There’s More Coming!
It’s the end of the year, and the holiday crush is about to begin. But before it does, I would like to make one final appeal to ask you to consider supporting this ministry so that we can reach more men in 2024. Please take a few minutes to watch my video message below. It will challenge your thinking about giving in God’s kingdom because, in God’s kingdom, we can be certain that you can’t outgive the Lord.Ā And there’s always more coming to replace what you give away. It’s a promise!
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.Ā (Proverbs 11:25)
Please click on the 2023 Financial Appeal button below to find out how God has used this ministry to bless thousands of men thisĀ year, and make a donation today. Thank you!
TheĀ FrankincenseĀ Mindset: Not a Transaction
“I’ve failed again… How could I have done this?”
Men, does this sound familiar? We often find ourselves faltering, grappling with the all-too-human experience Paul describes in Romans 7:15
For what I want to do I do not do, butĀ what I hate I do. (Romans 7:15)
We resonate with the exclamation, “Oh, the wretched man that I am!”Ā This struggle to live according to theĀ BlueprintĀ set by Jesus often feels overwhelming.Ā In this journey, every misstep seems to add to an invisible ledger of debts. We know Jesus offers forgiveness, yet it’s hard to shake off the feeling that we owe Him something in return.Ā It’s as if our spiritual life becomes a series of transactions: we sin, we confess, and then we scramble to make amends, only to repeat the cycle. Is this just the reality of striving to be a Godly man?
The answer is a resoundingĀ NO!
A Complete Cleansing:
When Jesus was given frankincense, it was symbolic of righteousness and a marker of Jesus’ role as our High Priest. In the Old Testament, frankincense was used by the high priest to send prayers and bring about cleansing. Its significance in the context of Jesus’ birth is profound.
This gift foreshadows the ultimate role of Jesus not just as a king or a savior but as our eternal High Priest. In this role, He intercedes on our behalf,Ā offering not just forgiveness but complete cleansing from our sins.Ā Jesus doesn’t leave us as the struggling man from Romans 7:15. In the next chapter, Paul shows us what this cleansing looks like.
Therefore, there is now no condemnationĀ for those who are in Christ Jesus,Ā because through Christ JesusĀ the law of the Spirit who gives lifeĀ has set youĀ freeĀ from the law of sinĀ and death.Ā (Romans 8:1-2)
Takeaway & Challenge
As men of God, our journey isn’t about tallying sins or accumulating spiritual debts. It’s about living in the freedom and victory that Jesus has already secured for us.
Embrace our identity as forgiven and cleansed, not because of what we do, but because of what Jesus has already done.
Challenge:Ā Read and reflect on Romans 6 – 8 this week. Watch the video below for a discussion on what it means to live in the spirit.
Join us next week for our exploration of the gift of Myrrh!
