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We live in a place and time when we are overrun with adversity. The news feeds of our lives are boiling over with bad news. Houses are burning down, gunmen are carrying out unimaginable evil acts, and even though we don’t have the energy to talk about it anymore…there is a pandemic claiming the lives of our loved ones. And that is just the stuff we woke up to this morning. All these things are stealing our peace. It has us all standing around asking, “What do we DO?” Because we should be DOING something. What is the alternative? NOT DOING! Thinking about it, talking about it, and worrying about it does nothing about “it”. We are called to do something about it. Jesus spoke these powerful words after washing the disciples’ feet, “Not that you know these things, you will be blessed if you DO them.” (Jn. 13:17). Time for some doing.

If you have ever expressed your frustration by saying "I just can't seem to catch a break right now," you are not alone. In fact, every man has felt this. One thing after another hits you. Bad news. Bad Break. Bead deal. Bad communication. Another bad result on top of the of last one. Relentless! In the middle of these extended and pressure-filled seasons, it feels like everyone else's life is solid and orderly while the ground underneath your life is constantly shifting and unpredictable. And YET, the man of God simply cannot let go of his faith, his belief, his stubborn sense that somehow, some way, God is going to redeem this for good and he surrenders once again to God in the middle of the storm. Time to have it out with your Maker. Jeremiah models for God's man exactly how to do that when you have bent as far as you humanly can and feel like your about to break.

Ever said to someone "What choice do I have?" When it's too late to turn back and there is no relief in sight your options narrow - you either give up or go forward. Safe to say you can learn a lot about a man in that situation when his back is against the proverbial wall. The Bible says that God is the one who authors or allows situations like this not just to learn about what's inside of us but also to draw out faith and work in needed spiritual maturity. While the circumstances we find ourselves in may be an unwelcomed shock to us, in God's mind there are no surprises when you find yourself in high seas or the belly of the beast. Jonah knew, literally, about both of these perilous predicaments and came out of it learning things about himself and God that changed the entire trajectory of his life. We will all find ourselves on the high seas or swallowed by a life situation at some point that we didn't really ask for or desire. How will you respond? What is God looking for? Will you work with him? Let's learn from the man who went through it and came out of both the water and belly of the beast serving God's purposes.

Having logged over 2 million miles flying above earth in a plane, I am pretty comfortable flying in an airplane - even when it gets bumpy. My wife, on the other hand, is sensitive and shaken when the ride goes from smooth to turbulent. When the side to side or the ups and downs start happening she asks me the same question every time, "We are going to be okay right?" My answer is always the same too: "Yes. This aircraft was built to fly in this stuff." Then she holds onto my arm like a life preserver until the captain finds the smooth air again. Jesus said life on earth will be filled with pockets of unwelcomed turbulence: "In this world you will have tribulation." However, in the next breath, he assures his followers by saying "but take courage, I have overcome the world." When you find yourself getting tossed around by life's storms, assurance and confidence in the midst is both available and powerful. God says his people are uniquely equipped to make it through all of life's storms. In Part 2, we will learn exactly how God's man takes courage in the midst from and anchors his hope.

The unexpected storms of life catch us off guard and have the potential to sink our confidence in God. What is even harder is the fact that we know GOD! We know he is good. We know he is able to do anything. We know he is wise. We know he is in control. We know he has our best interests in mind. And we know he sees what is happening to us at all times. SO WHY? Why has God allowed this to enter my life with such devastating force? I feel such pain, such loss, such confusion, and such isolation that my spirit is disoriented and my faith is being hurled into confusion? Ever feel that way? You are in good company! In fact, some of the greatest men of God felt the exact same way - they felt like they were getting tossed around like a ship caught in a hurricane in the open ocean. Wave after massive wave comes, striking our lives and tipping us precariously to the edge. How do you even talk to God about what is happening? How do you keep the faith? How do you survive the HIGH SEAS of life and make it back to port? God's Word is full of examples of men who had to navigate and negotiate pounding breakers. Were they frustrated with God? Did they complain? Could they lament the situation in faith? Join men's expert and pastor Kenny Luck for this powerful series on how the man of faith faces the tidal waves of life.

On any given day, we have dozens of interactions and conversations. In fact, one recent study revealed that the average person has 27 conversations every day, lasting an average of 10 minutes each. Look at that number. Seems high? Not when you think about it. "Good morning" echanges. Work interactions. Coffees. Lunch. Workouts. Waiters. Friends. Family. Kids practices and coaches. Teachers. Parents of your kid's friends. Neighbors. Dog parks. Phew! The amazing thing about all these interactions and conversations is that YOU have the power to take them in any direction, about any topic, at any time you choose. In the Kingdom of God every conversation counts but where will we take it? God's man knows that when he is with believers the Holy Spirit wants him to raise their spirits through encouragement. He also knows that when he is with non-believers the Holy Spirit wants to use him to reach and save their soul. The only question is - will you let him use you to make that happen? Join men's expert and pastor Kenny Luck for this final, challenging, and explosive conversation focused on changing the lives of people - literally - forever.

The road to lasting success - in most anything - is paved with a host of obstacles, valleys, and long, dark tunnels with no light to pull us through. It's called the middle. You are too far into something to turn back but also so far away from the end you don't know how you are going to make it! Ironically, most people, battling against the forces of self-doubt the world knows nothing about, need only the smallest amount of encouragement to make it to the end. But who will take time to do it? What kind of person is free enough from the constant self-absorption gripping humanity as we walk past each other every day? Who has a commission to raise the spirits of others as an identity? The Holy Spirit says, "That's you!"

You are helping a buddy move. You test the weight of a box he has packed. You squat. You grab. You say to yourself, "I think I got this" and then you start to lift. You realize very quickly you don't have this! When something is heavy it is difficult to bear yourself. Here's the thing with men in particular - we want to do it alone. Gravity kicks in, makes you feel the real weight of things, and we still attempt to carry "it" alone. We tell ourselves: "We got this!" Until we don't, our pride wins, and something is damaged. Much of life is that way - heavy. We think "we got it" and try to carry the burdens we are experiencing alone until it's too late and we end up being proven wrong. We never "had it" in the first place. But how wonderful it is when a second set of hands arrive! What was once heavy is now manageable - even doable. Lighter is better! You can feel the weight of the situation shift because someone is in it with you. God says that everyone you know is carrying some form of burden and they need a second set of hands that will help them feel the joy and relief of lightness. Heaviness is constant and everywhere. Choosing to make someone's burden lighter is rare and powerful. In the spaces and places you occupy God's Spirit says to God's man: "Make that lighter.”

Life on earth will - at many points - make you feel alone in your circumstances. Maybe it is a physical condition we can't fix that afflicts and isolates us. Maybe it is on an emotional level caused by some form form of loss. Many of us know the pain of relational loss, distance, or despair. And if you follow and love God, you will know spiritual pain and suffering caused by sin creating distance with God. Whatever the cause, the common denominator is the pain isolates us. You feel ALONE in it. You feel CONFUSED by it. You feel CONTROLLED by it. Or you feel FORCED to accept it. And the worst part of it is you CAN’T OVERCOME it by yourself. Add it all together and the result is the pain of isolation and how it attacks the mind and soul. We start thinking things that we have never thought to deal with the pain. Anger. Sadness. Revenge. Altered states. Ever heard those voices? Those suggestions? Given in? God wants pain and the loneliness it creates RELIEVED and he has a plan to do it in your context. You.

You are not in charge in anymore. Everything changes now. There is a new normal, new status, and a new reality. Life as you were experiencing it has morphed. A stronger force has overtaken you and now controls you. People around you are asking: "What has gotten into you?" because they are seeking an explanation for the changes they see manifesting in you. Whatever it is, let's just hope it's a good thing or - better yet - a God thing. Jesus told his followers they would be OVERTAKEN and that this event was going to - literally - shock and rock their personal and present world. Now, as then, a violent wind is rushing and the fire is coming upon God's men actively waiting on, seeking, and experiencing Holy Spirit impartation and ignition. God wants to set you loose in your personal world. Where you you live. Where you work. Where you pray. Where you play. He knows exactly what he wants to do. Do you? Join men's expert and pastor Kenny Luck for this life changing and personal experience with the Holy Spirit.

WEAPON OF CHOICE Paul did not say to, “put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6), because you MAY get into a fight with a person or a thing that is familiar to you. He said, “This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.” (Eph. 6:12 MSG). Once you are convinced of the seriousness of that fight, you will start to appreciate your weapon of choice, THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT/WORD OF GOD, and train with it. The enemy would prefer the Bible be diminished to an app on our phones mixed in with all the other apps, that are NOT life giving. The sword of the spirit is powerful, and just like a soldier trains with his sword, we need to train with the bible. It should be accessible and ready for action. What good is it if is stowed away collecting dust? It should be at the ready, “so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Eph. 6:11)

A tactical retreat is moving to a safer location to prevent being overtaken by the enemy.  This provides time to re-group and re-engage.  The decision is not easy because retreating means giving up ground that is likely harder to get back.  It is also difficult to admit you are losing or getting ready to lose.  Men, all day long, are in dangerous situations and fail to recognize the danger and its capability.  Maybe it’s pride, temptation, fear, anger or pride…or pride, or whatever the enemy’s weapon of choice against you.  Regardless, you fail to recognize the danger or see how big the blast radius that explosion creates.  We are in a battle that requires situational awareness to observe dangers around us and have a plan to fall back to a safer place where we can re-load, re-group and re-engage. 

Smart people are helpful. Really WISE people save you from pain! Do you have one of these people in your life? They don't push advice on you like some but when they offer it you lean in and trust what they say. It is like gold - precious and valuable. Experience and insight are what makes them so trusted but the fact that they share what they know with you comes from a deep concern and love makes their wisdom unique. God - your maker, God your strong creator, and God your loving father is also the Most Wise. When you talk to him in prayer the wisdom he possesses is a game changer.

A ritual on the playground I remember easily is choosing teams to play kickball. Two "captains" would be selected for a game and they choose alternatively from an assembled group of boys hoping they won't be the last one picked! On those occasions when I was a captain I knew who I would pick first every time without fail - it was my buddy Todd. He had what every kickball team needs if they hope to win - a powerful right leg. Let's put it this way: Todd's leg had the "kick" that sent the other teams we played chasing the "ball." Then, as now, power and strength on your side provides confidence but you have to be intentional in choosing it. In the battle of life, a man who does not choose God to help lead him to victory is a fool for one simple reason - His power. Jesus wants you to pick him. He says, "Come to me." A strong God produces strong confidence and strong wins. Or not.

Men are like icebergs - most people only see the tip. We live seen and unseen lives. We are very public about our successes or just about anything that reflects well on us. We are also very private about our struggles or just about anything that reflects poorly on us. Here's the problem - our struggles take a toll when unshared or unprocessed over time. They turn into secrets that we carry around. No one knows about them - fears, challenges, and needs that are secret go unmet because potential people and sources of help remain in the dark. Every day of a secret life that passess walls between us and help, between truth and lies, and between us and people grow taller and harder to breakdown. Into this secret life comes the call of Christ. He says, "Come to me." Jesus wants to unburden us from the anxiety of having a public/private split, living a seen life of images and a private life of unseen struggle. He wants to end our isolation. But He knows we will not come unless we are convinced of one thing to the core of our being - His love. Our connection and conversation with God will never surpass our awareness of the love of God. For God's man this is the difference between spiritual life and spiritual death.

When people we love have a huge need or problem that went unspoken and unresolved causing them pain or harm we say, "Why didn't you come to me?"  Usually the responses range from "I didn't want to burden you" to "I was embarrassed"  to "I didn't think you would understand."  None of these reasons makes sense because the outcome of not expressing or sharing what's going on at the time is always worse than talking about it - this is especially true when real help was available.  Fear or pride always limit needed help and relief coming into our lives.  Jesus knew this about us and positioned himself forever as someone in our lives who we never need to hide our problems, needs, or concerns from.  In fact, he made us a standing invitation to take advantage of his care and capacity saying "Come to me."  He was serious about that but are we?  And what is the price we pay as a man of God when we let pride and self sufficiency limit healthy and humble dependency upon God in prayer?  God says conversation with Him is a necessity for a healthy relationship.  How's that conversation going? 

New Year // New Man Scriptures talk a lot about being new in Christ. New man. New mind. New spirit. New life. The most challenging part of the "new man" is the journey of intimacy and honesty. We just don’t know how to do it naturally. Today we will explore the reality of being a real man that can talk about real things. Intimacy with others, spouses, and God.

Any dad with small kids knows that his little ones are not going to understand his behavior at times.  Key word?  Little.  They are physically not as tall as the one whose hand they are holding and, as such, can't see what he is seeing at any given time.  A dad will see danger twenty yards away his "little one" cannot and gives instructions to "STOP!"  A dad will be holding his toddler's hand walking in a large crowd, guiding him based on what he sees in front of him - not the other way around.  A dad sees ahead of his child visually and guides accordingly.  The Bible says we are like the "little one" and God is the Dad who sees what we cannot see.  And just like a child gets frustrated at times by that reality, a dad's control, and his own inability to see what's ahead - a loving dad will never stop seeing what He sees and make the adjustments he needs to protect and guide his child. Right now, God is seeing ahead of what you can see God is guiding you accordingly.  The question is: will we trust Him or will we get frustrated?  Or worse, will we break away in ignorance and suffer the consequences? Join men's expert and pastor Kenny Luck for this powerful session on trusting God WHATEVER THE WEATHER.