God Gave You 96

15-minute Time Periods in a Day

IN ONLY 15 MINUTES: You can learn how to access the Lord's presence with a plan to beat distraction and discover your identity.

IN ONLY 15 MINUTES: You can build focus and spiritual endurance through proven practices used for centuries to facilitate deep spiritual growth 

IN ONLY 15 MINUTES: You can practice the presence of the Lord and train to operate from a place of rest, not reaction. Take the high ground in life as you train to take your territory. 

 THE TENT OF MEETING

We get access to a secret in the book of Exodus. God had Moses construct a “tent of meeting.” This is where they met together, one-on-one, EVERY Day. Scripture says in this tent, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11).

'The Tent of Meeting' was a sacred space that Moses entered to access wisdom, counsel and direction. Everything He was equipped with flowed from his relationship with God in the Tent.

• Moses had a TENT OF MEETING
• Joshua had a TENT OF MEETING
• David had a TENT OF MEETING
• JESUS HAD A TENT OF MEETING

YOU MUST HAVE A TENT OF MEETING.

RESISTANCE: The #1 Strategy of Your Enemy

The enemy doesn't mind if you play church and call yourself a Christian while flirting with the world or talk a big spiritual game…

BUT the moment you decide to pursue God and truly set apart time in your schedule to pray and listen, it’s GAME ON! 

It is at this precise time that our enemy unleashes his devices to DISTRACT us from the upward call.

WHY?

Because You will NEVER be Dangerous if You don't Learn to Listen to the Voice of the Lord in Your Life. 

 You Have a Desire to Connect with God on a Deeper Level...

But the only advice you get is

"PRAY AND READ YOUR BIBLE"

The problem with the “Pray and read your Bible” prescription is that it's too generic. 

These are the questions that you have probably asked yourself, as you try to stay focused:

• Am I praying right?
• What do I say?
• Is this productive?

Followed by "I am not good at this" 

 Direction to Read Your Bible More is Great, but Comes with Its Own Set of Challenges.

• What do I read?
• How long do I read?
• Is a chapter a day good enough? 
• The Bible in a year plan?

Maybe  you tried reading a few pages of that men's devotional you were given as a gift, but it just didn’t have the effect you were hoping for.

The Truth is just “reading” and engaging in an intellectual exercise is never going to deliver the breakthrough you need.

Men of God Have Morning Routines

 "Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed."  Mark 1:35

"And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord."  Genesis 19:27

"And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel."  Exodus 24:4

"Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord."  Joshua 6:12

Make God Your First Thing

Most men are reacting to life and doing their best to survive. When you're stuck in stress, your stuck in survival mode. This was never the plan for man. God's goal is for you to learn to partner with Him, where you are working in cooperation with His specific will for your life. But to do this you need to be in the proper position. 

There is a rule of 'firsts' throughout scripture. Men of God always bring their FIRST and their BEST to the Lord. When they do they do, He honors them our of their relationship, obedience and sacrifice. 

Jesus can be observed following this same pattern. He can be seen in scripture at a 'certain place' before daybreak in His secret place of prayer. 

The Secret resides in The Secret Place

 Trade the 'Rise and Grind' for 'Rise and Rest'

When God created man on the 6th day, His creative work was finished. Man's first day was the day of rest. You were born into rest. This would be quickly interrupted by sin, where man would now be under the curse, forced to grind and hustle by muscling his way through life. 

Jesus reversed the curse and invites you to drop your heavy burden and remove the yoke that you have been wearing like a backpack. This is an invitation into His REST. 

Starting your day in His REST  

God told Joshua

 "You Will Make Your Way Prosperous and then You Will Have Success"

Joshua gets clear instruction from the Lord that he will achieve total and complete victory... but there were two conditions.

1. He has to BE someone
2. He has to DO something

What was the Key to Joshua's success and how did he step into his identity to BE THE MAN?

What did The Lord tell him to DO?

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall MEDITATE in it day and night..." Joshua 1:8

Spiritual Disciplines 

I diligently pursued Spiritual Practices, Ancient Disciplines and Devotional Approaches used by Men of God through the ages. It was within these that I found a key to unlocking what I call "The UNFAIR ADVANTAGE" all Kingdom Men have access to, but few know how to utilize. 

I refined my methods of connecting with The Lord everyday and combined these Ancient Practices with Modern Science to:

• Influence my Physiology
• Increase my Focus
• Rewire my Brain and Renew my Mind
• Develop Discipline through Connecting the Spiritual Disciplines with a Physical Training Program.

Rise and Optimize

Learn how to Reboot and Rewire your physiology with the Rise and optimize morning protocol. This is what we do first thing upon waking. No more hitting snooze or checking social media when you roll out of bed. Attack the morning by building your energy and focus with habits backed by science.  

• Ancient Practices grounded in Biblical truth
• Biblical Breathing
• Build your state of awareness 
• Train to be present and intentional with everything

Rise and Rest

Learn the ancient practice of Biblical Meditation with a proven framework.  This is the opposite of traditional Eastern, new age meditation where the focus is on becoming empty. With Biblical Meditation we focus on FILLING ourselves with God's word, Presence and His Spirit.  

•  Get a proven process for connecting with God in prayer

•  Complete spiritual exercises and assignments that take you deeper into God's presence through His word

•  No more playing 'Bible roulette' by not knowing where to start. Complete the prescribed spiritual mission every day

Everything Starts with

Self-Leadership 

You are called to lead your world and impact your sphere of influence, but there is a sequence and order to leadership. God calls us to lead ourselves first. Self-leadership qualifies you for promotion.

To effectively lead yourself you are going to need to do something different. It's time to UPGRADE your Daily Actions so you can BE THE MAN God created you to be.

You Need To Train Like An Athlete 

Throughout the New Testament the Apostle Paul paints a picture of a Well-Disciplined Athlete as he compares our call as a Disciple and Mandate to Expand the Kingdom of God to the Elite Athletes that competed in the 1st century Roman games. 

The Apostle understood the Intense Discipline and Preparation that Athletes undergo to win the competitive games. He compared our decision to follow the Lord to a Race and to a Fight.

We Are In A Race and A Fight 

The Apostle Paul writes to all believers:

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable crown.

Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."

I Corinthians 9:24-27, A.D. 63 

A Deliberate Course of Action 

It’s Time to Get Off the Sidelines and Get In the Game.  

You are called to Run Your Race, to Fight Your Fight and leave it all on the field. Your Calling to Follow Christ is not about Convenience, it is about:

• CONSECRATION
• COMMITMENT
• SACRIFICE and SELF-DENIAL

You Need to Cultivate Spiritual Skills and Disciplines to Finish Strong. Your calling is to be an overcomer. But not all will receive the crown reserved for the overcomers.

"I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown."

-Jesus, Revelation 3:11

Discipline Is Developed   

"I Discipline My Body and Make it My Slave"

"Present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"

The Bible makes multiple references to our discipline in the physical realm. As Kingdom Driven Men we are stewards, managing and multiplying what we oversee, including our bodies.

When Men are sloppy in one area of their life, they are sloppy in other areas.  Cultivating a lifestyle of discipline through physical training has impacted every area of my life and has a direct impact on my walk as a disciple. 

"The Way You Do Anything - Is The Way You Do Everything"

  RESISTANCE + REST = GROWTH  

This principle is true in the natural and spiritual realm. All growth comes from challenge. Strength is stimulated at the point of struggle.

• You Need To Develop Daily Discipline
• You Need Resistance
• You Need Challenge 
• You Need to Increase Your Physical capacity 
• You Need to Grow to be a Capable Man in All Areas of Life

“Strength Training Develops the Mental Fortitude to Meet Resistance with Force.”