Page 30

20220MM

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. (Proverbs 17:17) Discipleship can be defined as one man caring enough about another man to help him build: 1) a That’s a pretty big mouthful, and it can even seem a bit overwhelming and complicated. But if you’ve been around Man in the Mirror for any length of time, you know our calling is to disciple men. A young pastor once told me he was trying to “demystify” the concept of discipleship for the young men he was mentoring. “I tell my guys that I want them to all be engaged in an intentional, spiritual friendship.” I think that’s a great starting place. So, what does that look like? Well, sometimes it means simply inviting another man to go out for coffee, and then engaging him naturally in conversation that includes spiritual issues. The goal is to start at our friend’s comfort level and then invite them to come along with us on a journey that draws them closer and closer to Jesus.  MIMBS 4 28 Monday—July 31•An Intentional Spiritual Friendship relationship with God; 2) a biblical worldview; 3) a lifestyle worthy of Christ. Who in your life developed an intentional spiritual friendship with you? How has that relationship impacted your life? Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 29:1–36, Romans 14:1–23, Psalm 24:1–10, Proverbs 20:12 Tuesday—August 1•Integrating Our “Boxes” And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. (1 Chronicles 28:9) In our culture, many guys compartmentalize their lives. Even a man who is “religious” may have his life categorized in “boxes.” There’s the work box and the marriage box and the kid box and maybe the Little League box, and then perhaps there’s the church box or the faith box. That kind of life view leaves us with fragmented lives, and it doesn’t support the wholehearted and willing devotion to God described in today’s Scripture passage. When we are developing a friendship with someone, and we have a desire to help them know Jesus better, one of the goals is to help that man integrate his various boxes, so that his relationship with Jesus influences all those other factors in his life. The gospel should influence the way we relate to our wives and children, the way we coach Little League, the way we work as an insurance agent or an attorney or a bulldozer operator. The way we engage in intentional, spiritual friendships will vary, based on where the man is on that continuum, in his spiritual journey.  MIMBS 4 Briefly explain how your faith affects your relationships, your work, and your hobbies. How does that reflect your success in integrating your various “boxes”? Daily Reading: 2 Chronicles 30:1–31:21, Romans 15:1–22, Psalm 25:1–15, Proverbs 20:13–15


20220MM
To see the actual publication please follow the link above