There’s an old saying, “Come apart before you fall apart!” There is a lot of truth in that statement since all of us tend to get too busy, too distracted and too buried in the flow of life that we don’t know when we’re overloaded and we lose focus on the things that really matter. Someone also said, “A ditch is a grave with the two ends kicked out”. Well, there is a way to get out of that ditch before we literally fall apart! Maybe it is to tear yourself away from the demands of the day and spend some real quality time with the Lord in His Word. Maybe it is to purposely lose your electronic hand held device for an extended period of time and start listening for the “still small voice” calling for your attention. Or maybe it’s time to REALLY get away like a bunch of us guys did last weekend and attend a spiritual men’s conference like “Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend” which was held on the campus of Liberty University.
I’ve been attending yearly men’s conferences like these since the mid nineties. At that time it was called “Promise Keepers” and they all have pretty much the same kind of format. They bring literally thousands of guys together in a big arena, assemble a program of powerful worship music, add testimonials of faith in Jesus by famous athletes or other notable figures and then include incredibly powerful preaching of the Gospel for salvation and personal revival for victory over sin.
Many times we saw Joe White (the current CEO at Kanakuk Ministries) physically drag a cross beam on his shoulder down the floor of the arena and up onto the stage, then pick up an axe and notch that beam to assemble a cross, all while telling the story of Jesus! He would hammer in huge spikes and then set up the cross and appeal for the men to come forward and surrender their lives to the Lord. Hundreds of men would give their lives to Jesus and devote themselves to surrendered lives for the sake of being better men, fathers, husbands and for spreading the Gospel.
This year’s Ignite conference included testimonies of famous athletes like Yankees Closer Mariano Rivera, Hall of Fame Quarterback Jim Kelly & current Redskins Quarterback Kirk Cousins. Powerful preaching was provided by pastor Rick Rigsby plus side-stitching humor from Dennis Swanberg. It was a life changing event for thousands of men.
Below is my friend Jim (back left) and two of my sons Dan & Eric in the foreground.
So in closing I encourage you to at least once a year to get away from the pressures of your schedule, come apart to re-energize and refill your spiritual batteries. I have seen men’s lives transformed by the power of the Cross and become new men. I took my neighbor along one year and he came home and led his dad to the Lord who was literally on his deathbed! Do not be timid or afraid to be under the powerful preaching of God’s Word. Your life will give glory to the Lord, your testimony for Jesus will be stronger and the people around you will be impacted for eternity. Come apart!
(You can find these yearly events for men at http://www.ignitemen.net and also for the ladies at http://www.womenoffaith.com/. I’m sure there are many other such ministries from which to choose)
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