Welcome to REAL Men RoCK

This blog is about the issues men face and things I have experienced.

I hope you will be encouraged, challenged, and stirred to take action.

Proverbs 27:17 (The Message)

17 You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another

REAL Men RoCK

R
ighteous   E ncouraging   A ccountable   L oving 

Men 

R
ely on    C hrist's   K indness

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Come

I believe that God's main focus is restoring this world Himself. If you look through the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation you find a creator God who has a desire of relationship with His creation called humans. Do you realize that mankind is the highest form of creation, even higher than the angels?

Hebrews 2: 5-9 God didn’t put angels in charge of this business of salvation that we’re dealing with here. It says in Scripture,What is man and woman that you bother with them; why take a second look their way? You made them not quite as high as angels, bright with Eden’s dawn light; Then you put them in charge of your entire handcrafted world. When God put them in charge of everything, nothing was excluded. But we don’t see it yet, don’t see everything under human jurisdiction. What we do see is Jesus, made “not quite as high as angels,” and then, through the experience of death, crowned so much higher than any angel, with a glory “bright with Eden’s dawn light.” In that death, by God’s grace, he fully experienced death in every person’s place.

When Adam and Eve fell in the Garden and were cast out of it God had a plan in place to restore them to Himself. The whole Old Testament is pointing us to Jesus. When God gave Israel the Law and the Holy Days it was given to point them to His son. 

God knew that as hard as man tried he could not keep the Ten Commandments perfectly. Each year the Holy Days were a reminder that was the fact. 

When Jesus walked the earth He even made these stronger in that He said if you even looked at a woman with lust you had committed adultery or if you called someone a fool you had murdered him. Be honest how many of these can you keep day in and day perfectly?

When God gave the Holy Days they were given to point us to His plan to bring lasting forgiveness to mankind through His son.

Let's look at the Holy Days and how they point us to Christ.

Passover (not a Holy Day but opens the door to the Holy Days)
The passover pictures Jesus becoming our sacrifice for our sins. He was sinless (unblemished) so was the perfect sacrifice.

Unleavened - Pictures the removal of our sins.
Pentecost - Pictures God sending His Holy Spirit to live in us.
Trumpets - Pictures Jesus return as the King of kings and Lord of lords to rule here on earth.
Atonement - At One Ment pictures the removal of Satan and the opening of the door for God to be at one with us.
Tabernacles - Pictures mankind giving up his temporary housing (our physical bodies) and living with Jesus forever.
Last Great Day - Pictures the God coming to live here on earth with mankind. It also pictures the White Throne Judgement and Jesus tearing the pages of our sins from our book and presenting a clean slate to God. 

Some of you who are reading this are fearful that you have not been good enough to meet God's standards. Some of you know you have not lived a life of what Christians are expected to live. Some of you, like me, grew up damaged by life's battles and you think it is hopeless. Some of you can't even hope that God can love you because you think your sins are so bad. 

If that is you then here is what I have to say in closing God's forgiveness is so much larger than anything you have done. All He wants is for you to come.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Wild at Heart Weekdend at Restoration Farm

I am making plans to host a men's event here at Restoration Farm and want to invite you to attend. I have a need to have at least 2 men help me organize and plan the event.

My idea would involve a Wild at Heart type of weekend with worship and sharing. It would be an intense weekend but I hope we can have s e fun too.

One idea I have is for at le10 least 10 men come and bring their pastor, of course their pastor would have to be a guy too. Please share your thoughts and ideas.

If you would like to help or if you have any ideas or suggestions please get back with me.

Best regards

Larry Clark
Restoration Farm
http://therestorationfarm.blogspot.com
www.the-restoration-farm.com

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Make 2015 A Year with Purpose



The following is a sermon I will be giving at Lake Hills Community Church on January 4, 2015 and that I feel is important to hear at this time. It is based on a sermon I heard by Mark Warner the Lead Pastor of Vineyard Church in Overland Park, KS. I have tried to change it enough to make it reflect me.

Wow, here we are beginning 2015 and if you are like many people you may have set a resolution or two. But if you are like me you find come Feb. 1st I have already broken every one. What I want to do today is encourage you to set some goals instead.
I want to share 6 things with you about goals that will help.

   1.  Goal-setting is a Spiritual responsibility.
Jesus and Paul did it. They both knew exactly what they were being called to do and did not let anything stand in their way.
Let’s look at Luke 4: 16-21 He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written, God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, “You’ve just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place.”
Mark 1:38  Jesus said, “Let’s go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I’ve come.” He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons.
Philippians 3: 12-16  I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.

You are either going to go through life with purpose or by design or by default. You are going to decide what is important by your goals or you will allow someone else to make that decision for you.

Goal setting is an incredibly important discipline to develop. If goals were important to Jesus and we are supposed to imitate Him shouldn’t we set a few goals in our lives?

   2. Goals are Statements of Faith.
You might be thinking “isn’t setting goals what businesses do? What athletes do? Isn’t that a secular thing to do? Well yes that is true but NO! Setting goals is a spiritual habit we need to develop. Goals reflect our faith. If you are a believer, a follow Jesus Christ and you set a goal, what you are saying is, “I believe (that’s faith) that God wants me to accomplish such and such by such and such a time.” This is what I believe God is going to do in my life. That is a statement of faith.

Hebrews 11: 6 It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.

Romans 14: 23 If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe, then it’s wrong.

Ephesians 3: 20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

I have to admit sometimes I do not dream BIG enough. Sometimes what I do is dream just big enough that I can accomplish it by myself. I want to encourage all of us to dream outside of the box we or others place us in. You know the, “I am not smart enough, not talented enough, not gifted enough, I am not old enough or I am too old, or what comes to your mind.

In 2015 Let’s let the size of our God determine the size of our dreams.

A cool thing is Dreams cost you nothing. Press into God about your dreams. Ask Him to help you set goals around the dream, put a date on it, make it measurable and do not expect instant success.

Begin today to live a WHATEVER Life, whatever you have for me God. I am signing up for whatever you have.

Goals are a statement of faith that God has something for you.

Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb with your goals. All fruit is found on the branches and not at the trunk. You will not produce fruit playing it safe. Goals that take you out on a limb and out of your comfort zone are statements of faith. Another way to spell FAITH is RISK.

   3.   Goals focus our energy.
I want to encourage you to set goals in four areas of your life:
Spiritual
Relationships
Financial
Health

Goals in these areas will help you to focus your energy. Goals will keep you from wasting time, money, resources and energy. Goals will help you keep your eye on the ball. They will help you live a more effective life. Without goals you will live a life of little impact. But by living a purposeful life you will have more power, be stronger and you just might change the world.

The greatest use of life is to invest it in what is going to outlast it. God does not expect you to do everything but He does expect you to do something. The main thing he wants you to be is the man or woman he knows you can be.

1 Corinthians 9: 26-27 I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

Goals are your Statement of Faith and they will focus your energy.
 
   4.   Goals keep us going.
Goals will give you hope to keep moving. They will give you strength to endure. A country song captures this perfectly.

If you’re going through hell keep on going, don’t slow down. If you’re scared, don’t show it. You might get out before he knows you’re there.

Jesus endured all that led up to the cross because he looked beyond the cross to the goal. He looked beyond the pain to the prize. You need to do this, too!

Holocaust survivors.

Goals will give you hope to move past your mistakes, your fallings, your setbacks. Every one of us will blow it sometime this year. Always remember that none of those are failures unless you choose not to get up again and try again. Each of those things are actually helpful in you achieving your goals well that is if you learn from them.

Goal setting is a Spiritual responsibility, it is a Statement of Faith, it helps us to Focus, it gives us Hope and 5. Goals help to build our character.

Drifting through life does nothing to build our character. If you set goals that are God given He will begin a work in you that builds character. The greatest benefit to you when you set goals is not what you accomplish but what happens inside you as you move on them.

God is more concerned about your character than your accomplishments.  Here is the idea: “While we are working on the goals God gives us He is working on us.”

You will never become the man or woman God knows you can be unless you make it a goal to be that man or woman.

Goals build character and 6. Goals that are based on God’s word will be rewarded.

Proverbs 11: 27 The one who seeks good finds delight;  the student of evil becomes evil.

1 Corinthians 9: 25  You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.

Goals are a Spiritual Responsibility, goals are Statement of Faith, goals focus our energy, goals Give us Hope, goals build Character, and Goals based on God’s word will be rewarded.

I want to encourage you to make goals in these areas of your life:
Spiritual
Relational
Financial
Health

As you set your goals ask yourself these 3 questions:
1    Will it honor God?
2    Is it motivated by love?
3    Will it require me to depend upon God?

If you set a goal  that will not bring honor to God He will not help you achieve it. If the goal is not motivated by love He will not support it. If it does not require you to depend upon God then it is self-based and it might be achieved but not have His help or support.

Finally you need the following 3 things to help you achieve your goals:
    1. The Holy Spirit to empower you.
    2. The Word of God to guide you.
Joshua 1: 8 And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.”
    3. The Body of Christ to encourage and support  you.
Matthew 18: 18-20  “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

Let’s make 2015 a year built around having a purpose in life and set goals based on that purpose. Setting goals can change your life even transform it.

Hey guys, if all we do is come to church each week and listen to Pastor Mike’s sermons and never apply them we might as well be out fishing or golfing. But if we hear, discuss and apply what he shares weekly we will not be the same person at the end of the year as we are at the beginning.

We are going to do something different today. We will take up the offering and have announcements and then have discussion.

Questions:
Did this speak to anyone?
Would you like to set some goals?

If you are moved to set some goals please contact me and share them. I will pray with you about them.

Father we thank you for caring enough to want us to grow through having goals. May 2015 be a year that we bring you honor and glory. In Jesus name amen