Family Devotions

From the book “Passing the Torch” by Tony Rorie

Core Values are Demonstrated by our Traditions

I went to a men’s conference where the speaker, Dr. Tony Evans was teaching about Psalm 128. In this Psalm, a Godly family pattern was being described. It said:

"How joyful are those who fear the LORD— All who follow his ways. You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be! Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table. That is the LORD’s blessing
for those who fear him." (Psalm 128:1-4)

As he was describing our children flourishing around our table like olive trees, it occurred to me that I didn’t even own a table! Any meals that were eaten in my house were generally in the living room, in front of the television. I was immediately convicted and decided to go and buy my family a table to have meals together and provide an atmosphere where I could pour into them and hear their struggles. We would also, from time to time, hold family meetings at that table and discuss everything from family crisis and problems, to planning family vacations together.

The results were notable. Lots of great time spent together. I will never regret that decision to buy the table. A family tradition of shared meals was born that day.

Another notable tradition that we have placed in our home is the family devotion.

Family Devotion

One evening while attending a church service, the guest speaker asked the audience a question, “How many of you have a regularly scheduled weekly time with your family where you study God’s word, worship together, and pray for one another as a family. Out of a crowd of 500, only 3 or so raised their hands. I was not able to raise my hand. I knew the value of a family devotional time. I had even made attempts in the past to get us together and do this. Sure, we read the Bible at times, prayed at times, but I had never been intentional about setting a set night of the week for us, as a family, to grow together in the Lord.

I was convicted again.

That night, I decided that I would “take the bull by the horns.” I discussed with my wife that, from this point forward, every Monday night should be our set family night devotional. She agreed.

The first Monday rolled around and the opportunities to do something else appeared from every direction. But we said "no" to those things and “yes” to our family. We first had dinner together as a family-at our table. Then after dinner, we moved into the living room. My son brought out the guitar and led us in two songs. The girls sang and it sounded like angels in our house. After the worship time, we all took our Bibles and I instructed first my oldest daughter, then my middle son, and then my youngest daughter to read a different chapter from the Bible. I didn’t put a lot of thought into a theme or where to read, just reading any part was good, and sometimes they seemed to follow a common thread, imagine that.

When we finished the worship and Bible reading, it came time to pray. I began the prayer by praying out loud for my wife. I prayed for her upcoming week and anything else that came to mind. I thanked God for giving me such a Godly, wonderful wife. Then I prayed for each of my children individually, asking God to bless and protect them this upcoming week, along with praying for anything else that came to mind that they might need. Then, it was my wife’s turn to pray. She prayed for me, then anything else that came to mind. Then each of my children prayed, starting from the oldest, and working their way down, for whatever was on their heart. By the time we finished praying, we felt closer to God and closer as a family. Then we ate dessert together. This has helped us stay connected and growing as a family. We even started inviting other families over to teach them how to have a family devotional.

“Passing the Torch” is available at www.tonyrorie.com

What African Ebola Taught Me

What African Ebola Taught Me

I've just recently returned from Africa, where we visited six cities and two different countries. At each airport we landed, we were asked multiple questions about our exposure to certain high risk areas for Ebola. We were scanned with temperature sensitive equipment and examined by agents.

Ebola had broken out in the states, but not yet in the areas we visited. 

We were warned by family and friends about the dangers of the deadly disease and many family members were very nervous about our going to Africa amid news reports of ebola outbreak.

On our return, I noticed that the moment I shared that we were in Africa, almost everyone took a step back, wiped their hand on their shirt (the one they had just used to shake mine) and asked "Which part of Africa?"

I always smile and say, "not that part."

But I saw something more deadly than ebola in Africa and the sad part is, it was already here in the US as well.

78% of Americans under the age of 15 already have it.

85% of the men in prison already have it.

If you have it, you are 3 times more likely to die - by suicide. 

If you are a child and the majority are; you are 4 times more likely to drop out of school, and 4 times more likely to have severe behavioral disorders.

It already cost the US taxpayer billions to incarcerate and rehabilitate these infected.

It is an epidemic more deadly, more costly, and more widespread than Ebola could ever become.

But the good news is, its easily cured. The epidemic is Fatherlessness and the answer is Fathering. 

When a young man is fathered by a strong and capable male mentor, the epidemic stops. We have seen it countless times. Its a simple yet profound cure. A little love and attention, instruction, and affirmation can change the tide.

When a young lady is told that she is beautiful and she has worth beyond measure, she will begin to radiate with strength and confidence. When she is taught the definition of her feminine strength, she will become a leader.

This epidemic will only become worse unless we identify and get involved in outreach to these youth. The symptoms are clear and evident in youth without fathers. 

This epidemic is far more deadly and widespread than ebola. The time to act is now.

Great organizations like the Men & Ladies of Honor (www.honorministries.org) are spear-heading great outreach efforts and seeing tremendous results. Get involved by volunteering, praying, or supporting financially. You can make a huge difference in the life of one that has been infected.

Excellence for 2014

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

Aristotle

Each year I follow a similar path; between Christmas and New Year I begin listening for a theme from the Lord concerning my upcoming year. Because I realize that "there is no greatness outside of God", I am sure to ask His opinion on my thrust for the upcoming year. Then, with that theme in mind, I sit down and write out the plans and goals that I have in my heart concerning the upcoming year. I try to do this on a retreat or weekend getaway with my family to a secluded place. We like to go to Beaver's Bend, OK where we hold our youth camps during the camp season. It seems like an appropriate place to hear from God.

This year I did something a little different when it came to goal setting. I involved my family. I asked what the Lord was speaking to them and what they had in their hearts. The results were amazing. We were closer as a family than I can remember in some time. It became a family devotional time.

The reason I involved them was because one of the clear words I heard from the Lord was that one my purposes for 2014 is to build those around me. To encourage and equip and help develop those in my sphere of influence (The Inner Circle) to reach the goals that God has placed in their hearts.

For that reason, I want to share a few practical things that we are doing as a family and I am doing personally to achieve the plans the Lord gave:

1. Commit to Spiritual, Mental, Physical, and Financial goals for myself and family. These goals must be S.M.A.R.T - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (X by Y).

2. Commit to Build and Encourage those in my Inner Circle to help them see great things this year.

3. Develop a DAILY devotional that includes Bible reading (I use the One Year Bible - NLT). Prayer & Worship ( I use Pandora  - Bethel Live - On my Iphone during my shower time.)

4. Develop a weekly Family Devotional Time on Monday or Tuesday evenings with my wife and children where we read scripture, pray for one another, and discuss the things that help each other. 

5. Develop a time when you can regularly assess where you are in your goal process. "Whats important is recorded, whats recorded gets measured, and whats measured improves."

Developing these habits will help you and those entrusted to you to grow leaps and bounds this year. Listen, life is short, so we have to make the most of our lives AND have fun while doing it.

I want to help you reach your goals this year. Even if we "baby step" it, lets get started. Let me know if I can help you! You can also join my inner circle Facebook page here: Inner Circle Facebook Page

A Great Year - Video

I want to thank God for His great hand on Men of Honor & Ladies of Honor this year. We have seen tremendous growth and significant impact in the lives of young people as evidenced by the huge turn out at our annual awards ceremony and the video greetings sent from our groups in Namibia, South Africa, Michigan, Kenya, and Katy, TX.

Our vision is to mentor and train world-changers in churches, schools, and everywhere that young people gather.

To God be the Glory, for the great things He has done!

Watch our year in review video here:

http://youtu.be/hPHvqZIr92g

The Spartan Path to God - An Excerpt from the New Release by Tony Rorie

The Spartan Path to God:

As fuel is to combustion, so holiness is to fulfilling purpose. Without a deep driven desire to maintain personal holiness, you will never accomplish the task for which you were created. A cleaner engine runs better. The love of God is not realized without being able to first fear God. The fear of the Lord is a prerequisite to receiving the deep places of God, the intimate friendship out of which comes a level of communion where the secret things in God are revealed.

You cannot experience the power of God without an understanding that salvation is free, but to walk in the favor of God, will cost you. Time spent seeking Him with your whole heart, time spent battling and winning against your flesh in temptation struggles where you adamantly scream “no.” I’m not talking about matters of legalism, I’m talking about, how bad do you want to walk blameless before the Lord.

In areas of gray, lurk the enemies of greatness. The difference between great and mediocre men lie in small compromises. There is Holy Spirit power to walk above these, but only in proportion to our hunger for holiness. “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for holiness, for they shall be filled.”

It is the good vs. great decisions that a man must make in order to be one in which God is not disappointed.

The message of greasy-grace will not tread water here.

Sloppy Agape creates losers.

God loves each man, but to the select few who demand and struggle for His blessing, there is a special place. A place reserved for these VIP’s, a place of friendship, intimacy, power and favor.

Some practical tools to beginning the Spartan Path to God:

1. Journal your daily focus, triumphs, failures, thoughts and plans. This, even with a few lines, can help you to stay on task to walk the higher ground.

2. Make holiness your goal. Understand that others may, but you may not when it comes to matters such as drinking, lusting, coarse joking, idle communication.

3. Invite conviction: Ask the Holy Spirit to shine the light of His Spirit into every dark recess, revealing the small areas that need cleansing and forsaking. He desires this more than you. Come in faith realizing that this path will bring a smile to the Father’s face.

4. As much as you confess out sin, confess in righteousness. The enemy delights in keeping you pinned down the sin that you have already repented of. Shake it off and tell the devil to go to hell.

5. Turn off your TV.

6. Turn off your TV.

7. Turn off your TV.

Kingdom Production: Take it Like a Man

Kingdom Production: Take it Like a Man

The essence of manhood is the same as it has been since the garden; let’s face it, we are men. And as such, we are moved and driven and motivated by the same things. In today’s user-friendly, politically correct, gender sensitive Christian community, some leaders are scared to tell it like it is.

The truth is, inside we all want to be mighty men. We all want to be heroes. Testosterone and the Holy Spirit inside us drive us to produce and that’s what we were created for.

The book of 2Samuel, chapter 23, has always caught my interest and cranked something on the inside of me. I’m sure it has done the same for you. We read this about David’s Mighty Men:

David’s Three Men

⁸ These are the names of David’s mightiest warriors. The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite who was leader of the Three—the three mightiest warriors among David’s men. He once used his spear to kill 800 enemy warriors in a single battle.

⁹ Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. Once Eleazar and David stood together against the Philistines when the entire Israelite army had fled. ¹⁰ He killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the Lord gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder!

¹¹ Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, ¹² but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

David’s Thirty Mighty Men

¹⁸ Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three. ¹⁹ Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.

²⁰ There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior^[ from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. ²¹ Once, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. ²² Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors. ²³ He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard. (NLT)

What is that differentiated the thirty six from the 3, what is it that made them stand above the others? The answer in its unapologetic and unafraid starkness is simple: …numbers.

Numbers are what make the leaders. Production. Period.

I can hear the theological wheels rolling and the cannons being aimed.

But the truth is, Jesus said in that if a tree is producing, we should prune it so that it produces more. If it doesn’t it is to be “chopped down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 7:19 (NLT)

He also tells us in John 15:8 that “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (KJV)

Remember, in the parable of the talents, that all three “showed up”. Which is the measure of faithfulness and success to most churches. But not to Jesus. His only question was, “How much did you produce?” What happened to the one that didn’t produce? Matthew 25: ³⁰ Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (NLT)

Our production needs to be measured by the things that matter to God.

Our metrics have to be showing production in terms of Kingdom growth.

For the King, the marketplace has been opened for them to plunder and take ground to finance the work of the ministry.

For the Preist, it is souls.

We don’t need anyone to make us feel better about our lack of production. We need someone to unleash us on the enemy and see the casualties mount as satan’s kingdom is destroyed by mighty men. Figure out what you are. Ask God to show you. Then get busy devastating the enemy and producing for the Kingdom.

I know, not a real comforting word. But as we approach the end of time, it is now more important than ever that we get busy with the things that matter most. As Leonard Ravenhill’s tombstone reminds us “Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?”

Starting A Revolution!

The revolution has begun in Jackson, MS! I had the honor of ministering alongside (left to right): Allen Rice from the Minnesota Vikings, Paul Cole, President, Christian

Men's Network and PS. Dwayne Pickett from New Jerusalem church.

Young men and women all over this country are in bondage to an oppressive tyrant. This tyrant has told them that they will never amount to anything. The Tyrant has told them that in order to be an accepted part of the culture, they must embrace the societal norms of drug use, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, and whatever their friends and popular culture deem as acceptable behavior.

They are told that in order to be viable, they must be vulgar.

They are hurting, broken, empty, discouraged, and dying. Global suicide rates for youth ages 15 to 24 is 600,000 annually.

The good news is: A revolution is stirring! A revolution of righteousness. A restoration of the lost virtues of chivalry, honor, integrity and righteousness. The tide will turn as we launch a grass roots movement across the nation in every place where young people gather.

This month in Jackson, Mississippi we have launched the Men of Honor program into the Jackson public school system and the Mesquite, Texas public school system. In Jackson, where young black men are 3 times more likely to finish their G.E.D. in prison than graduate from college, they are being taught that "manhood and Christ-likeness are synonymous" and that "there is no greatness outside of God".

At the first introduction of the program in 7 Jackson middle schools, 1,075 young men indicated a desire to be part of the Men of Honor program!

What will this state look like when these young men graduate as Men of Honor? What will will the statistics reflect when young men grasp the fact that they are created in the image of God and have world-changing power on the inside of them. They will be prophetic and not pathetic!

The comprehensive and systematic strategy that we have been given by God has the power to change our schools, our communities, our states, our country and eventually the world. What we need now is God's people, the enablers of this great revolution to pray, support, and strengthen the movement. To sponsor these world changers through camp, provide life-changing curriculum, and give them an opportunity to change the world, give online today at www.themenofhonor.org.

Be encouraged! The tide is changing and the revolution is stirring. The Lord promised, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and daughters will prophesy!"