. He calls us to come as we are but then changes us to become what He wants us to be.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
To "take up your cross" comes from the teachings of Jesus in the Bible. It means accepting self-denial, embracing hardship, and following Him regardless of the cost. This involves surrendering one's own life and desires for a greater purpose. It requires a daily commitment to placing God at the center of one's life, prioritizing His will, and adhering to His teachings, even when it demands personal sacrifice or leads to rejection.
Self-Denial:
Self-denial means giving up the desire for self-gratification, surrendering personal ambitions, and stopping the habit of making oneself the center of life.
Sacrifice:
Taking up your cross involves a willingness to make sacrifices of time, money, and spiritual gifts for God's purposes and mission.
Discipleship:
Discipleship signifies a commitment to being a true follower of Jesus. It goes beyond merely following Him; it means living out His teachings as a way of life.
Surrender:
Surrender is the daily, intentional act of giving one's will, desires, emotions, and everything one is to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Endurance:
Endurance means facing difficult situations, unfair circumstances, and even rejection or persecution for the sake of Christ while remaining faithful to God's Word.
Focus on God:
This concept calls for a radical reorientation of one’s life, placing God at the center of every thought and action instead of oneself.
For most of us coming to salvation was the easy part but denying ourselves, taking up our cross and Following Him can be difficult. We must stop looking at the way things have been or currently are and start looking at the way things can be. You can only change what you’re willing to acknowledge, and we must be willing to give our all to Him. It must begin with an easy statement, “Yes I Will.” Saying “Yes” is the easy part, moving forward and giving God your all can be a challenging task. You might be asking yourself, how? The way that I began was a straightforward process.
1. Pray- Every day I asked God to give me a heart of perseverance.
2. Journal- Everything changed when I started writing down my praises, changes, prayers, and desires of a God driven life.
3. Change your thinking- “Set your mind on the things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2 We want to begin looking at OUR OLD THINKGING AND CHANGE IT TO NEW THINKING.
4. Tell others- get with a group of men that you can trust to share your praises, struggles, roadblocks, and temptations with. Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.
5. Don’t give up- Stay strong and allow God to continue His work in your life.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV): "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being-renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Initially, it may seem easier to stick to your current path. However, I have discovered that remaining on the path of mediocrity was merely a way to avoid the call of God in my life. Looking back, it is remarkable how many distractions I pursued as a form of escape. Here are a few escapes you might be stuck in:
· Movie Binging. TV shows or finding a new hobby.
· Staying busy, overworking, chasing money or over socializing
· Withdrawing through Scrolling on social media
· Numbing out through excessive spending, exercising, drinking or substance abuse
Just know that God is not against you, but for you.
Understand that the things holding you back, God already knows. He has known you from the beginning of time and has a wonderful plan for you.
Psalm 139: 1-16
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
you search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.