ENEMY TACTICS

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:8-10

Anyone who has traveled internationally will admit that most Americans have a very easy life. We are surrounded by convenience and comfort, with lots of entertainment options to distract us from the important things in life. Perhaps that is why it is easy for many of us to overlook the fact that there is a war raging all around us. The war I refer to is not in Iraq, Afghanistan or some other third world country. It is one we cannot see but are, nonetheless, caught up in every day of our lives. It is the one against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms that Paul refers to in Ephesians. It is the war that forces every human being to choose sides, with that choice determining where and how they will spend eternity. While the outcome of this war has already been decided and the Lord Jesus Christ the declared the eternal victor, the day that victory will be recognized and the enemy vanquished has not yet arrived. Until that time, the battles rage on. We, as men of God, are called to be warriors in this conflict. Yet, we often behave as if that is not the case. Our enemy, the devil, knows this… and capitalizes on it. He is a master of deception and brilliant tactician, who is filled with fury and highly effective at devouring those caught untrained, unaware or unprepared. Three of his most effective ploys are accusation, deception and isolation. We must learn to recognize and resist these tactics so that we may overcome them through the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:10 calls satan the “accuser of the bretheren” and says that he “accuses them before God day and night.” Think about that. It means that the enemy finds this strategy so effective that he employs it every day. Why is that so? Because he knows that many of us have a difficult time truly accepting Christ’s forgiveness and grace. Also, as Mr. Stansbury pointed out in his last post, many of us have an identity crisis. If we don’t know who we are in Christ, we give the enemy a foothold to undermine us. Consequently, those accusations frequently discourage us and make us want to give up the fight. When that happens, we have become a casualty of war. The enemy has effectively removed us from the fight and we fail to advance the kingdom of God.

Deception is another favorite of the devil. So much so that, in John 8:44, Jesus calls him “the father of lies” and says that deception is his native tongue. Deception is powerful. From the time of Genesis, it has effectively hindered us from understanding God’s truth, deterred us from making good decisions, hampered us from realizing our true strength in Christ and, most of all, kept us from accomplishing the unique mission God has for each of us. When we are lied to, it causes to become distrustful and weakens our faith.

Isolation cuts straight to the core of a man. Loneliness is a very heavy weight. That is why prisons use solitary confinement as punishment. Even snipers and scouts are sent out in teams. The devil knows all of this very well and works hard to jam our communications with each other and with God. When we allow ourselves to become isolated it is easy to lose heart. We cannot encourage each other and, therefore, become susceptible to the enemy’s lies (Hebrews 3:13). When we live alone we fail to sharpen each other (Proverbs 27:17). When we keep our sins secret, we cannot prosper or find mercy (Proverbs 28:13). When we do not consistently communicate with God (pray), we are rendered powerless and ineffective (James 5:16). Our relationship with the Father is weakened and we are not able to receive His blessing.

So, how do you defend against these tactics? The bible instructs us in several places. The first step is stated clearly in 1 Corinthians 16:13 and again in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be on your guard” and “Be alert.” In other words, we need to recognize these attacks when they happen. This takes some practice, because these attacks play on our emotions and emotions are powerful. It is very important that we realize feelings are not fact and that we should never make an emotional decision, especially one that is based on worry or fear. The following are examples of a few lies that work especially well with most men: “You are so messed up that God will not forgive you. You are weak and inadequate. You don’t have what it takes. You have no clue what you are doing.” Sound familiar? I bet they do. So much so that just reading those words might even have a physical effect on some of you. At the very least, they can distract us from the truth if we are not prepared and do not recognize them as the lies that they are.

Once we are able to recognize an attack, the next step is to resist. There are several ways to do this. Ephesians 6:13-18 talks about the armor of God. A well-known passage that wonderfully summarizes how we should begin our resistance, it is a picture of a soldier preparing for war (No coincidence, in my opinion). Furthermore, the passage clearly states that the purpose of putting on the armor is to resist the devil’s schemes -- exactly what we are talking about here! Because every piece of armor has a distinct, important purpose and works together to fully protect us, I highly recommend you study the full passage. However, I want to focus on just three components here: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness and the sword of the spirit.

The belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness are the first parts of the armor mentioned. Think about the purpose of each of these. The belt holds the scabbard for the sword of the spirit (the Bible), as well as the armor for the lower vital areas. The breastplate covers your heart and lungs – the core of your being. To be righteous means to be free from guilt or sin. We have already been made righteous by Christ’s death on the cross. However, I believe this instruction to put on the breastplate of righteousness means we are to obey God. When we are obedient to God’s ways, then the devil has no way to accuse us. Truth exposes lies and the bible (sword of the spirit) shows us the truth. When we practice with our sword (i.e. study the Bible) regularly, then we will know exactly what passages and verses state the truth needed to expose the enemy’s deception. Again, I think it is helpful to provide examples:

ATTACK: “You are so messed up that God will never forgive you.”
DEFENSE: “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

ATTACK: “You are weak and inadequate.”
DEFENSE: “…My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness… For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

ATTACK: “You don’t have what it takes.”
DEFENSE: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

ATTACK: “You have no clue what you are doing.”
DEFENSE: “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13
“Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Are you starting to understand? As men of God, we must be on our guard, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage; be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13). If we rely on the strength of the Lord and the training he provides, we will overcome the evil one. When we learn to identify and expose the enemy’s lies, we can then resist the attack. When we live in community with other believers, pursuing relationships that involve openness, accountability and integrity and don’t allow ourselves to become isolated, then we can also strengthen, encourage and give hope to others when they come under attack. Remember, the enemy only attacks those who are advancing God’s kingdom. If you are making a difference you will take fire. Do not lose heart! Do not be afraid to engage the enemy! James 4:7 specifically says that the devil will flee if we resist him. Young men, I charge you today, LEARN TO RECOGNIZE AND RESIST! LEAD THE WAY! STAND FIRM! FINISH STRONG!

Praise be to Jesus Christ our Master and Commander,

Mike McFarland
Guest Director

Under the Circumstances

Challenge Dads, Specialists, and Recruits,

Welcome to April 2010. I invite you to join the Challenge Blog (http://teenpactchallenge.blogspot.com/). We are gearing up for Challenge 2010. Join us as we ready our spirits,minds, and bodies for an awesome season. Don't forget to register and be a part of the 2010 Father-Son Marksmanship Camp. See the blog or go to http://www.eventsbot.com/events/eb631749323 for details.

Under the Circumstances

Ever caught yourself saying, "I am fine, under the circumstances"? Well, what are you doing under there? Jude verse 24…God is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy. Notice that God is doing all the action here. He is able, He keeps you, He presents you. Get out of His way and let Him have His way. If we will do these things then we will be able to say…"Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Romans 8:37) Read the surrounding verses. At Challenge we ask the question, Who are you? We also have recently added the question "whose are you"? Here in Romans is a more full answer. There is power for us if we would just tap into it. So many of us have an identity crisis. Here is our identity. This is who we are or at least who God intends us to be.

Consider the surfer. The ominous wave that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surfer the exhilaration of going clean through the pipeline. Apply that to your own circumstances, these very things - tribulation, distress, persecution, produce in us this super-joy; they are not things to fight. We are more than conquerors through Him in all these things, not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. The saint knows the joy of the Lord because of tribulation, not in the escape from it. - "I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation," says Paul.

You have heard me say, ‘Like Ester, you are where you are, when you are, and who you are for a reason.’ If this is true then God is ready willing and able to use you…NOW! But don’t’ take my word for it. Find some confirmation. By listening to His servants only, we demonstrate how little we trust God. We like to listen to personal testimonies, but we fear or doubt God Himself should speak to us. Why are we so terrified? Perhaps because we realize that when God speaks, one of two things must happen. One - we must do the thing we hear, for God is not a man that He should lie. Two - we must tell God we will not obey Him. On the other hand, if we only listen to man, we have the prerogative to believe the word or deed is not imperative. Mans word or deed could simply be just that, "your own idea". Do not shy away from God’s truth. So find the confirmation of my words to you in Ester. God's word to you.

Are you ready? Here’s some practical advice. Listen to God. Do it innocently like Samuel. "Speak; for thy servant hears." (1 Samuel 3:10) In addition to listening innocently, listen often. We men have a tendency to take one victory and assume that we can do the rest on our own. Stay in close relationship with God. I show God that I neither love nor respect Him by my indiscernible heart and mind towards what He says. Have you disobeyed your LORD this week? If you had realized a command came form Jesus, you would not have consciously disobeyed it; but most of us show such disrespect to God that we do not even hear what He says. He speaks to you through your parents, your pastor, your Bible reading times, your prayer life. Listen. I encourage you to stop missing the mark.

In a future letter I will speak to you about a Righteous Revolution. This letter will speak about a need to be bold, and impact this world…turn it upside down for Christ. In order for this future letter to be meaningful, you will need to know who you are. You will need to understand your identity. The destiny of your spiritual life is in such identification with Jesus Christ that you always hear God, and you know that God always hears you (John 11:41). If I am united with Jesus Christ, I hear God. Be not distracted. Hear Him all the time. What hinders you from hearing? At Challenge Staff Training we learn some powerful tools to help us listen...even prepare to listen. The things that hinder your ability to hear are distractions. It is not that you will not hear God, but you are not devoted in the right place. What are you devoted to? To things, to service, to convictions. The child attitude is always, "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears." If you have not cultivated this devotion of hearing, you can only hear God's voice at certain times; at other times you’re consumed with things - things which you say you must do, and you become deaf to Him. You must live the life of a child. Have you heard God's voice today? If not, why not?

"What I tell you in darkness, those speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ears that preach ye upon the housetops." Matthew 10:27

At 0300 hours on a 20,000 feet ridge in the Hindu Kush Mountains, my 20-man team was in our hide sites waiting for contact with the enemy. The night was black as pitch. My natural eye site was useless and therefore my sense of hearing and my sense of smell were heightened. We lay silent, we listen to discern movement, numbers, speed, direction. At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us how to hear Him. We are put into the shadow of God's hand until we learn to hear Him. Be aware of the situations where God puts you into darkness. When you are there keep your mouth shut. Are you in the dark just now in your circumstances or in your life with God? Then remain quiet. If you open your mouth in the dark, you will talk over the words you should her. Darkness is the time to listen. The most important thing to do is not talk to other people about it; not to read books to find out the reason of the darkness. The most important thing is but to listen and to heed. Sometimes, if you talk to other people, you cannot hear what God is saying. When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you get into the light.

After every time of darkness there comes a mixture of delight and humiliation. The exhilaration comes from hearing God speak. What about the humiliation? Why the mixed emotion? Answer – why did it take such a long time to hear from God? How slow are we to understand God? He gives you the gift of humiliation that brings the softness of heart that will always listen to God. James 1:2-4, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Cultivate your relationship with God. Take time to listen to Him. Learn to listen. Capitalize on the situation you are in. Be reminded of who you are and whose you are. Then when in the light, make the impact God has designed.

God is good. Find out for yourself.

Challenge Program Director, Bruce Stansbury

Dates For Basic/ Extreme 2010/ Details included.

Gentlemen,
Here are the dates and info for Basic:
Oct 4-8

This year Challenge Basic will be held at Fort Benning Georgia. We have an exciting program planned that will focus you on being the leader God wants you to be. Opportunities you will receive at Basic include:

Rappelling conducted by the Warrior Training Center
Land Navigation on the 4th Ranger Battalions NAV course
Firearms instruction from the Army Marksmanship Unit
Run the Army Ranger Confidence and Obstacle courses at the Warrior Training Center
Learn the Challenge Values: Duty, Courage, Humility, Strength, Godly, Faithful, Teamwork, Discipleship, Sacrifice, Leadership

In todays world, we need men capable of leading confidently under pressure and stress. Challenge Basic helps teach you the skills you need to execute and complete your daily missions.

Come join us as at Fort Benning Georgia, home of the Infantry, Airborne and Army Rangers and learn skills you need to impact your world for Christ! “...that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Philippians 1: 27

And for Extreme:

Oct 13-18

After completing Basic, continue your Challenge experience by attending Extreme. Challenge Extreme will be conducted this year in the jungle and swamp of an undisclosed U.S. Military Base. The emphasis during Extreme is to continue the development of the Specialist leadership reaction skills. You must be capable of operating effectively under conditions of extreme mental and physical stress. Challenge Extreme makes this happen through practical exercises in Task- Force level operations in a jungle/swamp environment.
As a Specialist at Extreme you will learn:

• Small boat operations
• Expedient stream crossings
• Three gun Action Shooting
• Skills needed to survive and operate in a jungle/swamp environment.

You will also learn how to lead your team to execute and complete missions in a real-life scenario taken from todays headlines.

Our world needs the self-sacrificing leadership you receive at Extreme.
Come join your brothers in Christ and receive practical training that will prepare you for wherever God may send you!

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” I Timothy 6:12 “ And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. “ II Timothy 2:2

Speaker Info: Mike McFarland will be with us for both weeks www.teenpact.com/uploads/McFarland Challenge picture bio(1).pdf


**ROOM AND BOARD BETWEEN BASIC AND EXTREME**
There will be a place and food provided for the specialists staying in between Basic and Extreme. It will be optional and not mandatory. Let Executive Officer Joseph Schalchlin know that you will be needing this by contacting him at tpchallenge@gmail.com . There will be an extra $95 charge for this to cover the costs, so bring your money with you.

That's About it,

And so in the undying words of Challenge Specialist Stephen Boyd, "Press On"

Officer Phillips

The Breastplate Of Saint Patrick/ Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick was a very strong christian, early in life he was captured and made a slave. He escaped and returned to his homeland, while he was there someone shared the Gospel with him. He was so inspired that he went back to the land where he was a slave to share the gospel. Incredible!!!! A special shoutout to all the irish who read this blog. You know who you are, (Mike Powers) Happy Saint Patrick day. Eat lots of corned beef, cabbage and soda bread.

Here is the Prayer or "Breasplate" of saint Patrick





I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

I love all the old tyme language.
So as Stephen Boyd Says,
"Press On"
Officer Phillips

LIFE TO THE FULLEST

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is men who have come alive.” -- Gil Bailie

It’s funny to me how God sometimes decides to go a totally different direction than what I expect. He did that with this post. I had already finished most of the preparation for a different topic and was just about to write the final version when I decided to read Officer Stansbury’s last post one more time. As I did, I was profoundly struck by three phrases in his message. The first was “Don’t be constrained by your experience.” Next, to the Challenge Dads he wrote, “We have experienced a life of abuse and worry.” Finally, he said, “Dare (emphasis mine) to have a meaningful relationship with the creator of the universe.” Now, I had already read the post … several times. But, this time was different. I felt like God was using these phrases to get my attention in a big way. When I prayed and asked Him about it, He immediately reminded me of a line in the McFarland creed: Live life to the fullest. It comes directly from the words of Jesus in John 10:10: "The thief comes only to kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” While every line in my personal creed is intentional and purposeful, I especially love this one. Let me explain why.

Years ago, I was headed down a very bad path. I was already a Christian, but had not been trained to deal with adversity. When it came, I became distracted, discouraged and lost focus. Satan seized the opportunity to convince me to believe several lies about myself. I didn’t think I could measure up and lost hope. As a result, I gave up, checked out and went my own way. In the process, I made some very bad and very costly decisions -- decisions that caused deep and immense pain for many people in my life. It was as if I left my post, allowing the enemy to enter my base and detonate a massive bomb. I deserved to lose everything good in my life and thought I had. But, in His immense mercy and grace, God saw fit to choose otherwise. He started by allowing me to see the devastation I had caused. When I did, I turned my heart back to Him. I accepted full responsibility for my actions, repented and asked for His forgiveness. I submitted myself to Him completely and fully. And then He began to move…in a big way. Soon after, I discovered John 10:10 and feel like Christ revealed the depth of its meaning to me.

When I first read it, the word "full" stood out to me so I looked it up in Webster’s Dictionary. Boy, was I surprised! There were 20 different definitions for this seemingly simple little word! I was also astounded by many of these definitions as I considered how they applied to the life that Christ describes in John 10:10. Here are just a few of them:

Full (adj.): 1. Complete especially in detail, number, or duration. 2. Having all distinguishing characteristics: enjoying all authorized rights and privileges. 3. Not lacking in any essential. 4. Being at the height of development. 5. Rich in experience. 6. Large enough to satisfy. 7. Completely occupied especially with a thought or plan. 8. Possessing a rich or pronounced quality.

Wow! Is that not exciting! It reminds me again of the second part of James 1:4 which states, “…so that we may become mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Of course, let’s not forget that the verse begins by stating, “Perseverance must finish its work …”. The operative word here is perseverance. Webster defines perseverance as “The act of persevering.” The word “persevere” is an action verb with three definitions: 1. To persist in anything undertaken. 2. Maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement. 3. Continue steadfastly.

Do you get the picture yet? God loves us so much that he wants to give us a life of great adventure! However, the Bible also makes it clear that a full life is NOT an easy, safe one with guarantees or clear, timely answers. The full life our Lord intends for us is one that requires obedience, faith and trust in Him without demanding to know why things are happening, regardless of how hard or painful they might be. Satan knows about this full life and hates it. He does everything possible to stop a man from completing the mission Christ has for him, because he knows that God calls men to lead the way in this world. Mr. Stansbury was right. We should not let our fears or past adverse experiences constrain us. Instead, we should dare to have a meaningful relationship with the creator of the universe and be constrained only by the love of Christ. That is a truly full life.

Those years ago God redeemed me. Here and now I testify that He has poured out His love on me and graciously granted me a FULL LIFE. It is not without pain, struggle, uncertainty or hardship. It is also not without immense peace, joy, laughter, adventure and contentment. I would not trade it for any other. Young men, I encourage you to avoid wasted years that will leave only needless pain and regret. Rather, choose to seek Christ with your whole heart. Obey Him completely and trust Him in all circumstances so that you can realize the full life He has in store for you. As John Elderedge so aptly puts it in his book The Way of the Wild At Heart, “Don’t choose safety over the opportunity to come alive…. Life is not a problem to be solved; it is an adventure to be lived! Embrace risk! Love with abandon. Stop waiting for others to love you first.”

Now, I encourage you to go live life to the fullest!!!!

Mike McFarland
2010 Guest Director

Stop waiting to get to heaven…Bring heaven on earth

God has not separated you to show what a wonderful man He could make of you, but to reveal His Son in you.

"For the love of Christ constrains us." 2 Corinthians 5:14

Paul says he is overruled, overmastered, by the love of Christ. For those of you who attended the combatives training at Extreme 2009, you know what it means to be held in a grip; held as in a vice. This is how we should view our linkage to the love of God; we are held by the constraint of our experience. I encourage you to experience God. Purposefully choose to spend time with Him. Dare to have a meaningful relationship with the creator of the universe. The one thing that should hold you, even when there is hopelessness like the feeling the ancient mariners felt when they reached the nothingness of the horizon, is the love of God. "The love of Christ constrains us" - when you hear that note in a man’s voice, you can never mistake it. You know that the Spirit of God is getting his unhindered way in that life. Let that be said of you.

Jesus said - "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me." Not witnesses to what Jesus can do, but "witnesses unto Me." We should take everything that happens as happening to Him, whether it be praise or blame, persecution or commendation. No one can stand like that for Jesus Christ who is not constrained by the majesty of His personal power. The battle of good with evil is not an even match. God has beaten satan. Our hero is not going to be conquered. However, for many around us, this last sentence is wholly dependent on how we live life. As men, our greatest fear should not be that we would be condemned, but that somehow Jesus Christ will be defeated. In other words the very things our Lord stood for— love, justice, forgiveness, and kindness among men— will not win out in the end if we do not bring these into the atmosphere as we engage life. Live in confidence. Work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated. So when the time comes to boast of the great things you have done…remember it is not you who did the great thing but Christ within you. When we get to heaven; before we one our mouths, will God see me, Bruce, or you John, or you Seth…I pray not. I pray that God will see Jesus. Jesus is the only one worthy of entering Gods presence. So just like you cannot show up to Challenge without having practices your sit-ups and push-ups…you can not show up to heaven without having practiced your Jesus. Paul says he is gripped by the love of God, which is why he acts as he does. What makes you act the way you do? It is said, “You have not lived until you have found something to die for”. There is only one thing worth living for, one thing that bears fruit in this life. Desire to be used to persuade men of the judgment seat of God, and of the love of Christ. Men, I encourage you to always leave the impression of the holiness and of the power of God, never of our personal holiness.

Living for God
1 Peter 4
1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Dads, I speak to you as a fellow dad. We have experienced a life of abuse and worry. Take encouragement that Christ has also and much more. Because we are joint heirs with Christ, we will also share in the glory to be revealed. But let us not wait for that day. Let us reveal God’s Glory here, now, on earth. How? Dads, lead the way for your family and friends and co-workers. God has placed them in your realm of influence. Serve them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be. Do not be greedy for money, but eager to serve. Do not lord it over them, but be an example to them.

Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are in authority over you. Be respectful of those who have “been there and done that”. All of you, conduct yourselves with humility when dealing with each other, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."[Proverbs 3:34] I know that it is hard growing up. There are many pressures in life. Life is full of uncertainty. This is why God gave us parents and folks who have “been there and done that”. When is doubt, give all your worries to Christ. He truly cares about the struggles you are going through.

Be self-controlled and alert…better yet be spirit-controlled. Your enemy has already be defeated by the blood of Jesus Christ. However he is still trying to take down as many weaklings as he can. So it is your turn to use the word of your testimony. Resist him. Stand firm in the faith. Be aware that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of challenges. You are not alone. Link arms and go into the fray with the mind set that you are more than a conqueror. Do not do life alone.

I pray that God, who called you to his eternal glory, will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. Help me praise Him for displaying His power forever and ever.

Meditate on Psalm 119 all of it, specifically 9-10…do not stray!

Challenge Program Director Bruce Stansbury

Pursuing Your Purpose

“May you learn to value purpose over pleasure, duty over delight and faith over feeling in pursuit of the great adventure that God has for you.”
-- Chuck Holton, A More Elite Soldier

Hello everyone, Specialist Camden McFarland’s dad here. First Officer Stansbury has asked me to join in the Challenge blog. I thought a good way to start would be to pick up where he left off in his last post, “Where the Rubber Meets the Road.” There, First Officer Stansbury spoke strongly about the importance of pursuing a life of purpose. I agree wholeheartedly. So much so, that it is part of my family’s creed and a core tenet of the training my sons receive as I teach them how to be authentic godly men. Now, you are probably saying, “HUA! I get it and am ready to step up!” However, you might also be wondering, “But how do I pursue my purpose, if I’m not even sure what that purpose is?” Well, be encouraged. I believe God’s word provides answers to this question. The following are five that I have found to be true as I pursue Christ’s purpose for me:

1. Follow orders.

Complete obedience to God and a close relationship with him must be the top priority for every person who wants to realize God’s purpose for their life. This is verified in Ecclesiastes 12:13, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” It is emphasized again in Joshua 1:1-9, where God gives Joshua his orders to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Pay special attention to verses 7-9. God makes it clear that if Joshua wants to succeed, he must follow orders. This happens again in 2 Kings 2:2-3. King David is on his deathbed and gives this charge to his son, Solomon: “… So be strong, show yourself a man (emphasis mine), and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements … so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” Again, the bottom line is that total submission to God is a mandatory, non-negotiable requirement if you want to realize his purpose for your life.

2. It’s an “all or nothing” proposition.

God will not reveal his purpose for you until you are fully committed to Him. Put simply, he wants your whole heart. In his book Waking The Dead, John Elderedge illustrates this when he says, "To find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear his voice, you must listen with all your heart. To love him, you must love with all your heart. You cannot be the person God meant you to be, and you cannot live the life he meant you to live, unless you live from the heart." Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Romans 12:2 does too. Check it out.

3. You are on a “need to know” basis.

God does not tell you what you need to know to accomplish your mission until you need to know it. Even then, he only tells you enough to get to the next step in that journey. He also never does the same thing twice and makes it clear that your life is not just about you and that you are part of something much bigger than yourself ( Jeremiah 10:23, Proverbs 16:1,16:9, 19:21). Uncomfortable with this? That’s normal. Most people are. However, men of god must learn to be comfortable with discomfort. God works this way because he wants to show you his faithfulness, so that you can see firsthand that he is worthy of being trusted and loves you deeply. Then, as you learn to trust him in all situations, your faith increases and you praise him more. Make no mistake. It is all about God and he gets all the credit. He alone is worthy of all praise and glory.

4. The only easy day was yesterday.

If you start down a path that you believe is God’s purpose for you, only to encounter difficulties, challenges and setbacks, along with feelings of fear, insufficiency, or a sense of being in way over your head … then you are probably on the right track. Don’t let that surprise you. The Bible makes it clear that if you want God to use you to make a difference in this world, then you will draw fire from the enemy (Matthew 10:16, 22, 34). He also says that you must be willing to endure hardship if you want to be a soldier of Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). Pursuing God requires self-discipline and tenacity, because God uses hardship to build character and teach perseverance. You must persevere so that you can become mature and complete, not lacking anything. Don’t take my word for it. Read Romans 5:3 and James 1:2-4. It’s all there.

5. You are already uniquely suited and fully equipped to complete your mission.

God points this out in Romans 12:6 and 1 Corinthians 7:7. He knew his plan for you before you were even born (Psalm 139:13-16, Ephesians 2:10). He also gives you the strength (Philippians 4:13) and, ironically, the weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) necessary to accomplish his purpose for your life (Psalm 57:2, Philippians 1:6). Is that not awesome?! Well, it doesn’t stop there. Our creator loves us so much that he actually put desires in our heart that make us enjoy the tasks needed to pursue our purpose so that we may find joy in the plans he has for us (Jeremiah 29:11). In the words of Fredrick Buechner, ““The place where God calls you is the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep hunger.” So, figure out what you love and then use it for the glory of God. That is how he intended you to be!

Well, it’s time to wrap this up. I’ve thrown a lot at you. It may take awhile to digest it all. In the meantime, start by reading Romans 8:28-39. This passage concisely summarizes the answers I’ve shared and boils them down to one powerful truth: “…In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” So, take heart Specialists! You have been called to be men of God and leaders of men. Now go forward and reject passivity, accept responsibility and lead courageously so that you will receive the eternal reward God has in store for you.

Stand Firm,

Mike McFarland
2010 Challenge Guest Director