In this devotional podcast, M.t. Clark opens with a photo of an Adirondack autumn sunset, highlighting how modern technology (drones, aircraft) can showcase God’s creation and give Him glory. He then describes how Zoom has enabled his online ministry, connecting Christian men across the country in the Freedom in Christ group for honest, vulnerable fellowship and spiritual growth. Clark shares a vivid testimony of a member who, after praying for direction, felt called to travel from Tennessee to Florida to help rebuild homes after Hurricane Ian, illustrating obedience to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. He emphasizes the biblical foundation of this obedience with Romans 14:7‑8, teaching that believers live and die to the Lord, which brings peace about life and death. The message also references Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship (Chapter 5) and promotes various resources: the mt4christ.org website, a daily podcast, YouTube channel, and several discipleship classes (Victor Over the Darkness, Bondage Breaker, Freedom in Christ). The episode concludes with a prayer asking God to guide listeners in their daily walk.
Chapters
To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.org or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter. Good morning. Today's photo of a Long Lake Adirondack autumn sunset comes to us from the Adirondack Aerial and Ground Imagery Showcase page on Facebook, who shared this scene that they captured on October 1st. Stephen Lemieux shares scenes he sees from the ground while flying in planes and by using the latest drone technology to showcase the beauty of the Adirondacks, that which he loves. His work shows that man can utilize the latest technology to show others the beauty of God's creation in ways that weren't previously possible, to reveal there are simply no limits on the things we can do that can inadvertently give God glory. Well, it's Wednesday, I, and I thought Mr. Lemieux's photo was a great way to praise his work, give God glory, and individually represent our arrival to the hump of our work week. Just like Stephen's use of aircraft and drones can take his photography to new heights, the Lord has blessed me with an online ministry and led me to utilize Zoom to encourage other Christian men from all over the country to find or deepen their, in their freedom in Christ. Uh, the Zoom technology allows a group of men who would who would have otherwise never met, met, uh, to be open, honest, and vulnerable, uh, with one another to share their experience as they seek the Lord and their, and their efforts to do his will in a spirit of repentance. My efforts to teach and encourage others to discover the power of their Christian faith, to resolve their personal and spiritual struggles, and to experience the fruit of the Spirit in their lives began in recovery ministry. But spilled outside the four walls of my local church when I decided to encourage a brother with daily texts as he sought to pursue sexual purity and to be accountable. This desire to do more for God's kingdom eventually led me to share encouraging posts on Facebook and, and to resurrect and revitalize my blog. In 2021, in the aftermath of COVID I decided to start the M.t. Clark for Christ 24/7 podcast to share the teachings from my new community freedom ministry at my local church. That led to meeting my wife. Uh, my decision to keep following the Lord's call to serve Freedom in Christ Ministries has led to this latest opportunity to teach and encourage men in their faith and freedom online. Last night, our Freedom in Christ group met again, and I am flying high with joy this morning because our meeting has become a robust community where the men are being empowered by the the Holy Spirit and the fellowship we have created to take on challenges in their lives that they have felt powerless to overcome in the past. They have the hope of Christ, not just for heaven, but for experiencing the abundant life that he promised here and now. One man reported that he has been intentional in listening for the Holy Spirit's guidance, and because he has made himself available for God's purposes, he is living out his faith in ways that will help the world around him. After finishing the home improvements on his new house, this man had a lull in his purpose and wondered what's next. And so he was going to the Lord in prayer to be led. After the recent devastation due to Hurricane Ian in Florida, he had seen the request to give to the Red Cross but felt unmoved to give it all. But as he was communing with the Lord in prayer, He seemed to be getting the call to do something unconventional, to actually go to Florida and to use his skills to help others rebuild. He lives in Tennessee and has a wife and children that need him, so the call to just go to Florida to help seemed insane. But he mentioned it to his faithful Christian wife about it and, and to pray on it. She, who would carry the burden of caring for their children and household in his absence, surprised him by telling that telling him that if he felt the Lord was calling him to go, that he should be obedient to the call. But he was uncertain of what this call even meant. However, all confusion fell away as this past Sunday, as a man that represents a ministry that helps communities rebuild after storms and floods came to his church to enlist volunteers to go to Florida. What seemed like a vague call out of left field suddenly became crystal clear. In the lull between projects, the Lord has called this man to help others, and he is obeying it and will be carrying the hope of— hope and truth of Jesus Christ with him as he will work to rebuild what is— what was broken. This is one story of several testimonies that I was blessed to hear last night, as each man spoke about how the Freedom in Christ courses led them to to examine their lives and to be willing to invite the Lord into their circumstances and to provide wisdom and guidance to lead them. God is good and active on this planet, but you have to seek him and be willing to trust him and to follow the calls, uh, his call on your life. Um, when we let go of the things we try to control and make the daily decision to obey the word of God and to follow where he leads Amazing things happen, like having an enduring sense of peace and joy that no circumstances can take away. I have watched it and continue to watch it in my life, and now I'm watching it in the lives of 10 perfect strangers that just happen to be my brothers in Christ. We all, uh, we all have different capacities and talents and maybe all, and maybe all on different paths, but we all have the same Heavenly Father and the same call. Christ calls each of us to follow me, and so I point to him and tell, tell others to listen for his direction and to seek his wisdom in the word and to apply it to their lives. I just tell them to keep walking and talking with God, and when they do, amazing things happen. Today's Bible verse comes to us from the New Living Translation Bible Promise Book for Men. This morning's meditation verses are Romans 14:7-8, and they say, for none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. Today's Bible verse calls us out to recognize the truth that no one lives to themselves, and that those who follow Christ as these comments are directed to the church. We live and die to the Lord, and we are the Lord's. Nobody likes to talk about death, but the Christian— while we may not be crazy— for the Christian, we may not be crazy about the process of dying. When we know who we are in Christ, we can have peace about it because we know that we are already citizens of heaven and and that when we depart our physical bodies, as we expel our life's, uh, last life's breath, we will be safe and secure and in the presence of the Lord. So we have the hope of heaven and the peace that comes from knowing that in the ultimate sense everything is going to be all right. But the atheist, no matter how much they would deny the Lord and choose to believe in themselves, if they are honest and can have no peace. The life they have built is meaningless, as they believe at best that their lives will be— continue on in the memories of others who also will die and eventually be forgotten. But we don't have to worry about this nihilistic nonsense because things ain't like that. There is a God, and no one lives or dies apart from him. So we seek to show others the pathway to life everlasting. Faith in Jesus Christ. There is no getting away from God, but we can have peace with him and eternal life when we put our faith in and follow Jesus. As always, um, as always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ from their— in their walk. Today we continue sharing from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Discipleship, also known as The Cost of Discipleship, as we continue in chapter 5. Which is the discipleship and the individual. So if you want to see that resource, go to mtforchrist.org, and you'll see it at the end of today's blog post. At the end of today's blog post, you'll also see links for our, our, our, our podcast and for our YouTube channel. And you'll see an encouragement to join our Victor Over the Darkness, the Bondage Breaker, and Freedom in Christ series of discipleship classes that we put on both. So we encourage that because we have seen firsthand the transformative power that comes from these teachings that tell us who we are in Christ and encourage us to seek out our freedom and live it by following Christ in all that we do. Yeah, that's it. I mean, we had a great last night, uh, night last night. Um, and, uh, I am truly blessed, um, by Freedom in Christ Ministries for giving me this opportunity to speak into men's lives. And we just, uh, we just thank, thank, thank the leadership at, uh, Freedom in Christ Ministries for giving this opportunity. We thank all the men, um, for coming, coming into this class and, and, you know, being willing to follow the Lord and And, uh, you know, that's, that's what this is all about. When we, when we're on, when we're in agreement to follow the Lord in all things, um, you know, we, we have the peace in our own lives and, and the peace of community, uh, as we can all relate to one another as we walk this thing out. So we encourage that, and we encourage anyone listening today, of course, to, uh, to pray and read the word of God and to, uh, to follow the Lord in all that you do. Uh, so let's pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. Lord, we thank you so much for all that you've shown us and all that you provide us for. Um, Lord, we just pray for the people listening today, that you come alongside their prayer request and guide them in the way they should go. Um, Lord, go before us today and open our eyes to all the things you want us to see and lead our steps in all the things you'd have us do. And let us, let us remember to turn to you and talk to you as we go about our day, to seek your wisdom and your guidance for everything we do, and to enjoy the peace of your presence. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
