Summertime means fun time. For kids, school’s out and free time is in.
For families, special memories, trips and other adventures will be made.
For men, the juggling act continues keeping the balls at work in the air, while mixing in some time away from the office for some time with the family.
For Satan, summer breaks provide ample opportunity to ramp up temptation, distraction, flirtation and ultimately destruction.
For many churches, regular meetings press the pause button and men’s groups take a summer break … Wait…
They WHAT?
While the enemy deploys a destructive arsenal with all the pleasures the world and our minds can conceive, support from group meetings goes on holiday during the summer months. Obviously, this is a huge mistake.
“And let us consider how to spur one another to love and to good works. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but let us exhort one another, especially as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:24-25, MEV).
Our society often turns summer breaks into a vacation from God. There’s no vacation from temptation. It’s piled on during the summer where beach-body diets lead to short skirts, swimsuits, exotic locations and drinking. These all add up to plenty of opportunities to let the eye go wandering. Our guards are down; our defenses are low. And the enemy is waiting for the perfect time to fire a missile at your life, because he never gives up.
“When the devil had ended all the temptations, he departed from Him until another time” (Luke 4:13, MEV).
Temptation alone is not to be feared, but it’s what you do with it that matters.
“But each man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then, when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and when sin is finished, it brings forth death” (James 1:14-15, MEV).
Even Jesus took vacations, withdrawing from the others. But his purpose was to reconnect with God, resist temptation and restore himself for the adventure of his ministry. But he never gave up meeting with his disciples.
Perhaps the most important time to continue meeting is during the summer!
When men give up meeting, they take a hiatus from spiritual growth, separate from their accountability partners, interrupt their daily quiet habits, and remove themselves from the support system put in place by God.
The Bible compares the church—groups of those who follow Jesus—to the “body.” If one of you takes a break from meeting, the rest of the body suffers as well. Each plays a role in the health of the whole body.
“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, those parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those parts of the body which we think are less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor. And our less respectable parts are treated with much more respect, whereas our more respectable parts have no need of this. But God has composed the body, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacks it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that the parts should have the same care for one another. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:21-26, MEV).
So take a page from Jesus and use your vacation to strengthen the “body,” your body and everybody in your life. Here’s how:
- Reconnect with God and with men.
- Resist temptation and nurture your spiritual growth.
- Restore yourself for the next adventure.
What you can do now—give yourself a new spin for the summer. If you haven’t already, take our FREE trial and pick out a video from the Media Vault. Call a friend or two to watch it with you, and set a time to talk weekly, text and pray daily about it together. Then, you will come back from summer better and stronger than ever.
Enjoy your summer, but don’t let it be a vacation from God. {eoa}
Kenny Luck is the president and founder of Every Man Ministries. As the former men’s pastor at Saddleback Church in California and current leadership pastor at Crossline Community Church, Kenny has found the proven way to improve men’s ministries around the world. Sleeping Giant is this blueprint, and gives men the tools they need to lead and understand their own men’s ministry. Watch Kenny’s teachings at EveryManMinistries.com and start your men’s group today! Follow Every Man Ministries now on Facebook, Twitter (@everymm,) and YouTube.
For the original article, visit everymanministries.com.
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