I'm posting the links here in case you couldn't make it.
They are worth listening to if you are remotely interested in the times ahead or if you are interested in preparing yourself for the coming apostasy that will occur within the Church! I put it that way with a bit of tongue in cheek - I know that most men are very interested in the idea that they want to be able to stand strong in the Truth of the Word of God in the last days. In fact, all men who has a real relationship with Jesus Christ should always be preparing, but that preparation will NOT happen by watching sitcoms or hunting or never taking the time to be in the presence of God. It only happens from being with Jesus Christ, of whom we claim to follow and serve and be a disciple.
I truly believe there will be a large (very large) percentage of the church who will either compromise or falter when their faith is challenged in these beginning of the end times. It's happening today. The world and culture are demanding that Christians stop calling sinful behavior sin! Very clear lines are being drawn by a variety of cultural pressures that will ultimately force every human being to choose a side - we will be forced to stand on the Truth of the Word of God, Genesis to Revelation, of proclaim that certain sinful behaviors are of no consequence. All this in the name of unity for the good of all man-kind...
The problem is that any unification apart from the truth of God's Word is just like the re-occurrence of the era of Babylon, as men stubbornly claim to have the answers to all things apart from God, and as they attempt to build empires free from the God of creation (the God of the Bible)!
Sad as that may be, you might claim, "Not me - I will follow Jesus even unto the death." But someone else once said that same thing, and he soon after learned about his own faltering heart before he became filled with the Holy Spirit of God. His name was Peter!
All of that said, out of both of these Men's Days came some challenges for me in that they made me consider some questions, such as, "what are am I doing to prepare? Am I meeting with God, one on one, quiet before Him, to know that He is God, first and foremost? Then, am I making time for corporate prayer or am I confusing my "desires" with prayers, and never crying out to God for them? In fact, am I always about my own desires and never coming to the place where He gives me the desires of my heart - in other words, God can give me new desires of my heart! Am I understanding that just wanting something to happen does not mean that I've prayed about it? How is my prayer life? Am I cultivating a prayer life at all? In the spirit of the Disciplines book am I expending spiritual sweat?
Am I crying out to God ins desperate anguish for my loved ones' salvation? Am I asking for the Holy Spirit to fall upon me (the Baptism of the Holy Ghost), just as they waited in the first couple of chapters of Acts? Do you know that that kind of thing was not just for "them" but the same Holy Ghost wants to fill you and fall upon you and make you a bold (confident) witness for Jesus Christ?
I could go on and on here, but to be honest, (and I ask your forgiveness if you're reading this) I don't think anyone is really listening. I think most men are spiritually asleep. I think it is rare to find a man these days who is watching hard. And it's harder still to find men who will give up their liberties for the sake of Christ, let alone for a lost soul!
I think less and less men are wanting God and more and more men are wanting what the world calls "normal", or the peace that the world offers. The Scripture states that it will happen. They will cry "Peace, peace" when there is no peace.
I challenge any man to prove me wrong! You know the address of the building you fellowship in on Sunday mornings. I dare you to come to that same building and do the thing that we all say we are all aboutm but less than %2 of our congregation is willing to put time into it with the brethren - PRAYER!
I dare you to BE the member of the Church of Jesus Christ that you claim to be and come our and encourage your brothers and sisters in the Lord!
Please don't misunderstand me - if you are about to show up out of guilt, don't do it! The only reason we ought to cry out to God is because we long for Him and long to be with Him, in His presence!
Guys, there will be plenty of time to hide our faith when the world becomes a place that demands that we keep it behind closed doors. Right now, we ought to be preparing for that time!
Links:
2015 Men's Day at Calvary Chapel of the Niagara Frontier (Elma, NY)
(http://calvarychapelniagara.org/sermons/)
Held on 18 April 2015
Scroll down to the individual teachings by:
- 2015 Men's Day - Jeff York (Daniel 1)
- 2015 Men's Day - Pastor Jim Lagnese (Daniel 2)
- 2015 Men's Day - Pastor Mark Seeber (Daniel 3)
- 2015 Men's Day - Pastor Ray Viola (Daniel 5)
- 2015 Men's Day - Pastor Mark Siena (Daniel 6)
2015 Men's Day at Calvary Chapel of the Twin Tiers (Elmira, NY)
(http://cctwintiers.org/wp/multimedia/)
Held on 25 April 2015
Scroll down to "2015 Calvary Chapel Twin Tiers Men's Day Teachings":
- Session 1: Keith Kraska
- Session 2: Andy Hathorn
- Session 3: Bruce Borsa
- Session 4: Pastor Kyle Horton