Got your attention? Studies estimate men think about sex from 20 times a day to every seven seconds. The media uses sex to promote, tempt and ultimately sell stuff making it hard for men to avoid sexual imagery.

Culture has made sex a tool, as well as a right for all men regardless of character, emotional maturity or relational capacity. Clearly, sex is on our minds and a modern obsession, but out of context it is possibly the biggest cause for the degradation of human society. Key word? Context.

So let’s address it: How can we have the best sex?

Be married. Sex is good, really good, when a man and woman enjoy God’s context for human sexuality. Throughout the Bible, we see sex between a married couple as a divine intention for holiness, happiness and faithfulness. Sex is a gift from God, a source of pleasure (Song 1:2), shared intimacy (Song 2:3), comfort and companionship (Song 3:1) procreation (Genesis 1:28) and a way to glorify God and bless your spouse. The promise of sexual satisfaction is to draw us into the marital covenant to share the joy of physical bond (Prov. 5:18-19), and becoming one flesh (Gen. 2:24).

However, sex outside of marriage is akin to biblical anarchy. Rejecting the authority of the Bible on issues of sexuality rejects the authority of the Creator to determine what is right and wrong, natural and unnatural, allowed and forbidden (Romans 1:19-25). Unfortunately, trying to enjoy sexual happiness without holiness leads to all kinds of problems, and a plethora of consequences and pain.

For those single men (and women) in our community reading this, hang tough because sex is worth the wait, and not worth the trouble. The Bible empathizes with you and equips you, knowing sexual temptation is rampant and its passion is difficult to avoid (1 Corinthians 7:2, 7:9).

Get the right motive. Amazing sex is the bonus that comes out of having a trusting, loving, caring, open and honest relationship with your wife. Sex should not be a quid quo pro type of ploy where you try to earn it by doing something for your wife (Prov. 21:2). Keeping a ledger of deeds in exchange for sex won’t work. That’s manipulation.

Your motive should be to honor God, with a mutually submitted relationship that’s under control (1 Cor. 6:13, 18-20, 1 Cor. 7:3-5, 1 Thess. 4:4).

Get a Ph.D. on your wife. Pay attention, listen between the lines, and learn about her desires, preferences and longings. Men tend to default to visual stimulation and affectionate touch. But that’s not typically the case for women. She wants to know you are thinking about her, knowing her thoughts and needs. She wants to feel special, cherished and admired. Read the Song of Solomon, and you will see a relationship on fire, words that reflect desire, honor and respect.

If you don’t know your wife’s “love languages,” you may be missing the boat altogether. Take time to find out what triggers her heartbeat. Is it quality time together? Surprise gifts? Affectionate touch? Affirming words? Acts of service?

You may even want to take a deeper dive into learning her personality traits. In his book, Please Understand Me II, David Keirsey helps unravel the famous “Myers-Briggs” personality test and gives excellent insight into your wife.

Make learning about your wife a lifelong adventure, and you will keep the fire burning.

Get humble. As Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, turn the focus off you, and onto your wife. Find ways to show her respect and romance. Here are a few practical things you can do:

• Allow her time to rest (so you can keep her up late).
• Honor date nights so you both can step away from day-to-day life.
• Use your words. Remind her of what you love about her in written notes, texts, voicemails and cards.
• Afford a babysitter or share babysitting duties with other couples so you can make time home alone.
• Be sentimental, reenacting events of what you did “when it all started.”
• Be the spiritual leader in the household. Put an asterisk next to this one! Women love to feel comforted, safe and protected, and they love men of God.
• Be an encourager. Remind her of her unique strengths, abilities and talents that can be used to accomplish great things.
• Be chivalrous. It’s not dead. Being polite and having manners shows respect and honors her femininity.

Most importantly, to keep the fire in your marital sex life, you need to keep the fire in your relationship with God. That may sound weird, but in order for you to love, you need to feel loved. And God is the best source.

Kenny Luck, founder of Every Man Ministries, men’s pastor at Saddleback Church, and ChristianMingle advisory board member, provides biblically oriented teaching and leadership for men and pastors seeking relevant, timely material that battle cultural, worldly concepts threatening men and God’s men. Follow Kenny and Every Man Ministries now on Facebook, Twitter (@everyMM) and YouTube.

For the original article, visit .

I recently became aware of something about myself.  It’s been a blind spot for me … I spend a ridiculous amount of time on social media.

Social media is not a bad thing, but when I am spending more time on Facebook than time in prayer, reading my Bible, being in biblical community, etc., something is wrong. So I had to ask the question: Why do I spend so much time on Facebook and Twitter? What is so attractive to me about social media?

I have a feeling that if you will dig into your heart a bit your response will be similar to mine. I spend so much time on social media sites because it makes me feel important.  People with a simple click affirm what I am saying. By becoming my friend or following me you have just said, “I value what Matt Patrick has to say.” You may laugh at that but we all get a little ego boost when people like our comments or someone we admire starts to follow us.

This begs another question: Why do I need to feel important? The honest answer is if I need man’s approval, then I don’t believe the gospel. Hear me: I am a Christian, I love Jesus, and I am assured of my salvation. What I am saying is this: When I feel the need to get my approval from social media, I am forgetting that God has already approved me because of the death of Jesus on the cross.

By Jesus dying the death I deserved, he has paid the price for my sin and has imputed (given) me his righteousness and that is why I can draw near to God the Father. We call this justification. I don’t need to seek the approval or love of people on Twitter because God the Father, right here and right now, is looking at me and saying, “Matt you are my son. I have adopted you and made you an heir to my eternal kingdom, I love you” (Eph.1:5; Gal:4:7).

Social media can tell us subtle lies. Login and say the right things and then you can experience affirmation. Jesus says you do not have to go and seek affirmation, I have paid a great price for it, by my blood you have affirmation that is eternal! 

Here are 5 simple practices that I have implemented to help me with this:

1. Don’t look at my phone for the 1st hour I am awake.

2. Spend the 1st hour I am awake participating in life giving spiritual disciplines (reading my Bible, prayer, playing with my kid, etc.)

3. Turn off the computer and phone during certain times of the day. Specifically during meals, times of study & prayer, & late in the evening.

4. Don’t reply to negative comments social media sites that will not build up the body.

5. Repent. Repent when I feel the temptation to find my worth in things other than Jesus and know that He has forgiven me fully.

*Disclaimer: My list may not be your list, but that’s OK. And, if we are not careful, making lists of things to do can become an idol as well.

For the original article, visit .

There are few words that men dread hearing more than, “You have prostate cancer.” Unfortunately, doctors will deliver that verdict to about 233,000 men this year, and 1 in 7 will hear it at some point during their lifetime. 

Many studies over the past few decades have shown a definite link between diet and a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer. “A growing number of studies show that improving nutrition along with the addition of special nutrients can dramatically reduce risk,” says nationally recognized neurologist and nutrition expert Dr. Russell Blaylock.

Two new studies just released by Duke University show just how dramatically diet can affect risk. Researchers found that diets rich in complex carbohydrates and lower in protein and fat reduce the risk of prostate cancer 60 to 70 percent, and a diet high in fiber slashes the risk of aggressive prostate cancer by 70 to 80 percent.

Fortunately, even if members of your family have been stricken with the disease, studies have shown that a healthy diet and lifestyle can put the odds of remaining cancer-free on your side.

Make sure you include the following eight nutrients in your diet:

1. Vitamin D. A recent study from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Defense found that men who were deficient in vitamin D were much more likely to develop prostate cancer than other men. The risk of aggressive prostate cancer was increased by up to 500 percent. Experts recommend at least 5,000 international units of vitamin D daily or at least 15 minutes of summer sunshine without sunscreen.

2. Melatonin. A recent Harvard study found that men who had higher levels of the sleep hormone melatonin were much less likely to develop prostate cancer. “We found that men who had higher levels of melatonin had a 75 percent reduced risk for developing advanced prostate cancer compared with men who had lower melatonin,” said researcher Sarah Markt. Many health experts advise supplementing with 3 milligrams of melatonin.

3. Lycopene. Lycopene is the pigment that gives tomatoes and watermelons their bright red color. It’s an antioxidant, and studies have shown that it can decrease the risk of prostate cancer by up to 35 percent. One study found that men with precancerous changes in their prostates who took 4 milligrams of lycopene twice daily lowered the risk of their condition progressing to cancer. A study at Britain’s University of Portsmouth found that lycopene in tomatoes becomes even more biologically active when cooked with a small amount of oil.

4. Indole-3 carbinol. Indole-3 carbinol (I3C) is created from the breakdown of compounds found in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage. “Studies have shown that combining lycopene in a dose of 20 to 30 milligrams with indole-3 carbinole—extracted from broccoli—can dramatically shrink a swollen prostate and greatly reduce the risk of prostate cancer,” says Dr. Blaylock. For men who already have the disease, a study reported in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that the body converts I3C into a substance called DIM which keeps prostate cancer cells from growing and spreading.

5. Grapeseed extract. A study funded by the National Cancer Institute found that taking grapeseed extract reduced the risk of prostate cancer by 40 to 60 percent. At the beginning of the study, researchers found that men who regularly took grapeseed extract lowered their risk of prostate cancer by 41 percent, and those who had taken the supplement for 10 years reduced their risk by 62 percent.

6. Green tea extract. Italian researchers at the University of Parma studied men with a pre-malignant form of prostate cancer called prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). Those men who took three 200 mg capsules of green tea extract daily slashed their risk of developing prostate cancer by 90 percent when compared to men taking a placebo.

Researchers at Louisiana State University found that when men scheduled for prostate surgery took four capsules containing polyphenol E, an active ingredient in tea that was the equivalent to 12 cups of green tea — their PSA levels dropped as much as 30 percent.

7. Curcumin. Curcumin is the active compound in the Indian spice turmeric, and scientists at the University of New Mexico Cancer Center found that a synthetic version of curcumin slowed and even stopped the growth of prostate cancer cells in the laboratory, results that were echoed by a German study. Researchers have found that curcumin activates a molecule that reduces the proliferation of cancer cells. A Japanese study found that curcumin caused PSA levels to drop by 50 percent.

8. Quercetin. This powerful antioxidant, a bioflavonoid found in apples, onions, and garlic, stops changes in the prostrate that lead to cancer. Chinese researchers found that human prostate cells treated with quercetin died within 48 hours, and researchers at Mayo Clinic found that quercetin slowed or prevented the growth of prostate cancer.

For the original article, visit .

© 2014 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.

Each one of us is unique. We have unique minds and personalities. We have different ways of seeing and processing things. We differ on how we interact with each other, our kids, and others.

My wife, Susan, and I are alike in some ways, but very different in others. So, our marriage can be messy at times. But throughout our years of marriage, we’ve found that our messiness often turns into something very beautiful and meaningful. Here are 4 areas of messiness in your marriage that can become meaningful:

1. Communication is one of the messiest parts of marriage. The Same Old Marriage Fights can create a big mess. And if you’re experiencing the If, Then Marriage Cycle, things may not look too pretty either.

But, the messiness of conversation patterns can be a great opportunity to build a more meaningful and stronger marriage. Being able to move past the same scripted fights as a couple by using the Speaker-Listener Technique will enable you to work better as a team and will move you to greater intimacy in your relationship.

2. Conditional love. The mess of only doing something for your spouse “If” they do something in return can be cleaned up when you learn to love your spouse unconditionally … no matter what. When you love your spouse without any conditions, you’ll better understand the true meaning of marriage.

3. Parenting styles. When our kids were young, tucking them into bed each night was always an adventure. Susan would try to calm them down and read stories to help them unwind, only for me to burst through the door and tickle them until they were as hyper as ever. Obviously, our parenting styles created clashing moments like this.

But over time, Susan found meaning in this messy part of our marriage. She understood that even if it meant the kids getting to bed 15 minutes later than she’d wanted, they would go to bed knowing that their dad loved them deeply.

4. Conflicting paces. Husbands and wives don’t always think and move at the same pace. Susan and I both move at a fairly fast pace. But here’s the difference: Susan thrives on, and is energized by, being around people. While I enjoy being with others, I need to have alone time to recharge.

Susan will say “yes” to a lot more things than I will. So to keep our schedule from getting messy, I often have to forcefully pull in the reins when I see too many things crowding our calendar. This helps us to have some “clean space” on our schedule so that we can spend one-on-one time together with each other, and with friends, having meaningful interaction.

Where have you found meaning from the messiness of your marriage? Please share your comments.

Mark Merrill is the president of Family First. For the original article, visit .

On April 14 of this year—on Passover night—an Israeli man, Baruch Mizrahi, a husband and father of five, was murdered in cold blood in front of his family by the father/son terror team Ziad Awad and Izz Eddin Hassan Ziad Awad. What makes this even more tragic is that Mizrahi’s wife and kids will have to live knowing that their father didn’t have to do die.

Let me explain.

In 2006, Hamas kidnapped Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit. Like most Israeli soldiers, Shalit didn’t look like a hardened veteran of war, but more like a computer science major. Because all Israelis must join the army, he had to put his life on hold for three years to serve.

He was held in captivity for five years until Benjamin Netanyahu, due to immense public pressure, agreed to release 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad. Yes, 1,027 prisoners for one.

Everyone knew it was stupid. Even those for it, knew it was stupid—but that is how much we love our soldiers. We knowingly did something that could harm us in the future to get our boy back now. That is how much more we value our young men than Hamas theirs—at a ratio of 1,027 to 1.

The head of Hamas’ military wing, Ahmed Al-Ja’abari, was quoted in the London-based Al Hayat newspaper saying these prisoners were responsible for murdering hundreds of Israelis.

Al-Ja’abari added that 41 prisoners were deported, most of them being affiliated with Hamas, and most of these were of the group that Israel refused to release. Al-Ja’abai said that those deportees collectively killed 569 Israelis, and therefore deportation was the only possible way to secure their release.

One of those released was the aforementioned Ziad Awad. Awad then recruited his 18-year-old son, telling him, “according to Islam, whoever kills a Jew goes to heaven.” Yes, the religion that both Presidents Bush and Obama have called “a religion of peace,” promises heaven to Jew-killers.

This wasn’t the first time Awad has murdered. He was in prison for 12 years for the killing of Palestinian collaborators with Israel. Apparently, he did not feel that his place in heaven was secure—since he was merely killing his own people. Killing a Jew would certainly gain him a place in Allah’s kingdom.

The fact is, even though our hearts were breaking for Gilad Shalit, we traded a living hostage for at least one dead Israeli—a husband and father of five. We released 1,027 prisoners, including many killers with Israeli blood on their hands, and it has resulted in at least one more Israeli death.

Rather than berate Israeli politicians, the Shalit family or the ever-naïve left over the past, I simply want us to learn from our mistakes. Trading soldiers for convicted terrorists is simply thinking with our hearts and not our minds. It doesn’t end well.

“Today it was publicized that Baruch Mizrahi of blessed memory, who was killed in April, was killed by a terrorist released in the Shalit deal,” Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement. “When the Israeli government releases terrorists, at that very moment we seal the fate of entire families, we just don’t know yet the victims’ faces or names. After 30 years it is clear that Israel should not release any more terrorists, in any situation, period. Today more than ever we need to say clearly: We will not release any more terrorists.”

Bennett, a newcomer to the political spotlight, is so right. We must make it clear to Hamas that this strategy will not work for them. First of all, it encourages more kidnappings. When you buy your child candy because he throws a public temper tantrum, you are training your child for future negotiations.

Is it a coincidence that the three Israeli teens were kidnapped just two weeks after American President Obama traded a deserter at best, and traitor at worst, for five of the most violent Islamic radicals on earth? Was Hamas not encouraged to see Israel’s main ally make such a deal?

And now, as it was discovered Monday, those boys have been mercilessly slaughtered. Where does it end?

And secondly, murder is addictive. It is not normal human behavior. This is why murderers go away for life or get the death penalty and there are lesser sentences on involuntary manslaughter (killing by accident, without malice).

While that person should be punished, he is unlikely to kill again. But cold-blooded murderers love death. And Hamas has created a culture of murder and death. In this video from Hamas they claim to love death more than Israelis love life.

If Hamas terrorists who have killed are released, it is likely they will kill again.

Read the harrowing account from the slain Mizrahi’s wife, who survived the attack, as they were on their way to celebrate the Passover on April 14.

Mizrahi, senior police officer, was killed while driving to Hebron to celebrate Passover with his wife’s family. His pregnant wife, Hadas, was moderately injured in the attack.

Hadas Mizrahi told the Ynet news website that, while driving, her husband had seen the terrorist and cried, “They’re shooting, they’re shooting, there’s a terrorist.” After her husband was shot, she took the wheel, drove out of sight and alerted the authorities.

“I covered my blood with a rag,” said Hadas, who was shot twice and broke a rib. “I saw that Baruch was dead. When the soldiers arrived, I told them, ‘Bandage me and take the children to the armored vehicle, so that they don’t see their father lying [there] dead.'”

Please, Mr. Prime Minister … Bibi … please, no more deals with terrorists. Instead, let them know what price they will pay when they kidnap Israelis.

Ron Cantor is the director of Messiah’s Mandate International in Israel, a Messianic ministry dedicated to taking the message of Jesus from Israel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Cantor also travels internationally teaching on the Jewish roots of the New Testament. He serves on the pastoral team of Tiferet Yeshua, a Hebrew-speaking congregation in Tel Aviv. His newest book is Identity Theft. Follow him at @RonSCantor on Twitter.

For the original article, visit .

A new tool used to detect breast cancer appears to be working better than the traditional mammogram. It’s called the 3-D mammogram, and many doctors say it’s a step above the traditional procedure.

Jennifer Hoeft lives life to the fullest. But the hot air balloon enthusiast and race car driver could have lost her life to breast cancer had it not been for the 3-D mammogram.

“I truly, truly believe that the 3-D mammogram is what caught my cancer early and is allowing me to pretty much live my life the way I want to,” she says.

3-D mammograms have been in use for only a few years. Compared to the traditional 2-D mammograms, the 3-D mammograms allow radiologists to get a better overall view of the breast, according to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital’s Dr. Sarah Friedewald.

Dr. Friedewald looked at two mammograms of the exact same breast, and observed that the traditional one didn’t reveal any abnormalities, but the 3-D mammogram did.

“A mass that has irregular borders in the upper part of the breast—this is very much typical of what a cancer looks like, hidden on the 2-D mammogram, but very well seen on the 3-D mammogram,” she said.

Dr. Friedewald and her associates studied nearly a half million women, and discovered the 3-D mammograms detected nearly one-third more cancers than regular mammograms.  The study appears in the most recent issue of The Journal of The American Medical Association.

“We found invasive cancers, or the cancers that we worry about, the ones that potentially kill people, more frequently in women who had the 3-D mammogram versus the women who just had the 2-D mammogram,” she said.

They also discovered 3-D mammograms produced fewer false positives than traditional mammograms.

Right now 40,000 people die each year from breast cancer.  But thanks to the new 3-D mammogram, that number may decline.

“Life is short,” Jennifer says, “My life’s going to be long and full and I’m going to go out and do the things I want to.”

For the original article, visit .

I have often thought that if the devil can’t make a man bad he’ll make him busy.

When I am busy or in a hurry it is impossible for me to have quality relationships with God or people. The devil knows this and is able to hide behind any man’s “busy” schedule to accomplish his goal: the destruction of his relationships. He is very aware of the fact that to really know someone a man must learn to slow his pace down to be present and connect. There are the simple mechanics of healthy relationships that can be easily destroyed through external overcommitment and its partner, hurry.

Satan’s scheme gets men playing the “busy” card as a justification for lack of quality in their connections with God and people. A full and robust work life should be an expectation of men not a rationalization for why our relationships are weak—especially when it comes to your relationship with God. Get that.

It is a healthy expectation of men to earn a living, provide for a family and secure their future. Take that seriously. But when our “to-do” list overshadows our “to-be” list as a believer, husband or father, then something could be amiss with our faith and understanding of who God is, and what he wants from us.

There’s no commandment in the Bible that says, “Thou shalt overcommit yourself for this is honorable.” No, Jesus said the most important commandment is to give energy, time and presence toward two sets of relationships:

• ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.
• “And the second is like it: ” ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (Matt. 22:37-39).
• “Trust in 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” (Prov. 3:5-6).

So, what does that look like in the everyday life of a modern man?

1. Have FAITH in God. Men need to put more faith in God to provide and guide than faith in themselves, their abilities and schedules. Do that and God promises to provide for your needs, and give you an abundant life.

The number one enemy of faith in God in your life is pride and self-sufficiency. God says he would like you to replace that with healthy and humble dependency. Both build a strong relationship with Him.

2. Have FOCUS on God. God created men to be in relationship with Him. He yearns to be acknowledged throughout your day, to be sought-after, to be known. When we overcommit, our relationship with God suffers. But if we focus on God and living the way he intended us to, he promises to provide power and peace beyond our understanding. It’s a win-win transformation.

• “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33). 
• “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1-3).

There’s your life and God’s kingdom. One exists within the other but Satan wants you to believe God’s kingdom exists to fit into your kingdom. We borrow great troubles with that mindset. Think like a kingdom man and continuously pray: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”

3. Make FREE TIME with God. Crowding our schedules leaves little time for God. Try re-thinking your day and week to include a “timeout tithe,” meaning give God your time and attention every day. It’s like giving yourself a daily tune-up, filling your gas tank or getting an oil change. If we don’t replenish, refresh and refuel, our engine will burn out.

So, open your Bible, open your heart and mind. Ask God to speak to you, then listen. You will find nibbles of truth from the Word will become feasts for life. 

• “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).

 Another easy step to take is to honor the Sabbath. God modeled taking one day off from work, so should we. Jesus “withdrew” to be with God. There must be a reason if the Creator of the universe wants us to take a break from it all, and focus on our relationships at home and with Him.

• “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). 

Perhaps the best example of well-placed, well-timed prioritizing in the Bible is the brief story about the visit Jesus made to Martha’s house. Read this, and let it marinate in your mind, and then assess which sister you reflect in the story.

• “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’
• ” ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’ ” (Luke 10:38-42). 

Well, was it Mary? Are you too “distracted” to spend time with Jesus?

Jesus is saying to all men who claim a connection: You have to SLOW to KNOW Me.

Kenny Luck, founder of Every Man Ministries, men’s pastor at Saddleback Church, and ChristianMingle advisory board member, provides biblically oriented teaching and leadership for men and pastors seeking relevant, timely material that battle cultural, worldly concepts threatening men and God’s men. Follow Kenny and Every Man Ministries now on Facebook, Twitter (@everyMM) and YouTube.

For the original article, visit .

On a trip to Washington, D.C., I prayed with a prayer group at various sites and memorials dedicated to our veterans who had given their lives for the cause of freedom.

All around me from newspaper stands I read glaring headlines of bombings in the Middle East, civil war in Syria, and threats and more threats from terrorists. The voices for violence, genocide and terrorism seemed to be overtaking the voices for freedom.

As I glanced at the papers, I saw other headlines reporting men and women being imprisoned, beaten or put to death for their faith in Christ. In this dark hour of the church, the voices for Christ are surely threatened, held hostage and being snuffed out.

“Lord, what’s next?” I asked in desperation. “What’s to become of the voices for Christ?

Then came that still small voice of His Spirit: “Is a voice not made for the purpose of speaking?”

I had my answer. Jesus has given us His Great Commission to make disciples the world over (see Matt. 28:18-20). Isn’t His Great Commission still in effect even today?

I was reminded of Peter who had been imprisoned for his outspoken faith (see Acts 12:4-8). Behind prison walls, Peter had been placed under the terrorism of four squads of soldiers, bound tightly with two chains and secured between two soldiers. In Peter’s darkest hour, it seemed as if his voice for Christ would be silenced forever. It appeared that all hope was lost—that his cause for Christ was too weak a match for the enemy.

But in that darkest hour, voices were still speaking out for Christ. Acts 12:5 states that, “Constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (NKJV). The results were miraculous—an angel rescued Peter and led him to freedom.

You and I must not be thrown by the persecutions and threats that come against believers today. We must not be discouraged to the point of not praying or speaking out as voices for Christ. After all, God’s Word reveals we might be persecuted, but we are not forsaken (see 2 Cor. 4:9).

In John 10:10 Jesus warned us that “the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” Jesus also stated that He had come that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Was not the second part of His statement our promise of victory over all threats of the enemy? So why should we be thrown by the threats and attacks against our Christian faith?

You and I need to keep on speaking out for Christ, never ceasing to be thankful for the freedoms of this great country that allow us to do so.

Prayer Power for the Week of June 30, 2014

As we celebrate Independence Day this week thank God for the freedoms we still have in this country. Ask Him for the boldness to pray and speak out for Him whenever the opportunity arises. Thank Him for those who valiantly gave their lives to secure our freedoms and continue to pray for those currently serving in our military. Pray that our current leaders would have godly wisdom to do what’s best for the nation regarding its economy, security and freedoms. Ask God to reveal His will concerning our dealing with Israel and other nations. Pray that revival would ignite in our churches, spread across the land and around the world (Prov. 15:29; Matt. 28:18-20).

If you’re a husband or father in your household, than you fall into the same category as me… a leader.

Everyday is a schedule. It includes things you need to do for yourself, your work and your family. The things you do for yourself are most likely very common, almost mindless. There are the daily things you do to take care of yourself. These are great, but God requires more.

There are the things you need to do for work. Gather information, purchase materials or equipment and manage your meetings or schedules. This is what you get paid to do to support yourself and your family. Even though it is a must, God still requires more of you.

Your family and your relationship with God consists of the most important things you should be doing throughout your day. My daily challenge is intentionally making them a part of my day. For some reason, I can make the things I do for myself almost mindless, but the things I need to do to bless my family take hard work.

Why? Because although these are the most important tasks you need to be performing, they are also the ones the enemy will fight the hardest against. Arrows of distraction are going to be assaulted at you in every way to make sure you don’t seek ways to bless your family and your relationship with God. But even through that fight, God still requires it.

Over the past few years of listening to God, listening and learning from great speakers, and attending leadership classes, I have come across many forms and ways to keep myself focused and my daily walk on a straight path. The few ideas below have come from years of learning and applying. And even in this list, God still requires more of me.

Here are five ways you could be blessing your family every day:

1. Pray for your family before you leave the house each morning. Sounds simple right? Try it. Better yet, remember to do it. I have made it a habit that before I walk out the front door each morning and leave my wife and son alone for the day, to pray for them and bless their time together. Even though this only takes me less than a minute, I know God will take the prayer and apply it accordingly. If you experience a similar scenario each morning, challenge yourself to change your ways and pray before you leave your home.

2. Engage briefly during the workday. Co-workers, meetings, lunches and temptations. All of these distractions will most likely hit you doing your workday. Don’t think you can bless your family during this time? Don’t think you have the time? Wrong … Even saying another short prayer during the middle of your work day for your family could make an impact. Try sending your spouse or children a quick text to let them know your thinking about them or praying for them. Make it known that you are the leader by serving them when they least expect it.

3. Pray for yourself, your heart and your attitude when you leave work. I recently attended a marriage conference featuring author and speaker Dan Seaborn. Besides it being a great conference and making a great impact in our marriage, I picked up some really useful tips. Dan mentioned that he would leave work stressed and overwhelmed and take all of that pain home with him. This would always result in a rough experience at home upon his arrival. He decided to change the game. Instead of getting home unprepared, he started praying for his heart and attitude before he left for work. His wife didn’t even recognize him for the first few days. I challenge you to consider saying a short prayer before you leave work each day. Pray that God would prepare your heart and attitude for your family.

4. Engage in your family when you are home. Getting home and being the good husband or father is what you prayed for when you left work. Turn off the phone, kick off the television, and find out what happened during the day. Don’t make it all about you either, serve your spouse and children by helping them out in their situations. I, personally, have a long drive home everyday. When I pull in the driveway and start walking towards the door, I know I need to stay focused on those who are most important to me. I’ve been praying for my family, now I get to spend quality time with them. Don’t let this time go wasted.

5. Pray with and for you family often. Praying with and for your family was covered in each area above, but you need to engage in actual prayer with your wife and children. Let them know you are praying for their safety and protection each day when you are away and show them the same thing when you are with them. Show that you are the leader whether you are home or not. Remember, it doesn’t have to be long or drawn out; but it needs to be from the heart and it needs to be often. Get to work!

Share with the community. What is one thing you do to bless your family everyday?

Manturity is a blog built on establishing spiritual maturity in today’s man. The goal is to assist men in building better marriages and help them in grow in maturity and explore different aspects of manhood. features new weekly blog posts, daily social media updates and a powerful resources page. Stay up to date with the Manturity blog communities on Facebook and Twitter.

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Together, how should Jewish and Christian Zionists proceed in this chaotic world of uncertainty? This is and should remain an open question by all concerned. Even so and for now, here are three suggestions:

First, we need to begin with mutual recognition that, like Israel itself, our shared passion is a miracle. It is, in fact, a “God thing” that is not going to disappear. Support from the core of Christian Zionism is not going to wane. Rising winds from a 21^st century storm of Replacement Theology aimed at Evangelicals may rile the shallow waters of those whose support is little more than response to a poll, but it will only make small ripples on the surface among those with a deep commitment to the Jewish State, Christians who see its rebirth as fulfillment of God’s irrevocable covenants with the Jewish people.

Second, both sides need to address the larger population of global Evangelicals and traditional Christendom, especially with proactive initiatives in response to two very different trends, the so-called Prosperity and Social Justice “gospels.” As expressions of authentic faith, there are aspects of each that resonate with Judaism.

There are troubling aspects too. Is Genesis 12:3 a formula for getting rich? Is social justice the raison d’être for redemption? No and no, of course. Still, in both cases, the question is, how can we plug into the positive aspects of these trends, maintaining a balance between faith and works? And in the social justice stream, how can we do so without being bamboozled by Palestinian Liberation theology that delegitimizes Israel’s existence?

Third, we need to build better and more meaningful alliances with Christian Zionist organizations so that their constituents develop a deeper understanding of Israel’s people and culture. NGOs like the Christians United for Israel, Eagles Wings, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem, Bridges for Peace, Christian Friends of Israel, AIPAC and Heart to Heart are nurturing the larger number of Christian Zionists who pray for Israel and are open to learning more about the unique passion God has given them for our reborn nation. How can we help these and other organizations like them nurture and strengthen their constituents’ real but nascent passion?

Of equal if not greater importance, how can we help them reach the children of their constituents, especially those attending Christian universities, places where there is almost no understanding of Judaism, Jews or the culture of Israel?

The prevailing view is to strengthen advocacy primarily by helping supporters understand the modern history of Israel and its contributions to science, technology, medicine and agriculture. For its part, the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation—the CJCUC—believes theology must come first.

Christianity’s engrained anti-Semitism, as expressed by Martin Luther, is the fundamental reason for atrocities by the Church against the Synagogue. The task of addressing theology requires a new form of communication, a framework that allows all parties to walk down paths of dialogue without tripping landmines that blow up relationships. In essence, the safeguard is mutual commitment to understand the other’s point of view.

Understanding, both sides must acknowledge, does not mean agreement. CJCUC has learned that 90 percent of Jewish-Christian relations in the matter of theological discussion is simply a matter of listening, and to do so without the need to teach, preach or proselytize.

Notably, a focus on theological dialogue must not be limited to the age 50-plus demographic of Christian Zionists. It is critically important that the priority of biblical, ideological discussion include the campuses and curricula of Christian schools. It is easy, but dangerously inaccurate, to assume that the children of Christian Zionists are building on the foundation of what these parents have learned. The fact is that many Christian universities and colleges have not corrected Martin Luther’s anti-Semitism in their Bible, Theology or Missions departments.

Conclusion

Like Israel’s rebirth, a passion to nurture the nation is a miracle found in the hearts of most Jews and some Christians too. Still, many fellow Jews are inclined to protest, “Christians? We should join forces with them? Really?”

This skepticism is entirely understandable. Many Jewish Zionists come from families who survived the Holocaust. When this unspeakable result of Christian anti-Semitism is combined with 2,000 years of church atrocities against the synagogue, it is natural and easy to assume that all Christians share the sentiments that justified these evil acts. Christians who genuinely stand with Israel? Christians who are Zionists? They must have ulterior motives, perhaps to covertly convert. How is it possible that they are really different than their religious ancestors?

I have shared all of these concerns. But after 13 years of working, living and studying with core Christian Zionists, a called-out remnant if you will, I know their passion is genuine and righteous. It’s true, they really are different!

Theirs is a calling nuanced with the simple faith that blessing Israel means receiving blessings from God as stated in Genesis 12:3. Theirs is a mandate to be Watchmen on the Wall as mentioned in the Psalms. Theirs is the responsibility to do as Esther did when Mordecai told her that if she did not act for God’s chosen people, He would bring salvation from someone else.

The former Chief Rabbi of England, Jonathan Sacks, once said that today’s strain of Anti-Semitism is a moral infection that cannot be cured or defended by Jews alone. We need the help of others. I concur. God is raising up these “others” that we need. We must acknowledge that He is doing this; that He is moving in mysterious ways, stirring up the hearts and minds of Christians around their world to boldly stand with Israel.

Judaism and Christianity share more than common values—much more. We believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; we share a common Scripture that is the Word of God; and we share a common mission to be His agents for redemption in a broken world.

For nearly 2,000 years, the Synagogue and the church have been at odds. Now, like a gift, we are presented with unprecedented opportunities to dialogue and work together for the betterment of humanity. We can, we must, accept this gift and put it to work as a team, recognizing and responding to God in each other.

For part one of this story, click here.

David Nekrutman is the executive director for the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC) in Efrat, Israel.