What Is Your Treasure?

“A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.” (Proverbs 12:3)
We live in a day where men do whatever it takes to get ahead. The corporate scandals of recent years are simply an indicator of the depth of corruption eating away at the heart of our society. Men ascending the corporate ladder step on anyone in their way and use whatever means necessary to get what they want. When a man attempts to established himself by wickedness, he unknowingly builds his foundation on sand. Whatever he attempts to build may stand for a season, but the shifting sands and winds of time will soon bring destruction to his efforts. A righteous man, however, will build his work upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Anything he builds upon this sure foundation will last for eternity. Most of our efforts in life are wasted, because we are chasing corruptible treasures. John Eldredge said: “There are two incorruptible treasures that we should lay up for ourselves- the Word of God and the souls of men.” “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Who Are You Trusting In?

“Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.” (Proverbs 11:4)
“Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches.” (Jeremiah 9:23) Jesus said to His disciples: “That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:23) Regarding the coming wrath of God, the prophet Ezekiel said: “They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall not be removed: Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.” (Ezekiel 7:19) Hebrews 9:27, 28 says: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Once we die, it is too late to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Are our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Only faith in Jesus Christ will result in our salvation. Martin Luther said: “Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.” Jim Elliot, the martyred missionary, said: “When it comes time to die, make sure all you have to do is die.” No one is promised tomorrow. Behold, today is the day of salvation. Who or what are you trusting in to get you into heaven? If your answer is anything other than the blood of Jesus, place your trust in Him today.

Hold Your Tongue

“He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.” (Proverbs 13:3)
Throughout the book of Proverbs, we are frequently admonished to guard our tongues and watch our mouths. David said: “I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.” (Psalms 39:1) David passed down this knowledge to his son, Solomon, who said: “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.” (Proverbs 21:23) Our tongues have the potential to get us into a world of trouble. I have had more than my share of conflict as a result of a loose tongue. Continuing on the road to godly manhood requires gaining control of our tongue through the power of the Holy Spirit. If we insist upon taming the tongue ourselves, we will be in for a long, frustrating, unsuccessful battle. If we posses an unruly tongue, it is an indication of an unruly spirit. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matthew 12:34) Godly men, we must remain conscious of our mouths and the detrimental effects they can have upon those around us. We must not allow our mouths to cause our flesh to sin. (Ecclesiastes 5:6) We should walk, even as Jesus walked. (I John 2:6) “The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.” (Ecclesiastes 10:12) May we be wise and gracious before both God and men.

A Little Work Never Hurt Anyone

“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” (Proverbs 13:11)
When I was a child and needed something, my parents always made sure that I got it. If I merely wanted something- like a toy, then that was a different story. Sometimes, my parents would get the item I wanted, while at other times, I had to save my money and purchase it myself. When I had to mow the grass, rake leaves and wash cars to get the toy I wanted, I cherished and took care of it a lot more than I would have if it had simply been handed to me. The same principle applies with today’s proverb. Wealth- whether financial or spiritual- that comes easily is not usually spent wisely or invested. A large inheritance that has been bequeathed to you has greater potential to be spent frivolously than a similar amount you earned yourself. Similarly, when God gives us revelation and spiritual knowledge by dropping it in our laps, we do not usually cherish it or hold it dear to our hearts. However, when we have to “work” for the same revelation-by going through something difficult, by tenaciously digging our heels in and holding on to God or by diligently searching the Word of God for nuggets of truth- we will appreciate and value the spiritual insight a lot more than if no effort had been required. My dad used to tell me: “A little work never hurt anyone.” Likewise, a little spiritual “work’ will not harm a godly man either. Brothers, do not always expect spiritual manna from heaven. Get into the Word of God. Do a little prospecting for the gold and precious gems just waiting to be discovered. “He that gathereth by labour shall increase.”

So You Think You're Superman, What Is Your Kryptonite?

“Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.” (Proverbs 7: 25-27)
A few weeks back, I encouraged you to be aware of the “Delilahs” in your life (those areas of vulnerability that bring you to your knees). Even our childhood superheroes had them. As a boy, I loved Superman. I watched the cartoon, the movies, and I even had Superman Underoos. Nevertheless, as amazing as Superman was, he still had a weakness: kryptonite. Whenever he was exposed to this rock, he lost his strength; he was not able to operate in his super powers. What is your kryptonite, man of God? What is Lex Luther (Satan) using to drain you of your strength and power in God? We are engaged in a spiritual battle that is much fiercer than we ever imagined. The battle is for our very hearts. “Do you know why there’s been such an assault? The enemy fears you. You are dangerous big time. If you ever really got your heart back, lived from it with courage, you would be a huge problem to him. You would do a lot of damage… on the side of good.” (John Eldredge, Wild at Heart) The reason why Satan tries to lead you astray with various “Delilahs” is because he wants to keep you from your destiny. As long as your heart is torn between Delilah and God, Satan can hinder you from becoming the man of God you were created to be. Delilah is a stumbling block, a detour and a speed bump in your quest for godliness. Turn away from the kryptonite in your life. Stay away from Delilah, and surrender your heart to God.

Who Are You Mentoring?

“The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.” (Proverbs 10:21)
“It is not important what is chiseled into a man’s tombstone- it is what he left chiseled into the hearts of those that follow later that is important”. (Rob Wood, USMC, Ret.) Men of God, whose lives are you investing in? Are you mentoring anyone in the faith? If you are not, I challenge you to share what knowledge, experience and skills God has given you with others. You may not feel like you have much to offer, but I promise that someone would greatly welcome it if you sowed seeds of wisdom, knowledge and faith into his life. What if John Mark had not had Barnabus, the encourager, in his life? He might have fallen by the wayside after Paul’s rebuke, and we would not have the gospel of Mark today. We need more Barnabus’ in the faith, who are willing to take young, inexperienced believers and invest in them until they become mature, strong men of God. Jesus told us to go make disciples- not converts. Discipling takes time, energy and patience: three characteristics that most men possess in short supply. This is the reason why mentoring is an investment: it is a sacrifice that will return dividends for eternity. Young believers are hungry for the Word of God. They are famished for godly wisdom, instruction and guidance from mature men of faith. The encouragement, praise and wisdom from your lips could feed the next Mark or Timothy. Young men are waiting for a mentor. Will you take the time to affect a young believer for eternity?

Are You Merciful or Cruel?

“The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.” (Proverbs 11:17)
Why are men so unmerciful? I believe it is because we are trained from our youth to be competitive and to never show weakness. When I was a twelve-year old in Little League, we were beating a team 20-3 and had started goofing off like eleven and twelve year olds do. Our coach called a time-out and rushed all players to the pitcher’s mound for a team conference. He cursed in anger and he commanded us to have no mercy for the opposing team; he wanted to utterly demolish them. As a boy on the cusp of adolescence, I was very impressionable and incorporated his admonition into my beliefs. Even to this day, one of my major character flaws is that I can be cruel and unmercifully competitive. I have very little patience for weakness. This proverb is the antithesis of everything society has taught me as a man. Proverbs 11:17 instructs me to be merciful in order to do good to my soul. If I am cruel, I will trouble my own flesh. Showing love, kindness and mercy is not weakness. Any coward can be unmerciful and cruel, but it takes a godly man to swallow his pride and act in obedience to God’s Word. Show mercy to others in need of it, and you will receive it yourself as well. After all, what Christian hasn’t experienced the mercy of a forgiving God. If God is willing to forgive us and show us mercy, then how much more ought we extend the same grace to others? Are we greater than God?

Do What Your Father Tells You

“The wise in heart will receive commandments. (Proverbs 10:8a)
A godly man follows God’s commandments and understands that His Word is a boundary of protection to keep him from harm. He has a desire to please Jesus and honor Him above all else. The question is: do we love Jesus in word only, or do we love Him enough to do what He says, even though it may be difficult? Jesus said: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21) If we love God, we will follow His commandments and love them. “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.” (Psalms 119:47) We love His commandments because we believe them (Psalms 119:66), and since we believe them, we long for them. (Psalms 119:131) Whether we admitted it or not, we longed for rules, discipline and consequences for disobedience when we were boys. Children, who have no discipline or little at all, will constantly test the limits of their parents in order to define where the boundaries are. God knows this reality and has given us His parameters for godly living. In my neighborhood, there was one boy that all the kids refused to play with. He was a nice enough kid, but when you played a game with him, he always changed the rules to suit his purposes. I am so grateful that God is not like that. He has given us His Word, and He will never change the rules on us in the middle of the game. He can be trusted, for He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:6)

Giving "The Blessing" to Others

“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22)
The first mention of the blessing occurs in Genesis 12:2, when God blessed Abraham and promised to make him a blessing. God initiated the blessing, and the patriarchal fathers customarily extended their blessing upon their children before they died. (Genesis 22, 24, 26-28, 32, 49) “A blessing, when expressed by men, is a wish or prayer for a blessing that is to come in the future.” (Vine’s) “It is a divine gift that causes our work to succeed.” (Strong’s) In The Blessing, Gary Smalley divides the blessing into five elements: 1) meaningful touch; 2) the spoken word; 3) attachment of high value; 4) predict a specific future positively and 5) active commitment. In order for the blessing to be complete, all five elements must be present. Think about those in your sphere of influence- individuals God has placed in your life that possess a wounded spirit. God wants to use you to impart the blessing and bring healing to their hearts. You can be a Paul to a Timothy; an Elijah to an Elisha; a Naomi to a Ruth; or a Barnabus to a John Mark. One way to give the blessing is to ask the person to kneel before you (Genesis 48: 10&12); anoint their head with oil (I Samuel 10:1; 16:13); lay your hands on them (Numbers 27:18-20); pray God’s blessing on them from your heart as the Spirit gives utterance. You can also use the following scriptures in the blessing: Proverbs 23: 15,17,26; Philippians 1: 9-11; 4: 6-8, 19; Ephesians 1: 16-18; 3: 16-19; Colossians 1: 10, 11; 2: 6, 7; Genesis 49:28; 12:23; 28:1,3,4; 33:11; 27:28; Numbers 6: 24-26; 23: 19, 20; Deuteronomy 28: 1-4, 6,7,13,14; I Kings 2: 2, 3. Follow the example of Jesus. The last thing He did before ascending to heaven was to lift His hands and bless His disciples. (Luke 24:50)

Jesus Alone

“In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” (Proverbs 12:28)
One of the most beautiful verses of Scripture is John 14:6, when Jesus declares: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me.” Jesus is the Way to a world that has no ability to reach God on their own; He is the Truth in a world that no longer believes in moral absolutes; He is the life for a lost and dying world, which apart from Him, will spend an eternity in hell separated from the Father. In spite of God’s redemptive plan, most people attempt to reach God in their own way, instead of trusting in the way: Jesus. “As for God, his way is perfect…For who is God, save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? (Psalms 18:30, 31) Jesus’ last recorded words from the cross were: “It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30) What was finished? God’s redemptive plan of salvation was finished. Jesus, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29), shed His blood so that we might receive the forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 1:7) For without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. (Hebrews 9:22) “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3: 24-26) Are you trusting in Jesus and Him alone? It is His righteousness that has satisfied the wrath of God.

Showing Grace to Others

“A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.” (Proverbs 13:5)
God desires truth in the inward parts (Psalms 51:6) and desires our inward man to be renewed day by day. (II Corinthians 4:16) This new man must be put on “which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24) I often find myself expecting men who have no relationship with Jesus to have the same morals and high standards of integrity that Christians possess. I hate being lied to, and I detest hypocrisy. Because my life before Jesus contained both characteristics, it is easy for me to spot them in others. Instead of responding with grace and mercy, I sometimes respond with impatience- even anger. Since God was extremely patient with me when I played the fool, why then is it so difficult for me to overlook the faults of unbelievers? Part of the problem is overzealousness that comes with immaturity. God does not need me to defend Him or keep an account of the offenses and blasphemies committed by others. He will judge the wicked man and bring him to shame. God does not need me to be His policeman, blowing the whistle every time an injustice is committed against Him. My responsibility as a Christian is to live holy before men, love others unconditionally and serve the Lord with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. If we look down our noses at unbelievers they will sense it, and we will lose the opportunity to share Jesus with them. There is a fine line between hating the things God hates and hating the sinner who commits such acts: one that can be easily crossed. May we be men who give mercy so that we may also receive it.

What Is Your "Delilah"?

“Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.” (Proverbs 7:18, 21)
Every godly man has a little of Samson in him: an area of great strength in which God has blessed him. Every man also has his Delilah that he must confront: a weakness that has the potential to cripple him and drain him of his strength. I heard Bishop T. D. Jakes preach that: “Delilah was anything that had the potential to bring you to your knees. For some men, it could be women, money, lust, power, possessions, pornography, etc.” The adulterous “Delilah” in today’s proverb attempts to entice her “Samson” with promises of sexual fulfillment and a sensual smorgasbord of pleasure. She is persuasive, flattering and has left many wounded men in her wake. She appeals to men to indulge in her pleasures, give in to their lust and act on their forbidden fantasies. Delilah is a poisonous snake and “many strong men have been slain by her.” (Proverbs 7:26) Samson’s weakness was women, but his greater sin was that he did not guard the source of his strength. In reality, he trusted his strength more than he trusted God. He became overconfident in his abilities and let down his guard. Godly men, Satan has a thick dossier on you. He and his minions know your weaknesses better than you do. Recognize your spiritual limitations, and allow the Holy Spirit to point out the “Delilah’s” in your life. Do everything in your power to avoid them.

Love Covers All Sins

“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” (Proverbs 10:12)
“Now the works of the flesh are manifested, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelling, and such like… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:19-23) We have two warring factions within our bodies if we are born again: the flesh and the Spirit. They are in direct opposition to one another. We are only able to operate in one realm at a time; we either walk in the Spirit, or we walk after the flesh. (Galatians 5:16&23) Hatred, which is a manifestation of the flesh, brings conflict, strife, and turmoil to our lives. The works of the flesh will have dominion over us if we give into them, but we do not have to surrender because the Spirit within us is stronger than the flesh. (I John 4:4) The foundation for all of the gifts of the Spirit is love. Without love, we cannot sustain the other gifts. The unconditional love of God is available to us through the Holy Spirit, so that we can love others with God’s agape love that “covereth all sins” and faults. It is easy to love the loveable but difficult to love the unlovable. However, if we allow the Spirit of God to love through us, we will be able to be impartial men of God, whom He can use as instruments of reconciliation to bring others to Him.

Misconceptions of New Believers

Galatians 6:7 says: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Some new Christians have the misconception that when we are born again, the Lord supernaturally annihilates all of the wild oats we sowed while we were in the world. Thankfully, the Lord forgives all of our sins; nonetheless, there are sometimes consequences and repercussions for the actions of our past (so far as man is concerned). I have heard ministers preach, “If you just come to Jesus and give your life to Him, all your problems will disappear.” Friends, that is a perverted gospel. In most cases, when a man is saved, the battle has just begun. If a new believer is taught this false teaching, he will become discouraged and possibly even abandon his faith when tough times come. Believers need to be taught that trials and persecution are to be expected- even welcomed. It is during the fire that our faith is tried and tested. The hotter the fire, the purer our faith becomes. A friend encouraged me recently when he said: “The greater the pressure is on a lump of coal, the quicker the diamond is formed.” Do not grow weary, brothers, at the testing of your faith. We may well experience ramifications in the natural realm because of past sins that have found us out. (Numbers 32:23) Continue to trust God, and be thankful that He has forgiven us and placed our sins under the blood of Jesus. Even if man does not forgive or forget our past, we can rejoice because God has made us new creatures in Christ. “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17)

Have You Made Your Mama Proud?

“The Proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” (Proverbs 10:1)
There is no worse feeling in the world than seeing your mother cry and knowing you are the cause of her grief. I was once the foolish son, who caused his mother heaviness because of his disobedience and rebellion against God. I was prideful, selfish, abusive, destructive, lustful, arrogant, rebellious and ungodly- everything my parents raised me not to become. I eventually ended up in the pigpen of life, and like the prodigal son, it was where I came to myself. (Luke 15:17) Like the father in the parable, my parents loved me unconditionally and welcomed me with open arms after I returned “home”. I eventually returned to the truth I was taught as a child. Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Notice that the Word does not say that children will not depart when they are young: many people do. It says that they will not depart from it when they are old. How is your relationship with your parents? Do you honor them, cherish them and seek to serve them? Have you asked them to forgive you for the pain you caused them? Have you allowed pride, bitterness, unforgiveness or words spoken in anger to keep you from having a healthy relationship with your parents? Are you an example of the love of Christ to them, even if they have not been the best parents in your eyes? We all desire for our parents to be proud of us. If you have messed up, it is not too late. God will give you an opportunity to reconcile yourself to them.

Watch Your Mouth

“The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.” (Proverbs 10:20)
“It is not a question of who or what you are, but whether God controls you.” (J.Willbur Chapman) Does God control all aspects of our lives, even our tongues? Have we allowed the Holy Spirit to inhabit us so deeply, that we speak His words and follow His agenda? Do we bless with our tongues, encourage, edify and uplift other people, or do we curse, criticize and devise mischief? A godly man’s tongue is as choice silver; it is a treasure to be guarded. Satan will do his best to steal it from you and replace it with a depraved tongue. The tongue has the ability to cause more strife than any other member of our body, and it must be brought under subjection daily. It is so easy to speak before we think, to criticize rather than edify, to complain when we should be thankful. The tongue is usually a good mirror of what is in our heart. What we talk about is a reflection of our priorities, our thoughts and the intent of our heart. Since only God can discern our hearts, we must ask Him to perform “open-heart” surgery, to remove the evil thoughts, wicked desires, selfish motivations and dreams that are not of Him. Men of God, may we have the courage to pray as David did, when he said: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. O Lord, open thou my lips: and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.” (Psalm 51:10, 15)

"The Importance of Our Choices"

“As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.” (Proverbs 11:19)
We tend to place an extraordinary amount of emphasis on the temporal; however, we forget that the spiritual (the eternal) is infinitely more important. A man that pursues evil now, will pursue evil for eternity. He will have eons to reflect on choices made and opportunities missed. Every transgression and act of disobedience will receive a just recompence of reward. (Hebrews 2:2) The righteousness man, on the other hand, shall receive the reward of inheritance: for he serves the Lord Jesus Christ. (Colossians 3:24)
There is great reward in this life and in the life to come for keeping God’s commands and living righteously. (Psalms 19:11) Nevertheless, a man doesn’t go to Hell for what he does, he goes to Hell for what he doesn’t do: namely, receiving Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Every single person on the earth has transgressed God’s law and fallen short of His glory. No man’s works or self-righteousness will get him into heaven. Only grace through faith in the shed blood and completed work of Jesus and receiving His righteousness in exchange for our own, will grant us access into God’s presence. One day, we will die and stand before a Holy God and answer the most important question in the universe: What have we done with His Son Jesus? Is He our Lord and Savior, or did we despise and reject Him? Our answer will determine our eternal fate.

How Are You Using Your Tongue?

“There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” (Proverbs 12:18)
Words are extremely powerful. They can be used by ungodly men to manipulate, abuse, wound, deceive and kill. Unfortunately godly men are capable of the same.
When a man is born again, he does not receive a new tongue. The tongue continues to be a fire and an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. It has the ability to bless God and curse men, to send forth sweet and bitter water from the same fountain. (James 3:6-11) The difference between the godly and ungodly is that the godly possess the Holy Spirit, who is the only One with the ability to tame the tongue. The ungodly “whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.” (Psalms 64:3) The godly will “refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” (I Peter 3: 10-12) The world’s philosophy is to do and say whatever it takes to get ahead: after all, if I don’t look out for me, who will? The ungodly are self-centered and will step on anyone who stands in the way of his or her success. A godly man is wise in word and deed. He refuses to allow the world to dictate his behavior. He is beholden to a higher standard of conduct: the Word of God. He keeps his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. (Psalms 34:13) He thinks before he speaks, knowing that his words have the power of life and death, to heal or to kill, to build up or tear down. The Good News version translates verse 18 this way: “Thoughtless Words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.” May we choose our words accordingly.

Are You Sowing Discord?

“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6: 16-19)
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7) When a farmer plants corn, when harvest time comes, he doesn’t expect to reap watermelon. Even Job’s friend Eliphaz (who definitely wasn’t the smartest guy in the world), had enough sense to know that “they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.” (Job 4:8) If we complain, gossip, speak negatively and sow discord, shouldn’t we expect the equivalent heaped on our heads? Satan is “the accuser of the brethren, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:10) When we sow discord among our brethren, we become collaborators with Satan in his quest to destroy the witness of the church. Sowing discord is the exact opposite of what men of God should be doing in the church. We should be discipling men, encouraging, edifying, loving, laying down our lives and embracing the brethren. Satan has enough tares among the wheat without men of God helping the Adversary do his work. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice! And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:29-32)

Stop Passing the Buck

Ever since the beginning of time, man has been passing the buck and shifting blame. When God confronted Adam and held him responsible for eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, what did Adam do? “And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” (Genesis 3:12) Adam blamed both God and Eve, when he should have taken responsibility for himself. Eve followed the example set by Adam, and she blamed Satan. “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” (Genesis 3:13) In today’s proverb, we are commanded to gather in summer and not to sleep in the harvest. Jesus told His disciples: “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9: 37, 38) Like Adam, we tend to pass the buck instead of accepting responsibility, especially in the area of witnessing. Too many Christians think that going into the highways and hedges to compel the lost to come in (Luke 14:23) is the responsibility of the preachers and evangelists. The great commission is for disciples, and all those who are followers of Christ are His disciples. What are we doing, men of God, to draw men to Jesus?
You may not be able to win millions to Christ, but you can share the difference Jesus has made in your life with the people God sends across your path. If you do nothing but hand someone an invite card to church, do something. Sharing the gospel is our responsibility, but it is also our privilege.

Why Men Hate Reproof

“He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.” (Proverbs 10:17)
One of the most difficult things for me to do is to accept reproof when I am wrong. It is bad enough that I was wrong to begin with, but then I have to accept the rebuke of another person on top of it. Even when I know I need it and deserve it, I still cringe. Why? Pride! I enjoy bring right, as selfish as that sounds. This is one of the reasons that godly men are in such short supply. They are not willing to submit themselves and receive reproof when they are wrong. But the Word says: “He that refuseth reproof erreth.” Not only is he wrong, but he erreth (vacillates; is deceived or seduced). First, the man who refuses reproof vacillates: he wavers back and forth like a reed in the wind. He will not listen to godly counsel, so he must rely on his own feelings and intuitions which are not reliable because they change from day to day. Second, the man is deceived. His pride convinces him that he is right and everyone else is wrong. Since he has only one perspective in any given situation, he can be easily beguiled. Third, the man who refuses reproof is seduced. He is enticed by fleshly, lustful desires and is easily led astray. We may be prideful and stubborn, but no man wants to be deceived, seduced or wavering in his convictions. So in order to stay in the way of life, we must keep instruction, submit to godly counsel and receive reproof when it is deserved.

We Aren't Teachable When We Are Proud

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” (Proverbs 9:9)
It is difficult for men to accept help and instruction from other men because of pride. At the root of pride are selfishness and a desire for independence. Pride prevents one man from asking for help and another man from offering it. C. S. Lewis says this about pride: “The more pride one has, the more one dislikes the pride in others. In fact, if you want to find out how proud you are – the easiest way is to ask yourself, `How much do I dislike it when other people snub me, or refuse to take any notice of me, or patronize me, or show off?` The point is that each person’s pride is in competition with everyone else’s pride. Pride is competitive by nature. The godly man must lay his pride at the cross of Jesus. Paul testified that the things that were gain to him, he counted as dung, that he might win Christ. (Philippians 3:7, 8) If anyone had a reason to be prideful, it was Paul, (See II Corinthians 11:16-12:10) but he chose to place no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3) The flesh prevents us from receiving instruction and godly teaching from mature men in the faith. A godly man will “Apply [his] heart unto instruction, and [his] ears to the words of knowledge.” (Proverbs 23:12) If we are wise and just men, we will lay down our pride and allow elder men to disciple us in the faith. We will also be willing to share our knowledge with others, so that they can benefit from the wisdom we have obtained.

What Will Your Legacy Be?

“The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.” (Proverbs 10:7)
Unless the Lord returns first, we will all face death. Our bodies will return to the dust from whence they came and only our legacy will remain. Solely what we have done for God will stand at the judgment seat of Christ and only our spiritual heritage will remain on the earth. Edward E. Hale said: “I am only one, but I am one. I can’t do everything. But I can do something. And what I can do, I ought to do. And what I ought to do, by the grace of God, I shall do.” Our memory upon the earth will be blessed, if we are godly men. “Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.” (Psalms 112:6) In the song “Find us Faithful,” Steve Green sings: “After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone and our children sift through all we’ve left behind, may the truths that they discover and the memories they uncover become the light that leads them to the hope we each must find.” Our spiritual legacy will be passed down to the third and fourth generations. What kind of memory are we leaving behind? The Lord has the ability to preserve our legacy or to cause it to rot. “They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.” (Isaiah 26:14) Ultimate success is not amassing fame and fortune which will disappear once we die but lying up for ourselves treasures in heaven that will remain for eternity.

Walk in the Light or Live in Darkness

“The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.” (Proverbs 11:6)
Because we reap what we sow, we should not expect to reap righteousness, truth and godly blessings if we are sowing unrighteousness, dishonesty and perversion. The principle of sowing and reaping works the same way in both the natural and spiritual realm. Our every action has an equal and opposite reaction, including consequences for every decision we make. “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” (Ecclesiastes 10:8) To put it simply, we must choose to either walk in the light or live in darkness. Whichever life we choose to lead and whatever kind of seed we decide to sow, will determine what kind of fruit we will reap at harvest time. The righteous can expect deliverance, while the wicked will be overtaken in their own naughtiness. “The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” (Psalms 11:5-7) What road will we choose to travel, godly men? There is only one choice, if we desire to remain holy. We cannot be double agents with dual lives: there are none in God’s army. We can be sure that if we live a secret life, our sin will find us out. Commit yourself to walking godly today, and watch God bless you beyond your wildest imaginations.

"Help! I've Been Ambushed!"

“The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.” (Proverbs 12:6)
The Complete Jewish Bible translates this proverb as: “The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush, but the speech of the upright rescues them.” We have all experienced a deadly ambush of words at some point in our lives. We were most likely walking along the road of life without any thought of mortal enemies lying in wait for blood just around the bend. An ambush is sudden to obtain an element of surprise, but its main goal is to take out the target with minimal collateral damage to the ambushers themselves. Although ambushing is a tactic of war, it is by nature a cowardly attack. It is an assassination attempt where your enemy seeks to take your life, while never showing his face. In the war of words, our enemies employ similar tactics: they generate rumors, sow seeds of discord and assassinate our character without ever having the courtesy to show their faces. They do not have the courage to confront us directly, so they sneak around and prepare their ambushes, lying in wait for our blood. We have no control over the actions of our enemies, but we can govern our own response. How do we choose to respond to enemies who desire our blood? The natural, carnal reaction is to get them before they get us. However, the answer is not to plan a counterattack of our own. The Word says that our speech shall rescue us. In an ambush, there is no time to talk your way out of the situation. You are in a life-or-death predicament. The only thing we can do is to call on the Lord for deliverance as David did. “Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.” (Psalms 59: 1, 2)

A False Witness

“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him…a false witness that speaketh lies.” (Proverbs 6:16, 18b)
The ninth commandment is: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16) “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.” (Exodus 23:1) “A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.” (Proverbs 25:18) “A false witness shall perish.” (Proverbs 21:28) God makes His opinion of false witnesses and the consequence of their actions very clear in scripture. One of the most well-known examples of false witness is the story of King Ahab and Jezebel found in I Kings 21&22 and II Kings 9&10. Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard abutting the palace. The vineyard was so beautiful that King Ahab simply had to have it. The King approached Naboth with a reasonable offer, but Naboth refused it because the vineyard was an inheritance from his father. King Ahab, who was not used to hearing the word no from anyone, sulked around the palace until Jezebel finally inquired about the source of his gloom. When she found that Naboth had refused a request from the King, she became indignant. She secured two “witnesses” to falsely accuse Naboth of blaspheming God and the King. Once these false accusations were made, Naboth was taken out of the city and stoned to death. As a result of their greed and false testimony against an innocent man, King Ahab and Jezebel both died violent deaths. The severe repercussions of false witness reveal how much God detests those that speak lies. How many times have we been a false witness? I’ve never intentionally lied about someone you may say. Repeating rumors and gossiping in the guise of spirituality are just as bad. Men of God, may we be always found speaking the truth. God is not fond of false witnesses.

Two Satanists, Two Responses

“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” (Proverbs 9:8)
Over the course of a couple years, I shared the gospel with two self-proclaimed Satanists. Tommy was a middle-aged, retired Army sergeant, and Bobby was a young, sarcastic scoffer. Tommy was always respectful and listened attentively, even though he had very different spiritual philosophies than I did. Bobby, the cynic, mocked Jesus and haughtily derided the light as inferior to darkness. He persecuted me and attempted to sully my reputation with others. Tommy eventually committed his life to Jesus after he had witnessed the faithfulness of many believers, and he is now a minister of the gospel. As far as I know, Bobby is still serving Satan and mocking the God I serve. As much as I desired to see to see this young man come to know the Lord, it seemed the more I reasoned with him concerning the Scriptures and the deity of Christ, the more antagonistic he become. Tommy was a wise man, who received a rebuke and sought to know the truth. He is now one of my staunchest encouragers and loves me dearly as a brother in Christ. Bobby rejected reproof, and in the process, rejected Jesus. If he continues to serve Satan, he will spend an eternity in hell. Jesus said: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” (Matthew 7:6) Still, my heart’s desire for Bobby is that he will one day receive Jesus as his Lord.

Hiding God's Word in Our Hearts

“Wise men lay up knowledge.” (Proverbs 10:14a)
In elementary school, I attended my grandparent’s church and went to discipleship class every Sunday night. The teachers told Bible stories, we sang songs and a biblical foundation was laid in my young life. During the first part of every class, we took turns quoting a Bible verse we had memorized during the week. The first verse I learned was “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) I was a little on the lazy side. The teachers made it fun for us and awarded us a gold star for every new verse we memorized. I didn’t realize the spiritual significance at the time, but God’s Word was being planted in my heart. These verses would eventually bear fruit in my life. The knowledge of God’s Word and it’s working in my spirit brought about conviction concerning the life I was living and led to godly repentance. I thank God that His Word will not return unto Him void, but will accomplish what He pleases and will prosper in the thing He sends it. (Isaiah 55:11) In our quest to become godly men, one of the most important things we can do is to memorize the Word of God. We all desire to be wise, but we will only have godly wisdom as God reveals it to us through His word. Hosea 4:6 says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” All too often, we seek direction from anyone and everyone before we even search the Word of God or prayerfully seek His will. Father, teach us to turn to You before we turn to anyone else. Help us to lay up godly knowledge. Thank you for all the servants you have sent across our paths to teach us Your Word. Use us, Lord, to further Your kingdom.

Judging Others

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (Proverbs 8:13)
It is easy to hate the sins of pride, arrogancy, rebellion and lust in others, but do we hate these sins with an equal passion when we see them in ourselves? We are quick to give ourselves the benefit of the doubt and make excuses for our own behavior, even as we rake over the coals others guilty of the same sin. I have discovered that often the sins we find so condemnable and annoying in others, are the very sins we struggle with ourselves. We must judge ourselves first before we attempt to judge others. Jesus made this principle plain in Matthew 7:1-6 when He commanded us not to concern ourselves with the mote (splinter) in our brother’s eye, if we have a beam in our own eye. It is an impossibility to help someone with pride, for example, if we have not dealt with our own.
The Lord says that we will be judged in the same manner that we judge others. With that in mind, we should err on the side of grace and mercy, instead of condemnation. Some teachers use this passage of scripture to teach that we are not to judge at all; however, we are commanded to judge and discern the following: 1) ourselves to see that we are in the faith (II Corinthians 13:5); 2) false teachers (Galatians 1:9, I John 4:1); 3) other believers for the purpose of church discipline (I Corinthians 5: 11-13); 4) the character of others (John 7:24). While it is true that we should hate what God hates, there is no reason to hate sin in others more than we hate sin in ourselves. When we call others to accountability for their sin, we should do so in love and mercy, and we should remember our own imperfections in the process.

Obedience

“Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.” (Proverbs 8:32)
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways.” (Psalms 119:1-3) Luke in his gospel, tells us the story of a lady who said to Jesus: “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.” But Jesus told her: “Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” (Luke 11: 27, 28) “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” (James 1: 22-24) “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better then sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (I Samuel 15:22) Who among us wants to be blessed? We all do, yet we continue to look for some mysterious key to obtaining the favor and blessings of God, when all God requires from us is obedience. He desires that His sons listen to His voice and then simply obey Him. When we keep His ways, He will bless us. It is in the favor of God that we find life. (Psalms 30:5) We will never be happy as long as we are outside the will of God.

Check Your Pride

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)
A man who is full of pride becomes blind to his own weaknesses. His flaws could be so obvious that they stare him in the face, but he will not notice them. His pride gives him rose-colored glasses so that he sees only his admirable qualities. It is almost as if he is in denial that he possesses any inadequacies at all. The sin of pride, if not arrested, will lead to certain downfalls, and the disgrace will bring deep, humiliating shame. At the heart of pride is arrogance and rebellion, primarily against God. It is placing trust in self, abilities, possessions or setting any idol on the throne of our hearts besides the Lord God Almighty. “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwelleth in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high: that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.” (Obadiah 1: 3, 4) The prideful man will lift himself up and refuse to acknowledge his weakness, but a humble man will abase himself before the Lord. A humble man recognizes that his sins will find him out. He knows that his sinful nature must be crucified daily or else it will rise up and bring him shame. A man of humility shows wisdom by giving other godly men permission to hold him accountable to his faith and convictions.

Don't Give Up

“They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. (Proverbs 11:20)
There have been times when I have become so discouraged in my Christian walk that I have honestly felt like giving up. The enormous chasm between spiritual maturity and my present spiritual condition has often seemed insurmountable. Even when I know God’s will for my life, I find it hard to do. As a perfectionist and prophet-motivated person, I can be extremely hard on myself. I used to wonder if I was an abomination to God because I struggled in so many areas that I felt I should already be walking in victoriously. I thank God that the Apostle Paul did not attempt to gloss over his struggles in order to appear more holy and pious. His honesty has helped many believers. Just knowing that this great man of God struggled with the same worldly temptations that I do, encourages me to go on. Paul was no stranger to spiritual failure. “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19) He experienced weariness, pain and weakness. (II Corinthians 11: 27, 29) He had a thorn in his flesh that buffeted him and kept him humble. During His earthly ministry, Jesus stated that our spirit indeed is willing but our flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41) I have learned that the world, Satan and my flesh will constantly battle against me- that is the nature of the war in which we have entered. Nevertheless, Jesus has won the victory and delivered us from the penalty of sin and its power over us. We must learn to walk daily in the newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

Spiritual Delusion

“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood…. (Feet that be swift in running to mischief). (Proverbs 6: 16, 17, 18b)
Before we were born again, every single one of us had feet that were swift in running to mischief. Most men like to think that before they were saved they were basically good people, but for those of us who blew it big time, we don’t have that delusion often. God says that no man upon the earth is righteous on his own. None of us understood God or sought after Him. (Romans 3:10-11) Not only did we manage to get into mischief but we also ran to it. This truth flies in the face of our assumption that we were inherently good people before being born again. Once we became followers of Jesus, we received His righteousness, but we must be cautious not to delude ourselves into thinking that we are righteous on our own accord. Our salvation is a gift from God, given by grace through faith. Our works are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), so we cannot boast that salvation came by anything that we did. “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 1:31) The Lord God hates feet that run to mischief because it is the epitome of man’s rebellious attitude toward God. Sin necessitated that Jesus had to die on Calvary’s cross. His unfathomably cruel death came as a direct result of our disobedience. When men continue to run to mischief and refuse to accept the completed redemptive work of Jesus, the Father becomes angry. Neither is there salvation in any other: “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). No longer should men of God run to mischief, but we should flee even the appearance of evil.

Hear, Listen and Follow

“Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.” (Proverbs 8:33).
When I was a teenager, my parents would tell me to do something, and my blood would boil. I had come to resent their authority over me so much that I bristled at the mere suggestion that I should heed their advice. As a result, I endured a lot of headache and heartache that I could have easily avoided. Here I was a spoiled, rebellious, obnoxious teenager with absolutely zero life experience, no job or income, and I thought I knew best and should be running the show. Only a parent’s love can endure the chaos, cruelty and absurdity of the teenage years. My parents were patient and loving, and because of their prayers and the grace of God, I made it through those turbulent years and now see the error of my ways. Nevertheless, I brought my parents a lot of pain. I know it hurt them tremendously when they gave me good instruction, and I refused it. Think for a moment how much greater we hurt God, when we refuse His instruction and plan for our lives. He loves us with a love far greater than that of our parents. Yet we constantly spurn Him and reject His love. We act like spoiled teenagers when we choose to go our own way and attempt to run our lives on our own. We can be so foolish and stiffed-necked! We often ridicule the Israelites for their stubbornness and lack of faith, but we are far greater transgressors, because we have the entire revelation of God through Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Men of God, be diligent to hear the instruction of God, and then act on what He has given you.

"Who Am I?"

“All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.” (Proverbs 8:8).
When others look at us, what do they see? Do they see a man being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ- a man who has surrendered himself to be molded as a lump of clay in the hands of the Master? Do they see a man who professes to serve God whole heartedly but holds secret sins in his heart (areas that are off limits to the Holy Spirit)?
Can we say that today’s proverb is true about us? Most Christians are able to put on a good front. We can speak Christian-ese and sound like great men of faith, but below the surface, are we genuinely men of God? The great American author, Nathaniel Hawthorne said: “No man, for any considerable period of time, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the truth.” Is there an internal conflict between the man you are and the man you want to be? Sure, there is. If you are born again, the Lord will continue to mold you and fashion you until His return or your death. He will finish the good work He started in you. (Philippians 1:6). Have you trusted in Jesus and Him alone for your salvation? Are you trusting in others things: your works, church membership, charitable contributions, baptism, etc? Do you have trouble measuring up to God’s standards of holiness? Are you willing to exchange Jesus’ righteousness for your own works or righteousness (which God says are as filthy rags)? (Isaiah 64:6). If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, take a moment to invite Him to be your Lord and Savior.

The ABC's of Christianity

“I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” (Proverbs 8:20-21).
We often make the Christian life extremely difficult on ourselves. Without realizing it, we place ourselves back under the law and our spiritual walk becomes a list of dos and don’ts, instead of a relationship with our living Savior. When this happens Christianity becomes a chore and a millstone, and we can lose the joy we once possessed. This process happens to all Christians at some point, and it is because we have left our first love, Jesus. (Revelations 2:4). When Jesus called His disciples, He did not give them a long list of regulations, requirements, nor a contract to sign. He issued them a simple command: Follow me. (Mark 2:14). When we learn to follow Jesus wherever He leads, our lives will become much easier. When our lives become hectic, all we have to do is go back to the ABC’s of Christianity: Always Behind Christ. When we allow Jesus to lead, our only responsibility becomes to follow. He will lead us in the way of righteousness and guide us out of the paths of danger and judgment. He desires to bless us and to fill our storehouses with spiritual blessings. Our duty is to simply follow Him. “Then said Jesus said unto His disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16: 24-25). Men of God are we truly following the Lord, or are we trying to get Him to follow our will, our plans and our desires? Are we asking Him to check off on our goals, or are we sincerely seeking His?

How to Die Before Your Time

“The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.” (Proverbs 10:27).
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12). Without the fear of the Lord and the wisdom it brings, we will be double minded in all our ways. (James 1:8). We will have no rudder in the ship of life to guide us and no anchor to hold us in the storm. We will have no compass to point in the right direction and will be easily misdirected and beguiled into temptation. If the fear of the Lord is not present in our lives, we will be easily led down paths of unrighteousness. We will compromise our standards of holiness and integrity, and we will allow ourselves to be used as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. (Romans 6:13). If we do not repent and turn our faces back unto the Lord, the years of our lives could be shortened as a result of our disobedience. (Psalms 102:23). ‘But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.” (Psalms 55:23). “Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?” (Ecclesiastes 7:17). “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31). The Lord will judge us if we stray from Him and fail to fear Him. We are still His sons, if we have been born again, but He will chasten and rebuke us if we begin to walk outside of His will. (Hebrews 12:5-6).

Sowing and Reaping Good Things

“The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.” (Proverbs 11:18).
Most of us are familiar with the principle, you reap what you sow, but do we truly give much thought to the seeds we sow throughout the day? Do we think about what we are going to say and then filter the negative and harmful before we speak it? If people didn’t know we were Christians and could judge us based on our works, would they say we were followers of Christ? Are we sowing works of righteousness or unrighteousness? Are our works hot, cold or lukewarm? The rewards for deceitfulness and dishonesty are temporal; the rewards for righteousness are eternal. Even mature believers are too often fixated on the here and now. We have grown accustomed to instant gratification and we have incorporated a worldly value system into our spiritual lives. Hosea 10:12 commands in eloquent language to: “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.” Who among us does not desire to reap in mercy? Who does not long for God to rain righteousness upon them? We cannot receive the blessing of God when we continue to serve the world. We cannot sow unrighteousness and expect to reap righteousness. Men of God, sow seeds of righteousness, and not only will you begin to see God bring forth His fruit in your life, but you will also reap eternal awards.

The Truth About Temptation

“These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations).” (Proverbs 6: 16-18a).
I was a Christian for several years before I realized that it was not a sin to be tempted. I assumed that every time I had a bad thought or was dared to do something out of character, that I had sinned. I would beat myself up every time these temptations occurred until God revealed to me that it was not the temptation that was sin, but the contemplation and act itself that made it a sin. After all, Jesus was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15). When we understand the process of temptation, we will be better able to defend against it. James says that every man is tempted incrementally in five steps: 1) Man is drawn away by his own lust 2) enticed by the temptation 3) the lust is conceived 4) lust brings forth sin 5) sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. Hence temptation only becomes sin when lust is conceived: birth must be given to the thought before it is sin. Satan throws fiery darts of temptation at us all day long. When those tempting thoughts come, we must cast them down (II Corinthians 10:5) and refuse to dwell on them. If we fail to do so, we will begin to visualize and fantasize about the temptation. Satan knows our weaknesses and exploits them, sending specific temptations tailored to our vulnerabilities. The Lord hates the heart that deviseth wicked imagination because He knows that whatever we dwell on in our heart- even imaginations- will eventually be acted upon. Like a developing baby, the more you feed the temptation, the bigger it will grow until it demands to be born. Similarly, when our hearts are allowed to continually devise wicked imaginations, sin will eventually be conceived and, ultimately, bring forth death.

Spending Time with Your Father

“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” (Proverbs 8:17).
One of the foundational pillars in a growing, healthy relationship with the Lord is having daily time for praying, listening to God and studying and meditating on His Word. On the mornings I neglect my time alone with God, I struggle spiritually the entire day. If I go several days without my quiet time, my spiritual life becomes stagnant, and I feel disconnected form God. Following a set formula is not as important as spending time alone with God. As we begin communicating with Him, we will become better listeners and hearers of His voice. “Time with God each day is not about academic study or getting through a certain amount of scripture or any of that. It’s about connecting with God. We’ve got to keep those lines of communication open. Do use whatever helps… Do whatever brings you back to your heart and the heart of God. God is ultimately personal with us and He speaks in ways that are peculiar to our own quirky hearts- not just through the Bible but through the whole of creation.” (John Eldredge, Wild at Heart.) I don’t know about you, but I find it amazing that the God of the Universe, the creator of Heaven and Earth, wants to spend time with us. He desires that we love Him, call upon Him and honor Him. He stands apart from all other gods. He provided a way through the blood of Jesus so that we could enter into His presence and commune with Him. How could we not want to get to know a Father who has done so much for us?

If You Can't Say Something Nice...

“Hear, for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.” (Proverbs 8:6, 7).
When I was a child, my mom told my siblings and me: “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.” I’m sure all of us heard this admonition at one time or another. As men, we’d probably get in less trouble if we heeded this advice. It is so easy to speak without thinking and allow our tongue to spew deadly poison. Our words have the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21) and all too often, we use our tongues to wound, kill and destroy. However, if we truly desire to become godly men, we must allow the Holy Spirit to have control over this beast that no man can tame. (James 3:8).
Solomon has set the standard for our manner of conversation. We are to speak: 1) excellent things 2) right things 3) truth. Our speech is to be seasoned with salt. (Colossians 4:6), and we must be prepared to speak a good word in season (II Timothy 4:2). Solomon got to the point where wickedness was an abomination to his lips. If we are to be godly men, we must come to the same place in our lives. We must speak the things that God would have us to speak. We are obligated to use our words and tongue to bring about healing, restoration, reconciliation, exhortation and edification. When we do issue a harsh word, it should be spoken in love with the intent of bringing that person to repentance.

The Sexual Continuum

“Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.” (Proverbs 6: 25, 25).
Adultery begins when we lust for another woman in our heart. Adultery is not merely the act itself, because before the deed is committed, it has first been fantasized about, premeditated and lusted after. There is a sexual continuum that occurs once the temptation is presented. James 1:14, 15 expounds: “Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when is finished bringeth forth death.” Many men attempt to blame their wives for their infidelities by claiming that their intimate needs were not met; however, the Word makes it clear that men are drawn away by their own lust. The underlying problem is often that we have unrealistic expectations of our spouses. No woman can meet every need and desire in a man’s heart; only Jesus can satisfy every longing of our heart. When we lose intimacy with Him, we place an undue stress on our wives. Dr. Neil T. Anderson said: “All sinful behavior [including adultery] is a wrong attempt at meeting basic needs. The essence of sin is man living independently of God, who has said that He will meet all our needs as we live out life in Christ.” Be wary, men of God, because it is easy to compromise our sexual purity. Remember that the vow we made to our wives is a life-time commitment to love, honor and cherish them for as long as we both shall live. When the adulteress tempts us, may we recognize that to give in means that we have broken our vow before God and men. This temptation has the potential to destroy our family. If we love our wives as we love ourselves, we will do all we can to protect them, love them and honor them.

Jesus Meets Our Every Need

“Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.” (Proverbs 8: 18, 19).
Everything we need can be found in our relationship with Jesus. He alone has the ability to meet our heart’s desires. He is the Bread of Life that nourishes our soul, and He is the Living Water that quenches our deepest longings. In Him is all wisdom, knowledge and truth. He owns all of creation: “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.” (Proverbs 50: 10-12). Valuable riches, honor and righteousness are His to bestow as He pleases. If we are without financially, He is able to meet our need. If we lack spiritually, He can open up His storehouses and bless us beyond measure. When we eat from His tree of holiness and purity, His fruit will fill the hunger of our hearts. Paul tells us to be “filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:11). The fruit that He gives us to eat is reproducible. What he sows in our hearts will begin to produce fruit of similar kind. Nevertheless, we must continue to go to Him to have the storehouse of our soul filled. If we do not use the fruit He gives or if we horde what He offers us instead of sharing it with others, the fruit will spoil and rot. May we never reach the point where we stop allowing Jesus to fulfill our needs.

The Fear of the Lord and Long Life

“The fear of the Lord prolongeth days.” (Proverbs 10:27a).
King Hezekiah is one of the best examples in the Bible of how the fear of the Lord prolongeth days. (Isaiah 38; II Kings 20). After King Hezekiah was told by the prophet Isaiah that he would soon die, he “turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus sayeth the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years…And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken; Behold, I will bring again the shadow of degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.” (Isaiah 38: 2-5, 7, 8). Hezekiah’s fear of the Lord caused him to walk before God with a perfect heart and to humbly petition God to remember his faithfulness. God sent word through Isaiah and also confirmed that He had heard Hezekiah’s prayer and seen his tears by a supernatural miracle. “For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.” (Proverbs 9:11). Fear of the Lord will constrain us so that we can live to the fullest the number of days the Lord has allotted us. (Psalms 39:4).

Godly Business Principles

“A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.” (Proverbs 11:1).
Worldly men will do anything to get ahead. They will cheat, steal, lie and step on anyone who gets in their way. Deception, misrepresentation and misallocation of funds have seemingly become a part of the corporate culture. Ungodly men have sold their character and integrity to the highest bidder: all in pursuit of the “almighty dollar.” The name itself is blasphemous, but it appropriately describes the idolatry that the pursuit of money has become in our society. Godly men, especially godly businessmen, seem to be in extremely short supply these days. God has called His sons to holiness in the midst of a corrupt culture. We are to deal with people honestly and respectfully. Our business practices should be fair and above reproach. We should have a reputation of integrity in the community and also with competing businesses. Stealing sales, padding business accounts, overcharging customers and similar practices should have no place in the Christian businessman’s repertoire. Salesmen must ethically represent their company and its products. Misleading customers, false claims and hyperboles are tools of ungodly companies. God will not prosper a Christian business that employs these tactics. Men of God, we are commanded to live holy in every aspect of our lives. There is no division between the secular and the sacred in the life of a godly man. We are to close every deal, sell every product and treat every customer exactly as Jesus would.

Whose Blood Is on Your Hands?

“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination to him… hands that shed innocent blood.” (Proverbs 6: 16,17c).
We are all familiar with the commandment “Thou shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13) and would readily agree that it is wrong to shed innocent blood. Why is it then that no one gives a second thought to slandering an innocent man’s reputation or assassinating his character? Isn’t the principle the same? Murder kills the man’s body but slander slays his spirit. How much blood do we have on our hands, brothers? “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15). I recently heard a pastor friend tell about a Christian radio program in which a listener called in to ask the host his opinion of a certain Christian author. The host said that he didn’t know the writer that well, but from what he knew, the man was a liar. The host stated that the author had claimed in his book that he once worked with the Associated Press; however, the host had done his own research on the author, and he had never worked for the A. P. The author, who had not heard the program, was given a tape by a friend and contacted the host to set the record straight. (Indeed, he had worked for the A.P.). The host would not return his phone calls. Next, the author wrote to the host and included check stubs from the A.P. with no response. The book publisher and a prominent pastor contacted the host, but no retraction was ever made. The host refused to offer an apology or correct his mistake, and his listeners were left to believe that the author was a liar. The host shed innocent blood by making a judgment that he should not have made. Whose blood do we have on our hands?

A Loving Friendship With God

“I love them that love me.” (Proverbs 8:17a).
How do we show our love to the people that are important to us? By spending time with them. The activities that we spend our time on are the things in life to which we are devoted. If I asked each man reading this blog if he loved God, every single one would say yes. My question then, is how do you express your love? Do you spend time with Him? Is your relationship with Him alive or stagnant? Building relationships takes time- with people and with God. Adam walked with God in the garden. (Genesis 3:8). Enoch walked so closely with God that he was taken from the earth without ever seeing death. (Genesis 5:24). Noah was a just man and walked with God. (Genesis 6:9). Moses talked with God face to face as a man speaketh to his friend. (Exodus 33:11). David was a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22). Abraham was called the friend of God. (James 2:23). These men loved God. Are you aware that God will meet you where you are? In John 21:15-19, Jesus discusses with Simon Peter his love for Him. Jesus’ first question to Simon Peter was: Simon, do you love [agape-unconditional love] me? Peter replied: yes, Lord, you know that I love [phileo-friendship love] you. Jesus asked Peter again: Do you agape me? Peter said: yes Lord, I phileo you. Finally, Jesus asked: Simon, do you phileo me? To which Peter replied: yes, Lord, you know I phileo you. The Hebrew word for love in today’s proverb is ahab, which means to have affection as with a friend. (Strong’s). Isn’t it great to know that God is confident in His goodness? He knows that once we taste and see that He is good, we will desire to know Him intimately. We can progress from being a friend of God to His loving son.

Having an Understanding Heart

“O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.” (Proverbs 8:5).
Do you ever feel like that-simple and foolish? I do. I have heard it said: “Christianity is a journey, not a destination.” This is a true statement not only for our Christian walk but also in our quest to become godly men. The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. This is why it is so important for us to trust God and not lean upon our own understanding. He sees the big picture, and He possesses all knowledge. He isn’t talking about our physical heart (The organ the pumps blood throughout our body and gives us life). He is referring to our spiritual heart, the seat of our soul (the mind, will and emotions). Our heart is the center of our being- the Holy of Holies, so to speak. To have an understanding heart means that we are to have a discerning and prudent heart. Just as we maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to protect our natural heart, we must also guard what enters our spiritual heart. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23). A discerning heart judges what is best for us and decides what to let into our spiritual man. It acts as a filter to remove the impurities that life sends our way. Some men believe they are strong enough Christians to handle anything, and they allow all manner of perversion and filth to permeate their hearts. These men are truly foolish and possess no wisdom or understanding. A godly man has an understanding heart and is careful of all he allows to enter it.

Who is Guiding You?

“Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” (Proverbs 4:26).
If we trust in our own understanding, we will fall into sin. Why is it so easy to do? Because “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits” (Proverbs 16:2). The devil is a master of compromise and can get us to justify almost any sin. We must take our plans and dreams to the Lord and make sure that they line up with His. At times, it is necessary to toss our plans out the window and start drafting a new plan on a clean slate- only this time we need to step back and let God be the architect. Like David, we should ask God to: “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day” (Psalms 25:5). “Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.” (Psalms 27:11). The path that is set before us is often treacherous. We cannot see around the bend, and we have no idea what awaits us. Jeremiah recognized that he was not able to direct his own paths. “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). While it is important to watch out for danger in the path ahead, I am thankful that we have a Savior who is the best wilderness guide in the universe. He delights in ordering our steps (Psalms 119:133), and He knows all of the danger of the trail ahead. “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.” (Psalms 48:14). Isn’t that comforting? Thank God that He establishes our goings and comings. Are we trusting our Guide or are we putting our faith in our own maps, compasses and abilities? The godly man will trust the Lord our God.

Which Treasure Are You After

“Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” (Proverbs 8:10-11).
Success in God’s eyes is not the same as it is with men. We seek the treasures and pleasures of the earth. God wants us to receive instruction, wisdom and blessings from heaven. Many men desire earthly riches, but even if they are obtained, they will leave us empty and thirsty for more. God says that nothing compares to the blessings He desires to give us. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3:20). “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” (Ephesians 1:7-8). Let us remember that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (I Corinthians 2:9). Do we pursue the treasures of heaven with the same intensity and perseverance in which we seek the treasures of earth? Do we spend even a fraction of the time we waste digging for gold and corruptible crowns in mining for the rubies and diamonds in God’s Word? David said: “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” (Psalms 119:127). Will we allow God to redefine our definition of success? Do we have the courage to change our goals, so that they line up with the will of God? Are we willing to die to ourselves, our dreams and desires and to allow God to replace them with His own? One jot of God’s wisdom and instruction is more valuable than all the treasures we could ever accumulate on earth.

A Holy Fear of God

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:9-10).
A healthy fear of the Lord keeps us in line when the world, our flesh and demonic temptations seek to draw us away from holiness. If you had a loving earthly father, you probably have a good sense of what our Heavenly Father is like. (Men, this is one reason why it is so important for you to model godliness to your children. You are how they will perceive their Heavenly Father). My earthly father was not perfect, but he loved me, demanded respect, was fair and corrected me when I was wrong. I did not fear him, but I respected him and did not want to disappoint him. This is overly simplified, but it is a picture of how our Heavenly Father treats us. Perhaps your earthly father abandoned you, abused you or ignored you, and you have trouble trusting God as a result. Read Luke 15:11-32 for a picture of how God loves you. Our reverence and fear of the Lord will prompt us to seek His face, His wisdom and His holiness. A holy fear keeps our feet on a path of righteousness. It manifests within us a desire to please God and a longing to never disappoint Him. A healthy awe and respect for God creates a willingness to follow His commands and to be used by Him. When I realized that the Creator of the universe wanted to know me and desired for me to know Him in return, it stirred within me a hunger to serve Him. Fearing the Lord will help us remain focused on our goals of godly manhood. Lord, give us a healthy fear of You and the knowledge that comes with it.

The Rich Man

“The rich man’s wealth is his strong city.” (Proverbs 10:15a).
There are times when it appears that wicked men get all the breaks, receive all the blessings and rarely experience much trouble. Meanwhile, it seems righteous men struggle to provide the bare necessities for their families and are beset with problems from every direction. Unfortunately, the prosperity message that is being preached today only exacerbates the problem. Believers are making the same mistakes that the disciples made 2,000 years ago. They are equating financial prosperity with favor from God. They are not one in the same. Jesus told his disciples regarding the rich young ruler: “That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19: 23-26). The rich man can be saved, but it is difficult because he has made money his god. The rich man is able to satisfy his desires to his hearts content, but his wealth is not a sign of God’s favor. The disciples equated riches with holiness just as today’s prosperity preachers do. A man enters heaven by one way: through the blood of Jesus. Perhaps we should thank God for our troubles and financial struggles: they may have been the very difficulties that drew us to Him.

Truth

“These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him; A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:16-17).
The Lord hates a lying tongue because it is the very antithesis of who He is. “He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of Truth and without iniquity, just and right is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4, emphasis added). Jesus called Himself the truth (John 14:6), and the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth. Absolute truth is the very essence of the Godhead. When we are born again, the Spirit of truth indwells each believer. If we lie, we grieve the Holy Spirit and hinder His work in our lives. God, “Desirest truth in the inward parts” (Psalms 51:6) – in the very core of our being. Believers are to love the truth; walk in the truth and share the truth. We live in a society that no longer desires absolute truth. It is more important to be politically correct so that we do not offend people. Nevertheless, the very message of the gospel is offensive. Our Lord and Savior is a stumbling block to many. Jesus was very “exclusive and intolerant” in His message. He is the Way. No man can come to the father but by Him (John 14:6). Now, we have these options: tell men what they want to hear, or tell them the truth. Even though they may bristle at the truth, the truth-if they accept it- will set them free. (John 8:32). As men of integrity, it is our duty to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) to believers and unbelievers alike. May God give us the courage to be bearers of truth.

Being a Good Provider

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6: 6-8)
One of the primary roles of manhood and fatherhood is that of provider. My step-father exemplifies this godly characteristic better then anyone I know. Even when three children were grown and out of the house, he was still the primary provider for my mother, brother, sister, two cousins and my maternal grandparents. In order to provide for his family, he delivered papers, had a full time job and did odd jobs on the side. The amazing thing is that I have never once heard him complain. When I complement him on what a great provider he is for our family, he deflects my praise and says that any man would do the same. Upon reflection, I have to agree with him. A real man would do what he does. What saddens me is that when I look around, I see very few real men out there. Godly men, more than anyone else, should be setting the standard for providing for our families. We should be an example to the world, just as the church was. Of course, there are times of distress when a man loses his job or becomes disabled and is not able to provide for his family. These circumstances are opportunities for the church to show the love of Jesus. Christians must band together and help meet the needs of struggling families. Men may need help finding jobs or training for a new career (if their disabilities allow it). As godly men, we have a responsibility to provide for our family first and then for the household of faith. Let us follow the example of the ant and work diligently for our family.

The Word Protects

“My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.” (Proverbs 7:1-3). t
There have been times in my life when I rebelled against authority. Most men have fought the status quo at least once in their lives. My battle with authority was most intense as a teenager. My relationship with my father was especially volatile at this time, as I began to assert my independence. I just could not understand why I had so many restrictions and demands placed on me. Looking back, I can see that my father’s rules, discipline and boundaries were created and enforced out of his love for me and his desire to keep me from harm. Our Heavenly Father acts in the same manner. He has given us His commandments and Words to protect us and guide us. He is concerned about how we live and knew that we would live life to the fullest under his protective covering, as we stayed within the boundaries He provided. His law is meant to be the apple of our eye. This doesn’t mean that we exalt the Law above grace or the Lord Jesus. It simply means that we cherish God’s Word and His commandments, that we do not neglect His hedge of protection and that we show appreciation and thankfulness for the authority that God has over us.

Stay Focused

“Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.” (Proverbs 4:25).
When a godly man walks out his Christian life, he must remain focused on what lies immediately ahead. It is easy to get distracted by peripheral problems, unimportant issues and even others believers. If we focus on others, we cannot help but begin to compare ourselves to them and measure ourselves accordingly. We are running a race, and we are after one prize. As Paul said; “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14). “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2). It is vital that we keep our eyes on Jesus. Just as racehorses wear blinders during a race to eliminate distractions and remain focused on their goal, so too must Christians block out the diversions of the world so that we may walk worthy of God, who hath called us unto His kingdom and glory. (I Thessalonians 2:12). Men of God, our eyes need to be fixed ever toward the Lord, for He is the only One who is able to order our steps and deliver us from the tempter (Psalms 25:15). Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8) never changes. He is a beacon in the storm, shining His resplendent light to guide us safely home.

Love, Honor and Cherish

“Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.” (Proverbs 5:18-19).
When God gives a man a godly wife to be his helpmate, he should rejoice in her all the days of his life. When a man and woman marry, they make a covenant before God and men to love, honor and cherish one another until death separates them. They become one flesh when they unite in sexual union, and a spiritual bond is established. “Therefore
shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24). “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:6). God hates divorce, and he hates when men mistreat their wives and take them for granted. In Israel, during the time of the prophets, men divorced the wives of their youth so that they could marry younger wives. (This is not a new occurrence.) “The Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.” (Malachi 2:14). These men dishonored their wives and themselves by not cherishing the gift God had given them. “Whose findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.” (Proverbs 18:22). There is nothing wrong with enjoying the sexual pleasures that God has ordained for husbands and wives; however, we should not view our wives as mere sexual objects for our own gratification. God instructs husbands to be ravished always with her love and to love her as Christ loved the Church. This kind of love is unconditional and eternal. God enables us to have this kind of love for our wives.

Desiring God's Wisdom

“Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.” (Proverbs 7: 4-5).
Wisdom and understanding must be embraced and held dear to us if we are to continue our quest toward godly manhood. There have been many times in my life when I outwardly professed a desire to gain godly wisdom and understanding, but inwardly, I was scared to receive it. What if I couldn’t live up to what God expected? What I feared the most, though, was how God’s wisdom and revelation would affect my status quo. I was in a comfort zone in my spiritual walk, and although God prodded me and encouraged me to take a step of faith, He didn’t push me off the cliff. God wants nothing more than to give us His wisdom, but He requires that we ask of Him and He will give it liberally. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1: 5-6). Wisdom and understanding will keep us from temptation; they will give discernment to help us see with spiritual eyes; they will expose the hidden agendas and motivations of others; they will reveal the consequences of giving into temptation; they will show us the way out that God always provides. We desperately need wisdom and understanding from God, if we are to stay on course in our journey. May we ask God for these gifts in faith and use them judiciously.

Men of Integrity

“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” (Proverbs 10:4).
When someone is deceitful in their business practices, it is usually because they are trying to get ahead. The practice of imbalanced scales was popular in Biblical times. If you bought a pound of flour, an underhanded vendor might give you fourteen ounces. Over the course of an entire day, he could have an entire sack of flour available to sell the next day, as a result of cheating his customers. God says that although ungodly men use such deceptive tactics in an attempt to become rich, they will become poor instead. A man who is honest in his business practices will become rich financially, but more importantly, he will become rich in integrity, character and faithful customers. In Strong’s, the word slack is translated not only as deceitful but also slothful. “He becometh poor that dealeth with a [slothful] hand.” As men of God, one of our primary responsibilities is to provide for our families. We are not to be lazy and indolent, expecting God to feed us by the ravens, spiritually speaking. God does not often supernaturally intervene when He has given us the tools and abilities to provide for ourselves. Even though there are occasions when divine intervention is necessary, God expects us to use the resources He has given us. “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” (Proverbs 19:15). Paul told the church at Thessalonica: “If any would not work, neither should he eat.’ (II Thessalonians 3:10). Godly men, be responsible; be honest; be diligent; be determined and be men of integrity.

Pride

“These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A PROUD LOOK, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” (Proverbs 6: 16-17).
The Lord hates a proud look because it is outward evidence of an inward sickness. Pride is a disease that consumes our very souls. It affects everything: how we perceive God, how we interact with Him, how we treat our fellow man, how we respond to difficulties in life and how we think of ourselves more highly than we should. A proud look reveals that we feel that we are better than others. This attitude angers God, because in doing so, we exalt ourselves above others. Make no mistake, the Lord said that He will abase those that exalt themselves and exalt men who humble themselves. (Matthew 23:12). Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees, who considered themselves to be the religious and holy elite of God. However, Jesus called them hypocrites, fools, blind, serpents and generations of vipers-among others names. Oftentimes, our perception of who is holy and God’s viewpoint is strikingly different. “The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7). God knows if we are truly humble in heart or if we have false piety. Godly men, the Lord hates a proud look. Pride will prevent us from becoming the men He intends for us to be. Pride will keep us from treating others with grace and mercy, and it will cause us to keep our eyes focused on ourselves instead of on the Lord.

Out of the Heart the Mouth Speaks

“Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.” (Proverbs 4:24).
Once we become followers of Christ, there will be many aspects of our lives that need to be cleansed. Old habits have to be abandoned and mental strong holds that we have built for years have to be torn down. Many of these negative areas are miraculously demolished at the moment of our new birth; but other quirks in our personality are still frustratingly apparent (often to others as well as us). When I surrendered my life to the Lord, certain shackles and strongholds in my life were immediately broken, while in others areas I continued to struggle. One of the most obvious areas in need of transformation was my temper. I had possessed an out-of-control temper since I was a child. It took several years of constant work by the Holy Spirit before transformation occurred in this aspect of my life. One area I see many Christian men struggle with is the mouth. We are to put away a froward (contrary; ornery; stubborn) mouth, and perverse (corrupt; degenerate; wicked) lips put far from thee. “The mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). We have a responsibility to control our mouth. When our heart is not right with the Lord and our spiritual life is stagnant, our mouth is the first to give us away. Our speech becomes peppered with complaints, bitterness, murmurings, resentment, pride, contempt and anger. Godly men, we must keep our mouths in constant check and allow the Holy Spirit to tame our tongue.