4th Annual Calvary Chapel Flower Mound
Men’s Conference!

Saturday, June 16th, 2012
8:30am – 3:00pm

Special Guest Speaker: Kerby Anderson from Probe Ministries and the host of the Point of View Radio Program.

Cost: $20 for adults before June 1st; $15 for 12-17 year olds before June 1st; $25 for everyone June 1st and after. Lunch is included in the conference price.

Tentative Program
8:30 am Continental Breakfast
8:45 Worship and Opening Remarks
9:00 War of Worldviews (Major Worldviews) (Kerby Anderson)
10:00 Truth Decay (Post Modernism and Relativism) (Kerby Anderson)
11:00 Temptations Men Face (Kerby Anderson)

11:50-1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 –1:25 Worship
1:30 –1:50 Q and A (Kerby Anderson)
1:55 Living for Christ and our role in this world as Christian men (Pastor Jon Bell)
2:45 Worship and Communion

For information email men@calvarychapelflowermound.org or call 469-464-3940

What does a Christian do when faced with unfulfilled expectations? This was exactly the situation when the combined forces of Israel and Judah looked to settle a score with the nation of Moab. On their journey they ran out of water for their troops and their animals. Desperation and frustration tempted them to give up until Elisha the Prophet gave them the word from the Lord to dig ditches.

In the same way we are told to “dig ditches” when up against the frustration of unfulfilled expectations. When in doubt the best thing we can do when faced with adversity is to prepare ourselves for the miracle. That is what digging ditches is all about, preparation. Digging our ditch will be digging into the Word, digging into prayer, digging into serving, digging into loving and encouraging the brethren, or digging into the ministry.

As we dig we find our Focus on Him and our walk with him, and not on the problem or the solution to the problem. So the challenge is to Focus not on the desired result or what we want, but on our relationship with the Lord. When we do God will exceed our expectations as He did Israel and Judah. We will find a filling of our ditch with the water of the Holy Spirit. We will find our part is the preparing and God’s part is the doing. So dig in, dig deep and dig full! Dig it?

2 Kings 3:17-19 ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ 18 And this is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.

David found himself in a position to kill his problem. Saul had been a thorn in his side making life difficult for him. You might even say Saul had ruined his life, forcing him from a life he could have only dreamed about. Saul was the source of pain, hardship and uncertainty. When given the opportunity to kill Saul, he didn’t take it. He was even encouraged by his entourage that the Lord God wanted him to kill Saul, yet he refrained.

Perhaps you have a difficult person or situation in your life. We can learn a great lesson here from David. Don’t kill your sanctifier. Perhaps and most likely your difficult person or difficult situation is meant for your benefit. Paul tells us that it is God’s will for us to be sanctified.

1 Thess 4:3
For this is the will of God, your sanctification

Sanctification is the process of growth and development in the Lord. God’s process of sanctification develops strength, spiritual fruit, grace, perseverance, and Christ-likeness. It is the believer’s best friend as Christ is formed in us. David understood that he needed Saul in his life to sanctify him. He knew God would deal with Saul in the right time but it wasn’t up to him to take matters into his own hands. As a result, God used Saul as David’s sanctifier. David developed into a great leader and a great man of God. His heart was deeply passionate with fervent love for God. He was a man after God’s own heart and Saul’s ill treatment was a big part of his development.

When difficult people and circumstances are in your life there is no need to take matters into your own hands. God has greater things in mind. Instead, draw near to Him with greater dependence letting Him carry you to new heights and greater depths of His love. Embrace your sanctifier as God’s loving hand upon you. Bless those who curse you, overcome evil with good and whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord and not man. Like sandpaper rubbing out the rough spots, your sanctifier is smoothing out your rough edges making you more like the king of kings.

Don’t kill your sanctifier

As grace comes out of the fire,

Let patience have its perfect way

As God brings strength out of the fray.

If you are going through a trial, take heart. Your God, Jesus Christ, is the God of peace. Every bit of your trial is designed to settle you in Christ bringing perfect rest to your soul. It may not seem like in the midst of your buffeting, while you are feeling the pressure in the pit of your stomach and your mind is filled with worry and care. But take heart, knowing this is a process of peace if you let patience have it’s perfect work. The God of peace is allowing pain to dethrone the threats to His peaceful reign. The God of peace is bringing peace by removing the peace breaking impurities of self, the world, and idol occupying masters. Two masters cannot reign; you will love one and hate the other. One master is the God of peace; the other is the god of chaos. Take heart, when the God of peace reigns unchallenged on the throne of your will He will crush your agent of affliction.

Take heart, shortly tells us there is an end. Your affliction is the very remedy for your turmoil and conflicts plaguing your soul. Your affliction is a time released capsule of healing, health and wholeness by killing the disease of your flesh. Take heart, for peace will be yours, shortly. Take heart knowing God is in control of our afflictor and our affliction. The sun is coming and the waves will calm. The God of peace will captain your heart while crushing Satan and his peace disrupting ways. You will stand over him as he will be placed under your feet, powerless to control and torment.

Take heart, shortly may not seem soon enough, but shortly will come and be glorious as Christ the God of peace reigns over you and in you with gentle calm and rest.

Take heart, peace will come;
Stress from within will be undone.
Not from comfort but through pain;
God’s peace will reign.
Satan must flee;
As God’s power redeems.
Under our feet Satan crushed;
As shortly comes and he is hushed.

Ps 90:12
So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

That doesn’t necessarily mean we go out and busy ourselves to death every second, but what it does mean is that the Holy Spirit will constantly lead us to be in God’s will and each moment holds significance, meaning and wonder. Each moment can be wonderful if we live in the presence of the God full of wonder. The key then to a fulfilling and impacting life is to live each second for the Lord, aware of His presence in each moment, taking each opportunity to enjoy Him relationally and living for His will. When we do, we won’t live our lives waiting for something to happen or looking to the future, instead, we will live our lives in a constant state of happening. Be in each and every moment with Him and each moment will monumental. Redeem the time, for the days are evil.

Instead of counting the days, make your days count.