ThunderHeart Ministries

2012 CHALLENGE

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:14:21 +0100

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Wow, it’s hard to believe we have watched another year go by the wayside and we now enter 2012! As I prayed about January’s article God kept directing me to put a challenge in front of God’s men. As I was seeking what challenge God wanted me to give His men, He directed me to look to the prophet Jeremiah for the answer. The biography of Jeremiah tells us that he was chosen at an early age to be a prophet but he reluctantly accepted this calling. He was a messenger to God’s chosen people but their hearts were hardened and they were still very rebellious. They refused to listen to Jeremiah’s teaching and in fact tried, on multiple occasions, to take his life. Jeremiah was persecuted and rejected by his own people yet he remained obedient to the assignment God had given him. Will you be a “Jeremiah” in 2012 and be obedient to your assignment? I hope you will not only accept but embrace it!The words in Jeremiah tell us “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then...

"SHOULDA, COULDA, WOULDA"

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:00:00 +0100

As I thought about the final article (1) for 2011, I was reminded of the fact that this is often the time of year that men begin to think about the previous year and years which leads to what I call the “shoulda, coulda, woulda” syndrome. A man looks at his past and too many times gets focused on past mistakes and what the world might deem as failures and he says “I should have done this and I would have …;” or “If I could have done that life would be different…;” or “If they would have done this then I would be …”.I find it interesting that few men have clear foresight but most have 20/20 hindsight. In fact, most men have such good hindsight that we are quick to point out the “shoulda, coulda, woulda” in other men we know so we don’t have to deal with our own. We say things like “I told you so” or “you wouldn’t listen to me.” I am so thankful that our Heavenly Father has a different approach to hindsight. I want to share with you some thoughts about how God deals with us …...

JUST GIVE THANKS

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0100

November is a month we celebrate the holiday known as Thanksgiving in the United States. In our generation, it is generally classified as a time for family and friends to come together for an absolute food fest and sleepily watch football (while our seriously full stomachs try to digest large amounts of turkey and pie!). It is also recognized historically as a time to give thanks for the harvest and provision. I have serious reservations about our country and our ability as a nation to recognize the blessings we have received. So this article is to challenge all of God’s men to step up and be the leaders God has called us to be and truly lead by example in “giving thanks” for God’s blessings.One of my biggest concerns is we have lost the ability to give thanks in the good times that we, and our nation, have experienced. We don’t have to go far in God’s Word to find a caution to those who are experiencing what is often referred to as “the good times.” God tells us “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the...

WHY AREN'T MORE MEN LEADING POWERFUL, TRANSFORMED LIVES?

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:59:05 +0100

Written By: Patrick Morley1 Early in the history of The Man in the Mirror Bible Study, a Table Leader at one of our leader meetings presented a bizarre situation. He told us about a man at his table who faithfully attended every Friday morning. But then on Friday nights he hit the topless bars and partied hard all weekend.He said, I would like to put together a group of Table Leaders, take this man to lunch, and confront him about his behavior. My heart sank! As I was fumbling around, the Holy Spirit prompted these words. I don't think we should do anything. God has called us to show men Christ, not to fix their behavior. If we try to get him to clean up his act it will probably drive him away. By God's grace, everyone nodded in agreement. Chuck, the wild man, kept coming back each week. After attending for about three years, one day his daughter's boyfriend put a pistol in her mouth and pulled the trigger. Chuck was completely devastated. He asked me to perform the funeral because he didn't know who else to ask. Her friends wanted a rock 'n roll funeral, but...

STRONG ENOUGH

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:00:00 +0100

STRONG ENOUGH 1 Contemporary Christian Singing Artist Matthew West has written an incredible song entitled Strong Enough . Each time I listen to this awesome God-inspired song I find myself thinking about how many times in my life I have felt I was not strong enough to deal with or resolve the things that life was throwing at me. What a powerful tool at Satan’s disposal because men by nature believe that they must be strong enough to handle any and every thing that comes our way and we are never to admit we can’t. My Brothers, please recognize this is nothing but a lie and a ploy perpetrated by the enemy. The lyrics of the song say:“You must, you must think I'm strongTo give me what I'm going through. Well, forgive me, forgive me if I'm wrong, But this looks like more than I can do on my own.I know I'm not strong enough to be Everything that I'm supposed to be. I give up, I'm not strong enough. Hands of mercy won't you cover me Lord right now I'm asking you to be Strong enough, strong enough, for the...

Nothing Greater Than Grace

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Point of Grace, a contemporary Christian singing group, has a fantastic song on their “No Changin’ Us” album entitled “There is Nothing Greater than Grace.” For those of us that profess to be followers of Jesus Christ we know we have been saved by grace and grace alone. However, I think all too often we fail to keep “grace” ever present in our minds and lives. The chorus of this beautiful song says “There is no valley, there is no darkness, there is no sorrow greater than the grace of Jesus. There is no moment, there is no distance, there is no heartbreak He can't see you through. So before you think that you're too lost to save, remember there is nothing greater than grace.”1 We know that God tells us “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.”2 The incredible thing about God’s grace is it is always there no matter what we face, who turns against us, or how many times we may...

SPEAK WITH AUTHORITY AND FROM THE HEART

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:36:10 +0100

As I prepared to write the July article, I did so with a heavy heart. ThunderHeart Ministries Prison Team lost one of its own. George “Train” Kostka went home to be with the Lord on the morning of July 5, 2011. After months of being ill and dealing with being poked, prodded, and tested, God gave Train the ultimate healing … to go to live with his Heavenly Father for eternity. His funeral was a home going service that touched those who attended. Train was nothing extraordinary physically and in fact was quite meek in stature. He wasn’t loud and boisterous but he lived his faith in the Lord out loud. What I mean is his daily life reflected his desire to be Christ-like in his actions and deeds. I have seen him go into a cellblock to visit inmates in lockdown and he would walk up to a cell containing an inmate three times his size and very quickly that inmate would be drawn to what Train had to say. I believe there are two very important reasons for this; Train spoke with the authority of the Lord and he...

CHARACTER OR EMOTION-DRIVEN: WHICH KIND OF DAD ARE YOU?

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Since we are in the month that we have a day designated as “Fathers Day” I wanted to pause and think about the very important role God’s men are called to fulfill as dads. One of my favorite authors and teachers is Dr. John Maxwell. He is the founder of INJOY and EQUIP and he has trained millions of leaders all over the world. What does leadership have to do with being a dad you might ask? As far as I’m concerned it has everything to do with being a dad! God calls us to be spiritual leaders, the priest of our household, intercessory prayer warriors for our families, and He has modeled the appropriate character and behavior required to fulfill this role in the family.In his book THE MAXWELL DAILY READER John Maxwell writes “Successful people are willing to do things unsuccessful people will not do. My observation is that one of those things that makes a difference is the issue of being character driven instead of emotion driven. This is the difference:CHARACTER-DRIVEN PEOPLE: EMOTION-DRIVEN PEOPLE:Do right, then feel right...

What Will Be Your Legacy

Mon, 02 May 2011 01:00:00 +0100

In Al Sanders book, “Crisis in Morality”, he compares the descendants of an atheist called Max Jukes to the offspring of a well known preacher that lived during Mr. Juke’s lifetime called Jonathan Edwards. Here is what he wrote:“Max Jukes, the atheist, lived a godless life. He married an ungodly girl, and from the union there were 310 who died as paupers, 150 were criminals, 7 were murderers, 100 were drunkards, and more than half of the women were prostitutes . . . But praise the Lord, it works both ways! There is a record of a great American man of God, Jonathan Edwards. He lived at the same time as Max Jukes, but he married a godly girl. An investigation was made of 1,394 known descendants of Jonathan Edwards of which 13 became college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 authors of prominence, one a vice-president of the United States, 80 became public officials in other capacities, 296 college graduates, among whom were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries.”Clearly Sanders example demonstrates that a man’s legacy not only impacts...

How to Be Set Free From The Bondages of Sin

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 01:00:00 +0100

As we enter into the Easter season I thought it would be a good idea to share with you a tract written by one of our inmate pastors at Parchman Prison. Earl uses this message to minister to inmates and share with them how God has changed his life. I hope it touches your heart and leads you to contemplate your life as it relates to Satan’s never ending desire to keep you in bondage to your sins. How to Be Set Free From The Bondages of Sin By Earl Dycus “Are you tired of being bound? Do you want to be free? Many of you today are in prison. You know the meaning of being bound, whether it is by shackles, handcuffs, or razor wire fences. I want to talk to you about being bound by sin. What does it mean to be set free spiritually from the bondage of sin? The Word of God tells you how to be set free. Look and see what God says about true freedom. If you are tired of trying to do things your way and not satisfied with results, let...

"Doubts Anyone?" (1)

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

DOUBTS ANYONE (1) I would venture to say there is not a single person reading this article that has not had a time in their Christian life where some form of doubt has crept into their thinking. It may have been doubt about the very existence of God, questions about the truth of a passage of scripture, the deity of Jesus Christ, the reality of heaven or hell, or a variety of other subjects Satan uses to disrupt our personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. For the many who dared share those doubt with someone who was thought to be a “Godly” person they were often scolded and reprimanded for having an inkling of doubt and even questioned as to the authenticity of their personal relationship with the Lord. While I am certain this was well-intentioned advice, it is absolutely incorrect! God’s Word shares numerous examples of people who experienced doubt and how they resolved that doubt. I want to share one such example and how we can learn from it. It gives us an excellent model of how to resolve doubt. John the Baptist played an incredible role in introducing Jesus as the...

ARE YOU "SOULED OUT"?

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:40:23 +0100

Country songwriter/ singer Aaron Tippin wrote and performed a song entitled “You’ve Got to Stand for Something” several years ago. A key line in the chorus is “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.” So many in our nation have lost sight of the really critical things to stand for and as a result we see people from all walks of life falling for just about anything. Even people professing to be Christians have begun to live a weak-kneed, watered-down, politically acceptable lifestyle that makes them no different than their peers. We are so concerned about hurting people’s feelings that we would rather send them to hell than present them with the truth. “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”[1] For many years we have heard the term “sold out” used to describe someone who has totally and completely submitted...

It's NOT About YOU!

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 01:00:00 +0100

As I began to seek what God would have me write as the first article of 2011, He kept playing a song by contemporary Christian artist Matthew West. The title of the song is “My Own Little World”[1] and the lyrics say: “In my own little world it hardly ever rains; I've never gone hungry or always felt safe; I got some money in my pocket shoes on my feet; In my own little world; Population me. I try to stay awake through the Sunday morning church; I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give 'til it hurts; and I turn off the news when I don't like what I see; it's easy to do when it's; population me.- What if there's a bigger picture; what if I'm missing out; What if there's a greater purpose; I could be living right now; outside my own little world. Stopped at the red light, looked out my window; Outside the car, saw a sign, said Help this homeless widow; Just above this sign was the face of a human; I thought to myself, God, what...

I AM NOT "CALLED" TO DO THAT

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:00:00 +0100

I recently completed a study of Dr. David Platt’s book RADICAL with PI4C 24/7 (Passionate Influencers for Christ 24/7 which is our college-aged guys Bible study group on the campus of Mississippi State University) and Upsilon Gamma Alpha (the Greek letters are used to represent “Under God’s Authority” for our men’s Christian fellowship in Starkville, MS). This book gives the reader a keen awareness of how we have “Americanized” the gospel and made it conveniently fit into the” American Dream” our culture is so focused upon. Platt takes the reader on a journey of looking at what God’s word says about our responsibilities as a disciple of Jesus Christ. As Jesus prepared to ascend into heaven he told his disciples “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”[1] I would imagine that many of you are reading this and saying to yourselves “Okay what does this have to do with me?...

SPIRITUAL COUCH POTATOES

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:00:00 +0100

I am so sick and tired of hearing men complain about the state of today’s church and whining about the spiritual condition of our nation. Yet when you ask them what they are doing to address their so called concerns they suddenly change the subject. This is very disheartening when you consider that most of these men whining and complaining are claiming to be God’s men. Well God’s men, it is time for us to “man-up” and stop being spiritual couch potatoes! Now before you start shouting “Amen” and “About time”, let’s understand what it really means to live for our Heavenly Father. Peter gave us a very good description when he wrote: “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry....

FREE, UNLIMITED WIRELESS ACCESS

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:31:20 +0100

In this technology crazed society we live in we find ourselves constantly looking for the best deal on our wireless communication devices. Interestingly enough, even when a provider offers something for free, there is something in the fine print that makes the offer anything but free. Extended contract, roaming fees, charges for text or data usage and the list goes on. Men are genetically hardwired to look for the “best deal” and we will go to great lengths to find what we believe is the right offer for us. Yet our Heavenly Father has been offering the absolute best unlimited access package with absolutely no cost to us throughout the ages. Far too often we think of this free unlimited access as our last resort than our first line of defense. God not only encourages us to use this access, He is an active participant with each man utilizing this access commonly referred to as “prayer.” What is prayer? Prayer is the communication tool used to converse with our Heavenly Father. Conversation is meant to be a two-way activity so it is important...

A HEDGE OF PROTECTION

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Like me, many of you have heard someone say we have prayed a “hedge of protection” around you and your family. Tim Hawkins, a very funny Christian comedian, talks about this statement “a hedge of protection” and asks “couldn’t it be concrete with some razor wire on top?” Far too often we don’t take time to really seek God’s meaning of a “hedge of protection.” While the literal definition of a hedge is “a boundary formed by a dense row of thorny shrubs”[1] the phrase “hedge of protection” refers to a spiritual protection. Satan recognized that God had put a “hedge of protection” around Job and his family. Satan says Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.”[2] Satan realized that as long as this spiritual hedge was around Job, he could do nothing to harm Job, Job’s family, or even Job’s possessions. God’s hedge of protection is the ultimate in security and only He can allow something to penetrate it....

I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:18:58 +0100

I have quoted many, many times the fact that God’s Word tells us He will never leave us or forsake us. We find in the Old Testament “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. [1] We find in the New Testament “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. [2] God’s men should find comfort in these words as they attempt to navigate the murky waters of life. The more important question, and the purpose of this article, is to ask “have you forsaken God?” After all, God has made it very clear that He will not leave or forsake us so shouldn’t God expect the same in return? I know in my own life’s journey there was a period of time when I perceived that God had not only ignored me but had indeed abandoned me. As I tried...

THE "EYES" HAVE IT

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:55:53 +0100

It has been said that the eyes are the windows to a man’s soul. Jesus tells us The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”[1] It is very interesting that this passage of scripture is sandwiched between His instruction regarding where we store up our treasures and the fact we cannot serve two masters. Jesus is telling us if we are taking in Godly things with our eyes then we will reflect His light but if we are taking in the sinful things of the world with our eyes, we will reflect darkness. There is the old adage “garbage in garbage out” and this is certainly true of a man’s eyes. If we take in the “garbage” of the world then our lives will demonstrate that “garbage.” Jesus is telling us we must guard our eyes in order to protect our body, mind and emotions. Life experience tells us that whatever...

More Like Falling In Love

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Remember how you were when you fell in love with your future wife? Remember how you couldn’t get her off of your mind? You couldn’t stop thinking about the next time you would talk to her, see her, share those moments together that always seemed to be all too short no matter how long you were together. While it may not have been your intention at all to fall in love, that is exactly what was happening, you were falling in love. My hope for you is that has been a lasting and growing experience with that someone special that God gave you as a gift to be your wife. Have you ever taken time to consider the type of relationship Jesus desires to have with you? I believe He wants it to be just like falling in love more than anything else. You see when we are falling in love our focus and attention is consumed by the one we are falling in love with. For so many men their relationship with the Lord is based on following rules, saying the right words, meeting God’s obligations, and...

The Need for Encouragement

Sat, 15 May 2010 16:15:37 +0100

I think one of the most difficult things for men to do is to encourage one another. Oh we can yell our support to players at an athletic event or choose our favorite fighter in combat but truly encouraging one another is not our forte. I think all men desire encouragement but on the other hand we aren’t really sure how to give it. I know I need it and I cherish it but often don’t find that the men in my circle of influence can provide it. Hebrews gives us clear direction when it says “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.”[1] Satan continues to work long and hard to discourage men from being encouragers. Somehow we have been convinced that providing encouragement to another man challenges our manhood in some way....

Be STILL!

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:00:00 +0100

I can remember as a young boy being in church doing what young boys do (mostly squirming and fidgeting) and my mother telling me “BE STILL” with that stern look that only a mother can give. I knew she meant business and if I didn’t do as she instructed it would mean getting one of those painful pinches on the arm that certainly got your attention. I think God is desperately telling men to “BE STILL!” We are allowing so many things to distract us away from our relationship with Him despite His efforts to get our attention …God has His own ways of giving us a pinch to get our attention. The pace of our lives has gotten such that we are so busy we lose site of the most important thing which is to keep our eyes upon Jesus. Some men are afraid of being still because it makes them keenly aware of their short comings and their fears. Society tells us that men are to be strong and we are never to admit our weaknesses...

IsThere Life After Death?

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Is there life after death? This is a question often asked by non-believers as they rely on the variety of reasons to reject the free gift of grace God offers to them. God’s man must be prepared with reasonable answers to these types of questions in order to advance the kingdom of our Heavenly Father. In our continuing effort to provide information that will assist God’s man in this effort, this article provides valuable information and Biblical references that can be used to answer this question. “The existence of life after death is a universal question. Job speaks for all of us by stating, ‘Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure ... If a man dies, will he live again?’Job 14:1-2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Job%2014.1-2), 14 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Job%2014.14) 1 Corinthians 2:9 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/1%20Corinthians%202.9) Isaiah 53:5 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Isaiah%2053.5) 1 Corinthians 6:14 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/1%20Corinthians%206.14) Hebrews 9:27 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Hebrews%209.27)...

The Secret to Having HOPE Even in Times Like These

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

It is not uncommon today to hear in the media or from those around us that things seem hopeless or to hear comments about someone having lost hope. Whether it’s dealing with a natural disaster, the United States economy, or a sundry of other challenges that exist in our world today, there are people all around us who are struggling to maintain hope. Using the word “hope” in an acrostic I want to share with you what I believe to be a sure fire formula for having hope even in times like these. Heavenly Father is the first and foremost part of this formula for without him there is no real hope. Psalm 62:5 tells us “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.”[1] Scripture makes numerous references to how God’s desire is to provide us the strength to endure and maintain hope even in difficult times. Isaiah tells us “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”[2]...

No Jesus, No Peace; Know Jesus, Know Peace

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:27:33 +0100

Some years ago our nation went through a bumper sticker phase and you would see all kinds of messages displayed on the front and rear bumpers of the various types of vehicles travelling the highways. One particular phrase from a bumper sticker that always stuck in my memory is the title of this article. We have just come through the Christmas season and the word “peace” is frequently used during this season on Christmas cards, songs, store advertising and yet we do not really understand what God is offering when we hear this word used in its various formats. We hear things like “peace on earth” and other similar phrases that lead our thinking away from what God’s word tells us about His “peace.” Jesus told us “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”[1] He repeatedly uses the word “you” in this passage from which we can conclude that the peace Jesus provides is a gift offered to individuals and cannot be accepted...