Once a month the men at my church (a spirit filled and wonderful church if you ask me) get together for a teaching and fellowship. The gathering is most often on the first Monday of the month and the remaining Mondays we come together for prayer. Special times. Woo-hoo!! It is often at this table where we can be free to express ourselves, our ideas and thoughts. During these "get together's" we do not observe titles or positions or any of that stuff. We are all here because we love the Lord and want to encourage one another in the spiritual journey we are all on.
Men sometimes have a facade that they like to portray and it gets in the way of God wanting to work in my/our lives because we do not want to appear weak or let our guard down. NOT WITH ME. Every month I look forward to these meetings because it is just the men.
Before I go on, let me say we all see each other during the week at our other services and bible studies and the lot, but godly men need each. Several times at these meetings we have aired out our personal problems and the difficulties we are experiencing in the world. Some of us do not have this available at our jobs, the freedom to talk about religious and personal issues (work place sensitivity), and the fact not many others we work with are born-again believers. Many of our close-in-age- friends are many miles away and time does not always allow for a heart felt discussion. So, when we get together we more times than not have a very blessed time because we are among brothers and like minded people.
When Jesus was here with his disciples , they sat around tables and discussed kingdom issues. I also believe that they discussed issues of the heart. Did they talk about their families and children? Definitely. These men had chosen to give up their families and jobs to follow Jesus. Who among these 13 men did not leave their natural home to do God's will? Jesus says in the book of Luke 14:33, "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple." Was it easy for the 12 to accept these words? No. Is it any easier for me to accept them? No.
Life, for them, was a lot simpler than it is now for us today. But, Jesus said we must forsake all that we have. All. My struggles with this concept are daily. So, even though the Spirit of God is with me on a daily basis I take great pleasure in meeting with my brothers in Christ if only to see and hear how the Lord has helped them get through.
In closing, I can honestly say that without the men of the church setting a godly example for me and helping me I would not be as far along in the spirit as I am now. The examples that they show is Christ in them and it it more of Christ I am seeking as I come to the table on a monthly basis.
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