 The Man Minute "Sixty second investments in Christ-Like Manhood"
I have forever found it a weird concept when I think of having to "defend" the gospel. I understand the terminology, that is, that Christians are to be able and willing to make a case for faith. Peter tells us to have a ready defense; that is, the ability to share why we believe. I live by that, however, I do not feel the need to have to protect God as if He were vulnerable to demise! As it plays out in every day life, however, I do not feel a need to defend God, nor His truths. Who is able to defend such a splendor as a Creator God in a manner worthy to do Him justice? It cannot be done. Mere mortals must bow the will to His reality, and refusal to do so is the epitome of arrogance worthy of divine judgment. Truth is something that every person must reckon with, whether they want to or not. It's a common line of thinking that a person who denies Christ does so on the basis of the rejection of facts presented from a Christ-follower. The truth is, in order to deny Christ, one must do so by not rejecting facts, but by suppressing truth. God created in every heart His reality, and in order to deny that reality, a person doesn't reject him from the outside in, but from the inside out. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is know about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them." Romans 1:18-19 www.jasoncruisespeaks.com and www.outdoorministrynetwork.com
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 The Man Minute "Sixty second investments in Christ-Like Manhood"
Hollywood portrays the idea of love as something akin to a life filled with intense passion, long nights of romance, brilliant struggles to keep one another's heart, and so on it goes. All in all, the "picture" we often get of love is one that is a life lived with the volume turned up and the heart set on full throttle. It's a life centered on passion and emotion, or, at least that's the scene we watch play out on the big screen. While love is most certainly passionate, love that lasts more than the typical Hollywood marriage of twelve months, is a love not based on emotion, it's based on a promise. Lasting love definitely contains emotion within it, yet it's foundation is not emotional. Think about it: if you were building a house, would you want a foundation that is moody, volatile, and emotional? I dare say nobody would want that house. You'd want a foundation that is solid and steady, regardless of the situation. Scripture tells us that real love "... is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) Love is patient. That's a choice, not an emotion. Love is not self-seeking. That's a choice. Love is not easily angered nor does it keep a record of wrongs. That's a massive choice, when one chooses to overcome the emotion of anger and bury a wrong done. You can have infatuation and passion, but never be deceived into thinking that infatuation and passion will guarantee love, because that's a life built on a fantasy. The older I get, the more I see that love which lasts through a lifetime is a love that is passionate, but it always chooses to love, even when the emotional account is temporarily spent. It's real love that wants to honor one another. It's real love that wants to see the best in the other person. It's real love that proves itself by hanging around when wrinkles come and good health starts showing it's age. Real love chooses to keep the promise of continuing to love. The beautiful thing is that you can own love that is both passionate and yet based on reality, because the grace of God can bring the best of these two worlds together into a reality that is certain, if and only if, it's based on the love of Jesus that is active in the lives of the lovers. www.jasoncruisespeaks.com and www.outdoorministrynetwork.com  The Man Minute "Sixty Second Investments to Christ-Like Manhood
Beyond question, my favorite time of the year exists in the spring. From mid-March to mid-May, when strutters are on the troll, I find myself obsessed with the chase. Were I forced to choose between elk, whitetails, or even fly fishing, I'd no doubt choose the six to eight weeks of spring to satisfy my outdoor obsession. Just this past week I introduced one of my soul brothers to the addiction that runs through my veins. He asked for it. He wanted to see what the Siren call was all about, and though fully warned about the potential life changes that could ensue, even still he chose to enter the woods. Two hours later Russ Rankin was staring down the barrel of a Thompson Center 12 gauge, violently introducing his first tom to Winchester Xtended Range. Walking out bird in tote he looked over at me and said, "You know, I've always understood why guys would love to hunt trophy bucks because of the big antlers, but I can see how this would totally capture a man. It's because of 'the game' you play, isn't it?" In that moment, I knew Russ needed no further mentoring in the world of feathered fever. In the short span of the 120 minutes it took to throw this bird over his shoulder, the seductive sounds of the gobble and yelp had saturated his marrow. He now understood why these spring chess matches are incredibly intoxicating. When I enter the woods to chase a tom, I never, ever know the outcome, and I'm convinced therein lies the secret with why countless numbers of men are incredibly uninterested in the idea of "church." Tozer once said that we've reduced God to someone who will "never surprise us, never astonish us, never overwhelm us, nor ever transcend us." I will get up at 3:30 am, battle intense humidity, ticks, the possibility of stepping on a copperhead, and the likelihood of coming home empty handed, just to experience the drama of a journey with which I know not the outcome. Your personal faith journey can look just like the hunt of a lifetime, and that constant sense of adventure alive in your own life can have fast, transforming effects on the people you go to church with as well. Jesus never once called a person to a destination or life under a steeple. He only calls people to a relationship, and every relationship I've ever experienced had ever-changing dynamics. Oh that we could all, brothers, lead our churches, and the people in them, to settle for nothing less than faith journeys which scoff at the idea of rote approaches to this eternal God who has made Himself accessible through Jesus The Christ. May we forever be on a quest to experience the astonishment of His great surprises. www.jasoncruisespeaks.com and www.outdoorministrynetwork.com  The Man Minute Is Back. "Sixty Second Investements in Christ Like Manhood"
These past few months have been great time as I've been working on a new project for a publisher, and the writing time has been good for my soul. Can't say enough about the encouragement and appreciation I've seen over the past few months with those of you who've encouraged me to get the Man Minute back online. It means more than you know. Now to today's "minute" ... The Holy Spirit is not an "it." He is a person, the very person of God. It's a tough mystery that we must receive in faith. I've been reading through John this spring, and in John's gospel the Spirit is described as a Counselor. We've seen that reference many times, and understand that role pretty well as we receive His leading. However, He is also described as a "Spirit of truth." He provides a great and supernatural filter to keep us from believing a lie about ourselves, our circumstances, or the people around us. Jesus doesn't stop with the descriptions, though. He said something about the Spirit that, for whatever reason, dropped off of my radar in past readings of John. Jesus tells us that the Spirit will "bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (John 14:26) Fellas that's massive. That knowledge is a game changer, for it tells me that in times when my mind is dull, confused, or simply unresponsive due to my mere humanity, the Spirit's role is to remind me of the truths of God's faithfulness so that I may navigate the journey of manhood. I look back on my life and see time after time where God has brought to the forefront of my mind random times where He's proven Himself sovereign. The next time that happens, I can realize that it's not just God at work in my life, it's literally His Spirit doing for me what I cannot do, so that I remember His benefits. |
Jason CruiseJason Cruise is the founder of Mission. Mission was created to "vindicate the fatherless" in a country known as Moldova. To learn more go to www.themissionvision.net Jason is a well known speaker traveling across the country sharing his love for Christ at wildgame dinners and conferences. Jason has created many valuable resources for the outdoorsmen to take them deeper into their walk with their Creator. These items include DVD's, Bibles, and Bible studies. Archives
July 2014
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