Men's Neighborhood Prayer Group Reports

Let us all pray for the city of San Francisco!

The meeting reports are all powerful. The Power of the Holy Spirit with the momentum through years of prayer is making a tremendous difference. God's desire for San Francisco to be the light for the world (the victory has been won), Pastor's leadership, your prayers and leadership, are producing these results. Isaiah prophesied on Wednesday: San Francisco is won he also proclaimed getting together once a week for an hour of prayer.

The leaders are all under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Let us stride forward in the victory!

Tonight's session was amazing, as we ended the session praying "earnestly" for each of the four men's groups, GT leadership, and most importantly, revival in SF!

After reading chapter 4 in the textbook (RA Torrey The Power of Prayer). I realized that my prayer life, at times, has been "profane." In some instances even "taking the name of God in vain." Furthermore, just to quote another excerpt out of chapter 4: "There is so little heart in them (prayer), so little intensity of desire for what is prayed, that there is no reason God should pay attention to them." Ouch! This chapter convicted me. It opened my eyes to the half hearted prayer I've been giving to God. We all know what God does to the "Luke warm" and the "half-hearted".

I want revival in SF, but it starts with me, you, and all the men participating,  being unified in our earnest and fervent prayers. This was the groups take away from this week.

1. We need to recognize what the "blood " had done for us, how it cleanses us! Thank you, Jesus!!!!

2. We need to enter into the presence of God BEFORE we start praying; seek the Holy Spirit to help us enter.

3. When we pray, we need to pray a prayer worthy to be laid at his feet. A prayer that is Whole-hearted, fervent and earnest is what, I believe God desires! We need to remember, that it is a "privilege" to be in the presence of God.

The men in ministry meeting, tonight, was awesome!  In attendance were 5 men (names with held).  We began the night with hot wings that were extremely hot. In fact, everyone’s face was red we were all sweating.  I guess it could be said: we were literally on fire.

The discussion was great there were, good balanced, contributions from everyone.  The first discussion point on “What can prayer do?” This led to Phil sharing a prayer victory when his brother showed up to Church yesterday for the first time.  According to Phil he had been praying for a long time that his brother would return to church.  In addition, Phil also said his sisters were asking for prayer and are rallying around him for strength and support during these difficult family times.

I continue to be spiritually encouraged by having () in the group I can tell it is rubbing off on everyone.  God is up to something in his life he knows it.  He shared that; he decided to come tonight because his girlfriend agreed to go to women’s Bible study at GT.  This was the first time she had gone he was excited about it.  Last week Jacob asked for prayer for more support in his new walk with Christ and more Christian friends.  He can sense the enemy trying to distract him. We lifted him up in prayer.  Even more powerful is his request for prayer, for strength in his personal life.  He knows that he needs to eliminate certain things in his life, as do we all.  This was difficult for him to share at first but felt relieved once he got it off his chest.  Praise God.

My goal is to invite him and his girlfriend to dinner in the next two weeks.

From another group: It is encouraging for the men to be praying their prayer list and experiencing the answer to their prayers.

For more information got to Men in Ministry Neighborhood Prayer Groups



Men in Ministry

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Men in Ministry, Live in Victory

Every Day is a Good Day

Every day is incredible every thing we put our hands too will be successful. Living in the Lord’s walk and the light raises the level of life. Matthew 7:7; “Ask, an it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Does prayer work? Is the Bible true from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21? Yes! We go from; “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”

The Bible starts with God creating everything. That means us. Everything God created, He said was very good, that includes us. Everything God created is good that means every day is very good. He ends His book by giving us the grace of the Lord Jesus. This is the grace that Jesus was to the full. This is the grace that the Bible tells us in Acts 4:33-34 “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales.” Accept God’s lovely powerful grace and live in victory, every minute.

Victory is Enjoying Everything

Living in the world the challenge is all around us. The world drags the Men in Ministry down to the world standards. The world is setting the standard for Christian Men. Christian men are letting the world measure success and failure. John1:12: “Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to be children of God.” We are children of the living God. Our destiny is to be in the Kingdom of God. I need to tell myself to live every day as a child of the King!

We live in the world but are not of the world. The Christian is an ambassador for Jesus in the world. An ambassador in a country does not become a citizen of that country. The ambassador, is in a foreign country, to represent the home country and deliver the messages from the leadership of the home country. Men in Ministry live as the Ambassador of the King, in a strange and hostile land.

The message is clear.

1. God created us
2. We are exceptional
3. We are children of the King 
4. We are destined to live in the Kingdom forever
5. We live in the victory of Jesus the risen Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father 
6. God created every day so every day is good
7. Pray and grab on to the grace that God has made available 
8. We have the power 
9. The victory has been won! 
10. Take the world into the domain of the Kingdom: “Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” 

“You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God” James 4:2.

Men in Ministry

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A Disturbing Conversation

Disturbing is not a strong enough word. Devastating may be more in line with the subject and potential outcome. I was sitting in Panera Bread in Marlboro, Massachusetts having coffee after a customer meeting. Working on some email and planning for a meeting later in the day I was pretty much heads down into my work.

A women a few tables away was moving to sit down when she recognized a man and said I have not seen you for a while. The man acknowledged her; he replied that he had been at his mother’s funeral. The woman expressed her condolences. The man answered telling the women that his mother was 90 and lived a good life.

How to react when a person dies, my first reaction is “ I hope they were saved.” My mother died 18 months ago at the age of 89. She lived a good life. That was not all. I was sad to see her go I was happy for her to be in Heaven with Jesus her Lord and Savior. Mom’s last few years were not that kind. She did not have any pain. She was confined to a bed or her wheelchair she could not talk she did smile all the time. She was active all her life, her last day living in the only house she and my dad ever owned, she fell backwards off of a ladder while cleaning her windows. This was only a few years before she died. Mom was active so her state in the nursing home was not appropriate for her.

I then heard the man talk about his mother’s funeral. He said he told the priest to pick verses that related to his mother’s life. He then said the priest did not pick the verses as he had requested. He went on to say; "the priest did not know his mother." Jesus may have been her Lord and Savior I do not know.

When someone asks about my mother, I will always make the comment that she committed her life to the Lord 30 or so years ago, now she was in heaven.

At my funeral, my pastor will select the verses the commentary and the eulogy. He knows me. As I write this I would also say that I could do the same for him. I know my pastor. I know his heart. I pray that I will not be here to prepare for or attend his funeral.

Maybe it is age but more than that it is an appreciation for the price Jesus paid for my soul and the soul of the mother of the man in Panera Bread. The price was so high He valued us so much. I hope she accepted the gift at some point in her life. The decisions and her destiny are made. There are many people, half the world in fact, who have yet to hear the Gospel Message and make their decision.

Men in Ministry this is our mission reaching one man at a time, so that none should perish. 

Holy Spirit, please lead me to whom you have for me to witness today. Please give me the words to say.

Men in Ministry

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The Victory Has Been Won!

Men in Ministry, tonight was the first night of the Glad Tidings Men’s Neighborhood Groups in San Francisco. This was an incredible night. I had the opportunity to visit each of the 4 groups. The Power of God was so evident as the men studied The Power of Prayer, fellowshipped with Jesus and each other and prayed. They did this all at the same time, between 6:30 and 8:00 PM Thursday evening.

The groups are spread out through out the city. The city is covered in prayer. Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the ruler against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Prayer and the study of the Word are the weapons, which nothing can stand against. Jesus has defeated the devil the battle has been won we need to take hold of the victory through Prayer and the Study of the Word.

The Men’s Neighborhood Groups have been in planning for weeks. Prayer and fasting from all people at Glad Tidings Church began and continues to support the men. Prayer is powerful prayer works miracles. Each group has a leader and host plus the men who attend. The start is with 5 groups, 4 the first night; one added in the second week. In the second week, we will have a 5th location and additional men in fellowship and prayer. The goal is to have a Men’s Neighborhood Group within short walking distance for every man in San Francisco. This, we believe is God’s Plan. We have stepped out in faith the signs and wonders have been following for confirmation.

Look at the miracle in the City of San Francisco with Men’s Neighborhood Groups in Noe Valley, in the Richmond, in Japan Town and South of Market men were together in fellowship praying and learning how to use the Power of Prayer in their lives. An additional location in the Mission will be added in the second week. This will extend the prayer coverage for San Francisco.

As a side note, this follows a night of worship at Glad Tidings where nearly 300 people gathered in the name of Jesus. What is going on? God is not going to do something. God is doing something in San Francisco; we are in the middle of it!

God is doing the extraordinary in the city many refer to as Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus died on the cross so that all of us everywhere would have an opportunity for salvation. San Francisco is soon to be the leading city in the world proclaiming the name of Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of our lives.

To join one of the Men’s Neighborhood Groups, in San Francisco, please contact me directly or go to www.gtmmi.com. We would love to have you as part of this ministry.

Men in Ministry

Men in Ministry, What is Going On?

Active is good! Men in Ministry be active with activities that will bring the men closer to God and closer to each other. Through the relationships and building friendships, evangelism of each man's universe begins.

In San Francisco, we have been on a run of activity, which has been powerfully bringing men closer in their relationship with Jesus and into fellowship with each other. New men have entered the groups as they see things that are appealing.

40 Day Fast and Prayer

January, 2012

Each year of the last 8 or 10 years, as a church we have started each year with 40 days of fasting and prayer.

Pastor designs a 40 day fast which will range from 3 days of water only to raw vegetables to broth, to rice to a free day. The regiment varies throughout the 40 days. It is a fast that takes dependence on God and will power.

Prayer then accompanies the fast every weekday morning from 5 AM to 8 AM. That may sound rough. It is organized and varied with song worship, Bible study, personal prayer, and corporate prayer that, as hard as it may be to believe, the time flies. Not everyone can make all three hours with work and other obligations so they come for the time they can come.

This is the foundation and an exciting beginning to each year, from this time; Pastor will alter an existing plan for the year, confirm the existing plan or write a totally new one. This will all be dependent on the Holy Spirit.

Used the Book Face to Face with God

Men’s Bible Study

A different man led the study each week

March, 2012

The Bible Study was on Evangelism, using the book Face to Face with God. It was a 6-week study, each Saturday morning for 90 minutes. Refreshments of coffee, juice, bagels and donuts are provided. A different man led each week. The attendance varied it averaged 30 men each Saturday. It was awesome!

Ecuador Mission Trip

July / August 2012

This was a huge beginning for some and a refresh for others. Sixty people from Glad Tidings, San Francisco and Sequoya Community in Oakland went to work with Jerry and Janice Smith, the missionaries to Ecuador. The mix was about half men and half women. This was the third annual, major, Mission Trip. Each year there are additional trips, which include fewer people and are shorter in length.

A mission trip has a significant impact on all involved. The participants are in constant reminder of the power of God and the absolute immense value of prayer. The experience is one that can be approximated but not duplicated except by another mission trip.

Horseshoes

August 2012

 

This is an annual event that has 50 or 60 men in fellowship on a Sunday Afternoon. We will barbeque and play Horse Shoes in an organized tournament. It is a blast! Very competitive!

New men get plugged in relationships are developed relationships are restored. The event is talked about and referred to all year long, creating anticipation for the next year.

Men’s Retreat

September 2012

In early September, we had a magnificent Men in Ministry Retreat. The speaker, Jim Maxim is the author of Face to Face with God, the book we used for the Bible Study.

Seventy men attended the retreat. Glad Tidings Church in San Francisco is the host site. The retreat started on Friday evening with dinner, song worship, a message and an unbelievable altar call. The men go home each night. Saturday morning begins with a breakfast followed by song worship, message, men’s small group in a short Bible Study, lunch a Prayer Meeting then recreational activities. On Sunday a dinner after second service then a commissioning service.

It was breathtaking!!!

Men in Ministry Car Wash

September 2012

Raising money for missions. The car wash is a good venue. It provides a stage for fellowship, evangelism for the car owners and it raises between $1,200 and $2,000 on a Saturday. 

Men’s Neighborhood Groups

October / November 2012

The groups meet in a leaders home for 90 minutes once per week for 6 weeks. The meetings consist of food and a study. The study in this first period is using R.A. Torrey’s Book, The Power of Prayer. The initial study is on the first 5 chapters In the 6 weeks of the Men's Neighborhoof Groups.

Training for the leaders and host took place using a custom facilitator's guide.

The objective is to reach the men of San Francisco, One Man at a Time.

This is what is going on with Glad Tidings Men’s Ministry International. God is always good He is the rock the access to the Rock is prayer and fasting.

Please pray for the Men’s Ministries all over the world.

Men in Ministry

Power of Prayer and Men in Ministry

Prayer is the foundation of all life work. Men in Ministry we are the prayer leaders of our families and our communities. 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Prayer is fascinating. It is a conversation with the maker of all things visible and invisible. The Glad Tidings: we have the opportunity to seek counsel with God. The same God, who sees all things, all the time, will give us direction, in all parts of our lives. We can talk to God as a friend. Jesus even tells us to keep on asking. If we honestly think about this one aspect of our gifted relationship with God, it can be overwhelming.

Men Who Pray Have the Power of God

Great men and women in the Bible and daily life have sought God and have received answers. The founders sought God’s blessing on an infant nation when they first landed. God speaks to His people every day everywhere. God sent Jesus to create a relationship with His creation. Jesus came as one of us to develop that relationship. In any relationship conversation is critical, if not the foundation.

God has always spoken to His people. We see God speaking to His people in the Bible 100’s of times. These encounters are transcribed and verified as the truth. Finally as the fact basis God does not change. He is the same today as yesterday and tomorrow. God keeps all His promises.

Men in Ministry throughout all of time sought God in every move they made. Nehemiah was a man of prayer. Before he did anything, he prayed. He asked God for the direction and the strength to take the direction. He repaired the wall around Jerusalem in 52 days. The wall had been in shambles for 100 years. There is power in prayer. Moses argued with God Joshua listened to God and David, the man after God’s own heart, had a constant dialogue with God.

This Full Building Praising God is an Answer to Prayer

The power and the proof of God conversations are chronicled from ancient times to the current day. The results are clear. Why do we wait until all else fails to call on God? We see examples of this all the time. In movies, the desperate person ends up crying out to God.

Men in Ministry as with all men we will want to spend the first of every day with God then have conversations with Him throughout the day. Can God, the maker of all things, demand that time? The answer would have to be yes. The Israelites, like us, turned away from God for 10’s and 100’s of years at a time. Then when they called out to Him, because things were so severe, God answered. God stepped in and saved them from their terrible predicaments of slavery and oppression. Why wait to start a conversation with God, until our marriage, our families or our finances are in a desperate situation? Let us be like David, who when confronted by the giant, called on God and eliminated the giant. 

Men in Ministry

Men in Ministry, Horseshoes; Are you kidding?

Horseshoes? What the heck are you thinking? Horseshoes in San Francisco, California the cosmopolitan city and you want to have a Men in Ministry event around Horseshoes? That is a dramatization of the response which pastor gave me when we first suggested a Men in Ministry Horseshoe Tournament. What trust! He agreed to it and supported it. That was 4 years ago. The first tournament was a smashing success!

May have never played, the intensity and the fun becomes
obvious very quickly

The success is not by chance it is designed into the shared experience around horseshoes. That shared experience is no experience. Yes, no previous experience throwing horseshoes is the common ground, which creates a tremendous bond the men share. In other words, few men have any experience at throwing horseshoes or competing in a horseshoe tournament. This creates a natural bond among the men. It gives them the one thing necessary to begin to fellowship; something in common, which then becomes the seed to a conversation. From this simple seed, the conversation can then build into other common interests.

The common ground, when put into a competitive event, creates excitement and fun. There is one social rule in the Glad Tidings Men’s Ministry International Horseshoe tournaments. All the 2 man teams are made up of men who either do not know each other or know each other very little. This creates the potential for new friendships; men creating a bond and a purpose to serve God with another man.

I believe God created man to be in Christian relationship with other men. This is evident throughout the Bible. Moses and his brother Aaron, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, Jesus and James, John and Peter just to name a few close supporting relationships. “When 2 or three are gathered in my Name.” God is present when we are alone and seek no question, but when 2 or 3 are gathered in His name there is power!

Plenty of time for conversation

Certainly at the beginning of the event everyone is practicing and talking with their friends. After the opening prayer; a photograph of 50 men in a circle praying wow! Back to the story; after the opening prayer and before we eat, BBQ is always a part of the event. Each man will choose a man he does not know as a team-mate. After the teams are decided, I do a casual check with the purpose of pairing people who will benefit from the pairing and breaking up teams of friends. The teams eat together. The tournament begins.

It is an exciting competition. It is structured in such a way that the games move quickly and everyone will play at least 5 games. Every team will have at least one win! The competitive juices start to flow; the bond between the new friends has an opportunity to gain traction. It is keen to see the excitement and the friendships that start in a few short hours of sheer fun.

Everybody wins, one team finishes first

This last year was the best as the tournament went down to the wire. Possibly the two most unlikely men, who a few hours earlier did not know each other and did not know which end of the horseshoe to hold, won it all. They came from behind with multiple ringers in the final throws to win. No one in the tournament lost we all won with fellowship. We each met men we did not know. The Glad Tidings; Godly fellowship gave us greater potential to grow and become a disciple of the living God.

That is what it is all about: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”

Men in Ministry