LEARNING DAILY

1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

Ed Newton, Lead Pastor at community Bible Church, had an important and challenging message for men on Father’s Day. I pray each man who reads this especially Joey, John, Derek, and Andrew read carefully today in order to be the man of God He desires you to be. Pastor gave five principles that affirm biblical manhood. Let me summarize them as best I can.

“Be watchful”! Be awake, vigilant, alert (Listener Guide). As men of God, you must be watchful for those times when there is spiritual pressure coming at you. You better understand that the enemy, the devil, is pursuing, wanting to devour you; if he can’t do that, he is trying to get you to compromise or tempt you with those things he knows you are weak in. The devil knows the things that are pressure points in your life, those area of weakness in your life. “Stay awake: If the devil can’t destroy you, he’ll distract you, If he can’t derail you, he’ll dull your sensitivity to sin” (Listener Guide). “Once you mock sin and feed on it, it becomes the beast that destroys you” (EN).

“Stand firm in the faith”. “Be fixed, immoveable, and persistent in conviction” (Listener Guide). You must know what you believe and stand on it. How do you get this conviction? “It comes by knowing and walking in the Truth; knowing the truth comes from being in the word of God every day” (EN). One can write about being in the Word of God daily. One can tell you to be in the word of God daily. But only you can make the time to be in the word of God daily. It is the only way to know Truth and walk in it every day. You find time to do every other thing you want to do in your schedule; not finding and making time to read/study/meditate on God’s Word is an excuse. The world is getting crazier every day and not being in God’s Word should be the primary thing you do each day! Pastor Newton said, “If your convictions do not cost you something, your convictions will not be very strong”. Be anchored in God’s Word. “No compromise: The world will shift, culture always drifts, but God’s Word doesn’t” (Listener Guide).

“Act like men”. Be brave, courageous, of valor! Men do not act like boys. That does not mean men do not like to have fun and play; it means that they grow up! Do you understand the difference? Men step up, admitting their mistakes, committing to do better the next time. They step up, doing what they say they will do and committing to lead where God calls them to lead. “Biblical manhood: Maturity doesn’t run from responsibility…it rises to it’ (Listener Guide).

“Be strong”. This is inner strength, given to be received by our father in heaven. Men, pray over your house and your family. My daughters are grown, married to men of God, and have their own families. But I still do my best to pray for each one of them daily. I pray for specific needs. I pray for each of them to have a “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:60) and that they “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness before everything else” (Matthew 6:33). I pray for each of them to be reading/studying/meditating on the word of God in order to know truth. I pray this over each person who reads the blog as well. “Being strong is not about striving, it is about surrender” (EN). “Power up: real strength begins where self ends and surrender begins” (listener Guide).

“Let all that you do be done in love”. Each of the above must be done in love. Pastor said this is agape love, which means each is done in a love that expects nothing in return. “One can say and do all the right things; but if they are done without this type of love, what they say and do is empty” (EN). Your love is to be genuine (Romans 12:9) and agape love is to guide your actions (1 John 3:18). Pastor said, “We must be careful that our ‘toughness’ is tenderized in love and truth. Courage without compassion becomes cruel. Strength without love causes depression. Correction without conviction becomes legalism.” “The love of Christ is more than an emotion to feel; it is a mission to live out” (Listener Guide).

Men be men! The takeaway statement on the Listener Guide states, “Biblical Masculinity isn’t toxic. It’s tender and tough, shaped by sacrifice, led by love, and modeled after Jesus. I pray blessings over each of you this day and a Happy Father’s Day!