Becoming that man…..


 

Being a male is a matter of birth but being a man

is a matter of choice

 

I love this quote because it is so true…..but I am

not here to discuss the quote. I am here to discuss

something more, something that has been stirred

in my heart this past weekend.

Our church had its annual conference which was

so powerful. It started on Wednesday evening and

ended on Sunday. The messages were all so relevant

and powerful but the men’s meeting we had on Saturday

stood out the most. I love our men’s meetings because

there is something powerful that happens when men

get together to worship the Lord!

 

My pastor was speaking about becoming THAT man in today’s

crazy world. He said as men we are on the road to becoming

THAT man. That got me thinking……..

 

I am committed to becoming THAT man!

But what does that really mean?

 

Becoming that man means making God first in my life.

I am not the man! God is the THE Man. He died for me

And He is the One who is directing my life.

 

Becoming that man means making a stand for purity!

We live in a sex-saturated world and as men the battle

is everywhere. There is no sitting on the fence for this

battle. A line has to be drawn, a decision must be made.

Will you get swept away in this sex-saturated world or

will you make a stand for purity?

 

I dictated a covenant (an agreement) to my eyes;

how then could I look [lustfully] upon a girl?

Job 31:1

 

Becoming that man means living by the word of God.

The word must be our guide. We can’t rely on our own

strength. As men we feel the need to show our strength but

we need to realize God wants us to trust Him. Our strength

doesn’t count for much in God’s eyes. Look to God and not

yourself.

 

How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking

heed and keeping watch [on himself] according

to your word [conforming his life to it].

Psalm 119:9

 

This is the thing men, the world doesn’t want men

to take their place. It doesn’t want us to walk in

what God has called us to. The world is distorting

the image of man. We have a lot of males but not

a lot of men! Don’t believe the lie…….

 

Men are not better than women, God just made us

different. It’s not about who is better, faster, cleverer….

God made man and woman in HIS image!

That means we are an expression of God, man and

woman!

I think we can all agree that God is strong and powerful.

There is nothing weak about God, so if we are an expression

of God why do we see women as weak and treat them like

they are insignificant????

God is all powerful. He doesn’t have one strong side (man)

then one weak side (woman)…but there are men who think

that by the way they treat women!

It makes me mad when men think they are better than women

just because they are men!!!

But God made women to express a part of Himself so please help me

understand why you think He would make them weak and useless

when He isn’t any of these things????

That kind of thinking has to stop.

(I don’t know where that came from because I didn’t plan

on talking about that)…..

 

Without a man leading a home, a family is lost!

The enemy is destroying our kid’s right under our noses.

We leave our kids in front of the TV and think that’s

parenting but that is wrong! We need to take responsibility

men. We must protect our family…..

We need to protect the women in our lives.

Would Eve have eaten the fruit if Adam had protected her

from the enemy??? She had to face the enemy alone and

deal with him alone! But things would have been different

if Adam stood up for her and protected her…..

Young man, you are called to protect. Don’t play with women’s

emotions. You should be protecting them!

The women you are playing with are precious in the eyes of the

Lord. He loves them and has a unique call on their lives….

Why do you think the enemy is working overtime to destroy

her?

 

As I end I hope I have challenged you to become THAT man!

A lot of people are waiting for us to walk into our calling

as men! The enemy will not win. I refuse……!

 

As a man I make a decision to be THAT man…..!

Will you be THAT man too?

 

Rolain

The “Man” who walked out on a city………!!


That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to Him, the whole city lined up at His door! He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew His true identity, he didn’t let them say a word. 

While it was still night, way before dawn, He got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with Him went looking for Him. They found Him and said, “Everybody’s looking for You.”

Jesus said, “Let’s go to the rest of the villages so i can preach there also. That is why I’ve come.”   Mark 1:32-39 

 

I guess the disciples were pretty confused! Why did Jesus want to go to another town when the whole city was lined up at their door??!!! It was something they probably couldn’t comprehend. They had become rock stars literally overnight, people knew them by name but the star of the show wanted to leave, let me rephrase that, was leaving…..!

It wasn’t like they were doing something meaningless. They were teaching the masses, healing the sick, casting out demons and so much more, amazing things were happening at that place, but Jesus wanted to leave..!!!

They were popular but that was not enough of a reason for Jesus to stay. Have we missed something in this day and age? It seems like being popular takes precedence over everything else.

Jesus didn’t do what he did so He could be popular. He wasn’t looking at how many “likes” or “comments” he got. His mission was to save us and that took precedence over everything else!

He wept for people, His heart broke for people, He reached out to the outcasts, He ministered to the little children, and the list goes on and on…..He did things that made Him unpopular but that didn’t matter……the call of God on His life was more important to Him. Please understand what I am saying, I am not attacking you if you have a large following and I am not saying get rid of your following if you have one….Jesus was always been followed but his focus remained on the real mission, saving people! The magnitude of the people that followed Him didn’t change His focus.

What is important to you as you live this life? Is being popular more important than ministry? Does it take precedence over everything else in your life? Let us evaluate our hearts as we walk the path God has set before us.

While it was still night, way before dawn, He got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with Him went looking for Him. they found Him and said, Everybody’s looking for you.” Jesus said, “Let’s go to the rest of the villages so i can preach there also.” This is why I’ve come. Mark 1:38, 39.

Jesus was clear about what was important to Him after he prayed. He may have been clear before but the word showed Him going to pray and making a non-negotiable decision. You may be confused about your purpose or confused about what is important but prayer will make it clear, very clear! That is how powerful prayer is…….

Rolain

 

The enemy’s goal for you….


When Saul and his troops heard the Philistines challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope. 

1 Samuel 17:11

 

Each morning and evening for forty days, Goliath took his stand and made his speech. 

1 Samuel 17:16

 

As I read this during my quiet time God spoke to me. This is what the enemy does. His goal is to terrify us and make us lose hope. Without hope we are truly lost. When we are terrified we are crippled unable to stand and fight! God cannot work with people who are controlled with fear. He wants to break the fear off our lives. I am one of those people. One of those people who is fighting fear. I know God has not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind!

 

Look at what the enemy does once the Israelite army is terrified and have lost hope.

 

Each morning and evening for forty days, Goliath took his stand and made his speech.”

 

The enemy is not content with terrifying you for a day. He wants you terrified as long as he can! He doesn’t want you to ever live with hope. He wants you to constantly live in fear, terrified! He is crazy…..! He will do all he can to discourage you, tear you down, destroy your dreams. He will do anything. Morning and evening for forty days! It’s crazy to think that would work but it did.

Look at the kind of effect it had.

 

“While they were talking together, the Philistine champion, Goliath of Gath, stepped out from the front lines of the Philistines, and gave his usual challenge. David heard him.

The Israelites to a man, fell back the moment they saw the giant – totally frightened.”

1 Samuel 17:23, 24

 

You would think the army would get tired of the same old challenge. But the fact is, they didn’t. We look at them and wonder how they could be so scared but the fear was real for them. Goliath was a giant! I would freak out if I saw a giant. Goliath was not only a giant but a trained one, ready for battle!

 

When I read the story everything made sense. There is something I am about to do but I have been attacked with fear. What if I fail, what if I heard God wrong, a lot of people are saying don’t do it but this is something I believe God wants me to do. These are the things I am constantly struggling with in my head. But I know the reason now. The enemy wants me to lose ALL hope! He wants me terrified, so terrified that I disobey God, so terrified, that I am not effective.

 

The armies of Israel dressed for battle everyday for 40 days only to cower away in fear. They were not fighting, just fearing and out of hope!

That is what the enemy wants for you. Has fear crippled you? Have you lost all hope in God because that is what happened?! They lost hope in God. The enemy succeeded.

We can’t let the enemy win. God has so much for us to do. He wants us to win. He wants us to hope in Him. He wants us to trust in Him.

 

Rolain