Becoming the Man God Meant For You to Be

Sometimes God Speaks In Such An Obvious Manner Even I Get It

2012-02-09T09:53:00.001-05:00

Last night I was coming home from Greenville and stopped to get gas in Columbia. It had been a long day of visiting clients and making cold calls, and I just wanted to get home, take a hot shower and watch the Tarheels and Blue Devils go at it. I filled my car up, and as I was about to drive off, I noticed a young man with a gas can asking another customer for help filling it up. This guy was tatted up. I'm talking more face tattoos than Mike Tyson. I watched for a few seconds the reactions of the other patrons. In that moment, I felt impressed that I should help him. A nudge from God, if you will. Nah, I told myself, that other guy will help him. It's probably just a scam I thought. Best to not get involved. So off I drove, the guy getting smaller in my rear view mirror the further I drove, while the sense that I should turn around to help kept getting more burdensome. But I'm stubborn. I hit the entrance ramp to I-20 to Florence thinking that probably wasn't God's will for me to help that young man. He looked a little sketchy anyway. The license plate of the first car I passed stopped me cold. It was "GODSWIL". You gotta be kidding me. That voice in my head said, "So I really had to spell it out for you, huh?". Needless to say I got off the next exit and made my way back towards the gas station. I was kind of hoping that I'd get back and he'd be gone, but sure enough, I see him with the gas can. I drive up next to him. "What's the story, man?" He points to a beat up Explorer and tells me that he and his 3 friends are headed down to Savannah but they ran out of money because they had to pay for some car repair. "Did the guy in the car you were waiting on fill your gas can up?" I ask. He tells me no and that people don't seem to be too helpful or interested in helping him. Maybe that's because you look like you'd bite Mike Tyson's ear off, I thought. I ask him his name. Evan, he tells me. I relate the story of me seeing him while I was filling up and feeling impressed to help him but driving off anyway. He laughed when I told him about seeing the license plate. I could tell Evin was somewhat amazed at the sequence of events that led up to my return. You don't mind filling up the gas can, he asked. Nah man, I say. I can't explain it, but in that moment, i knew I was supposed to fill the SUV up. After that license plate, I'm done arguing. I tell him to pull the Explorer to the pump, and I fill it up. I tell Evan that I am not a perfect Christian but that I try to listen when God tells me to help someone, though sometimes I do require an occasional license plate with a message from God. I have some leather study Bibles in the trunk from our last Bibles for Athletes event. I ask Evan and his 3 friends in the car if they'd like a Bible. Don't feel obligated I tell them. Just take one if you want one. Evan walks with me to get the Bibles out the trunk of my car. That's a sick Challenger, he says. Thanks, I respond. I'm not promising that God will bless you with a Challenger, I say, but if you do what God says, He will bring you good things in life. We shook hands, he grabbed a Bible for himself and his friend who said she'd like one, and I wished him a safe trip. This time the ride home was less eventful: no more license plates with reprimands from God. I said a quick prayer that Evan would realize that God was infinitely concerned with his well being. So much so that He would use something as crazy as a license plate to compel me to turn around to help him. If you don't mind, say a prayer for Evan. I have the unmistakeable feeling that God is going to do amazing things in him and through him.

Being Like Jesus

2012-01-14T00:18:00.001-05:00

“… a man of wicked devices is hated” (Proverbs 14:17b). Jesus is the preeminent example for how Christians should live their lives. He never used people or manipulated them to get what he wanted; he was never deceiving or misleading. He spoke the truth in love, was a friend to the friendless, and loved others unconditionally. He never stepped on people to gain position or power. He was not impressed with the pursuit of riches or political clout. He served others, held his tongue and turned the other cheek – even though these characteristics were perceived as signs of weakness. His motives were pure and unselfish, and he gave without expecting anything in return. How far short we fall from His example! All too often, we resort to the tactics of the world to obtain what we desire. We ultimately end up using the same schemes, plans, and devices that Satan uses. We take advantage of others for personal gain and manipulate people who possess the things we desire. We use deception to secure a contract or land a big account by misleading a client about our past success. We love conditionally and befriend those who can offer something back in return. We chase after prosperity and prestige, and we are more concerned about our reputation than we are in helping others. We scheme and connive to get ahead at work, to own more “toys” than our neighbors and to be the most respected and envied man at church. Godly men, we must not be masters of wicked devices, but we must be followers of the Master. We must pattern our lives after His and allow the Holy Spirit to conform us to His likeness.

Encourage One Another

2011-12-10T21:23:00.001-05:00

“A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! (Proverbs 15:23) The motivational gift God gave me at birth is encouragement. It gives me great joy, satisfaction, and a sense of purpose to cheer on, root for, and encourage others. No matter what gift God has given you, Satan will attempt to pervert it. An encourager who is out of fellowship with the Lord can become cynical, judgmental, and destructive to those around him. He will become the very opposite of the man God created him to be. If he desires fulfillment and purpose, he must surrender his life to the Lord and walk in the gift God has birthed in him. Whether you possess the motivational gift of encouragement or not, godly men are commanded to exhort one another daily (Hebrews 3:13). All believers struggle in their faith occasionally and will experience periods when their souls become dry and thirst for words of encouragement. I have endured times when my soul was famished, and God sent brothers and sisters with a word of encouragement for me at precisely the time I needed it most. During one of the lowest periods of my life as a young man, my basketball coach, Jim, told me that he loved me and was proud of me. I actually sat down and cried when he shared these words of blessing. How good was this word spoken in due season! I am thankful for the opportunities God has given me to share an encouraging word with those in need and to see the transformation that occurred as a result. Godly men, look around you for those that are hurting and starving for an encouraging word. Allow God to use you to rain a shower of blessing upon them.

"God's Unconditional Love for Us"

2011-11-14T21:19:00.001-05:00

“The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame” (Proverbs 14:35). When I was a little boy the last thing I wanted to do was get my dad mad at me or have him disappointed in me. We can all relate to wanting our dads to be proud of us. Some of us went to extremes in the pursuit of our dad’s approval, and many indulged in negative excesses when they did not receive it. Whether you ever received your earthly father’s blessing or not, your heavenly father desires to bless you, and He loves you unconditionally. You are the apple of His eye (Psalms 17:8), and He is proud of you. He brags on you, just as he did Job. He is not pleased with you one second and disappointed in you the next. God’s approval of you is not based on your works and efforts, but on the unchanging blood of Jesus. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:18,19). “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Colossians 1:21, 22). Our Heavenly Father is pleased with us because He is pleased with Jesus. When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we come into right standing with God.

Having a Humble Spirit

2011-11-06T21:05:00.001-05:00

“Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Proverbs 16:19). Many times, God’s principles contradict our natural understanding. In fact, they seem contrary to human nature. Our natural inclination is to hate our enemies, but God tells us to love them. When men hurt us, He says to forgive them. When others take advantage of us, he says to go twice the distance. Today’s proverb is baffling to our human reasoning as well. By nature, we all want to be with the “in crowd.” We desire acceptance, respect, and popularity. Yet, once again, God puts His emphasis on the inward man. A humble spirit with the lowly is better than dividing the spoil with the proud. Our world system and its mores are diametrically opposed to Kingdom principles. Proverbs 15:16 says: “Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.” I have found that the “Better…” proverbs, almost always contrast worldly perspectives with what God says is best. The point is: we cannot always trust our own understanding, which is precisely why God tells us to lean not on our own understanding but to acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5,6). It is imperative that believers base their decisions on the unchanging Word of God. The world’s values and beliefs change daily. It takes humility to seek God’s will. The question is: Do we really want to do His will, or would we rather follow the fickle ways of the world?

Don't Believe Everything You Hear

2011-10-03T23:03:00.000-04:00

“The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going” (Proverbs 14:15).The major reason that cults and false religions are so prevalent today is because men do not know the Word of God. Since they do not know it, they cannot recognize heresy and false doctrine when they hear it. As a result, the church and her families are “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14). Without the Word of God, we are like a sailboat without a rudder. We have no direction, are totally dependent on the wind and waves and are carried about wherever they take us. When a pastor, Christian leader, or unsaved person (such as a boss at work) attempts to lead us, we have a responsibility to ourselves, our families, our brothers and sisters in Christ and our co-workers to make sure that the counsel we have been given lines up with the Word of God. When Paul instructed the brethren in Berea, “they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11). The perversion of the gospel of grace will become more prevalent in the last days. “ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (I Timothy 4:1, 2). As men of God, we must contend for the faith and be prudent in our lives.

A Counterfeit Man

2011-09-11T20:22:00.001-04:00

“A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame” (Proverbs 13:5). Lying is the very essence of hypocrisy. When we lie, we make a false representation of ourselves to others. The locker room boastings of youth are far too often carried into adulthood with men competing to outdo one another and pressuring others to conform to a worldly view of manhood. Authentic manhood is godly manhood, and it is far different from the picture we have been given. As Christians, we lie every time we go to church, put on our happy Christian masks, and act as if everything is wonderful, even as our world crumbles around us. It is easy to lie to others, when we are so used to lying to ourselves. Christians are no different from the world, in that we are afraid to be vulnerable, honest about our problems, and transparent in our struggles out of fear that we will be judged or perceived as weak. Instead of confessing our faults to one another (James 5:16) and having the strong lift up the weak (Romans 15:1), we play the church charade and hope that no one sees us for who we really are. When tragedy strikes, some Christians refuse to allow themselves to grieve because of a distorted belief that they need to show the world that they are “strong in the Lord”. However, they forget that Jesus wept, laughed, grieved, and experienced the entire gamut of human emotions that we experience. Suppressing how we truly feel is another form of lying and hypocrisy. Men of God, let us ask God for the courage to be real men and not merely a guise of the real thing. Abraham Lincoln once said, “If it is a crime to make a counterfeit dollar, it is ten thousand times worse to make a counterfeit man.”

Loving God's Word

2011-08-29T14:20:00.001-04:00

I love the Word of God; even though there are times, it wounds me deeply. It cuts to the quick and exposes my selfish motives and desires. It is a mirror that reveals my sin, and the reflection I see is often ugly to behold. Like peeling an onion, each layer of self that is removed brings tears and pain, yet I thank God for the power of His Word and its ability to convict me of sin. Dwight L. Moody admonishes believers to: “Cling to the whole Bible, not a part of it. A man is not going to do much good with a broken sword.” General Robert E. Lee said, “The Bible is a book in comparison with which all others are of minor importance. In all my perplexities and distress the Bible never failed to give me light and strength.” II Timothy 3:16, 17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Men of God, do not run from the Word. We have a tendency to set the Word aside when we struggle with sin because we do not enjoy being convicted. Nonetheless, if we love knowledge, we will love the instruction that comes with it; the foolish, stupid man hates reproof. Continue to dig in the Word, godly men, and allow it to convict you. “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him” (Psalms 18:30).

Silence the Venom of Gossip

2011-08-13T22:33:00.002-04:00

“He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends” (Proverbs 17:9).
No one likes to be talked about or to have people gossip behind their backs. We all want to be given the benefit of the doubt, and if we have offended someone, we want him to come to us so that we can do our best to resolve the situation. Despite the fact that we want these considerations for ourselves, how often do we extend the same courtesy to others? Are we quick to spread tidbits or share “facts” that we have not bothered to confirm as truth? Do we tell talebearers that we are not interested in participating in their sin? Perhaps we do not even spread the gossip that we hear, but we encourage its telling by merely listening. The world sees nothing wrong in repeating a matter, and they usually could not care less if the information is true or not. Especially with today’s media, as long as it makes good copy or boosts ratings, then they are happy. They are not concerned that lives, marriages, and friendships can be ruined by the telling of tales. Talk shows, reality television, and the tabloids are full of gossip, half-truths, and lies and we consume tons of it daily. A godly man realizes the dangers in gossip and diligently avoids it. He understands that, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins” (Proverbs 10:12). “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins (I Peter 4:8). Men of God, be reconcilers and cover a transgression. Don’t be gossips, talebearers, or separators of friends.

Who's Influencing You?

2011-08-06T21:12:00.002-04:00

“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).

When one of my brothers was a teenager, my parents tried to get him to understand the correlation between the friends he had chosen and the trouble that inevitably found him. He was not willing to give up these friends until he matured to the point where he could weigh the pros and cons of their friendship. He eventually realized that the cost for their friendship was too high a price to pay. For better or worse, the people we hang around influence us. During my freshman year of college, I received a care package from home. I eagerly tore into the box to find soap, shampoo, and my favorite cookies. I greedily stuffed two cookies in my mouth and immediately spit them out. They tasted like soap! The close proximity between the cookies and soap had cross-contaminated them. The cookies absorbed the pungent fragrance of the soap to the extent that it had lost its own uniqueness. When we walk with wise men, they will invariably rub off on us. Similarly, if we walk with fools, they will negatively influence us and eventually overpower us. “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (I Corinthians 15:33). We can be in the world, intentionally witnessing to those around us, loving the lost with the love of God and still be separate. Jesus ministered to the sinners and publicans, but hand-chose his inner circle. We should follow the same example.

Sharing Good News

2011-07-25T22:48:00.002-04:00

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).
With the exception of coming to Christ ourselves, leading someone to Jesus is the greatest thing we can do in this life. Bringing men to Christ is our mission and calling. “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3). We are commanded by Jesus to go and make disciples in all nations (Matthew 28:19, 20). No one is exempt from the need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we have a responsibility to share the Good News. Research by Barna and Gallup indicate the percentage of Christians who actively share their faith is low. When I returned to Jesus after my prodigal experience, I remember feeling inadequate and unworthy of sharing my faith. I was apprehensive that I would say the wrong thing or offend the other person. I realize now that Satan planted these excuses to hinder me from witnessing. Once I discovered, as Dr. Neil T. Anderson said, that “Witnessing is sharing our faith in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God” I felt enabled to share Jesus. I have shared Jesus with many people since, and I have never had a bad experience. Even when a few people were rude or antagonistic in their worldview, I had complete confidence and peace that I had done what God wanted. Almost every individual I have shared with – even Muslims – have thanked me for caring enough about them to share the truth of Jesus. The greatest high I have experienced is the thrill of leading someone to the Lord. Men of God, be intentional in your witness. A lost world is waiting to hear our message.

Come, Lord Jesus

2011-07-20T22:54:00.002-04:00

“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12).
The more we desire something, the harder it is to wait for it. When I was a boy, waiting for Santa Claus to come was a yearlong event. The countdown for next year’s Christmas began on December 26. My anticipation grew daily as Christmas drew nearer. When the big day arrived, I would tear down the stairs along with my brothers and sister, wake up our parents and revel in the excitement of Christmas. Men of God, we should possess a similar attitude of expectation concerning the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (I Corinthians 15:51, 52). Those that love His appearing and look forward to it, will be rewarded with a crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:8). Paul again exhorted Titus to “[look] for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (I Peter 5:4). Are our hearts longing for Jesus to return? Is our prayer that of John, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus”? Do our hearts skip a beat when we see prophecy fulfilled before our very eyes? Rest assured, men of God, Jesus is coming back. May we not be ashamed of His coming or be found sleeping.

The Contradictions of Christianity

2011-07-20T22:51:00.002-04:00

“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches” (Proverbs 13:7).
Kingdom principles are often difficult to understand and contrary to so-called common sense. We must die in order to live, be poor in order to become rich and take up our cross before we are set free. Jesus was the model of this apparent contradiction. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (II Corinthians 8:9).
The God who created the universe, who owns the cattle upon a thousand hills, became poor for us. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).
Just as Jesus became poor, we must also become poor. The first beatitude says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew. 5:3). A man must realize he is lost before he can be found. It is only after he looks within and recognizes the wretchedness in his heart, that he will call out to the Savior and receive forgiveness. The man who feels he is “rich in spirit” will be poor for eternity. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear” (Rev. 3:17, 18).

The Miami Heat Are A Picture of Most Christians

2011-06-13T18:39:00.002-04:00

It's hard to feel bad for the Heat. With all the pre-season hoopla and empty promises of a dynasty, well, it all seems a little blustery now. There are some interesting parallels in the Heat and most Christians, and I thought I'd spend a few moments unpacking that concept.

With three superstars on a team, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James could never decide who was the go to guy. Each man expected the other one to carry the load. What ended up happening was that no one did anything, and three perennial all-stars ended up looking like regular joes. The Mavs, an old school basketball team, beat them with an unselfish pass game. As Christians, we are often just like the Heat. God has enabled each of us with superstar gifts and talents, yet we wait on the other all-star Christians around us to do the work that we were called to do. It's easy to shift the responsibility on others when we think they are more qualified and have more all star appearances than we do.

Also like the Heat, we are celebrating our victory before we have rightly attained it. No matter where we are in our Christian journey, if we are still on this side of the daisies, then there is work to be done. While there is nothing wrong with celebrating Christ's finished work on the cross, that doesn't give us the right to sit around basking in future victory when there is so much laboring that needs to be done in the meantime. When you begin celebrating before you obtain the prize, you have lost focus and have underestimated your adversary.

The Heat also did not follow a strong leader. In hindsight, a young, inexperienced coach may not have been the best choice for three headstrong youth. A wiser leader, who had been battle tested in the trenches of NBA warfare, would have been a better choice. It is difficult for NBA players to respect a coach that has not earned his stripes. Similarly, Christians often follow weak leaders, who tell them what their itching ears long to hear, instead of following strong, faithful leaders who speak the truth boldly. Like the Heat, when strong leadership is not present, Christians tend to point fingers, shift responsibility and sit around and cry over lost opportunities.

There is hope for the Heat. If they can learn to play as a team, each learn their role in the offense, play to each teammate's strengths, and come together as one body for the common goal of winning it all, then greatness is in their future. The same can be said of the Church. Let's not fall short of greatness like the Heat, when we are all All-Stars playing on the winning team.

Depart From Evil

2011-06-07T22:36:00.001-04:00

“A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident” (Proverbs 14:16).
As boys, we are taught from an early age that we should be fearless. Maxims from our youth, such as “Big boys don’t cry’ and “Be a man,” have given us a false expectation of how we are to face the world. Many of the “truths’ we were indoctrinated with as children are not grounded in reality. For example, boys are taught to fear nothing, but there are some things we should have a healthy respect for: sin, evil, and a Holy God. A fear of sin and evil is wise because it serves as a protective mechanism to keep us far away from wickedness. Our fear helps us to weigh the consequences of falling into sin when temptation comes our way. A foolish man is confident and fears nothing. This kind of man is easily led astray because he places himself in no-win situations. He fails to recognize dangers and warning signs that a wise man would pick up on. “A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3). Godly men, I realize that the Bible says that we are to fear no evil (Psalms 23:4) and fear not what flesh can do to us (Psalms 56:4). However, the fear of the Lord and departing from evil go hand in hand (Proverbs 3:7). The fear of sin and evil is not a negative fear rooted in a lack of faith in God’s abilities, but a healthy fear ingrained in a love for God and a desire to live holy.

I'm Not There Yet

2011-05-31T21:47:00.000-04:00

Sometimes there are days that God lets you see yourself for who you really are, and although it is immensely painful, it is necessary for growth. After all, it is when you feel you have arrived in the Christian journey that you cease to grow. If I am being honest, I have been complacent lately. The routine of Christianity has lulled me to sleep, and I hate going through the motions. Sometimes a long stretch of I-26 and I-95 after a day visiting clients is a perfect time to take inventory of your life spiritually. Am I the man I claim to be? Do I excuse sin in my life as just being human? Have I grown accustomed to my life as it is that I have ceased to hope for something better? Do I still believe that God loves me and wants to bless me more than I can think or imagine? Has my pursuit of happiness become more important than the people God places in my path to reach and influence? Am I a good steward of my money? Am I preparing myself to be the husband that my future wife deserves?

As you can see it was a very long ride back from Charleston. My spiritual inventory revealed many places in which I am lacking. I was convicted to renew my spiritual journey with gusto. It is so easy when this world is pulling you a million different directions to lose your first love. Quite a few tears were shed when the Holy Spirit reminded me of all Jesus had done for me, how "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." (Psalm 40:2-3)

So tomorrow is a new day, a chance to begin again. Not just for me but for you as well. His mercies are new every morning (Lam. 3:23), and if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9). Who wouldn't want to serve a God like that?

God Is Our Refuge

2011-05-29T21:58:00.001-04:00

“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge” (Proverbs 14:26).
God gives us many descriptions of his provision and protection in Scripture. One of my favorite descriptions is the picture Jesus gave when he wept over Jerusalem. “How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37) The protection of God’s wings is first mentioned to Israel when God said, “I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself” (Exodus 19:4). God compares himself to an eagle that “stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings” (Deuteronomy 32:11). When the eagle teaches her eaglets to fly, she nudges them out of the nest, but she does not leave them on their own. She hovers over them, and if they struggle, she will swoop underneath them and catch them on her massive wings. God does the same for us. We rest atop his nest and under the shadow of his wings. David said, “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings” (Psalms 17:8). “How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings” (Psalms 36:7). “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings, and our confidence is that when we fall, his great wings will gently catch us and set us down safely. What a mighty God we serve!

Hitting Rock Bottom

2011-05-26T22:10:00.000-04:00

“Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard” (Proverbs 13:15).
No sane man would choose a life of sin if Satan showed him the ultimate consequences of that life in the end. For example, when Satan tempts a man to use drugs, he will appeal to the man’s curiosity or his sense of adventure. He may even convince the man that the drug will fill the void in his life; however, he will never show the man the results of his sin: loss of finances, his wife leaving him because of his addiction, the destruction and pain brought upon his children, etc. Revealing the consequences of sin would be foolish because not many men would fall into temptation. God loves us so much that He allows us to make bad choices. With our free will, we can choose to serve Him or choose to follow the road to destruction. Proverbs 14:12 says: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” For some men, it takes hitting rock bottom before they recognize their need to be saved. As long as times are good and life is grand, most men will be content, but when tragedy strikes or the rug is swept out from under him, he will begin to question the meaning of life. He will search for something to fill the void in his soul. This is the crucial time when he is most open to the gospel and a relationship with Jesus Christ. Look around today; there are men throughout your sphere of influence who need to know about Jesus. Will you be faithful to share the Good News with them?

Calm in the Midst of the Storm

2011-05-21T17:36:00.001-04:00

“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27)
The disciples had the Savior in the boat with them, yet they were afraid that they would drown in the storm. Jesus responded to their fear by asking them, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” As believers, Jesus is our righteousness, and He will keep us in the right path, if we follow Him. The wicked man, who does not have Jesus in his heart, will be thrown out of the boat and will drown in the stormy sea. What the disciples had was a lack of faith in Jesus. We have all had those moments.
In Mark 4:35, we are given another piece of the story. Jesus told the disciples, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” Notice He did not say, “Let us go to the middle of the lake and drown in a storm.” We can trust what Jesus says and we can trust Him to do what He says. The same Creator who has the power to calm the winds and the waves, can still the troubled waters in each of our lives. We must simply learn to trust Him to do what he has promised.

Has Your Heart Shifted?

2011-05-17T21:28:00.002-04:00

“The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself” (Proverbs 14:14).
I have found that I do not have to worry about other people hurting me and doing me harm, because I am by far my own worst enemy. My flesh and its insatiable desires are considerably more destructive than anything others may do to me. For in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing (Romans 7:18). The backslider is filled with his own ways and given over to his flesh (Romans 13:14). A backslider must repent and begin to walk in the Spirit. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). God says, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings” (Jeremiah 3:22). “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4).
Henry Blackaby said, “The greatest single pitfall for a [Christian] is the loss or turning aside from the love relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s the heart of it all. When your heart shifts everything else shifts.” At the heart of backsliding is leaving our first love, Jesus (Revelation 2:4). Only Jesus satisfies. When we turn from Him, we have forsaken the only One who can give us peace, happiness, fulfillment and lasting joy. Our flesh, with its voracious lusts, will destroy us. The man that trusts in Jesus and clings to Him will be delivered from himself.

Only God Sees the Heart

2011-05-15T23:34:00.002-04:00

“All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits” (Proverbs 16:2).
After God rejected Saul as King, the prophet Samuel was sent to Jesse the Bethlehemite to anoint one of his sons as king. Jesse called his sons to stand before the prophet, and each time, the Lord told Samuel that the son before him was not the chosen one. When Eliab, the firstborn, stood before Samuel, the prophet thought “Surely the Lord’s anointed [was] before him.” But the Lord said unto Samuel, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (I Samuel 16:6, 7).
Unfortunately, the outward appearance of a man is often very different from what is found in a man’s heart. If we judge according to the external, we will often come to the wrong conclusion, because we can only make an impression based on the superficial. Jesus called the outwardly religious Pharisees, “Hypocrites,” who were like “whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27, 28).
The world judges by visible appearance: how a man looks, what kind of car he drives, how much money he makes, etc. God judges a man by his heart. Has the blood of Jesus been applied to his life? Does he love God with his entire being? Does he love his brother as himself? Only God sees the heart.

Passing the Test

2011-05-11T22:41:00.000-04:00

“Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22).
Recently, I watched “Remember the Titans” for the first time in quite some time. In the movie, the team captain, who was white, was placed in a situation where he had to make a split-second decision. His white friends pulled up beside him in their convertible and invited him to a party. He looked back at his black teammates he had just won a football game with and had to choose whether to stick with his teammates or go to the party with his prejudiced white buddies.
As I watched this scene, I realized that this was the dénouement of the movie (the moment where the protagonist confronts the antagonist in the story and makes the decision that will affect the outcome of the story). The team captain ended up doing the right thing: he stayed with his black teammates despite the peer pressure he felt.
Just as this young man faced his test and passed it, we, as godly men, must make hundreds of instantaneous decisions each day that affect our character, integrity and walk with the Lord. For example, when we are confronted with a difficult situation, we have a brief window to decide whether we will be honest or lie to protect ourselves. God hates it when we compromise our holiness for the sake of temporary gain. We are commanded to be holy as He is holy (Leviticus 11:45). Men of integrity do the right thing even when they are in a difficult situation. Part of becoming a godly man involves taking responsibility for our actions and speaking the truth at all times – even when it is not convenient.

A Test of Character

2011-05-03T22:25:00.000-04:00

“A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” (Proverbs 12:10).
It has been said, “Character is doing the right thing when no one else is looking.” A large part of becoming a godly man rests on this principle. When it is only God and us, it is then that we find if we are willing to stand for what we profess to believe. There is no better test of godly character than how a man treats those that are in subjection to him. When a man has power and authority over another human or even a beast, whether he chooses to act in mercy or cruelty reveals the kind of man he is. Once a man is granted power, many wicked traits bubble to the surface. These characteristics were in his heart the entire time, but power exposed them.
We will never become the godly men we desire to be without being faithful in the little things. There is a popular book called Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in which the author encourages the reader not to make mountains out of molehills. I agree, but when it comes to pursuing godly manhood we definitely need to sweat the small stuff. The mundane, inconsequential decisions are the building blocks upon which our character is formed. If we are faithful to walk righteously in the small details of life, then when crucial decisions confront us, we will have no problem doing the right thing, because we have made a practice of acting with character and integrity.

Which Path Will You Take?

2011-04-26T08:41:00.000-04:00

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
Ultimately, man must choose to go God’s way or his own way. God will not force His way upon us. We must choose to follow Him freely. He gives us a free will so we may choose the course for our life and whether we will serve Him or not. Our adversary, Satan, recognizes this truth and will do all that he can to make going our own way, apart from God, appealing to us. Sin is enticing, often pleasurable and even “fun”, but it is a mirage (what at first seems sweet, turns out to be bitter). Satan does his best to make rebellion against God look exciting and engaging, while making obedience look boring and unattractive. Having experienced both worlds, I can say that the very best Satan has to offer does not even begin to compare with the most minute of God’s blessings. Moses revealed this fact. He lived in Egypt, in the palace of the Pharaoh, but chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward” (Hebrews 11:25, 26). No doubt, the life of sin may look appealing, but “the end thereof are the ways of death.” Every man must choose for himself the path that he is to take. “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him (Psalms 34:8).

Jesus Will Meet You Where You Are

2011-04-22T16:01:00.003-04:00

“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 devotional 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.

Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

2011-04-12T22:36:00.000-04:00

“The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble” (Proverbs 12:13).
We have all heard the expressions; “He dug a hole for himself…” and “He made his bed, now let him lie in it.” These colloquialisms emphasize the consequences of our actions. When we shoot off at the mouth and fail to think before we speak, we lay a snare and entrap ourselves with our own words. As boys, most of us tried to talk our way out of punishment when we did something that deserved it. We often try to do the same with God. We attempt to make deals or convince Him as to why we deserve to be delivered from our present circumstances. In reality, all we have to do is trust God to deliver us. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (II Peter 2:9). A large portion of our struggles and temptations could be avoided if we learned to keep our mouths shut. We bring most of our problems on ourselves by confessing negative thoughts, complaining and speaking from the flesh. When we are not led by the Holy Spirit, we are liable to say anything. The tongue seems to have a mind of its own and must be kept under subjection to the Spirit. If we allow our tongue free rein, it will continue to ensnare us and prevent us from becoming godly men. Listen to your conversation today. Are there unwholesome comments, negative confessions, or complaining statements that would have been better left unsaid? Be aware of what you speak and ask God to control your tongue.

Your Spiritual Heritage Doesn't Have to Define You

2011-04-11T17:45:00.000-04:00

“The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand” (Proverbs 12:7).
Every man has a spiritual heritage that he has absolutely no control over. Some men have a godly heritage, while others have ancestors who may have been antagonistic toward God. What we do have power over is the spiritual legacy we leave to our children and grandchildren. Fathers spend their entire lives working, saving, and investing so that they will have an inheritance to leave for their children. Yet, how many of us expend the same amount of effort and energy in bestowing a godly heritage to our children? Our actions today will affect generations to come. “The generation of the upright shall be blessed” (Psalms 112:2). “Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever” (Deuteronomy 4:40). The money, land, and earthly riches we leave behind will eventually be spent, divided, and sold. Only our legacy will remain; it is eternal. What kind of heritage will we leave behind? Jim Elliot said, “When it comes time to die, make sure all you have to do is die.” “Live so that when the final summons comes, you will leave something more behind you than an epitaph on a tombstone or an obituary in a newspaper.” (Billy Sunday). Make sure you leave behind a legacy your children will be proud of.

Sons and Scorners

2011-04-08T21:47:00.002-04:00

“A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke” (Proverbs 13:1).
There are two kinds of men: wise sons and scorners. A wise son heareth, but the scorner heareth not. A scorner is someone who not only ignores his father’s commands but also detests and mocks them. He hates the authority over him and chafes at the restrictions placed upon him by a loving father. In the spiritual, there are also sons and scorners. Scorners hate God and all that He represents. They rebel against His commands and the boundaries set in place for their protection. They believe they know what is best for them: they are their own god. A wise son trusts God to know what is best for him. He listens to God’s voice and heeds it. He allows his Heavenly Father to instruct him and teach him. The word instruction is translated in other passages as chastisement, or correction. It is a warning to get back on track, and it is given in love. On the other hand, the Father rebukes the scorner. While still given in love, a rebuke is harsh and often painful. Its purpose is to bring the scorner to repentance. As men on the quest for godly manhood, there will be times when we are chastised and disciplined by God. We should not become discouraged. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are bastards, and not sons” (Hebrews 12:6, 8). Do not forget that we were all scorners before we became sons. Do not write off a scorner as beyond redemption, but share the Good News with him. Yes, he may scorn God, but he may also repent and become a son.

What Is Your Legacy?

2011-04-01T12:31:00.002-04:00

“A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised” (Proverbs 12:8).
What kind of man do we want to be known as when we die? If today were our last day on earth, what kind of legacy would we leave behind? As our family emptied our drawers, cleaned out our closets, opened our safe deposit box and scanned our computer files, would they find anything that contradicted the lifestyle of holiness we professed? If they did, what kind of message would that send? Our loved ones would no doubt question whom we really were – the person they knew or the man living the double life. People may have praised us for our godly character and wisdom all our lives, but if they find out at death, that we had secret sins, it will be all for nothing. No one wants a tarnished legacy. When we are faced with temptation- even if we think no one will ever know – remember that, “The torment of the temptation to sin is nothing to compare to the torment of the consequences of sin” (Edwin Louis Cole). We can never outrun sin: it will catch up to us in this life or the life to come. Make sure that your freedom in Christ and assurance of salvation does not cause you to sin. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1, 2) Men of God, our legacy will remain long after we are absent from this body and present with the Lord. Let us leave behind a godly inheritance worthy of the name of Jesus, whom we serve.

The Dangers of the Prosperity Gospel

2011-03-28T09:39:00.000-04:00

“The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish” (Proverbs 14:11).
Every godly man wants his house to flourish, but many men become discouraged when God does not bless them in the way that they feel they should be blessed. As a result of the prosperity message so popular today, many people have come to equate financial and material blessings with God’s favor. The same doctrine was prevalent in Jesus’ day, and he reproved it (Matthew 19:23-26). God is God, and He can bless us in any manner He chooses. Why are we serving Him anyway? Is it simply out of a desire to be blessed or to make our lives easier? When rough times come, do we feel that God has abandoned us? Are we ready to jump ship? Many of Jesus’ disciples abandoned Him when His teaching became too difficult. He asked His twelve disciples, “Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the Living God” (John 6:67-69). Because God is just, we can trust Him to do what is right. The house of the wicked will eventually be overthrown, even if it appears that he is prospering in this life. Likewise, the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish, even though it seems that he is oppressed, downtrodden, and destitute. Stand firm in your faith, for God will balance the scales of judgment on the Last Day.

Are You An Enemy of God?

2011-03-25T23:04:00.000-04:00

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight” (Proverbs 15:8).
Even men that have no relationship with the Lord unconsciously attempt to appease Him. They know in their hearts that they will one day stand before a Holy God and give an account of their lives. A general fear of God keeps many men “in line”. A large number of people strive to allay God’s wrath through generic prayer, baptism, church attendance, giving alms, being “good” people, and helping others. They fail to realize that their sacrifices and efforts to reach God are an abomination to Him. Since God is the One who has been offended by sin, He is the only one who has the right to declare what will pacify His holiness. Two thousand years ago, God’s holiness was satisfied when His Son Jesus died on the cross, shed his blood, and became the atonement for sin. If we try to gain access to God through any means but by the blood of Jesus, we are trespassers and uninvited guests. Only the man that has been born again and has the blood of Jesus applied to his life is entitled access to God (Romans 5:2). When we possess the righteousness of Christ, we can “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). We can be certain that our prayers are heard and a delight to God. When we see our fellow man attempting to reach God through human means, we need to inform him that God’s divine plan of redemption through Jesus Christ has already been completed and has satisfied God’s judgment and holiness.

Seeking Afrter God

2011-03-24T21:18:00.002-04:00

“He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him” (Proverbs 11:27).
All Christian men profess that they desire the favor of God. We claim to want God to use us, bless us, and transform us, but do we really? Do our actions confirm or deny our profession? I have noticed in my own life, times of hypocrisy when I told God I wanted a deeper walk with Him with my mouth, but my heart was far from Him. The Holy Spirit within me caused me to desire the things of God, but there was a battle between my regenerated spirit’s desire to do the will of God and my flesh’s desire to commit sin. This is a daily conflict in my life and in the life of every believer. When we make a decision to follow God, we must follow through. If we half-step, we will never achieve full victory. The Holy Spirit will encourage us in our quest for godly manhood, but He will never coerce us. He will strengthen us when we fall and walk alongside us, and He longs for us to trust Him with childlike faith. When we have confidence in His goodness, we can place our hand in His and allow Him to lead the way. “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments” (Psalms 119:10). When we seek after God with all of our hearts, we will walk in His favor. If we choose to seek after mischief, we will find it as well. The key to the Christian life is to follow after God with total abandon. It is only as we empty ourselves of our selfish hopes, dreams, and desires, that God can fill us with His Spirit and guide us in the paths of righteousness.

A Lie Doesn't Care Who Tells It

2011-03-22T15:33:00.002-04:00

“The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19).
I have often heard that “A lie doesn’t care who tells it,”– even a godly man. Once we tell one lie, we usually end up telling a few more to cover up the original. It is an easy cycle to get into and a hard one to break. Why do we tell lies? Usually, it is because they are easier to tell than the truth. When your boss asks if you mind putting in a little overtime, you say you would be glad to do it, when in fact, you know it will strain the little family time you already have. Inevitably, the truth comes out and your integrity is tarnished. My dad used to tell me, “Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” This includes telling the truth even when it is inconvenient. Our conversation must be absolute truth. Men should never have to question or wonder if we are speaking the truth or if we are “exaggerating, stretching the truth or telling a little white lie.” The very truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is painful to many, yet we have a responsibility to share it. The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, and it cuts to the soul: it lacerates and exposes the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Jesus is the Truth, and is He is an offense and a stumbling block to many. Nonetheless, He is the truth that sets us free, and there is no salvation in any other. You have probably heard the axiom: “The truth hurts,” or Jack Nicholson’s line in A Few Good Men: “You can’t handle the truth!” Perhaps some people can’t handle the truth, but as godly men, that does not remove our responsibility to speak the truth in love.

Swift to Hear and Slow to Speak

2011-03-18T23:10:00.000-04:00

“In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).
When I was a boy, I would occasionally get into trouble, and I would try to talk my way out of it. Usually, the more I talked, the deeper I got into trouble. Like a fly caught in a spider’s web, the more I struggled to get out of it, the more entangled I became. A similar experience occurs when we talk excessively. I am sure everyone knows at least one person that appears to talk merely for the pleasure of hearing his own voice. If you give these foolish men enough rope, it will only be a matter of time before they hang themselves. Interrogators use this tactic when interviewing suspects. If they can get the suspect to start talking, they know chances are good he will eventually incriminate himself. Ecclesiastes 5:3 says, “A fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.” The more we talk, the more opportunities we provide ourselves to sin with our words. James 1:19 admonishes us, “Be swift to hear, slow to speak.” I have heard several of my elders share the axiom: “God gave us two ears and only one mouth; therefore we should listen twice as much as we speak.” Good advice for old and young alike. As godly men, we should possess control over our tongues. “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23). "Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding"
(Proverbs 17:28). We have enough trouble without bringing any more upon ourselves. May we speak only that which is profitable for edification and encouragement to those around us and not talk merely to bring honor to ourselves.

Obtaining God's Favor

2011-03-16T20:44:00.003-04:00

“A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord” (Proverbs 12:2).
Every man reading this blog desires the favor of God and wants to walk in His anointing. We would love to have Samuel’s testimony, who “was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men” (I Samuel 2:26). We yearn to be like Jesus, who increased “in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Job knew what it felt like to experience the favor of God. He said, “Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit” (Job 10:12). David knew both the favor of God and His judgment. “For thou, Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield” (Psalms 5:12). “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalms 30:5). When we were born again into the Kingdom of God, we received the favor of God, and we now have total access to His throne. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us” (Ephesians 2:13, 14). “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The favor of God is dependent on one thing: the blood of Jesus. We cannot earn God’s favor by keeping the law, doing good deeds, or trying to impress Him with our worthiness. Our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Thank you, Jesus, for the favor we have with the Father. Because He is pleased with You, and we are in You, then He is pleased with us.

In God We Trust

2011-03-11T20:48:00.002-05:00

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).
No one can intelligently deny that the United States of America was founded upon Christian principles. The Founding Fathers were –almost without exception – Christian men actively involved in a local church who professed to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. These men of God were praying men. They opened their sessions with prayer; they installed a chaplain for Congress, and they actively sought out wisdom from God when framing the government of the Republic. Our nation was founded upon the principle of religious freedom. The vast majority of the early New World inhabitants immigrated to escape religious persecution and state-run churches. It is because of this godly heritage that America is what she is today. Righteous men seeking God and His will for our nation exalted America as the greatest country in the world. Today, “In God We Trust” is no longer the motto for most Americans (more like “In gods We Trust). Our corporate sin as a nation is a reproach to God. He will not wink at America’s injustices and travesties much longer. We have abandoned our godly heritage and gone aside to serve other gods. We must return to the Lord our God. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14).

Don't Be A Tattletale

2011-03-01T18:46:00.002-05:00

“A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” (Proverbs 11:13).
When I was a child, about the worst thing anyone could call you was a tattletale. When anyone snitched to an adult, we would all sing song a nursery rhyme that said: “Tattletale, tattletale, hang your britches on a nail. Hang ‘em high, hang ’em low. Hang ‘em on a stereo.” Now that I’m an adult, I have no idea what the semantics mean (I doubt I knew then), but I know that the purpose of the rhyme was to shame the tattletale. Children are big on unity. When one child disassociates himself from the group and exposes another child in an attempt to curry favor, the pack mentality of the group seeks to get the offending party back in line and preserve the integrity of the group. When did adults lose this perspective? We may not be tattletales or talebearers ourselves, but we implicitly encourage them by listening to their gossip. Then there are the “righteous talebearers”: these are the busy bodies that share information about others, so you can pray specifically for them and their situation; however, all along their motivation is to spread gossip, rumors and discord. Talebearers are some of Satan’s greatest tools for disunity and mistrust in the church. Who wants to be real and expose his inner struggles when he knows they will only be fodder for the gossips? Godly men, we must discipline the busybodies in the church, so that God’s house can become a sanctuary and haven where men feel safe to be themselves and tackle the struggles that hinder them in their quest for godliness.

Having A Heart of Compassion

2011-02-28T19:29:00.002-05:00

“He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it” (Proverbs 11:26).
Compassion is a godly characteristic believers should exemplify. In the Gospels, Jesus is frequently said to have been “moved by compassion.” He saw the needs of others and desired to help them. Are we moved by similar compassion, or do we turn a blind eye to the disadvantaged around us? Have we grown so accustomed to the homeless, panhandlers and addicts that we no longer see them as individuals infinitely loved by God, but as menaces to society? Where is our heart of compassion? How have we become so cold? God said we should have “compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous” (I Peter 3:8). Unfortunately, compassion is also lacking in the Church. Our brothers and sisters in Christ should never have to do without the basic necessities. The essential needs of individual believers should be provided by the corporate body of Christ. “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (I John 3:17). When God has blessed us abundantly, we have a responsibility to share what he has given us with those less fortunate. When the blessed horde their blessings, their selfishness and lack of compassion becomes a stumbling block. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

Doing Right When No One Is Looking

2011-02-23T22:06:00.000-05:00

“He that speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit” (Proverbs 12:17).
Have you ever noticed that you are never tempted to lie if there are no consequences to face? We lie for selfish reasons – to get out of trouble, to save face, to sugar coat the truth, to make ourselves look better, seem smarter, sound funnier, etc. The plain truth is often deemed boring and so we spice it up with embellishments. As a result, we compromise our character and integrity to tell a funny story or magnify our accomplishments. When George O’Leary was fired as Georgia Tech’s football coach for falsifying his resume, many other coaches quietly altered their own resumes: they feared they would receive a similar fate if their own fabrications were discovered. Shortly thereafter, several Division I football coaches made smaller headlines when they proofread their resumes and biographies published in school programs and “discovered that inaccurate statements had somehow made its way into information compiled by assistants.” The Holy Spirit within each believer is the Spirit of Truth (I John 5:6). “Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22). Christian men must be beacons of truth, willing to speak the truth even when it is not “convenient” to do so. Part of becoming a man transpires when we do the right thing when no one is looking; this is true evidence of character.

Nobody Likes A Whipping

2011-02-22T18:55:00.000-05:00

“In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding” (Proverbs 10:13).
If I misbehaved when I was a boy, I knew the consequences for my actions: a whipping. The same principle occurs with the discipline of God. We know that our sin will find us out, that we cannot hide our transgressions from God and that because of His holiness, He must deal with our rebellion. Like any good father, He cannot look the other way while we bring harm to ourselves. He disciplines us for our own good, and although it hurts Him, He does it because He loves us. While it is true that the rod is for the back of the foolish man, we must be careful not to attribute everything that happens in our lives to the correction of God. Some trials in our lives are attacks from Satan sent for the purpose of stealing, killing, and destroying (his specialties). (Luke 22: 31; John 10:10). Satan desires to tear us down, discourage and condemn. Tribulations that come from God are for the purpose of conforming us to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:28, 29). God tells us to rejoice in temptation, because “the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:7). When we go through a difficult time in our lives, we should seek the face of God to see if what we are experiencing is a test from Him, an attack from Satan or chastisement because of disobedience. Our response will depend on what we are facing: joy for the test, warfare against Satan or repentance for chastisement.

Doing for the "Least of These"

2011-02-15T17:27:00.002-05:00

“He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor” (Proverbs14:31).
I wonder how the innkeeper would have felt had he known that the poor couple he turned away from his inn was Mary and Joseph. Would he have responded differently had he known that Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, was due to be born that very night in Bethlehem? Surely, he would have found room in the inn, even if it meant giving up his own bed. A pastor friend told me about a house blessing ceremony he attended for an affluent, older parishioner. When he prayed, he felt led to say, “Lord, I don’t know why you have blessed this family in such a large home in their latter years. Surely, it must be so that they can provide help to people in need and assist those going through hard times. May this couple use this home to bring the love of Jesus to others.” Two weeks later, the pastor received a call from a seventy-year-old traveling missionary, who was stranded at the bus station and needed a place to spend the night. Immediately, the parishioner with the large home came to the pastor’s mind, so he called the brother to ask if he could shelter the elderly missionary for the night. The man paused for a long time and said, “How do we get ourselves in these situations?” The pastor told the man not to worry about it, then went and picked up the missionary, took him to his small parsonage, changed the linens on his own bed and slept on the couch along with his wife. I wonder … would the brother with the big house have hesitated if Jesus had needed a place to stay for the night? What about Billy Graham, or a famous politician? I would venture to say that he would have rolled out the red carpet for these dignitaries. The elderly missionary – who could have been an angel in disguise – was turned away, even though he had plenty of room. Godly men, remember that what we do unto the least of these, we have done to Jesus.

A Church Where Even Hyprocrites Are Welcome

2011-02-07T15:44:00.000-05:00

“An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.” (Proverbs 11:9).
No one wants to be a hypocrite, yet if we are honest, we have all been a hypocrite at one time or another. The word “hypocrite” comes from the Greek word hupokrites, which means “an actor under an assumed character; stage player.” (Strong’s). In Greek plays, men portrayed all of the characters, both male and female. They wore masks for each character since one man might act out several different parts in the play. Unfortunately, church life can also be a full-scale production with Christians wearing various masks as they play out their different roles. Believers are often afraid to expose their hurts, struggles and temptations for fear of being judged or condemned as somehow “less than Christian.” We have a tendency in the church to kill off our wounded, instead of nursing them back to spiritual health. When a brother struggles, do we come to his aid, or do we gossip, back-bite, and kick him while he is down? Hypocrites! How can we condemn a man when we are guilty of sin ourselves? Are any of us without sin, that we may cast the first stone? Men of God, our churches are full of the walking wounded, who need the healing touch of the Great Physician and nurturing care from the body of Christ in order to fully recover. If we really want to do the Lord’s work, we will make our churches accessible to the wounded and hurting. We must either provide a safe haven for believers to be genuine and to confront unresolved issues that hinder their walk with the Lord, or we can continue to be hypocrites, wear our happy Christian masks and allow the show to go on.

Where Are You Getting Your Advice?

2011-01-26T14:21:00.002-05:00

“Where no counsel is, the people fall; but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14).
When godly men desire wisdom, the first place where we should go is to God. Nevertheless, God recognizes the importance of men surrounding themselves with other godly men. He said, “In the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” Men with godly wisdom are needed to challenge us, help hold us accountable and guide us back on course when we stray from our commitments. When God blesses us with mature men in our lives, we should not ignore their wisdom, once we have sought it out. In I Kings 12, young King Rehoboam “consulted with the men that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, ‘How do ye advise that I may answer this people?’” Instead of following the advice that the elders gave, “He forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him and which stood before him.” Because King Rehoboam ignored the advice of the elders and treated his subjects with harshness instead of grace, the Hebrew nation split into two kingdoms. We can make similar mistakes when we fail to acquire godly wisdom or ignore the counsel we have been given. Even godly men cannot make it on their own. I have heard it said: “There are no Lone Rangers in the Christian faith.” Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto by his side – what about you? Do you make an effort to surround yourself with mature, godly men, or are you just waiting to fall because of your lack of counsel?

So You Think You Are A Superhero? Really?

2011-01-12T16:05:00.000-05:00

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” ( Proverbs 12:15).
Superman, Spiderman, The Green Lantern, Daredevil, The Incredible Hulk … What do they all have in common? They represent the mentality of most men today: we perceive ourselves as superheroes-one man against the entire world. We believe that we possess superpowers, but all too often, our weaknesses – whether to Kryptonite or sin – get the best of us. Rarely do superheroes seek counsel, and men take their cues from their boyhood heroes. We depend on ourselves and make the most of whatever talents and gifts (superpowers) we have and attempt to scrape by. Rarely, do we commit mistakes in our own eyes. When we fail, we usually blame someone else or something beyond our control. If we want to become godly men, we must put away the childish notion that it is us against the world. In the Christian faith, God makes it clear that we are members of an army, not a lone soldier. In fact, we are not even Commander-in-Chief, God is. Christian men must learn to seek out wise counsel from other godly men. We need Christian brothers to guard our flank, our rear, and to point out weaknesses in our battle plan. We are in a spiritual war – a war for the hearts and souls of our wives, children and loved ones. Superheroes cannot win the battle alone. It will take an alliance – a Justice League, if you will – where our weaknesses are covered by our brothers’ strengths. Lord, help us to put aside the superhero mentality and learn to depend on other godly men.

Your Tongue, Your Words and the Power of Death and Life

2011-01-11T09:41:00.000-05:00

“The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.” (Proverbs10:11).
What would our response be if every word we spoke was displayed on one of the gigantic, HD billboards in Times Square? Do you think we would be more careful about what we said? Jesus said: “That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew: 12: 36). For a man whose sins are not under the blood, that should be a scary thought. The following anonymous poem should cause us to stop and ponder our idle words:

If all that we say in a single day, with never a word left out,
Were printed each night in clear black and white,
It would be a strange reading, no doubt.
Then just suppose, ere our eyes we would doze,
We must read the whole record through.
Then wouldn’t we sigh, and wouldn’t we try a great deal less talking to do?
And I more than half think that many a kink
Would be smarter in life’s tangled thread,
If half that we say in a single day were left forever unsaid.

Our words are important, and they carry spiritual power. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs18: 21). Are our words life, or are they death? Is our mouth a well of life? Do people come to us to receive cool, refreshing words of encouragement from our well of life (our mouth), or do they avoid the bitter, pessimistic, vitriolic words that spew forth from our mouths like arrows shot from a bow? People desire to be around godly men who build them up, speak words of life into their spirits, and encourage them in the faith. Do we have that kind of reputation?

Being Faithful With All We Have

2011-01-10T15:24:00.000-05:00

“The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” (Proverbs11:25).
When God prospers his children financially, it is not solely for their benefit but to give them the resources to finance His Kingdom work and to help others in need. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” (II Corinthians 9:6-8). As we faithfully use what God has given us, He will give us more. He will not entrust to our care more than we can handle, for he gives “to every man according to his several ability.” (Matthew. 25:15). When we are faithful over a few things, He will make us rulers over many things. (Matthew. 25:21). We do not have to worry about our well running dry when we pour out our lives into others. God will fill our well, as we water others. We should not boast or be prideful in doing what is expected of us as believers. The only One who deserves the credit and the glory is God. Paul said: “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” (I Corinthians 3:6-8). May we be faithful with the resources the Lord has given us.

Shine Your Light

2011-01-06T17:03:00.000-05:00

“The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.” (Proverbs 13:9).
The Amplified Bible translates today’s proverb: “The light of the [uncompromisingly] righteous [is within him-it grows brighter and] rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked [furnishes only a derived, temporary light and] shall be put out shortly.” It is imperative for godly men to be uncompromisingly righteous. When we begin to compromise our standards of integrity, it is the same as hiding our light under a bushel. Jesus said: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew. 5:14-16). When a godly man begins to compromise with the world, his light will grow dim. It will grow so faint that it is no longer good for the purpose in which it was intended: to shine light into the darkness. D.L. Moody said: “The Devil does not mind if a man’s heart is divided, but Christ must have it all or none.” When men look at us, what do they see? Are we a beacon on a hill-a lighthouse safely directing men to the Savior? Is our light so bleak that it barely casts a shadow on the world of darkness? Have we compromised to the point that we are no different from ungodly men? If so, then we have lost our savor, and we are good for nothing. Godly men, do not be afraid to be uncompromisingly righteous. Yes, you may lose friends or be called a fanatic, but the lost world needs to see the light of Jesus Christ in us.

"What Are You Talking About?"

2011-01-05T17:33:00.002-05:00

“The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.” (Proverbs 10:31)
Far too often, we voice every thought that our minds process. I am sure you know someone who verbalizes every creative idea, good or bad thought, absurd speculation, perverted imaginations and unfounded opinion that cross their mind. Instead of filtering his ideas and speaking only what is necessary and profitable, he feels compelled to share every thought and meditation. This kind of man reveals his immaturity and lack of rule over his spirit. He fails to realize that all his thoughts do not originate from his mind. Some thoughts come from our soulish man, some from our spiritual man, a portion from the flesh and others from the pits of hell. Satan constantly shoots fiery darts of temptation, lust and perversion at men. (Ephesians 6:16) We need to pray for discernment to be able to identify and categorize the thoughts that we have that are not Christ-like. In II Corinthians 10:5, Paul exhorts believers to cast down imaginations, thoughts, reasonings and arguments that do not line up with the truth of God’s Word. Any thought that raises itself up against God must be taken captive and brought unto the obedience of Christ. Do not dwell on thoughts and fantasies, godly men, which you know are not pleasing to God. Be careful what thoughts you voice, because once they are spoken, they take on a life of their own. Our words are powerful and can be used for good or evil. May we use our mouths to speak words of wisdom, healing and exhortation.

Are You Still A Bully?

2011-01-03T16:22:00.002-05:00

“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.” (Proverbs 11:11)
“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” (James 3:10) Our words carry the power of life and death. We can wound people with our words, and in some cases, kill their spirits. Frank Peretti’s autobiographical book, The Wounded Spirit, is a must- read for anyone who has struggled with an untamed tongue. His heart- wrenching story recounts how the words of bullies and other insensitive people affected his spirit and self-esteem. He mentions how easy it is for people to criticize and judge others, especially those who are weak or different from the majority. Many men are guilty of the ultimate hypocrisy: we experienced pain and brokenness at the hands of bullies, yet at one time or another, we bullied someone ourselves. Our tendency in the flesh is to tear down others in order to build ourselves up. Unfortunately, some men have never outgrown their playground mentality. They still bully people whenever they can, and they wound anyone they come in contact with. Regrettably, we have bullies in the church who wreak havoc and destruction on the family of God. It is a godly man’s responsibility to protect his brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as to defend the defenseless. He has the duty to guard his own tongue, speak blessing and not cursing and to confront other men who wound with their words.

What Is Your Treasure?

2010-12-30T16:59:00.002-05:00

“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?

2010-12-29T14:43:00.000-05:00

“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

2010-12-22T12:04:00.002-05:00

“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

2010-12-21T15:20:00.003-05:00

“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?

2010-12-20T17:38:00.001-05:00

“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?

2010-12-09T17:52:00.002-05:00

“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?

2010-12-08T16:48:00.000-05:00

“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

2010-12-07T14:24:00.000-05:00

“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

2010-11-30T22:56:00.002-05:00

“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

2010-11-27T16:46:00.002-05:00

“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

2010-11-22T15:56:00.003-05:00

“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"?

2010-11-02T15:08:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-10-27T20:44:00.003-04:00

“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

2010-10-21T11:21:00.000-04:00

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?

2010-10-20T13:31:00.001-04:00

“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

2010-10-18T16:58:00.000-04:00

“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"

2010-10-14T13:11:00.000-04:00

“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?

2010-10-13T11:15:00.000-04:00

“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?

2010-10-11T11:51:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-10-08T13:33:00.000-04:00

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

2010-10-07T11:26:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-09-27T12:42:00.002-04:00

“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?

2010-09-22T10:03:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-09-21T12:58:00.002-04:00

“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!"

2010-09-15T11:03:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-09-13T12:59:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-09-09T10:45:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-09-08T09:18:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-09-07T15:17:00.003-04:00

“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

2010-08-26T22:59:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-08-11T10:28:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-08-10T11:23:00.003-04:00

“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

2010-07-23T11:45:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-07-20T09:46:00.002-04:00

“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?"

2010-07-19T10:38:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-07-13T08:54:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-07-12T16:24:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-07-09T12:09:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-07-08T12:11:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-07-07T09:20:00.000-04:00

“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...

2010-06-22T10:31:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-06-21T10:38:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-06-10T10:54:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-06-03T10:28:00.002-04:00

“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

2010-05-26T11:33:00.002-04:00

“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?

2010-05-25T10:18:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-05-24T11:20:00.001-04:00

“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

2010-05-19T15:05:00.002-04:00

“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?

2010-05-13T12:00:00.003-04:00

“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

2010-05-12T13:28:00.000-04:00

“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

2010-05-11T10:34:00.002-04:00

“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.