Hello, God Calling!

I am of the belief that we are more alike than different. Let me test this theory with the following statement: "As Men of the Kingdom of God we are all seeking to live a life that it pleasing to God, to make a positive difference in our families, in our communities, and in our world."— do you agree?

How about this statement: "I make a positive difference, by going to work, attending church when I can, getting an education and living a good moral life." –am I still okay? Are we still more alike than different?—don’t worry keep reading, I am not trying to trick you… just relax.

Okay, now let me take it a little further; Let me know if we are still in agreement with this statement: "Because of my responsibilities and the demands of the job, school and family, I have not taken time to hear from God on a regular and consistent basis."

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these statements, you find yourself in much the same quandary that all men face in trying to find a good response to the issues of bringing all of our responsibilities and avocations to the point of balance. I know that I feel pretty darn good if I get my work hours in, have a small conversation with my wife, find out how the kid’s day have faired and go to bed for my nightly five-hours of sleep. And it’s a regular party at my house if I try to steal a little time for me to veg-out in front of the TV.

However, the challenge remains—how do I bring a sense of balance to my life? With all that, I am required to do, how do I place my spiritual life on the same level as my family, my vocation, my health, my recreation, and any possible community activity? I believe that we may be asking ourselves the wrong questions, and pursuing lofty ideals without biblical foundation.
In contrast to our "Kingdom Pursuits," as males we are naturally socialized to ‘work hard,’ ‘be strong,’ and to ‘seek success.’ Therefore, the idea of balance only comes to play if we are able to juggle it all and succeed without any of the balls falling--ever. No wonder we are all stressed, over worked, and have neither time, nor energy for God. The problem is that this ideal of balance in perfection is not biblical. Something has to give and all too often, it is our relationship with God.

We can quote with ease Matthew 6:33, ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you’, but do we truly understand that this is God’s priority for us? Dr. Myles Munroe writes in his book, "Kingdom Principles: Preparing for Kingdom Experience and Expansion":

"Our first instruction from Jesus is to seek. This means to pursue, study, explore, understand, learn, consider. Seekers must have a desire to know, and possess a passion for the object of their search. To seek means to give diligent dedication to and to preoccupy one’s self with that which one is seeking. The Kingdom must be pursued, studied, understood, and learned.

Second, Jesus tells us to make the Kingdom first. In other words, the Kingdom must be our top priority, the principle thing to place before all others as most important. We must place the highest value on the Kingdom of God, setting it above everything as our primary focus. The Kingdom must be placed above everything else and should have no competition. It must be our highest priority."

The Kingdom of God must be our highest priority, because it places us in our highest position of authority here on earth. As I seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, I am placed in right standing and right relationship with God therefore I gain the legal right and authority and spiritual empowerment to fulfill God’s purposes in my life. Once my priorities are changed, I am anointed to bless my family, to work with creativity, to live in health and abundance! God is calling, what is your response?

• The RE:GNR8 Men's Conference 2007 is a great opportunity to connect with other men and be inspired to be a Godly man of influence. The powerful messages will equip you to face the challenges of the world today openly, honestly and confidently. There is power when Men get together to worship their Creator and rediscover their God given direction. It energizes their souls to persevere in being the leaders God has called them to be while empowering and encouraging those around them. For more information, see the RE:GNR8 link above.