I have been struggling with today's passage for some reason. I have been thinking about it since early morning. I will share it and maybe it will speak to you in a powerful way.
Acts 4:24-31
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord,"they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit the mouth of your servant, our father David: "WHy do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The Kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed one. Indeed Herod and Pontius Polate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire again your holy servant Jesus, who you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Today there is a shortage of men in the church. It is almost impossible to be godly and lead your family. It is almost impossible to be godly and lead your children. Satan has a strangle hold on our families but he also has taken out the leaders of our families - the men. I read in a magazine the other day that world wide there are 11-13 million more women than men that claim to be Christians. Men spend an average of 37 more minutes a day doing leisure stuff than women. At age 42, women start to outnumber men in America... and that is just in society. Imagine that ratio in the church today. I am saddened that most men give up their walk or pursuit of God because they feel they cant relate to anything about Jesus. Jesus was no frilly, weak and over emotional Opra kind of guy. He was powerful, a king, strong and full of fire and passion when he walked the earth. He challenged the way of life in all people he came across. He challenged government and the rulers of his day. He had 12 that he poured into and lived with for the 3 years of his ministry. He was a tough dude and by no means a weak individual. He spoke when he wasnt supposed to and healed when he wasnt supposed to. He crossed paths with people every day who wanted to kill him and he went anyway. How many of us would do that today?He challenged everyone he came into contact with. I would say that took some courage. I think that is what is missing from today's men. Courage to lead their families, lead and get involved in our children, to rise up at work, and to follow Jesus. For sure for me, following Jesus is the hardest thing I have ever done. Ministry does not have a day off or a moment of rest. There is always a challenge taking place and something pulling for attention. Leading is something I am learning and I still have a lot to learn.
I miss those late evening discussions over dinner with some of my close guy friends. I remember once sitting at our local Mexican place with one of my then close buddies and a 10 year old girl came over to the table and said hello. She introduced me to her dad as her Childrens pastor. It was such an honor and very early on in my ministry walk. I could have been sitting there with a bunch of guys cutting up, pounding beers, and acting foolish like some men do when they get together. It for sure was a wake up call and a calling on my heart to always live out my faith. I miss having some guy friends in my life. Godly men to lean on, to ask questions and to have access to speak truth with. We need each other as men, leaders in our families and in our friends.
Imagine praying and the place where you are meeting shaking afterwards... that would be something. We are not meant to walk this life alone. We are meant to have other brothers and sisters who we are doing life with. Community ..... with the missing of front porches in our homes these days - they help create islands of neighbors instead of invites to neighbors. Our garage doors open and close only as we pull in and out. Trapped in our very own homes - alone.
I will close with this today as this has been on my heart for 2 days now -
The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more in life there is to celebrate. Those with IT celebrate IT together. It being Christ. It being the love and passion in life that takes over all meaning to what it really means to live. Christ is worth living for and giving everything to.

Lonnie~