Men’s Retreat – August 26-28th –Reelsville, Indiana
Life as a Christian man in this country and in our day and age can be quite a challenge, but does it have to be? True, nobody ever said this life would be a breeze; in fact, Christ himself assured us that we should expect the opposite. However, because our eyes are fixed inward much of the time, we find ourselves caught up, running in vain the race of self-gratification. Consequently, our trials more often than not, are self-inflicted.This pattern will never end until we realize that our craving to satisfy ourselves by our own effort is, quite frankly, a waste of time. Until we place God in His appropriate place, as the director of our every move, and recognize our need for him, our purpose in this life will remain a mystery. We have to realize that the material things we substitute for God will never satisfy us. We need God, and not just for an hour on Sunday mornings. Just like Adam in Genesis chapter 2, we are to be wholly His, in total submission, every hour, every minute of every day.
“[The retreat] was devastatingly real. I had to immediately confront where I was in my relationship with God. But from that point forward, it was all support in recognizing God does want a real individual relationship with me. It has changed my attitude from intellectual religion toward sincere relationship.”
-Tim G., California
We are constantly being led to God because He is our Creator. He desires a relationship with us. He aches to be in relationship with us, and in our created nature there is written on our hearts a longing to be near to Him. There is not a single thing in this world that we can buy or achieve that will satisfy this longing. The answer is, and always has been, in God alone.
Are you sick of spinning your wheels in your walk with Christ? Are you sick of knowing in your heart that there must be more, but not knowing where to turn? If you are wandering in a spiritual wasteland, choking on the lies that the world is feeding you, rise up. If you are stuck in a dead sprint on the treadmill of life, completely exhausted yet going nowhere, rise up. You haven’t been called to live a stress-filled, defeated life. Quite the opposite in fact; you have been called to walk with God. You are called to be a partaker in a form of peace that is beyond your wildest imagination. The enemy wants you to think you are the only one struggling, that you are worthless, and that everyone around you has it all together. Trust me, they don’t.
“I spent so much of my time believing that I was the most vile and corrupt of all, and that I was far worse than anybody else who had ever lived. Before the retreats I felt so weary and alone, and now I look forward to waking up each day because I know that with the prayers of my brothers and the love of my God I can overcome anything. Even greater than that is the knowledge that it is not really me but the power of God who moves and wills within me.”
-Calvin T., Ohio
The time has come for us as Christian men to realize who we are and, equally important, who we are not. The time has come for us to comprehend and connect to the power we have access to as children of the living God. It’s time for us to live in a way that reflects this fact; to let go of our will and surrender to His. If you are sick of merely existing, and want the abundant life Jesus is offering you, rise up, man of God, and live.
“It was the time in my life when I reconnected with God, when I learned, not just heard about, surrender and let Him take over my life for the first time. I walked into the retreat wanting to kill myself, and left finally having hope in Christ… I will never be the same old Bill again. Thank you Lord!”
-Bill R., Indiana
Join Rise of the Home for the Rise Up, Man of God retreat at Five Stones Camp in Reelsville, IN. You won’t regret it.
“It was good to be with a group of guys with basically the same issues, learning about our created purpose and how to get back to that through what Jesus accompished on the cross. My life was changed, and I know others were too.”
-Mel C., Michigan
For more details on the retreat or to submit your registration, click here.
Labels: Christian Man, Men of God, Men's Retreat