Influencers Weekly Devotional

‘Unashamed’

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” [Mark 8:38]

Last week’s devotional by Bryan Craig (‘Report from California’) was a great picture of a group of men from all walks of life, race, socio-economic status, and life stages that are all about unashamedly living out the gospel (good news of salvation and eternal life) of Jesus Christ. Here is what that means to me, based on what I saw and heard while in California with the other Influencer cabinet members… ‘Unashamed’ to be identified as a follower of Christ – Whether it is wearing a ‘Man of God’ wristband, an ‘ABSOLUTELY’ hat band, T-shirt, or having this word as a bumper sticker, these men openly look for opportunities to explain why they are “absolutely a man of God” and “all in” (fully committed). As a result of Les Pearsey’s example in Bakersfield, the men have a clear understanding that it all starts in the home (if married, Les calls the wives of men in his Journey group and gets a ‘report’ on how each man is doing as a husband!). ...influencing those around them to believe in and live for Christ everyday. ‘Unashamed’ to live according to God’s written Word – Standing firm and unashamedly declaring God’s instructions for living, as revealed in the Scriptures, was so evident in Pete McKenzie’s teaching and speaking. He is constantly encouraging and challenging men to evaluate their behavior,attitudes, actions, words, and decisions solely based on what is written in God’s Word…whether in a group setting or an individual counseling situation he faithfully defends this absolute. His question is always, “Is God’s Word the final authority in your life?”…influencing men to know and obey the Word. ‘Unashamed’ to be a man of prayer – As mentioned previously by Bryan, prayer is a constant and consistent part of the men involved with Influencers West. We were able to experience a number of corporate prayer times for an extended period of time where men openly lifted up praise and petitions to God their Savior, Father, and Friend. One of the most powerful examples of how prayer keeps men so connected is hearing from Bill Kauble (“CEO”), who on a weekly basis calls close to 100 men to see how they are doing, always ending the conversation with “What can I pray about for you?” ...influencingmen to believe in the power and purpose of prayer. ‘Unashamed’ to transparently confess struggles – “Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16). This actually happened on several occasions as the men gathered together, showing the power of hearing men speak openly of their personal struggles with sin, tense relational challenges, financial stress, health concerns, etc. Since we all can relate with most every trial, test, and struggle when mentioned, there is always the opportunity for an immediate bond and sense of compassion to occur (exactly what Christ intended to happen among true brothers)…influencing men to not be ashamed of failures or fear other men’s opinions. ‘Unashamed to bear one another’s burdens – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) It is one thing to listen to a man’s pain, struggle, cry for help…it is another thing to come alongside and offer yourself in whatever way is needed. [Christ did not consider this exercise as optional (which is why the word ‘law’ is used)] , knowing we all will need help from others to carry us along our life’s journey with the many twists, turns, disappointments, losses, failures, challenges, etc. that will come our way. One man shared an incredibly heavy burden of his three children openly rejecting him for a past destructive behavior pattern. He has been persevering and trusting in the Lord’s activity in their hearts to reestablish a genuine connection with them that still hasn’t occurred – he was immediately surrounded by several men to pray with and for him… influencingmen to care for others more than themselves. ‘Unashamed’ to extend God’s grace and love – You could tell there was an honest acceptance, respect, and affection present among the men. This is truly the mark of Christ’s presence – “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,” (I John 3:11). The men gathering were incredibly diverse in every way, and yet there was an amazing ‘bond of brothers’ that existed, proving they each have come to understand (because they each have experienced it) forgiveness, gentle correction, and biblical restoration after failures…all as a result of Pete’s clear and unfailing presentation and example of the message of grace (unmerited favor), once again on a constant and consistent basis. …influencingmen to openly show Christ’s love. To put it simply, I experienced true boldness for Christ being ‘lived out’ in ordinary men…many facing trials, recovering from tough circumstances, slowly rebuilding their lives from consequences of poor choices…all seeking to continue walking in faith, trusting in the Lord’s care and unfailing provision, and actively receiving encouragement from true brothers who unashamedly come alongside each other, as Christ did in His time here on earth. Thanks to all of the “men of God” that are part of Influencers West…you are a true inspiration and example of what ‘living it out’ looks like. Keep doing ‘the work of God’ [John 6:28-29]. In Christ, Evans Rector Influencer Cabinet Member