Podcast Show Notes

One of the primary keys to living well is to focus on finishing well. Far too many men live for today, not really thinking or planning about the end of life.

As men of God and people who are known by our faith and trust in a God who provides and meets all of our needs, we still need to take time to prepare for the last season of our lives. Looking back on my 40 years of ministry, with the last 15 having been in the area of Hospice care as a Chaplain, I have seen firsthand those who are prepared for the final season of their life and many who are inadequately prepared.

I want to share 4 observations to overcome the common obstacles we all face as we plan.

1. The first thing that I want to mention is that there are always going to be legal matters that need to be addressed. Do not think for one moment that everything in your estate will be handled in accordance with your wishes without taking some time to prepare legal documents that give direction and authority for those you trust most to carry out your wishes, whether at the end of your life or after your death. There are always things like tax implications and ownership issues that can be thwarted by laws that have changed through the years. I would suggest that an estate attorney can help provide guidance and direction to cover the things that God has placed in your stewardship through your life as you transfer them to others. I have seen how parents who have planned their end of life well leave an additional blessing for their children, alleviating the uncertainties that come at the time of grief and loss. Detail your intentions and provide directions because your planning in this area is equivalent to a blessing for your heirs.
2. A second key area is that of medical concerns. Most people fail to recognize that you need to name someone as your medical durable power of attorney, which allows them to make decisions for your health if or when you are unable to make them. I have seen many families confused at the end of a parent's life when they have to go to court or have a medical doctor put in place a proxy or other legal document to have input on health decisions. Without naming someone you trust to serve on your behalf, the ability to make decisions in alignment with your wishes is greatly diminished. It is important to give careful thought to a person that you trust and value to speak for you when you are unable to confirm the direction of your care.

3. Third, don't forget that insurance plays a part in finishing well. There's a reason why long-term care insurance costs less if you pay for it early in your working years. The average cost for a basic assisted living facility, all the way up to a skilled nursing facility, can range from $6,000 to $15,000 a month for care. That's a high cost for anyone, but it can be devastating for those who have no accumulated funds or insurance to cover it. Life insurance also plays a significant role in providing for those we love as well. So it is well worth the time to investigate options for all insurance products that will address the financial goals and objectives that you have.

4. There is much more that can be said about these legal and medical things that need to be in place, but certainly, let's not overlook the spiritual component that we as husbands and fathers are charged with passing on to our families. Some of the sweetest moments in ministry I have had through the years have been with families who celebrate communion together, knowing that someone's life may end in the next few weeks or months. I've watched fathers who realized their time was short, as they served communion to their family, and as that father laid his hands on each family member during a time of blessing to make sure that they knew their great love for them.

#100 Podcast of MMC

Conversations with MMC Leadership

Men’s Ministry Catalyst

Act Like Men- Men’s Leadership Podcast

Podcast Show Notes

We are recording our 100th podcast for Men’s Ministry Catalyst. We have covered a wide variety of topics related to biblical manhood, including marriage and parenting, discipleship, and spiritual growth. We have covered some difficult subjects, such as abuse, and have heard from many ministry leaders to help the leaders of men stay informed and prepared with a biblical approach to all areas of a man’s life.

This is a historic episode and very much a celebration of the milestone. It contains reflections on the past 100 episodes and gives insight into the future. Several Things are in play here: 1) The 100th Episode. When you only record two episodes a month, it takes quite a while to get to those numbers. What an exciting time for MMC, given our consistency with our Podcasts. 2) Men’s Ministry Catalyst is now under the umbrella of the Relational Discipleship Network, which coaches churches on how to make disciples who make disciples. We talked about this several episodes ago. This change gives MMC a much larger platform and the ability to more effectively impact the ministry to men within these local churches. 3) We are changing up some of the personnel that we have had since our Podcast began. Dale Eudy has been our Co-host since the beginning. In Episode #101, Dale Eudy will be our guest. 4) Eddie Bateman, as the director of MMC, will be joining me as we co-host this podcast together going forward.

So let me bring in Eddie Bateman, who is the director of MMC going forward. Eddie joined MMC in March, and we are thrilled to have him lead this ministry into the future. Eddie – Welcome to the podcast.

So, enjoy the conversation and celebration between Wendell Morton, Eddie Bateman, and Dale Eudy, and their conversation about the 100 Episodes and our experience with ministry to men.

For additional podcasts, go to: https://mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/

#99 Loving God versus Managing Sin

Men’s Ministry Catalyst

Act Like Men- Men’s Leadership Podcast

Podcast Show Notes

Avoiding Sin or Pursuing God:

A Biblical Perspective

Think about this: how valuable is your soul for Satan to pursue it tirelessly, and for the King of Kings to lay down His own life for you?

Welcome to the Podcast:

Dale – the age-old conflict: how do I love God and yet overcome sin? Is it about gritting my teeth and being determined to overcome sin, or is it the focus on my relationship with God and being focused on loving Him that allows me to have victory over sin?

Overall General Thoughts:

As believers, we know that sin is what separates us from God (Romans 3:23).

Let’s be clear: I have given Jesus Christ countless reasons not to love me, but none of them changed His mind.

What God creates – Satan Corrupts

Decide what kind of life you want, who you want to please, and say no to everything else that does not fit into this desire.

Thoughts on Pursuing God:

1. Seek God through His Word – Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” What does this mean, and how do we do it? Does it really make a difference – if so, why does it make a difference?

2. Rely on Prayer and God’s Presence – Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

What does prayer and practicing God’s presence mean? How do I do this? How it help me overcome temptation?

3. Walk in the Spirit – This seems a little weird for men specifically. What might this mean, and more importantly, how do we do it?

• Galatians 5:16: “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

• Hebrews 12:2: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”.

• Pursuing God means yielding to the Spirit’s guidance.

4. Fellowship with Believers

• Hebrews 10:24–25: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds… not giving up meeting together.”

• Community helps us stay accountable and encouraged.

Conclusion

Avoiding sin isn’t about willpower alone, but about actively pursuing God through Scripture, prayer, Spirit-led living, fellowship, and Christ-centered focus. It is a focus and a love thing. One of the pastors at my church said it this way: There is a major distinction between living to please God, rather than living to appease God. Danny Erbaugh

Be encouraged: God provides the way out of temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

As a reminder, our podcasts are released on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month. For additional podcasts, go to: https://mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/