Let's Be Men

While I was studying tonight a question came to mind: "what does it look like to encourage my sisters in Christ without it seem like I am leading them on?" 

While this may sound stupid, I believe that it was sparked by a video I saw in church this morning. The video was directed towards young men, but a point resonated with me. "Dont be spiritual sissies."

"The world cries for men who are strong - strong in conviction, strong to lead, to stand, to suffer. I pray that you will be that kind of man - glad that God made you a man, glad to shoulder the burden of manliness in a time when to do so will often bring contempt."
- Elisabeth Elliot

So what does it look like to encourage our sisters in Christ then? As I pondered this, I was reminded of a book that I read while in France. Joshua Harris had written a book "boy meets girl" and while its broader context deals with courtship, he had several points addressed at the men to be encouragers of our sisters in Christ. The following quotes were taken from "boy meets girl" pages (109-113). May you be encouraged and challenged.

1. "God calls us to be servant initiators - firm but gentle, masculine yet caring, leaders yet servants. We're called to be protectors, not seducers." (110)

2. "...servant leadership requires work. It means sacrifice. It means going out on a limb and proposing ideas, setting direction, and inviting others to follow. It means listening, taking others' interests and needs into account, and adjusting as necessary. It means deferring to others at times. Leadership isn't tyranny; it's service rendered. It's difficult, but it's a big part of what it means to be a man." (111)

3. "Men, we should set the spiritual pace in our relationships [friendships] with women. We should be the ones to make sure our relationships [friendships] aren't merely superficial and entertainment oriented, but deep, God focused, and characterized by biblical fellowship. The first important step is to make your own personal growth in godliness a priority. Don't be content to be spiritually lukewarm - strive to set an example of passion for God." (111)

4. Men, in marriage we'll be called to be the spiritual leaders of our homes. Before marriage, let's practice leading in biblical fellowship with friends and during courtship. Then we'll be that much more prepared to do so with our wives and children." (112)

5. "We men should be the biggest encouragers and prayer warriors for women who are seeking to glorify God by practicing godly femininity." (113)

For the women: "Girls should assume that until a guy expresses interest, they're just friends." (113)

I know that there is a lot of "grey areas" when it comes to this topic in our culture but I am tired of it not being socially "acceptable" to encourage my sisters. I want to see what God is doing in my friends lives (men and women). I want to see God raise up godly men and women and I want God to change my heart to conform to His nature. 

So lets pray for the men! Lets pray for God to have such an impact on the men who proclaim Christ that our culture & nation/world would be rocked by the gospel. 

Romans 12:9

Remember...Pray First Robert

Crazy Day! 


The Sun is closer to planet earth...evident by the day time heat...not to mention that when I woke up this morning at 5:15am it was 79 degrees out! 

Lately I feel pulled in many directions. It is a good thing, in that I have to rely on God every moment of every day. This morning at work I was reading some prayer requests from this past Sunday and one of them struck a painful blow. A wife's husband was leaving her in the fall after 25+ years of marriage. Really dude! I mean, come on. Then I was reminded that apart from God's grace I am nothing. I pray that God would work a miracle in that marriage. 

On the outside I may appear to be calm and collected lately but on the inside my mind is moving a mile a minute. I have a Greek exam to take that I dont feel prepared for, I lead staff devos on Wednesday (no idea what on), I am speaking at our Churches mid-week meeting this week (which I am excited for, but need to prepare for still due to studying Greek), in writing this, just now, God gave me a verse to lead with on devos this Wednesday, thanks God (Philippians 4:6)! 

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious, pray, giving thanks, and give my requests to God. So God, take away any anxiety that I may have, grant me a heart of prayer to give thanks for you and all that you have given me. You know the requests that I have for you, may they be glorfying to you and may they build up your church and not this sinner. 

Robert 

This Momentary Marriage

Now even though I am not married I was totally encouraged by this story that I heard about a month ago. If you have not watched Ian and Larissa's video sharing their testimony of God's faithfulness I would encourage you to watch it!

You can read more at DesiringGod.org.

Praying that if God blesses me with a wife someday that I will be able to love her as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25).

-Robert

Abortion: the civil rights movement of today?

I just got back tonight (Sunday evening) from my roommates church (The Urban Refuge). They had a gathering of sorts to look back into Americas past to learn from it as we look forward. It was fun to have a black church come and share their pasion for the Lord. The music was totally different and totally awesome! The pastor spoke of the segregation that he experienced as a boy in the 50's and 60's. It was painful to listen to the travesties that he experienced. 

As the pastor spoke I am reminded how big of an issue the civil rights movement was for our parents and grandparents. Men and women took to the streets to lovingly stand up for what they believed in. Pastor John Piper came out with a book/documentary (see below) earlier this year to retell his tale in the midst of the civil rights movement and how it has effected him. I believe, like the generations before, there is still injustice in the world. Like the civil rights movement before we now face a new injustice of the mass killing of unborn children. 

What strikes me as interesting was how the deep south was so adamant that blacks were inferior to them. But as history would show this bigotry would prove false. I also believe that 20 years from now we will look back on all the innocent lives that were taken and morn of our ignorance and indifference. 

May God revel to us how precious every life is (black, white, born, and unborn). May we have the conviction to stand up for what is right. 

-Robert 

The Urban Refuge 

You dont fall out of love as much as you fall out of Repentance...

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

-1 Corinthians 13:11

One of the biggest things that bothers me to my core is men not taking responsibility. It bothers me that men do not serve. It bothers me that men do not sacrificially love. It bothers me that men are so selfish. To sum it up, it bothers me that men act like children. 


I think the reason all these things bother me is because I see myself in much of those traits when I "fall out of repentance." My desire is to love & serve the Lord and this is, no doubt, God given. But there are times when I feel childish, selfish, and dont want to take responsibility. Its then that God reminds me that Christ took responsibly for something that wasn't His (sin) to pay the penalty to share in everlasting joy. Christ's example of sacrificial love is something that every man should strive for by God's grace. 

So I end with a note to myself and a video to share. Robert, you were bought with a price to serve the Lord. Now go, love God and love others, without thinking selfishly and by God's grace you will experience joy. 

-Robert

Every Living Thing Changes

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

-2 Corinthians 3:18

Very interesting. Are we changing and progressing or are we dying...this was a helpful video to not only evaluate my job but also my attitude towards life. Am I willing to change? Great meditation for the evening. 

May God challenge you and me to change for His glory! 

-Robert 

"Γρεεκ 1" (Greek 1)

Its crazy to think that I am in seminary right now. I can vividly recall sitting in my room in college praying for God to open up doors to attend seminary to use as a platform for pastoral ministry. Admittedly I was a little disappointed when I hit the "real world" after college. I had left the only ministry I really had ever known at UW-Stout and I was unsure where God was taking me. But a look back shows a crazy awesome tale that only God could have written.

• Spring 2010: Graduate from Stout
• Summer 2010: Jobless (the economy tanked and jobs were hard to find). But I was blessed to spend a lot of time with my mom as she underwent chemo therapy for breast cancer. 
• Late Summer 2010: I start working full time at New French Bakery. 
• September 2010: I start attending Bethlehem Baptist Church and joined a small group.
• January 2011: I become a member at Bethlehem
• Summer of 2011: I start volunteering at Desiring God as a pastoral assistant for John Piper.
• Fall of 2011: I start praying that God would open doors to enter full time ministry.
• December 2011: I am offered a job at Bethlehem! I then begin to pray about seminary (I know right!)
• January 2012: I apply to RTS...1 week later I am accepted! 
• Today (June 2012): I am taking Greek...
• Tomorrow: It's in God's hands.

All I know is that I have been truly blessed by God over the past 6 years. To see where He has taken me in the past 2 is truly amazing. I pray that I will not take a single day for granted and that each day I will be reminded of God's faithfulness. 

James 4:13,14

-Robert