To kick off the year I am starting with a 5-day devotional titled “Dad Tired and Loving It” through the Bible.com site.
Day 4 – Putting Up the Bumpers
Today’s devotional is connected with 3 key sets of scriptures: Hebrews 10:24-25, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, and Proverbs 12:26.
‘And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. ‘
Hebrews 10:24-25
‘Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. ‘
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
‘The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. ‘
Proverbs 12:26
Today’s theme through God’s Word is the importance of friends and choosing them wisely and keeping Jesus in the middle. When we choose wisely our friends we can stay on track in our pursuit of God’s plans and purposes for our lives. When we choose wisely our friends then we are better off than being alone because we have someone who will help us up when we fall down, will support us in our efforts and labor, and even join forces with us to help ensure we can stand our ground when things get tough. With Jesus in the middle, we have a focus to pursue God’s purpose and plan and so we can encourage and support one another towards love and doing good deeds as well as staying connected long term unlike in some cases where we see people fall apart or split up. So don’t stop being the godly friend that your friend needs and don’t give up spending quality time with your godly friends too. As we press in and press on towards God’s purpose and plans and can be excited about Jesus’ return.
To be good dads we need good role models. To be good dads we need to surround ourselves with good dad friends. To be good dads, we need to come together and support one another.
Today’s devotional points us to the reality of needing God to do something new in our hearts. It speaks to the importance of healthy boundaries. It speaks to the importance of setting up accountability partners or group.
Today’s devotional has been provided by Harvest House Publishers (more details).
Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)
- Are you going through difficulties?
- Are you attacking the problem or attacking each other?
- Are you praying about an issue with the other person or praying that God will capture their heart?
- How would you respond if you were having a fight and the other person said to you that they have been praying for you regularly that God would capture your heart again?
- Do you have to get to that breaking point for you to turn back to God for wisdom and direction about the problem or situation?
- Are you ready to invite the Holy Spirit into the situation to lead and guide you and help rekindle that passion in your heart for God?
- Are you ready to invite the Holy Spirit into your life and ask Him to point out the areas that need work and how to get back on track? the sin? the darkness?
- Are you ready to invite the Holy Spirit into your life and allow Him to shine the light onto your life and situations?
- When the light of Jesus comes into the situation darkness has no other choice but to flee!
- ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ‘ John 1:5
- ‘the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” ‘ Matthew 4:16
- ‘I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. ‘ John 12:46
- You realize the easier or biggest way to be stuck in the darkness? ISOLATION.
- Do you realize that ISOLATION keeps you in the darkness?
- Are you isolating yourself from Christians?
- Are you ready to have your hard heart chipped away and made new, to allow God to create a new heart in you?
- Are you ready to get back into the light today?
- Are you ready to reconnect and hangout with Christians?
- Are you ready to commit to inviting people into your home?
- Are you ready to surround yourself with the light of God by having Christians in your life in order to keep yourself from getting stuck in darkness?
- So let’s put up safe boundaries!
- Let’s put the bumpers in the gutters of life to keep us on track similar to how kids use bumpers at a bowling alley.
- Will you allow those Christians you are allowing to surround you to be your bumpers for this thing called life?
- Ever noticed that when we drift we tend to drift away from or apart from God rather than towards God?
- Ever noticed that when we are in the darkness we are proned to sin?
- Ever found yourself wandering into the gutter because you didn’t have the bumpers in place?
- Ready to lead your family well? You need to get serious about surrounding yourself with God’s people!
- Ready to get serious about being the dad your family and society need you to be? Surround yourself with God’s people!
- Don’t be fooled or tricked by pride to try and go it alone!
- Don’t allow a busy schedule to justify not being around God’s people!
- Find or create a tribe and give them permission to keep you out of the gutter!
- Today’s devotional gives us an action item or task:
- Take Action: Pick a day this week that you can meet with one or two guys. Once you’ve found a date, block it in your calendar. Text a few guys to see if they’d be willing to meet you for a meal or activity and take the lead at initiating deeper conversations.
