Discipling Men, Inc.

Recently I have assessed the many conversations I engage.

It is daunting to list the weekly small groups, phone calls, e-mails, tweets, Board meetings and times of prayer I experience.

It is joyful, significant, and exhilarating to be in this ministry to men.

I love the ministry of Discipling Men, Inc.

I often find myself over my head not because I am doing somersaults but because I realize I am not up to the challenges I hear. The problems, the pain, the loss, the struggles, the counsel sought all cause me to have a two fold default position.

I am going to tell you what these defaults positions are.

Part of the reason I am doing so is because I have actually had people tell me they miss my devotionals. If you are part of that small crowd here is your fix. If you are part of those who do not care whether or not I send them due to your information overload then I have just added to your pile.  When I meet with people I often try to have two default positions.

I often pray while the other person is speaking and I often ask for the Holy Spirit to communicate something worth hearing to that person. Sometimes I actually ask the Holy Spirit to enable me to listen to the person speaking, to interpret what it is they are or are not saying and to give me wisdom to know how or how not to respond.
 

Reminds me about the joke about the rash:  …….Well, I would tell it to you…….. but you might spread it. Of course if it gets on your ears you might become irrational.

If I tell you about these default options I hope you might spread the use of them.

The two options are Prayer and the Holy Spirit.

“praying at all times in the Spirit” Ephesians 6:18

 

“for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:19

 

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” Jude 1:20

Pray as the other person is speaking.
Ask the indwelling Spirit within us to give us wisdom.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God”

James 1:5

Pray about the meeting before, during and after it is over. Pray as you meet, for something very eternally exciting will likely transpire. Pray thankfully that you are actually present for every meeting is a divine intersection. Every small group, individual meal, Board meeting, Sunday school class, one on one conversation, intersection at the grocery store, at a fast food place, at the hardware store, in line at the post office, in the parking lot is an opportunity to proclaim the excellencies of the glory of God. Every person needs encouragement, a positive word of grace, an uplift, a glimmer of hope, and the precious treasure of the gospel. Every intersection is an opportunity for the fragrance of Jesus.

Pray.
 

The Holy Spirit indwelling us is that God of the universe who knows how to recall Scripture for the moment, wisdom for the ages and hope for the future.

We are all under construction. Therefore to be “on the grow” I call upon us all to remind ourselves of two great default positions in every conversation.

Prayer and the Holy Spirit.