"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)
Memorial Day is the sign of good weather and a chance to get out of our houses, reconnect with neighbors and friends, and play some golf! More importantly, it's a day to remember all of the people that went before us, fighting for the freedom that we often take for granted. I am grateful to all of the veterans that play golf with us and for all of the people who have paid the ultimate price so that we can, among countless other things, freely discuss God on the golf course. Let's not forget the greatest sacrifice ever made for our freedom - that of Jesus on the cross. Because of Him we have the ability to unashamedly approach God both on this earth and for eternity. He has freed us from not only certain eternal death but also from the sin that robs us of the real life that He intended. So as we golf together this year, let's not forget the people that have fought for the life we can enjoy today. Is there someone that you remember on Memorial Day? If you would like, please take a moment to add a comment in honor of a fallen veteran. Author: Mark Dwyer
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"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son..." (John 3:16)
Tucking my kids in for bed tonight, I was overwhelmed with the love that I felt for each of them. I remember the day each was born, and the unique personalities of each; I fear for their futures, wondering how they (and I) will handle all of the pain that they face. I cannot imagine life without them! And then I think of God's love for them. He knows them even better than I do, and LOVES them even more. God's love is truly unconditional for them. Then I think of God's love for me. I'm still a "child" to him. He knows my faults, my unique personality, and he feels my pain. He did everything he could to show me his love and to protect me from this broken world - literally taking my punishment for me so that I could know real life with Him forever. I hope that I continue to grow in the knowledge of his love for me - the more I know of his love, the more empowered I feel to show it to others. Author: Mark Dwyer "So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all." (I Corinthians 12:31)
My family of 6 was out to dinner tonight with a fellow "DBN" golfer, Rich M. My four kids were behaving themselves unusually well, which gave my wife the freedom to engage in conversation more than normal. About halfway through dinner, I laughed as I realized what had happened - in just 20 minute my wife had learned more about what was going on in Rich's life than I had learned in 2 years! It made me realize several important things:
Author: Mark Dwyer I have found that life can have its up and it downs. Its peaks and valleys. Joy and pain is part of living life upon this earth. So how do you keep a cross-centered life amidst the drizzle? How do you keep the passion for Christ alive in your heart no matter what you face in life? C.J. Mahoney gave me some good insight in his book today I will pass along to you. It's all concerning the Gospel, which means "good news." For those who don't know, the good news is that Jesus Christ saves! That's the Gospel. What are C.J.'s five keys to keeping the fire alive? Memorize the Gospel. Pray the Gospel. Sing the Gospel. Review how the Gospel has changed you. Lastly, study the Gospel. I needed to hear that today. Maybe you, too. See you on the tee box!
Author: Ben De Boef "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." (Hebrews 13:7)
Charlie Sheen might say he's "winning" right now, but it doesn't take a doctor to see that he's got some issues. Tiger Woods hasn't won a golf tournament since the "debacle". Look around you and you'll see the same thing - people that make poor decisions usually end up in a bad place. Now look at people who are in a good place - usually you can trace it back to good decisions based upon proven habits or truths. Of course, there are always exceptions - bad things happen to good people, good things happen despite bad decisions - but the truth remains: live by good principles and your life will be better for it (read Proverbs). Dave Ramsey ("Financial Peace University") advises to find winners and then do what they do. Don't learn how to use a power saw from the shop teacher who has lost all of his fingers; don't take a golf lesson from a "bogie" golfer (uh, like me); don't get marriage counseling from someone who has been married 12 times. The above verse tells us to emulate people who's life has turned out the way we would want ours to turn out. And do you notice what it says at the end - "imitate their faith". Here's what that tells me - the key to a good life is not about what we have the power to control, but in submitting ourselves to a higher power. My kids will have a good life if they obey their mother and me - because we love them and we know what's good for them. Likewise, we will have a good life if we faithfully submit to God's blueprint for life - whether we understand it or not (that's where faith comes in). Here's the challenge to us all: find out what God wants us to do and do it - we'll be glad we did! Author: Mark Dwyer I looked out the kitchen window this morning and noticed a nice big weed growing next to the patio. I'm sure my wife loved looking at that as it grew to its healthy size! Some men might say "well she should have picked it if she didn't like it". But the reality is that she is so busy taking care of the kids, helping with homework, keeping order in the house, etc that she probably never even noticed the weed. It dawned on me that I will often go out of my way to buy flowers for my wife to convince her of my love, but I don't think of pulling the weeds for her as a "love" act (I think it's because giving flowers invokes an immediate reaction from her). Both actions show love, and both are necessary. Here's the challenge - the next time you buy flowers for your wife, pull some weeds for her too (and vice versa). And don't wait too long, or the flowers will wilt and the weeds will grow.
Author - Mark Dwyer What has shaped you into the man you are? What is shaping you into the man you want to become? There's a pretty wide range of answers, but the challenge remains to all of us to look inside at what needs "sharpening" and look outside for tools to sharpen us (ie: other men, personal devotion time, our wives, even our kids). Unless I missed something, none of us has "arrived" yet. We're all being molded by our surroundings whether we like it or not. Let's not conform to the pattern set by this world - instead, let's allow ourselves to be transformed by God's power. How? Find the answer in Romans 12:2.
Author: Mark Dwyer Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
(2 Corinthians 13:5) What a powerful truth - God is inside of us if we have faith in Him! In fact, the apostle Paul referred to Christ's presence inside of believers as the "mystery of the gospel" (Col 1:27). Think about it - the same being who created the vast universe lives inside you and me, if we have faith in Him. But this great truth also comes with great responsibility. If He is inside of us, then WE have a power even greater than ourselves. So why doesn't it always show? Because there is a battle going on between our sinful nature and the Spirit of God (read Romans 7). What's the answer? Submission. Submit to God's plan, God's truth, God's Spirit inside of us that wants to show us a better way. James 4:7 says "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." My "better men" challenge to you (and me) is that we submit ourselves to God. We'll be glad we did. Author: Mark Dwyer "So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me." (Romans 7:21)
You know what is right, but don't always do it (see Romans 7:10-25). It's right to let the car merge in front of you, but it's easier to act like you don't see them (or flip them the bird). It's right to handle your finances with integrity, but it's easier to run up your credit card bill. It's right to spend time with your kids, but it's easier to turn on the TV. It's right to love your wife, but it's easier to hold a grudge. Here's a practical piece of advice for all of us men - develop the habit of doing the right things, and they'll become a lot easier to do. If you want to be a kind person, look for opportunities to be kind (ie, let the car in). If you want to have a better handle on finances, set a budget and keep it. If you want to be a better father and husband, carve out time in your schedule to spend with your wife and kids. It might not be easy at first, but it will become more natural as you make it a habit. What you feed will grow (Tiger Woods gave us a negative example of this); we need to feed what we want to grow. Author: Mark Dwyer |
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ContributorsBrett Lilly - Campus Pastor at Compass Church (95th campus), husband, father Archives
January 2017
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