AuthorDino Katsiametis

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Today I was listening to the radio and heard a commercial that completely disgusted me.  I’ve heard it before and it always bothered me, but for some reason I feel particularly offended right now.  The fact is that there’s a company profiting by helping…no not just helping, but promoting infidelity.  They’re actively participating in helping people cheat and deceive their spouses.    Marriage can be difficult enough and it upsets me that as a society, we allow this to happen.

Unfortunately, divorce is rampant and has been for a while, so let’s take a look at it.  The 2 major causes of divorce are money and infidelity, so; although they do a good job of helping it along, it’s not like this company has caused the problem of infidelity. So why do people cheat?

I really can’t claim to know, other than to say that I think people are spending too much time focusing on the wrong things. Money problems can always improve and your spouse and the integrity of your marriage are always more important than the temptations of the flesh.  As men of Christ we must believe that temptation is around us so that we have the opportunity to prove our worthiness.  Therefore, we must focus our attention on our families, friends and our Lord so that temptation can not gain a foothold on our thoughts.

We understand that it’s not ok to kill or steal, so most of us don’t and the ones who do, are imprisoned.  Why is the commandment of “Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery” so easy for us to disobey when it can do such harm to those we love?

Someone I cared for very deeply said the following and the phrase has stuck with me “I never put myself in a situation where I could get myself into trouble.”  This is the most useful thing I think I’ve ever heard because he was saying essentially, I don’t ever allow temptation to get a foothold… it never gets a chance.

Temptation will always be there, but if we focus on the things that matter, family, friends and our Lord, then it will never gain that foothold.  Infidelity will no longer be the demise of manhood.

Be blessed, Be joyous and Be welcome at God’s Men of Influence.

Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page. www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence

Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Recently, I heard a particularly moving story of struggle, loss and redemption from a guest on God’s Men of Influence named Derek Graham.  Derek is the co-owner of The Twelve, a thriving nutrition and fitness business in Orange County, CA.  He’s also a devout man of God, but that wasn’t always the case.  Like so many of us, Derek was raised Catholic and new God, but never had a relationship with him.  Personally, I’ve found that not being in a true relationship with the Lord, leaves us extremely vulnerable to our circumstances.  Temptation is allowed to creep in and we are more likely to stray from the word and our true path is forsaken.

Derek, admittedly had all the trappings a young man could with a career to match.  He spent his nights making a lot of money as a DJ, surrounded by drugs, alcohol and women.  The party lifestyle quickly took hold and he indulged in all of it.  The first sign that Derek had a real problem was when he woke up in the emergency room having overdosed.  Now that’s a very scary moment, but he was surrounded by friends and family who loved him and were willing to help.

At this point I must recommend that you listen to the show, because the most compelling part of Derek’s story is that he went back to his life without God and proceeded to continue the behavior that led him right down the path to a second overdose.  This time when he awoke in the hospital he was completely and utterly alone.  Somehow, he had managed to alienate himself from those who loved him most.  He had hit rock-bottom and it was then;finally, that he began to pray…and he never stopped.

Through prayer and faith he came to the idea that to beat a negative addiction, he would have to replace it with a positive one. Fitness and prayer were his new addictions and they have led him to be reborn with a new life that he loves.  Today he changes 1000’s of lives with his nutrition/ fitness education and products.  He has become a God’s Man of Influence.

What this story; and many other stories like it, prove to me is that though behavioral science and medication can assist in the process of recovery, they are not the most powerful weapons.  Medical doctor’s are missing a weapon of immense power… and that’s God.  God never stops loving us even when we’re our worst version of ourselves.  He stands patiently watching over us until we come back to him and ask for help and forgiveness, which he grants unconditionally.

Anything can be achieved through faith in God.  His love for us is infinite and his grace undeniable to those who are willing to have a relationship with the Lord.  This is why I love hosting this show, because I get to be exposed to these amazing men of God and bring their stories to you.

Be blessed, Be joyous and Be welcome at God’s Men of Influence.

Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page. www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence

Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

That is a very good question; one that I’ve been thinking about for a long time.  The truth is that the concept I believe, was divinely inspired.  Let me explain.  There was a point; and I’m not sure exactly when it was, that I looked at my friends and colleagues and understood that God had surrounded me with smart, successful, Christian men.  Men who were there for me at the lowest time of my life.  These were men of consequence and integrity, who truly understood what I was going through when my business collapsed and my divorce was imminent.  They were a fantastic sounding board as I struggled to find the path that God now wanted me to walk.

I was confused, unhappy and did not at all feel like me.  After suffering what felt like an eternity, I was forced to look inward and realized that I had not been honoring God at all, even though he was trying to show me the way.  I was blaming him for my troubles, instead of taking responsibility for my part in it.  The answer was not to lose faith, but to open my heart to our Lord…to surrender to his will totally.  Men should stand up and be leaders for the family and their community.  I began getting up early in order to have the time to study my bible before going into work.  I took notes, underlined passages and considered deeply what God’s Love meant to me…and things began to get better.  I joined a christian men’s group to gather support from my community. Beyond all reason I was able to find love and a beautiful wife to cherish…things again got better.  My business launched into a new realm of success as I continued to surrender even further to our Lord.  So the question became, not why was God punishing me, but why had I lost faith at all and how would I honor what God had given me.

The inspiration that came filled me with such joy that it’s hard for me to express in words…at least my own.  The words of my favorite proverb rang in my head “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17 Iron does not sharpen with a caress but with a clash. The struggle strengthens.  What if there were a community of men; much like the Christian men I had been surrounded by all this time, that had a platform that could reach literally the world?  What would that be like?  I knew one thing, the power of a man who’s surrendered to God was tenfold that of other men…and a community of these men of God, could influence and change everything.

Now, I had already had a few years years of experience hosting a successful radio talk show, so I decided that would be the platform we would use.  With the right message of faith, hope and love delivered through our show, these powerful men could positively inspire other men, women and children to walk the path God had set for them and create a better world.

This is why I believe God’s Men of Influence was divinely inspired.  Join our community and help us on our mission.  At God’s Men of Influence, men can learn to be better husbands, better fathers, better friends and a better example of God’s strength.

Be blessed, Be joyous and Be welcome at God’s Men of Influence.

Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page. www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence

Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”

(As with all verses and proverbs we must do our best to interpret what God wants through the filter of our humanity.  I say this because I can only say what his words mean to me, but I encourage everyone to take what inspiration you can from this and then interpret for yourself what you believe to be it’s true meaning.)

Desire is a confusing thing.  God gave us the ability to desire many things, but it is our free will that dictates as a human being, where we will put our intention.  I desire love and I desire to help others, but I also sometimes desire things like material possessions and sex.  All can be in alignment with God’s will depending on context.  Is there such excess in your desire for sex that you stray from your marriage?  Well, clearly that’s against God’s will, but what about the more subtle infractions?  How are we to always know?

The truth is that we can’t always know what God wants from us, unless our intention is on our Lord at all times.  Our society is set up to reward greed, wealth and hedonism to such an extent that even men of God can be influenced.  We are beset on all sides by desires that are not our own, but are fed to us through glutinous tools such as commercialism.  Let’s face it, sometimes we want what the other guy has…or even more.  How many times have you watched a Bentley drive by and think to yourself that your Hyundai wasn’t good enough?  Why?  Because it’s not as cool and doesn’t make you look or feel as good as the Bentley would…but that’s all ego.  God has provided for you transportation for work and for your family, what more do we really need?  I suggest that to feel good about yourself, all you really need to remember is that you’re one of God’s children and he love’s you.

Now this is not to say that we shouldn’t have desires and strive for success, but I do think that  rather than hating ourselves because we don’t make as much money as our neighbor, we should attach our self-worth to how we treat others and how close we feel to God.

Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page. www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence

Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.