Iron Sharpens Iron

Trav and Scott start are back for the final week of The Money Series! We close out the series giving you nine practical financial tips to help you in your finances. The first and most important tip you can do is to put God first when it comes to your finances. Be intentional about taking these tips and putting them into practice in your life. We are NOT financial experts, these tips are just practical tools to help you in your financial journey Here are 9 Practical Financial Tips:  #1 – Invite God into your finances #2 – If you are married, make it a team game #3 – Seek out a coach #4 – Create a budget #5 – Return your first 10% to God #6 – Save for the storms #7 – Get out of debt  #8 – Save for retirement  #9 – Seek ways to give generously We would love to help equip you for this journey, reach out to us today and let us be a resource for you! https://menofiron.org/contact-us/ You can now watch the Men of Iron Podcast on YouTube – www.youtube.com/@men_of_iron. Listen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple P

Trav and Scott start are back for Week 4 as we continue The Money Series! Today we talk about raising your kids to be money smart. It's never too early to start teaching your kids about money. There are 4 things you want your kids to know about money – work, give, spend wisely and save. Men, it's important to not just have these conversations with your kids, but to live it out as well. Your kids are watching, are you being lazy or are you out working hard? Say yes to hard work. If we dont' teach our kids about money, who is going to teach them? It takes intentionality, teaching your kids to be smart with money won't happen overnight. Remember these 4 things you want to teach your kids about money (Credit: Dave Ramsey) #1: Work – you have to work to get money #2: Give – teach them to give a 10% tithe and teach them to be generous #3: Spend wisely – teach them how to spend money on the right things #4: Save – encourage them to set aside money that is not for spending We would love to help equip you for this

Support our mission to change a culture, one man at a time – https://menofiron.org/donate Trav and Scott are back for Week 3 of The Money Series. This week we dive into Money & Marriage! Marriages break up for 3 main reasons – money, sexy, and children and MONEY is at the top. How do you keep money from being an issue in your marriage? Men, you have to invite God into your marriage, specifically in the context of your money. Can a marriage survive where the husband and wife don't talk about their finances? Understanding how your spouse views money is extremely important. Scott breaks down the Four Money Languages by Dr. Kenneth Doyle. Most likely you and your wife will view money differently. Despite the money differences you can still find unity. Four Practical tips for managing your money in your marriage: #1 – Pray about your finances #2 – Ask questions and find out what your wife's money language is #3 – Create a budget #4 – Make a plan and discuss it regularly We would love to help equip you for this

Trav and Scott start are back this week as we continue The Money Series! When you think about your money is it really YOUR money or is it God's money? In the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 we see the master entrusting the servants with his estate. Although each servant is entrusted with different sums of money, it still all belongs to the master. All of our money, time and abilities come from God. We are responsible for stewarding it well. God is the supplier, He is the source, He gives us all things. We often hear the popular phrase, money is the root of all evil. But as we read in 1 Timothy 6:10, it is the LOVE of money that is the root of evil. It's easy as men to put our focus on money and success. To put our careers over our relationship with God. This will ultimately lead to destruction and ruin. Men, trust God with your finances. Steward well ALL that He has supplied you with. It's not our money, it's God's. We would love to help equip you for this journey, reach out to us today and let us be a

Happy April Fool's Day! Trav and Scott kick off the pod this month with a bang as we debut The Money Series! There's a powerful and in inseparable tie between our true spiritual condition and our attitude and actions concerning money and possessions. You can't get away from money, you need it everyday. It's easy to accumulate wealth or success and forget our need for God. But the reality is God owns everything and I just manage it. Think about this, what if God asked you – how are you doing with my money? What would be your response? Are your eyes on God who has given us everything we have or are your eyes on what we have?  We would love to help equip you for this journey, reach out to us today and let us be a resource for you! https://menofiron.org/contact-us/ You can now watch the Men of Iron Podcast on YouTube – www.youtube.com/@men_of_iron. Listen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe, listen and share! Find out more at menofiron.org/podcast Regardless of where you are in

Support our mission to change a culture, one man at a time – https://menofiron.org/donate This week we wrap up our Family Series as we talk about a taboo topic in the church, blended families. In the most recent U.S. Census it says that there are 1,300 step families being created every day. A blended family is different biological households that are now combined due to divorce, the death of a spouse, etc. Blended families are something that we need to be talking about. God's design for the family in scripture was very specific. But the reality is we live in a broken world with broken relationships. If you are a dad leading a blended family, you know that you are going to face some challenges that a traditional family might not have to deal with. It's going to take a little more work and a little more intentionality. But God can and will redeem your role as the leader of your family. Five Practical For Creating a Healthy Blended Family #1 – Put God first in YOUR life #2 – Show your kids what a godly husban

Support our mission to change a culture, one man at a time – https://menofiron.org/donate This week we continue our Family Series as we talk about Broken Marriages and Relationships and how to find restoration. When you are dealing with a broken marriage or relationship, it's a really hard place to be. One of the best ways to avoid a broken marriage is to not let it get there in the first place. Which is easier said than done! God will bless your marriage when you put the work in. Take a step even when it doesn't feel right. If you are in a place of brokenness and feel hopeless, remember God knows who you are and where you are. He calls you his son and will come to you in your mess. Broken relationships exist in marriages, with kids, friends, and many more situations. Ryan shares an amazing story of a broken relationship between a father and son restored through Christ. Remember there is potential for restoration in that broken relationship, you just have to give it to God.  Four Steps to Restore Your Marri

Support our mission to change a culture, one man at a time – https://menofiron.org/donate This week we continue our Family Series as we talk about A Man and His Kids. How are you spiritually leading your kids? It's easy to think that someone else like a pastor or teacher will do it, but listen up dads, NO ONE will have more impact on your kids spiritual formation than you. It's never too late to take your spiritual responsibility seriously. The best thing you can do to spiritually invest in your kids is to invest in them when they are young. God from the very beginning wanted fathers to take the spiritual development of their kids very seriously. Dads are suppose to lead their kids. When father's fail at their job, culture takes over. Men, it takes intentionality, you don't accidentally disciple your kids. If you don't know where to start or how to lead your kids spiritually, just take one small step today. Read a Bible story at the dinner table, pray before each meal, share a story of how God worked in you

This week we begin our Family Series as we talk about what a man's role in the home looks like. At the forefront of views on manhood are often the cultural narratives about toxic masculinity. When we look at what the Bible says, from creation in Genesis 1, Gods makes man in His own image. God gave Adam authority over everything in the world, but also provided a companion for Adam to serve as his helper. They were both created in God's image with unique tasks and skillsets.  When sin entered the world Adam tried to hide what happened and blamed it on Eve. Men we must lead from a servant position, not a power position. We as men don't have more value than women, we just have different roles. When we are intentional about our role as men in the home, we lead from a servant position. As men we often put so much effort into being a great leader at work and don't have the energy to be a great leader at home. When we look at Paul's teachings in Ephesians, he was doing something wildly radical in teaching men how to

This week we close out our Faith Conversations for Men Series as we talk about man's highest calling, being the spiritual leader of your home. What does it mean to be the spiritual leader of your house? Are you modeling your faith well for your wife and kids? Ephesians 5 calls us to, "Love your wives as Christ loved the church." Being the spiritual leader of your home is the highest calling you have as a man! Men, take this role as the spiritual leader of your home serious. The responsibility is huge, but you don't have to hit a home run on day one. If you feel as if you don't know where to start or feel like you've messed it up in the past, it's not too late to try again. Failure is NOT final. God has a vision for your home and he wants you to tap into that vision. Ask God what that vision is and pray for that. Secular culture demeans men in a lot of ways, especially the role of a man in the home. Let's recapture God's design for us as men! Four Practical tips for being the spiritual leader in your home: S

This week we continue our Faith Conversations for Men Series as we dive into another hard topic, "Faith Through Suffering." Men – you WILL go through suffering in life, it's all about how you deal with it. Knowing Jesus does NOT mean you won't suffer in life. We live in a broken world. What does faith look like through suffering? We tend to think we can't have seasons of suffering and doubt if we are strong enough in our faith. This concept of "having it all together" is one of the most harmful things to Christians and the church. When we put this facade up, and don't open about our suffering it causes more harm. Men are especially subject to this and it ultimately leads to isolation. What does scripture say? There's a long record in scripture of God's people being very vulnerable about the things they are struggling with. Being able to lament, mourn and confess and be real with God and one another. We see it firsthand with Jesus crying out in the garden and lamenting on the cross. We have an invitation from

This week we continue our Faith Conversations for Men Series as we dive into a hard and sensitive topic, "Church Hurt." Justin and Jeff talk through what church hurt is and what it isn't and provide some practical tips to navigate through it. A recent study shared that 60% of Christians have been impacted in a negative way by the church. The church is the hope of the world, but it's made up of people that are broken. What exactly is church hurt? Church hurt is when you trust in a spiritual leader, pastor, or friend at the church and that trust is broken. Church hurt occurs when pain (physical or emotional) results from the actions or decisions associated with someone in a church. Practical tips for dealing with church hurt: #1 – Tell someone – Get the necessary people involved (church leadership, family/friends, the authorities) #2 – Identify the hurt – Church hurt is a real thing, it's okay to feel it #3 - An individual hurt you, not God – Separate the humanity of the church from who God is #4 – Seek commu

This month we begin a new series titled, "Faith Conversations for Men." Justin and Jeff join the pod for week 1 as we discuss faith in the workplace. What does your faith look like at work? Here are some stats for you: 90% of Christians work in non-Christian work environments and one percent of Christians talk to non-Christians about their faith only one time a year. One percent, one time a year! Do you hide your faith at work in fear of what people may think? We have a natural human tendency to want to be accepted and fear often plays a huge factor in our ability to share our faith in a non-Christian environment. You don't have to be a theologian to be a light in your workplace. You can be real about your faith and still be approachable. Meet people where they are at. Be authentic about who you are and what you believe. 5 ways to live out your faith in the workplace: #1 – Be authentic #2 – Be hard-working #3 – Be a friend #4 – Be loyal #5 – Don't compromise, hold to your convictions You can now watch the

This week we wrap up our 5 week series on The 5F's as we close it out talking about FINANCES. The Bible has a ton to say about money, finances, debt, about providing for our families. If we are going to be men of integrity, finances is an area we MUST focus on! Most often, the reason your finances are suffering is because you are buying things you can't afford. This happens when we put our security in our social status, when we surrender to our consumeristic nature. Jesus teaches, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). Invest in things that bring more people to Jesus. It's ultimately about stewardship, what we have is ours because God gave it to us. Men, it all starts with our relationship with Jesus. Most often when you are financially unhealthy your eyes are off Jesus. If you are invest in your faith, your finances will fall in line. 5 Practical Tips to Thrive in Your Finances: #1 – Put God first #2 – M

This week Trav & Ryan continue our 5 week series on The 5F's as we turn our attention to FITNESS! You often hear, "The Bible doesn't talk about fitness" – that's not necessarily true. The idea of fitness is present in a lot of what Paul writes about, even in the law of Moses there is a lot about making healthy choices. Fitness – why is it important? Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, we are called to be good stewards. If we are NOT physically healthy, we are not going to be able to use the gifts that God has given us.  How do I make my fitness a priority? #1 – Start small, take the first step #2 – Get advice – talk to your wife, talk to God #3 – Build healthy habits #4 – Set some fitness goals #5 – Get some accountability If you need help getting started, check out our 5-Week Fitness Challenge for beginners, Fit & Forged! – menofiron.org/fitandforged You can now watch the Men of Iron Podcast on YouTube! Listen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and

This week we continue our series on the 5F's as we turn our attention to FRIENDS. Why do men need friends? Most men, especially Christian men, feel like they don’t have a lot of or any close friends. We often have acquaintances but not friends. Friends is the The #1 most neglected F in the 5F’s. Why are friends so important to the Christian man’s walk? #1 – For Accountability – a friend to hold you accountable and challenge you #2 – For Growth, a friend to process life with and grow with #3 – For Adventure, a friend to hang out with and pursue adventure with Life gets busy with marriage, kids, and work that we often lose those early adulthood friendships. We often feel guilty sacrificing time with our wife or kids to go hang out with friends. Men, we weren’t meant to do this life alone. We need other men in our lives who will walk alongside us as we strive to be more like Jesus. We know, it’s hard to find Christian male friends without it feeling awkward! So how do I even get started? Be okay with stepping

This week we continue our 5 week series on The 5F’s as we turn our attention to FAMILY. We want to help you go from failing in your 5F’s to functioning in your 5F’s! Men, this is an important discussion for the married man but for the single guy as well. What are the roles that you play in your family – husband, father, son, brother, etc? It can feel overwhelming to think about playing all these roles well. What is an area in regards to your family that needs attention? Think about that area and prioritize it today. We can’t just preach about prioritizing our families, but we need to actually do it. If you find yourself irritable all the time, with your wife/kids/parents/etc, something is wrong. Marriage is tough, it takes work. We are called to love our wives as Christ loved the church. For the single guy, relationships with your parents or siblings can be tough. Invest more time in those relationships, restore or repair a broken relationships, resolve your differences, keep short accounts. We need to get th

This week we begin our 5 week series on The 5F's – Faith, Family, Friends, Fitness and Finances. Men, if we can pursue balance and growth in those 5 areas we can thrive! There's probably a good chance that most of you listening feel that you are out if balance in one, if not several of those F's. This week we talk about faith, faith must be the foundation of our lives. Listen in as we talk about real life failures when it comes to our faith and how we can go from failing to thriving. When we get the foundation right, the rest will fall into place. Here 4 practical tips to growing in your faith: #1 – Surround yourself with the right people  #2 – Start reading your Bible (if you don't know where to start, download the YouVersion Bible app and start a reading plan #3 – Talk to God, have a conversation with Him, start praying  #4 – Seek accountability You can now watch the Men of Iron Podcast on YouTube! Listen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many more!

This week we finish our series on "The Four Man-Killers" that will knock men off their adventure to know God and their purpose. Week 3 we talked about Overcoming Lust, this week we talk about Overcoming Addiction. Webster describes addiction as a compulsive, exhibiting a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity. Addiction can cause anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea upon withdrawal or abstinence. Men, addiction WILL rob of us of the most important things in life.We can even be addicted to good things – career, fitness, hunting, hobbies. Being devoted or dedicated other than God is idolatry. God truly wants what's best for you. What are you spending your time doing? What are you putting before your relationship with God? We are ALL susceptible to addiction and we are all susceptible to things that can draw our attention away from what's most important. How do we overcome or stay clear of addiction: #1 – Take inventory of your time an

This week we continue our series on "The Four Man-Killers" that will knock men off their adventure to know God and their purpose. Week 2 we talked about Overcoming Apathy, this week we talk about Lust. This easily could be the #1 man-killer on the list, but often the least talked about. Lust is NOT just pornography, but here are some major stats on pornography: 12% of all the internet sites are porn sites, 90% of kids ages 8-16 have viewed porn, 70% of men ages 18-34 visit a porn site each month. Why is lust such a trap and temptation for us men? What are you desiring in your heart, what are you pursuing with your thoughts? That's what lust is, it starts in your mind. What are the reasons men don't experience freedom in this area? #1 - We don’t talk about it, we do it alone #2 - It is a mental illness/addiction for many #3 - Focus only on behavior modification vs. deeper causes of mental/social/spiritual issues that we’re masking You can now watch the Men of Iron Podcast on YouTube! Listen to the Men of Ir