Heaven Is For Real

Well written and very easy to read, Heaven is for Real tells the tale of a four year old boy who visited heaven.

I am not at all into the ‘sensational’ and hesitated to read the book until curiosity got the better of me.  To my surprise I ended up enjoying it and read the whole book in one sitting.  You will find it hard to put down.   This book can potentially help those looking for assurances about the loss of a loved one and perhaps even ease their pain. 

In the first few chapters, Colton's dad talks a lot about himself and the pain and struggles that he had to endure prior his son’s experience, which for me was also a lesson in honesty and perseverance. Not many people nowadays, in my opinion, have the guts to stick to their beliefs and sense of mission. 

Heaven is for Real is an inspiring book and offers a glimpse of heaven through the experience of a four year old boy. I would recommend this book to those who would enjoy an easy, yet meaningful, heart-warming and thought-provoking read.

Jungle Warfare

Great Sales Resource!

"can you imagine the confidence that would radiate from you as you stood in front of your customers if they knew your faith was in something deeper than the sale?"

- C. A. Cunningham, Jungle Warfare.

Jungle Warfare will not only give you lots to think about but it will also give you practical answers to practical questions. The book is divided in two parts. Part one is in devotional format with sections which include a verse, a battle plan, a prayer and space for you to write your thoughts and personal prayers. Part two includes common questions Christians face or will face in their professional careers such as: “I compromised my integrity. What do I do now?” And “What if my customers don't like me?.”

Uplifting and encouraging. I highly recommend this book.

11 Thoughts About Grace

1. God's grace (favour) is unmerited, outrageous and unfair.
2. God's grace is a gift. You don’t work for it. You don’t earn it. You don’t deserve it. Like any gift you can accept it or reject it. And once you accept it, it’s yours.
3. Through grace God made a way for you to have life through His death. God's main concern is not that we are sinners in desperate need of forgiveness; His greatest concern is that we are dead in desperate need of life. (John 10:10, Ephesians 2:1)
4. Through grace we can be the visible representation of an invisible God. Jesus didn’t come to help you be good and serve God, he came to live his life through you. (Galatians 2:20)
5. Through grace the task of being a Christian is no longer impossible. You understand that Jesus didn't come to get you out of hell into heaven, but to get himself out of heaven into you.
6. Through grace there is nothing you can do to make God love you more, there is nothing you can do to make God love you less.
7. Through grace you are as righteous as Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
8. Through grace it’s not about what you do but who you are in him (Romans 5:17). The question is not how God can make you righteous? A better question would be:“How can God make Jesus become sin?” Jesus became sin so that you could be clean.
9. Through grace we can clothe ourselves with Christ and approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. What is our greatest time of need? Isn’t it when we are failing? (Hebrews 4:16)
10. Through grace we can find forgiveness. C.S. Lewis put it brilliantly when he said “repentance is not something that God arbitrarily demands of us; It is simply a description of what going back is like”. For the prodigal son that meant going back to a life of love, joy and abundance.
11. Through grace you can predict your future, for through Jesus You have a hope and a future.

The conclusion could easily go like this:

Repent now. That will determine what your life will look like.

Ask for grace. That will empower you to keep going.

Are You A Christian? ...Really!?

While many who claim to be Christians whine about how early or long the church service is. How 10% is too challenging and too much to give. How depressing it is not to be able to buy that new car or that new pair of shoes. How being a man is so much hard work. This ex-addict, hard core criminal turned businessman, then preacher and last but not the least, missionary in Africa, is doing amazing things for God.

Do me a favour, go and watch this movie immediately and then think about your Christian life (or lack thereof)! It has changed my perspective of a lot of things, including who I used to see as my heroes. 

Check out Sam Childers website here.

Your Destiny Is Within Your Reach

Your destiny is within your reach. You are not a waste of space. You were born for times like these (Acts 17:26). It’s your turn to make history. What legacy will you leave behind? Opportunities are about what he is preparing you for. But how do you recognise whether you are moving towards your destiny? Here are a few thoughts:

1) You recognise that you exist to serve your generation 

(Acts 13:36, 17:26)

You are in the right place at the right time. God placed you here. Your existence was planned by God before the foundation of the world. Your parents might not have planned you but God did. You were conceived in the mind of God long before you were conceived by your parents (Ephesians 1:4). God placed you here to serve. Service is not optional. You were saved to serve.(Ephesians 2:10). God made a way for us to serve your generation through his church. Are you giving it all you can? (Colossians 3:23, Ecclesiastes 9:10)

2) You recognise that you already have what you need  

(Ephesians 3:20)

Check out Judges 15:15, Exodus 4:2 and 1 Samuel 17:50. What did Sampson, Moses and David had in common? They used what they had. If you use what you have God will become what you need. Thank God for Ephesians 3:20. What do you have in your hands? A house (why not use it to connect with people in you world), a car (are you using it to carry people?), an informal environment in church on Sundays that makes it easy for you to connect with people, a cup of coffee (why not offer someone a cuppa?). What do you have right now that you can use for God’s glory?(1 Corinthians 10:31). You already have what God wants you to have to cause a great impact for the kingdom.

3) You recognise that your destiny is within your reach 

(2 kings 7, 1 Samuel 14)

In 2 kings 7 we read of two lepers that saved a whole nation. In 1 Samuel 14 yet another two men saved a whole nation. Their destiny were within their reach. Here is the thing, your destiny is also within your reach. You already have the right people and right resources in your world. Are you investing in your relationships? Do you value your church? Are you being a good steward? God will use the ones close to you as he did with the lepers and Jonathan.

Ask God to show you the resources he has already given you, for your destiny is within your reach.

The Narrow Gate

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. Matthew 7:13

Wide = having a larger distance from one side to the other than is usual or expected.

Jesus made it clear that the going of being a follower is tough. The road to convenience and comfortable living is wide. What do we do to make sure that we are moving towards the narrow gate?

Strategy To Enter Through The Narrow Gate

1- Determine To Be Chosen

For many are called, but few are chosen

Matthew 22:14

In the Parable of the Wedding Party everyone was invited to the wedding, but the invitation went out in two parts. The 'A list', the respectable people were invited first, but they did not take the invitation seriously. They only pretended to accept. They lied. The result is that they didn’t show up.  The invitation was then sent out to the 'B' list which was everyone else including the street people, prostitutes, etc!

Being chosen is a decision we make. It is a commitment to listen to the voice of the one who chose us in the first place.

2- Determine To Follow

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:27

This has got to do with your determination to keep going. Following Jesus goes like this:

LISTEN

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

COUNT THE COST

But don't begin until you count the cost. Luke 14:26-28

GIVE UP

So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me. Luke 14:33

You cannot miss the narrow gate if you are wholeheartedly following Jesus and since we are at it, who are you leading towards the narrow gate? Because if you are a follower, this is not an option, it’s a must.

The Development Session

Every now and then I go back to the basics with the men in our men's group. I call these sessions "Development Sessions". They are a great  way to monitor the new converts' growth, assess where everyone is at and engage with the real  deal of being a follower of Christ. You can even get into discussions about ideas, mindsets, misconceptions among other interesting things.

Below is an example of a development sheet.

DEVELOPMENT SESSION 1   

(2 Timothy 2:2)

1) What is so bad about sin? Romans 6:23, Isaiah 59:2.

Sin leads to death. We have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Sin is when you do something God asked you not to (James 4:17).

2) Who is Jesus? John 3:16

He is the Son of God.

3) Why Jesus? John 14:6

He made a way for us to have relationship with God.

4) Why did Jesus have to die? 1 Peter 3:18, Romans 5:17

Jesus died to take the penalty our sins deserved. He took our punishment so that we wouldn’t have to. He made a way for us to go to heaven and live with God forever.

5) How do you get to heaven? Romans 10:9-10, John 1:12

“Receiving Christ” means: 1) acknowledging your belief in Jesus, 2) inviting him into your life, 3) turning to God from your present way of living (repentance), and 4) beginning the adventure of letting God direct your life.

6) What is Church?

A body of believers.

7) What is the Church’s purpose?

1 - To bring us strength. 1 Corinthians 14:26

2 - To help us flourish. Psalm 92:12

3 - To show us the truth. 1 Timothy 3:15, John 8:32, John 14:6

8) Why is the Church so important?

1 - The Church was Jesus’ idea. Mat 16:18 , I Pet 2:4-6

2 - Jesus died for the Church. Acts 20:28, Eph 5:25

3 - Jesus is the Head of the Church. Eph 1:22, Col 1:18

9) Why Serve?

1 - Great cure for selfishness. Phil 2:3

2 - Shows us the real purpose of living. Mt. 16:25

3 - It’s part of the core of who a true disciple is. Mt. 20:32-33, Mark 16:20

4 - Leads to greatness. Mt 23:11-12

Being a Woman

I am proud to say that Angela's new book is now available. What a masterpiece!

From a man's perspective I found this book valuable in understanding women better. Not only the role of a woman but also the heart. A must read for husbands as well as men who are seeking to draw the best out of the women in their world. Understanding the role of a woman could significantly change your life and the lives of the women around you. Being a Woman is very practical with applicable suggestions that will challenge men and women alike.   Much to my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The Being a Woman book and worksheets are available here as well as the awesome photos that my daughter, Lorah-Kelly took for this book. 

Free

"The world is crying out for men and women to fulfil their destiny". A powerful statement that got my attention right from the very start of this book. It even motivated me to plan the route of my life taking into consideration the destination. Sometimes we know where we want to go but not how to get there. Free will help you plan your route.

This is a very practical book in finding freedom in many areas of life. Angela's honest approach to difficult subjects is refreshing and inspiring. In this book you will find very practical keys to be free from things such as shame, fear, unforgiveness as well as keys to live a life to be free to give, love, lead, laugh and much more.

Free is a very insightful book drawn from Angela's own struggles and experiences. Although this book is pitched to women every single key is still relevant to men. A must read if you truly want to unleash your potential and be free.

We Walk Together

The church exists to build people up and since one is too small a number for greatness, here at D7 Church we choose to work together. We are building the church through teams of passionate skilled individuals. Still there is plenty of room for learning and improvement.

Here is the thing about D7

• We exist for the broken NOT the perfect

• We care for each other and we put others first

• We do whatever it takes NOT whatever it’s easy

• We do whatever it's needed NOT whatever we want

• At D7 Church Jesus is the centre of everything we do. But we don’t use Him as an excuse NOT to do anything. Faith without works is dead.

We believe that God has not called us to be normal and fit in, He has called us to STAND OUT!  How do we do this? Together. We are a bunch of people that believe that our God is big and absolutely anything can be accomplished as long as we don’t mind who takes the credit. We are not ordinary, we are extraordinary.We are not conventional, but remarkable. We are everything but normal.

We are chosen by God for a higher calling, God's instruments empowered to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the difference He has made in our lives. (1Peter 2:9-10)

The result? Life change. Testimonies of people being set free from addictions, depression, mental illness, the occult etc, all in a short period of our existence as a church.

That is why I believe that as Christians progress is our best product. We should constantly be thinking, 'How can I do this better?', 'How can I get closer to Him?' , 'How can I keep track and measure my spiritual growth?'.

Listen to our current series - A Love For the House here.

Grapes And Giants

Numbers 13 is a great chapter in the Bible. It describes how God's people dealt with some real problems. The Israelites were told to spy out the land they were about to enter as promised by God. Out of 12 people only 2 thought as God did. The result: 10 people talked 3 million out of their promise and destiny. Ten people melted the heart and stole the faith of millions of others. The Bible says that only Joshua and Caleb had the same heartbeat as God's.

Here is the thing;

God will show you what you can have before you can obtain it. He will allow you to see it before you can have it,

to Abraham He showed the stars

to Joseph He showed sheaves

to Peter He showed His church
to Joshua and Caleb He showed the promise land 

BUT,

God will want to know what you have to say about what he has for you.  

And that is the tricky bit:

I've seen what he is doing in our church BUT I don’t have the money nor the time to contribute.

I know God wants me to serve in his house, because Jesus came as a servant. BUT I don’t have the time to do it... I'm way too tired, busy, and is too much hard work.

God has showed me that I need to get planted in His house, BUT I  fear commitment.

And here is the deal: 

Where there are promises there are also problems. The bigger the grapes the bigger the giants.

There is however a reason why God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. There is a reason why the Bible says that the godly are as bold as lions and that our confidence will be richly rewarded.

What has God been showing you lately; a vision, a need, a challenge, a change? What about your response, has it been based on faith or fear? Remember: Where there are grapes there are also giants, where there are promises there are also problems. But He has given us the power to overcome, in Him we are more than conquerors.

Passion & Purity Availalbe NOW!

My wife is an awesome woman of God and I am very proud of her. I never knew how much I could learn from her journey myself. Passion & Purity is the most powerful book in the Loving Life Series. You would definitely benefit from starting with Hope’s Journey and then Secure on the Rock, to get the whole picture of her powerful testimony - Passion & Purity however is still powerful as a standalone volume.

This book is all about living an adventurous, passionate, wild life within the boundaries of purity. Most people go for the wild life but compromise their purity. Angela shows both side of the coin - how to do it and how not to do it.

Although this book was written to women, I found it extremely helpful as I got a better perspective on how to relate and protect my wife and how to look after and protect my daughters. Husbands and fathers will definitely benefit from the whole Loving Life Series.

You will not be able to put this book down and you should not read it if you don’t want your life to be greatly impacted. Highly recommended. Passion & Purity is available on Amazon as well as all online bookstores worldwide and from our church website.

Audacious Faith

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Hebrew 11:1 

Nothing is impossible with God and Nothing is too hard for Him. However, in order to see the impossible we have to be willing to hold on to what we believe with perseverance and determination. We will also have to refuse to fear when facing impossibilities.

Hebrews 11:1 describes faith. Hebrews 11:2-38 demonstrates faith. Note that only one verse focus on the theory of faith, the rest of the chapter deals with the practicalities of faith. That is 37 verses of faith being put to work. Faith is practical. Hope grabs hold of nothing, faith holds on to it until it becomes something.

Consider these words of Jesus:

“According to your faith will it be done...” (Matthew 9:29)
“If you have faith and do not doubt...” (Matthew 21:21)
“Have Faith in God,” (Mark 11:22)
“Anyone who has faith in me will do even greater works,” (John 14:12)

Activate your audacious faith:

1 - Read Hebrews 11:1-38 (The Hall of Faith). Read it out loud! Faith comes by hearing the word of God.
2 - Pray for mountain moving faith. Pray for the spiritual gift of faith.
3 - Do life with people of faith. Please note that this does not mean that you will neglect your friends and the people in your life that need Jesus. We were called to be light and salt. We were called to be IN the world not OF the world. One of the signs that your faith is increasing will be the fruit around you. Found people, find people.
4 - Fast. This will give you an edge when fighting the enemy and the things of this world. Fasting is a powerful weapon. Fasting can definitely make your faith stronger in a shorter period of time. The price is higher, but If you are looking for a shortcut, this is it.

Do you have a testimony were you got results by activating your faith?
What are you doing right now that requires faith?

The Urgency For The Gospel

The purpose of our church is to make (healthy) disciples. Why? Because Jesus said so: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, - Matthew. 28:19. See also Luke 19:10 and Mark1:15

The gospel of Jesus Christ: the virgin birth, the sinless life, the substitutionary death, the triumphant resurrection and the eminent return of Jesus Christ. The gospel as a historic reality and the gospel as a contemporary life giving, changing force. The gospel that has the power to meet you where you are and speak to you where you are at in life. The gospel that is as relevant today as it was over 2000 years ago. Where cities, counties, nations can be changed by it.

Every Christian occupies some kind of pulpit and preaches some kind of sermon every day.  So you are preaching the gospel in a way or another whether you like it or not!  The question is: What kind of message are you preaching? 

 
The kingdom of God is built by people that have the guts to tell their whole world about Jesus and what he is doing though His church. God has given us this time this season.  The bible says that David served his generation, we are now responsible for this generation. 

Who in your life needs a fresh touch from God?

Men of Extravagant Generosity

The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.
A generous person will prosper; 
Proverbs 11:24-25

What is generosity? Generosity is the quality of being generous. A generous person is willing to give money, help, kindness, etc., especially more than is usual or expected (Cambridge Dictionary).

The above verses present a paradox: you become richer by being generous. The world says to hold on to as much as possible, but God blesses those who give freely of their money, possessions, time and energy. When we give, God supplies us with more so that we can give more. In addition giving helps us gain a right perspective on our possessions. We realise they were never really ours to begin with, but they were given to us by God to be used to help others.

What do we gain by giving? We gain freedom from enslavement to our possessions (your possessions will not possess you), the joy of helping others and God’s approval.

In John 6:1-14 we see that God’s math works in this way: 
Everything you have x God = everything you need + more

Do you struggle with giving? Do you feel your possessions possess you? If so what are you going to do about it?

How we should approach giving
God gave us his most precious "possession" – his Son (John 3:16). So here is the thing: Refuse to serve God leftovers.
      And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,
      Is it not evil?
      And when you offer the lame and sick,
      Is it not evil?
      Offer it then to your governor!
      Would he be pleased with you?
      Would he accept you favorably?”
      Says the LORD of hosts. . - Malachi 1:8

In the above passage people kept the best animals for themselves and offered God leftovers. They assumed God would be pleased because they had sacrificed something. Refuse to give God a scrap or two just because you feel guilty for giving him nothing. Refuse to mumble a few words at the end of the day, when you lie in bed half asleep.  Refuse to have a mindset that says: “Do I have to give?!”

God described this practice as evil. Let’s stop calling it: busy schedule, bills, forgetfulness, sickness and call it as it is: Evil. Your greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things that don’t really matter.

Do you offer God leftovers of your money, time and energy?

In The Stillness - D7 Band's Brand New Album

Church I am so excited!!! In the Stillness the 2nd album by D7 Band will be out this summer. This is an amazing expression of where we are at as a church. This new album is promising to be awesome. The production and engineering process will take longer and it will be more detailed and refined and the sound will be massive.

10 th September 2011 - An Unmissible Day

click for full image

I am so excited for all the girls in our world.  They are going to be blown away with what Angela has been preparing for them. The very first King's Daughters  Conference is going to add so much value to the women present on that day - their lives will never be the same ever again! Our Christmas Ball was amazing but the King's Daughters Conference will just be totally over the top specially tailored to welcome princesses into God's presence.

Check out this message from Angela:

"King's Daughters exists to inspire and challenge women to understand their identity and value so that they can lead an amazing, abundant life with passion and purpose. The King's Daughters Conference is a unique experience where you will encounter God, be completely refreshed and equipped to be all you can possibly be." - Angela De Souza (King's Daughters Conference host and Executive Pastor at D7 Church)

So add the date to your diary:

King's Daughters conference this summer on 10th September 2011. Where girls from all over the UK will be getting together for a day of inspiring teaching, incredible worship, live music and loads of laughter.

And for all the men reading this post - buy a ticket for the woman in your life now.

Men of Remarkable Honour

Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:10

Today's generation has done a great job at ruining the concept of honour. We think honour is something we give to someone based on their performance. Based on how much we like them. In the Bible, honour is to do with value, worth and weight. And it's something freely given. Honour is a strong biblical concept.

Honour is to treat with respect or reverence; having a good reputation characterised by integrity. Not to honour means to treat something as common. Where is the honour? Don’t you ever wonder that? TV shows women berating their men, men looking with lust at other women that are not their wives, children talking to their parents in a disrespectful way.

It is our responsibility to bring honour back. D7 church is a house of honour. When you value something you are able to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Honour elevates, dishonour decimates.

Here are three things about honour:

1. It’s a decision not a reward. We might think that some people in our world don’t deserve honour, but neither do we because:
   
   ...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
    
2. The amount you receive is determined by the amount you give (see Ezra 7:27-28, Gal. 6:7). Every time you deny honour you miss an opportunity to receive it. God deserves honour. The people in your world deserve your honour because they were created in God's image.
    
3. The amount you give is determined by the amount of value you perceive. Honour will protect, praise, prioritise. In a nutshell if you love you will honour.

In order to bring this to reality let's look at a practical example of honour. Are we honouring the women in our world? Are we honouring them by showing them respect? Do you treat woman as an object? Are you rude to them? Remember this: If you are rude you are wrong! Period. I am talking about your wife, mother, sister, the woman in church.

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Peter 3:7

In the previous verse, 1 Peter 3:6, the Bible says that women are prone toward Fear (great tip for us guys!). Those fears that the women have are legitimate. If a woman marries a man, she’s trusting him with the rest of her life that he won’t hit her, cheat on her, that he’ll work hard, that he’ll pay the bills, that he’ll love their children, that he’ll walk with Jesus and finish the race well, that if she gets sick, he’ll look after her. It is a terrifying thing for a woman to trust a man. 

Women have legitimate fears and what the word of God (the Bible) is saying is that men need to be in a particular way so that those fears are alleviated. We need to relate to the women in our world  “in an understanding way, showing them honour.” That’s a D7 man!  Now many of us will nod our head and say, “Yep, that’s me.” but the truth is that every man has areas of repentance and growth that are required in order for them not only to grow old but to grow up too.

D7 men you’re not looking for a girlfriend if you are single. You’re not looking for a roommate. You’re not looking for a cohabitation partner. You’re looking for a wife.

You’re not the flirt guy.
You’re not the download porn dude.
You’re not the “I got another girl on the side I always keep in case of emergency” kind of guy.
You’re not the wandering eye guy.
You’re not the “white lies” guy.
You’re not the “short fuse” guy.

We need to take responsibility for the well- being of the woman in our world. We need to protect them from harsh words, plain rudeness, physical harm, items that are too heavy for them to carry, our lack of commitment to their well- being, their reputation, their purity, their right to feel safe and secure among other things.

Starting now, how can you honour the woman in your world?

D7 men are gentlemen. And gentlemen you are stronger than the woman in your world.Do you ever hit her? (How about your tongue, do you abuse them verbally?), do you ever push her?, do you ever grab or restrain her?, do you ever raise a hand and threaten her?, do you ever intimidate her with physical violence?, do you ever give her "the looks"?

Losers do the above! There are simply no excuses for that type of behaviour. Women are supposed to feel safe around us. Christian, husband, father, employee. Those are your first four duties and they will take most of your life. You’re not going to have a lot of time so start working at it now.

Ask the women in your world for feedback and how you can honour them. Do they feel safe around you? Do they feel respected and honoured?

Secure On The Rock

Finally the big day has arrived! Angela's new book, Secure on the Rock, is available now from Amazon.co.uk.  

This book will definitely help you to understand insecurity and find freedom from it. I found it particularly helpful as it touches the roots of what can be a very controlling pattern. A grabbing read; this book will keep you hooked as Angela describes her journey to freedom. Secure on the Rock will also help couples in their journey as Angela's perspective really helps men understand women so much more. I found this book really opened my eyes to the things that my wife may be feeling or going through. I highly recommend this book for men and women and I am sure that the Study Guide will be a great resource too.

I would be extremely grateful if you would spread the word and most of all if you would leave a review on Amazon. Thank you to everyone for all you kinds words of encouragement and support.

All Night Prayer

Join us at Eric & Angela's home at 10pm to 4am for an all night prayer meeting.   It promises to be an AWESOME and powerful time where we will move the heart of God for Gloucester and D7 Church.

Men of Unshakeable Integrity

Yesterday at our D7 Men's meeting we looked into a very important factor in our life - Integrity. If we desire to succeed in our career, business, church and family life, integrity is essential. Here are the notes from our fantastic session.  

D7 men are men of unshakeable integrity
(Unshakeable= solid, constant, unmovable, unwavering)  

 “A life isn’t significant except for its impact on other lives” – Jackie Robinson

“Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”  Genesis 41:38 (NLT) 

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change. When you have integrity, your words and your deeds match up. You are who you are, no matter where you are or who you are with.

A man with integrity does not have divided loyalties (e.g. God and money, the Church and the world, his wife and other women - that’s duplicity), nor is he pretending (that’s hypocrisy). A man with integrity is a “whole” man; they can be identified by their single-mindedness. A man with integrity has nothing to hide and nothing to fear. If you want to be free you have to make integrity part of who you are. No compromise. D7 men are men of unshakeable integrity; they are who they are no matter what the circumstances are.

A vision will lead you but integrity will keep you. Gifts without integrity are fruitless. Integrity will determine who you are and who you are will determine what you do. Integrity is your best friend and also the best friend that your friends will ever have.

If you’re planning to achieve anything you have to work on your character. If your talent takes you where your character cannot keep you, you will end up:

1. Hitting a performance ceiling that is much lower than your aptitude.
2. Hitting an obstacle or situation that derails you.
3. Reaching great success only to self-destruct and lose it all.

Think about the questions below:

1. Do your words and your deeds match up?
2. Does your environment control who you are? If so how can you overcome that?
3. Would the people in your world say that you are a man of integrity? Why?

Image-Building vs. Integrity-Building

An image cannot sustain you because we are all faced with conflicting desires.
 

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. Galatians 5:17

No one, no matter how “spiritual”, can avoid this battle. Integrity is the factor that determines which one will prevail. Integrity determines who we are and how we will respond before the conflict even appears. Image is what people think we are. Integrity is what we really are. Consider the following questions and answer Yes or No:

1. Are you the same person no matter who you are with?
2. Do you make decisions that are best for others when another choice would benefit you?
3. Are you quick to recognise others for their efforts and contributions to your success?

Your answers to the above questions will determine if you are into image-building instead of integrity-building.

Fighting the lies

You’ve all heard these lies:

“You’re cheating, but it is for your family!”
“This is how I was made.”
“I am married but I am not blind!”
“You are a man, aren’t you?”

When trials come (and believe me they will!) to rob you from your integrity remember two things:

1. Man (your boss, the government, your parents, etc) is not your source but God.

So we say with confidence,
   “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  Hebrews 13:6

2. God has made us with desires. But He has also given us self-control.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Do you believe or have believed in lies that have had a negative effect on your integrity?
 

Integrity is about the small things

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. Luke 16:10

Integrity commits itself to character over personal gain, to people over things, to service over power, to principle over convenience, to the long view over the immediate.

For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. Matthew 10:26

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16

Becoming a Man of Integrity

It is always easy to do what is right when you know ahead of time what you stand for. In the end you can bend your actions to conform to your principles, or you can bend your principles to conform to your actions.  But remember: If you cross the line of your values – whether it’s by an inch or by a mile – you are still out of bounds.

Monitor who you are becoming

1) Commit yourself to developing strong character. Take full responsibility for your mistakes. If you have to apologise to someone this is your chance, don’t hold back take this opportunity to allow God to work in you and through you. Unconditionally forgive those who may have hurt you (Remember Jesus did this for you in the first place). Is there anyone in your life that you need to thank? Is there anyone that needs honour? The time to do it is now. Do you see solid, unshakeable integrity in yourself? Make the commitment to change today.

Read the following statement, and then sign the line below:

I commit myself to being a person of character. Truth, reliability, honesty, confidentiality and above all the word of God will be the pillars of my life. I will treat others in the way I expect to be treated. I will live according to the high standards of integrity amid of all of life’s circumstances.

Signature:                            Date:

2) Do the little things. Spend the next week carefully monitoring your character habits. Make a note to yourself each time you do any of the following:

• Don’t tell the whole truth.
• Neglect to fulfil a commitment, whether it’s promised or implied.
• Leave an assignment uncompleted.
• Talk about something that you might have been expected to keep in confidence. 

3) Do what you should do before you do what you want to do. Everyday day this week, find two items on your to-do list that you should do but that you have been putting off. Complete those tasks before doing anything on the list that you enjoy.

4) Study the life of Saul and David. Write down the contrast between these two men. What can you learn from them and what timeless principles can you draw from their lives.

Key Verses: 

But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. 17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.”  Zechariah 8:16-17 (NLT)

“Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”   Genesis 41:38 (NLT)

The above is also based on the following:
Integrity
Becoming a person of influence
Developing the leader within you

Men of Extraordinary Vision

We kicked off D7 Men with what I find to be a crucial thing in life: Vision.  Men in our society lack vision - not on my watch! As long as I live I will challenge the men around me to grab hold of what God intends for them. Men, you were created for a purpose and sitting watching TV eating junk is not one of them. I refuse to be surrounded by purposeless, visionless men.  

D7 Men are men of extraordinary vision

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. 

Proverbs 21:5

“You never just focus on what you’ve accomplished for the year; you focus on what you’ve accomplished relative to exactly what you said you were going to accomplish.”
– George Rathmann

You measure the success of your vision according to what you’ve planned and how much you’ve managed to accomplish toward that goal. Remember that the future belongs to those who plan for it, even though some people would rather spend more time planning their holidays than their life. As a D7 man you have to have vision.

When writing down your vision consider: 

1- God. 

Great vision requires remarkable, reckless faith. When devising a vision for your life make sure you make God’s priorities your priorities. Make sure your dreams are also God’s dreams, otherwise you might end up chasing the wind, just like king Solomon. (See Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, 17, 1:2-4, 1:5-8, 1:8-9)

2- The People in Your World
Teamwork makes the dream work. If you can achieve your vision by flying solo, then chances are you're not doing anything worthwhile. A big vision requires people. We can’t accomplish great things alone. Examples of people that had a great team: David (his mighty men), Jesus (the twelve disciples) and the Apostles (spirit filled men). Your vision should have the capacity to turn ordinary men into “giant killers”. So look after the people that God has put in your world. Don't take them for granted, they might become your best friends. Stay planted in God's house no matter what, serve the people in your world with a humble attitude and you will see that they will be more than willing to help you out.

3- The Clarity of Your Vision (thanks to Dr. John Maxwell for the insight)

Write the vision and make it plain on tablets
Habakkuk 2:2

Make sure you clarify your vision. Make sure you know what you want (James 1:6-8). Make you vision clear.

Clarity requires effort. Ask yourself these questions.

1) What are your deep concerns?
2) What are your values?
3) What strengths do you have?
4) How have your experiences shaped you?

These questions uncover how you are wired and what you value the most. Once the vision starts to come together in your mind, write it down and share it with someone you trust. As your vision crystallizes, you might want to surround yourself with inspirational resources (books, movies, paintings, people who can help you realise your vision).

Clarity specifies your direction. Why should we make the effort to see the vision clearly? Because vague visions cannot serve as compelling guides. Writing down your vision is a great way to make it clear. This will also provide you with direction, accountability and possible problems.

Clarity will determine your priorities. Every man has limitations. Limited time, limited resources, and limited energy. As such, nobody can have it all in life. In light of our limitations, we each have to make sacrifices and scale back the scope of our ambitions. Seeing the vision clearly helps us to prioritize which opportunities to bypass and which activities deserve our dedication. The choices we make either draw us closer to our vision or push us farther away from it. If we're unsure of the vision, then we won't know how to make decisions that carry us in the right direction. If we don't live by priorities we will live by pressures. So set your priorities right, at the very beginning.

How NOT to Be Double-Minded

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."
–  Henry Ford

... but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14

The answer is: You Focus and Press on. Ask yourself these questions.

Focus: Write down your short term and long term Goals.

Press on: How are you going to implement the above?

Take your time to read and meditate on these verses: Ephesians 3:20, 2 John 1:8, James 1:12, Galatians 6:9

Recommended Reading:
Believe That You Can by Jentezen Franklin

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
Be All You Can Be by John Maxwell
Wild At Heart by John Eldredge 

Profile of a D7 Man

We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him (Jesus).
Romans 8:29 (Msg)

The men at D7 Church have officially started their journey. 

This year is going to be a year of challenge, growth, faith, strong relationships, wild fun, exploration, and uncomfortable living. This is what the men at D7 Church will be focusing on.

D7 Men are:

Men of Extraordinary Vision (Proverbs 21:5)
Men of Reckless Faith (Ephesians 3:20)
Men of Unshakable Integrity (Zechariah 8:16-17)
Men of Great Influence (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Men of Unmatched Confidence (Hebrews 10:35)
Men of Relentless, “All The Way” Servanthood. (Mat.20:28)

Men of Consuming Passion (John 2:17)

Men of Intense Urgency for the Gospel (Mark 1:15)
Men of a Much Loved Family (1 Timothy 5:8)
Men of Hard Work (Colossians 3:23)

Men of Daring Courage (1 Chronicles 11:22-24)
Men of Uncompromising Discipline (Hebrews 12:11)

Men of Extravagant Generosity (Proverbs 11:24)

Men of Passionate Romance. (Ephesians 5:25)

As men we have to have focus and if we want to be great men  we have to have even greater focus. Our focus will help us to define milestones, achievements and discover what being a D7 man is all about. The above profile represents the main characteristics of Jesus. Our aim as men is to be more like him and that is going to be our focus. 

If you want to make the most of this journey remember to  be real, honest, accountable, trusting, unoffendable and focused. Think about what has been discussed and apply what you learn no matter the cost.  You might also consider starting a journal to document your growth this year.

Keep plugged in as there is more exciting stuff to come and remember: perfection is not a requirement for commitment.

Hey D7 Men!

Just to let you know that this coming Tuesday D7 Men is going to be awesome. If you haven’t done so please sign up to this blog asap!!! As I will be adding some extra resources and useful information to it from time to time. Spread the word and don’t forget that everybody is welcome to join us. So invite/bribe/kidnap/beg/sedate/nag/ your heathen friend.

I have waited, listened, and prayed therefore this coming Tuesday I will be unleashing the vision for this year. So be prepared to walk closer to God (you will need it!), be challenged and grow exponentially.

In a nutshell I am extremely excited.

See you there!

Our Best Days Are Ahead

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

What is the unseen? Did you know that:

1- For some people D7 Church is the highlight of their week. Greatness is not what great people say about you. Greatness is what ordinary people, who can benefit you nothing say about you.

2- Church is their only hope. The reason for people to relocate just to join us wanting to be part of an awesome team and a church with a big vision.  People that came to Christ through our hard work are now reaping the benefits of a new life.

3- We are building an awesome church. People wanting to give to our church because they have recognised God's work throught us. D7 Arena, we can’t lose sight of it. If you can see it you can have it. D7 is a church with a big vision.

And since breakthrough might be just around the corner what should we do? Here at D7 Church we do the following:

1) We keep on showing up.

At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Galatians 6:9

Half of the battle is showing up. History is not kind to people who go back.  People who haven’t realised going back is never better will always struggle to find a reason to keep going in the face to adversity.The Millions who went back from the brink of Canaan did not write the next chapter of the Bible, but Joshua and Caleb did.

2) We expect great things to happen.

To expect is to believe something will happen.

“ ...‘I am the LORD... Is anything too hard for Me?’”
Jeremiah 32:27

3) We press on.
 

... but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14

There is only one way and that is FORWARD! We've burned the bridges, locked the door and thrown the key out. We are in this until the end, we are pressing own with sharp focus towards the prize.


4) We make a habit to look through the eyes of faith.
 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20

Check these verses out:

Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
2 John 1:8

Blessed is the man who perseveres.
James 1:12

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Galatians 6:9

We can't not afford not to persevere!

Christmas Splendour Reflections - Photoglow.co.uk

The best photographer in Gloucestershire. I don't usually do this but I have to give honour where honour is due. Jonathon Watkins from Photoglow did a splendorous job with our photos at our Christmas Splendour Ball. You 

can see the photos here. You can also see more of his amazing work here.

PhotoGlow is a photography company based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Jonathon Watkins is the primary photographer. They specialise in reportage-style weddings, lifestyle portrait sessions, event coverage, commercial photography and fine art prints. These guys are pros.

Well done Photoglow. I highly recommend their services.