Home  Ministries Adult Men
Men
|
dc 05/28/08 |
|
|
Daily Courage Devotional
|
written by Ken Mitten
Pride leads to disgrace, but with
humility comes wisdom.
PROVERBS 11:2
Othello is one of Shakespeare's
tragedies. It involves a celebrated military man who is away at
battle and when he returns to his wife, Desdemona he begins to
suspect that she has been unfaithful to him. She has not but Iago,
another character in the play is resentful of Othello in his
position and uses Cassio an up and coming man in Othello's circle
as unwitting bait. A scarf of Desdemona's, a gift from
Othello, is planted on Cassio and this among other "evidence"
convinces Othello that his wife is indeed unfaithful. Iago counts
on Othello's self-doubt and ultimately his pride, to do him
in.
This is a play by Shakespeare so
it of course ends with a body count. Othello smothers his wife with
a pillow in their bed. There are several interchanges between
Othello and Desdemona where Othello questions his wife, but all of
his questions are tempered by the gnawing bug of pride that Iago
has planted. He is consumed by rage due to his pride and does the
only thing he believes he can do to defend his honor.
Ever speak, act or react
solely based on protecting your reputation? Ever think you have the
facts when you don't?
I know I have. Taking a
moment to pray for clarity, to clear your head may make all the
difference in the world.
Have you ever allowed your pride
to blot out, even temporarily, your Heavenly Father
?
K
|
|
|
05/27/08 |
|
|
Daily Courage Devotional
|
written by Ken Mitten
As he does in all his letters
when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in
them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable
twist to their own destruction, as they do the other
Scriptures. 2 PETER
3:16 ESV
In my college days as an
actor or thespian. Yes. I said
thespian. I had the opportunity to
perform in the works of William Shakespeare, known of course
as the greatest writer of all time by many. I was the "Good Duke"
in As You Like It. The costumer
apparently had a sense of humor and put a giant satellite
dish-shaped (and sized!) disc on my head with a fluffy feather. My
hair was also curled under like Ringo Starr in the very early days
of the Beatles and the costume included purple and pink
tights. No. I don't have any pictures. I know
that at least one of you were hoping for evidence of
this.
Why am I dredging up this
potentially embarrassing memory? I will tell you. The cast of
our production of As You Like It included
about thirty performers. We were all pretty young and none of us
knew the first thing about Shakespeare. His plays were written in
English but regardless they are truly written in a language
very different from our
own. Our director, Dr. Barrett, was a kind and experienced man
but was unable to take the time to instruct us all
in what I believe is the most important part of
performing Shakespeare, knowing the meaning of what you are
saying before you say
it. As a result there were several actors on stage who truly had no
idea what they were saying (Shakespeare makes it hard let me tell
you). So, as humans what do we do when we have no idea what we are
saying/no idea how to feel/how to act? When we are confused or
confounded by the truth?
We make it
up.
We gesture and gesticulate
and scrunch up our faces.
We pose.
We "twist the truth to our
own destruction."
This is also true of
the Word of God. We need to have our nose in that book far more
often than we do and we need to surround ourselves with others
who are in the Word daily. People whom we can ask our confusing
questions: What does this Scripture mean? What was Paul trying to
say here? I think we do not turn to one another for guidance/seek
shelter together in the Word. Instead we try to look and
sound Shakespearean
(substitute the word
Christian here) instead of
learning from one another/letting Him encourage us through one
another.
K
|
|
|
dc 05/26/08 |
|
|
Daily Courage Devotional
|
written by Nate Pruitt
"Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot
him." Genesis 40:23
The verse above has always bothered me. Really, it's
astounding when you think about the circumstances. Here is why it
astounds me: while at college I was tested to determine if I had
any learning disabilities. What we found out was that I tested
quite high in most categories, yet when it came to rote
memorization I tested below average. The score wasn't terribly
abysmal, but the difference between it and everything else made it
of such concern that this remains in my records at school as an
academic-learning issue that may require additional assistance
for me to perform up to the standards demanded of me at the
collegiate level. Since that test I have been much more aware of
memory and remembering information.
The story at this point for Joseph was significant, he had just
interpreted the dream of the chief cupbearer to Pharaoh and the
result was a glorious return to position for the cupbearer just as
Joseph had foretold. Here is where it intrigues me, see my rote
memorization seems to be quite strong under the proper triggers, so
in my mind I ask this question, "How does living out what you were
just told would happen not draw your mind back to the one who told
you?" Later, of course, a different trigger prompts the memory of
Joseph in the chief cupbearer, and maybe that's the universal
point- not everything that should
draw out our memories does.
The significance is this- we are immensely blessed, due to
sacrifice, yet in the midst of blessing we often overlook great
sacrifice and action on our behalf. Today is a day designed for
that very thing. As an American the sacrifices of individuals
honored today are only superceded by the sacrifice of Christ on our
behalf. However, the sacrifices of Christ and those who serve on
our behalf as Americans, are too often overlooked. I don't know
what the trigger is that finally prompts the response of our
memories, but I know there are many that should. Today I encourage
each of us to thank those we can, observe the memories of the
many we can't, and with immense gratitude offer a prayer of
praise and thanksgiving to the Savior!
|
|
|
dc 05/23/08 |
|
|
Daily Courage Devotional
|
written by Ken Mitten
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been
tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without
sin.
HEBREWS 4:15 NIV
This takes the old hymn, "What a Friend We Have
in Jesus" to a whole new level. I am leading a study of the book of
Hebrews on Thursday nights and am so struck by the content of this
book.
The writer dares to compare, specifically
Christianity, with the religion of the day and dares even further
to assert that Christ is the only
way.
So much in this book. Read it.
K
|
|
|
dc 05/22/08 |
|
|
Daily Courage Devotional
|
dc 05/22/08
written by Ken Mitten
Because thine heart was
tender.
2 KINGS 22:19
There were a number of responses to
yesterday's encouragement. I am always encouraged by
that.
To piggyback a bit on yesterday, I have
a question for those of you who are fathers of
sons:
In an attempt to teach your son to
be act like a man are you unintentionally squashing his
spirit?
The truth is the spirits of boys are
crushed by the world in so many ways, do you really want it to
be crushed by you?
Sometimes we can decide that how our sons
behave in certain situations illustrate defects or weaknesses
that we must point out to save them from themselves. Who will
correct this behavior if not us? I am not suggesting that we should
not correct our sons. I am suggesting that exact opposite in
fact.
That said, it is important to remember
that God made our sons and that one half of who they
are (give or take a percentage point) comes from us, whom God
made as well. Know your children. Listen to them and in those areas
where they struggle help them live with their differences and also
appreciate them.
K
|
|
|
dc 05/21/08 |
|
|
Daily Courage Devotional
|
written by Ken Mitten
Because thine heart was
tender.
2 KINGS 22:19
My son Eric is eleven and as
anyone with sons (or daughters for that matter) know, it is
difficult to not look at your child at whatever age they are at the
time and be transported back to when you were that
age. For me it is like a portal back to whatever I was struggling
with or enjoying at that time of my life. I had a
portal moment with Eric this weekend.
I was always something of a tender
hearted child. This term, too often I think, has an unintended
negative connotation and will sometimes "translate" as weak. My son
is not weak but he does internalize mean things said to him. He has
not developed trampoline skin yet. Just made
that up. Mean things do not bounce off of him, often he
absorbs these comments.
This weekend he was outside with a
number of other kids soaking in the beautiful day. He came in at
one point after being out there for quite a while and looked
visibly upset. A younger child made a comment about how he looked,
how he was riding his friend's skateboard, etc. and Eric's
friend, who is a year older than Eric, laughed at this comment.
This upset Eric and he immediately got up and walked inside, not
saying a word to either child. When we talked it out a bit it
became clear that Eric was most upset that his friend laughed at
the initial comment. His friend tried to come and apologize but
Eric was not ready to hear this so he stayed in for the night. As
we talked it out I heard myself saying two things: " You may need
to clear the air with him (his friend). It would be a shame
for this friendship to end." Also... "You need to stick
up for yourself and let people know when they have crossed the
line." He nodded understanding but I wasn't sure what made its way
in. As I said, I see myself in Eric and at his age I was surrounded
by adults who were more likely to say "Suck it up." than talk it
out with me. My grandmother was a major exception to this.
I have talked about her here before. That said,
"Sucking it up" did not work for me. Still
doesn't. It just convinced me that I needed to deny who I was,
namely someone who felt things a little bit deeper than others. I
thought of myself as weak. I was not weak. I don't want this for
Eric.
So, anyway....back to Eric. He is
currently up the hill with his friend squirting a garden hose for
some reason or another. The air has been cleared and I know this
because after his friend rang the doorbell this evening, Eric went
outside, came back pretty quickly and was ready to run back
out.
Before he did he said,
" Oh by the way Dad...I cleared the
air!!"
Well there you
go......
K
|
|
|
dc 05/20/08 |
|
|
Daily Courage Devotional
|
written by Ken Mitten
Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
"Today if
you hear His voice,
do not harden your hearts as when they
provoked me,
as in the day of trial in the
wilderness."
HEBREWS 3:7-8 NASB
I am ashamed to say that I have lied about
receiving a page or call stating that my battery died or I was out
of range when I was neither. I just did not want to take that
particular call from that particular person.
Ever ignore God? Ever feel the tug of the
Holy Spirit and still not act? For me, sometimes this is a
conscious choice. I do not want to do it
(whatever it happens to be) and so as I hear
the call of a man to reach out to, an apology to extend, a
risk to be taken. I minimize my role. I question whether or not
this is truly The Spirit calling or just a voice in my head.
The Lord will often speak very clearly to me. Regardless, I
often ignore this crystal clear calls.
There are also times when I wake up and realize
that I have unconsciously hardened my heart. I have stopped
listening over time.
Screening your calls is one thing. Do you act
when God asks you to do something? When I say "asks" I am not
talking about through a burning bush per se. At times, the tug of
the Spirit is unmistakable.
K
|
|
| | << Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >>
| | Results 34 - 44 of 130 |
|
|
|
