Over the years, I’ve discovered seven traits that real men possess other than faith in God: Integrity – Integrity is more than being honest. It’s a lifestyle set on striving towards moral excellence. Real men say what they mean and mean what they say. They are the same person whether or not others are watching. They are trustworthy, dependable, and unwavering. Compassion – Compassion is sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. In other words, you feel compelled to help someone who is hurting. Men aren’t often viewed as being compassionate, but it is a trait that helps us to become more connected to the people around us. Real men turn their compassion into service and work to make the world a better place. Confidence – Real men are confident. Many people confuse confidence with arrogance and self-centeredness. Real men know the difference. Confidence is about being self-assured and self-aware. Confident men have faith in their abilities and knowledge. They don’t need to tear others down in order to build themselves up. They earn people’s trust with their radiant, inner strength. When a they walk into the room, everyone takes notice. Self-control – Hardly a day goes by without a news report about some high-profile man who has been destroyed by sex, money, and/or drugs. Too many men lack self-control, but it is the foundation of a virtuous life. Self-control starts with focus and ridding yourself of distractions. Doing this isn’t easy because temptations lurk around every corner. Real men are able to tame their desires and channel that energy into positive pursuits. Perseverance – Perseverance is the product of self-control. It is courageous resistance against difficult circumstances. Perseverance is only developed through trials. Real men endure the trials and emerge stronger. They never give up. Bravery – Bravery is the courage to do what is right regardless of the circumstances. Nothing is ever accomplished with an attitude of passivity. Real men stand up in the face of adversity. Humility – Today’s breed of young men loves to let everyone know how much swagger they have. They thump their chests and proclaim to the world, “I’m a Big Deal. Look at me!” Real men understand the value of being humble and letting someone else’s light shine. They realize that humility is more endearing than self-importance. Humility indicates that you are ridding yourself of the poison of self-centeredness. Besides, humility softens the blow when someone knocks you off your pedestal. Many men have or need more than just these few traits.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Seven Traits
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Shake it off
One of my favorite stories is about a farmer's donkey that fell into a dry well. The animal cried pitifully for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do for his poor donkey. Finally, he concluded that the well was too deep, and it really needed to be covered up anyway. Besides, the donkey was old, and it would be a lot of trouble to get him out of the pit. The farmer decided that it was not worth trying to retrieve the animal, so he asked his neighbors to help him fill in the well and bury the donkey.
They all grabbed shovels and began to toss dirt into the well. The donkey immediately realized what was happening, and he began to bray horribly. Crying would be our normal response if somebody was mistreating us this badly, so this donkey was responding the same way we would at first, but then he got real quiet. A few shovel loads of dirt later, the farmer looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit the donkey's back, the donkey would shake it off and step on top of it.
As the neighbors and the farmer continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon the donkey shook off the last shovel full of dirt, took a step up, and walked right out of the well. We can learn so much from this story. When trouble comes, if we will get still and listen, God will tell us what to do.
By the grace and mercy of God, I was able to shake off a lot of things in my life, a lot of hurt feelings, a lot of mistreatment, a lot of abuse, a lot of unfair, unjust, unkind things. Just like the donkey, in order to keep pressing on and have victory in our lives, we are going to have to learn to shake off the troubles that come our way.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Are you abusing sex?
Well I have something to say!
Abusing sex is what we are doing. Not to say many of us have been sexually abused, this is real talk. Now let us look at where we are positioned in this.
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28 KJV)
Thie verse above must enlighten my personal darkness. Not merely as heterosexual or same-sex, yet as human beings. God Very Holy God, Righteous and True, all knowing and all seeing communicates to us His Sovereign law.
God showed us His truth and lit up our dark minds what we had not a clue about. No human come out of woman is exempt. God said "but" in spite of what you know, what you think or believe; "but I" Says God, "say unto you." Man, woman, boy, or girl, I say, I say unto you.
We do have a choice as sure as Adam and Eve had a choice to sin or not to sin in the Garden of Eden to change our thinking from unrighteousness to righteousness. This happens when we do not allow our flesh to overcome us due to a good recognizable sensation. That sinful thing which made us feel good in the past, and for which I am all to guilty.
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28 KJV)
According to God looking into sinful thoughts makes us guilty of adultery. Yes it soothes the wanton lust in the depths of our corrupt flesh, and preys on the very weakness of our souls, but in the end their are wages one must pay for sin. Lust attributes can well produce this pricey death wage on our soul.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 KJV)
Roman 6:23 speak to our dark denial or do we turn up our hearts death ear? After all the sin is committed in our hearts.
God and Adultery?
Th first mention to mankind from God about adultery was: Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14 KJV) No explanation here only commandment, "do not do it."
God knew man new what man was doing was wrong because of how man committed the sin of adultery. Man hid his sin. Hiding sin is the contributing factor to our guilt. Notice this in our very own lives and in Adam and Eve.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7 KJV)
If we admit to our sin or never admit to our sin, yet instead try to make atonement for our (sewing fig leaves is mans first false religion) sin outside of Christ Jesus suffering in our stead by dying on the cross, being buried, and raising up out of the grave on the third day for the total sin cleansing, forgiveness, wrath of God stopper, plus more Godly benefits, then we continue the false religion of sewing fig leaves to atone for our sin.
Adultrey to God mean the Greek word "na'aph" One who breaks wedlock. Unlawful intercourse, eating things sacrificed to idols. To God it is a spiritual sin as it is physical sin. I know that my spiritual relationship is not merely spiritual as the world deems these days.
I actually have an appointment with God and most definitely better be bring my Lawyer, my Propitiator the Lamb of God with me when I stand before the Throne in the first Judgement at the Bema Seat of Christ. If we commit adultery with each other God will have no reverence and love from us.
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28 KJV)
Abusing sex is what we are doing. Not to say many of us have been sexually abused, this is real talk. Now let us look at where we are positioned in this.
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28 KJV)
Thie verse above must enlighten my personal darkness. Not merely as heterosexual or same-sex, yet as human beings. God Very Holy God, Righteous and True, all knowing and all seeing communicates to us His Sovereign law.
God showed us His truth and lit up our dark minds what we had not a clue about. No human come out of woman is exempt. God said "but" in spite of what you know, what you think or believe; "but I" Says God, "say unto you." Man, woman, boy, or girl, I say, I say unto you.
We do have a choice as sure as Adam and Eve had a choice to sin or not to sin in the Garden of Eden to change our thinking from unrighteousness to righteousness. This happens when we do not allow our flesh to overcome us due to a good recognizable sensation. That sinful thing which made us feel good in the past, and for which I am all to guilty.
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28 KJV)
According to God looking into sinful thoughts makes us guilty of adultery. Yes it soothes the wanton lust in the depths of our corrupt flesh, and preys on the very weakness of our souls, but in the end their are wages one must pay for sin. Lust attributes can well produce this pricey death wage on our soul.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 KJV)
Roman 6:23 speak to our dark denial or do we turn up our hearts death ear? After all the sin is committed in our hearts.
God and Adultery?
Th first mention to mankind from God about adultery was: Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14 KJV) No explanation here only commandment, "do not do it."
God knew man new what man was doing was wrong because of how man committed the sin of adultery. Man hid his sin. Hiding sin is the contributing factor to our guilt. Notice this in our very own lives and in Adam and Eve.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7 KJV)
If we admit to our sin or never admit to our sin, yet instead try to make atonement for our (sewing fig leaves is mans first false religion) sin outside of Christ Jesus suffering in our stead by dying on the cross, being buried, and raising up out of the grave on the third day for the total sin cleansing, forgiveness, wrath of God stopper, plus more Godly benefits, then we continue the false religion of sewing fig leaves to atone for our sin.
Adultrey to God mean the Greek word "na'aph" One who breaks wedlock. Unlawful intercourse, eating things sacrificed to idols. To God it is a spiritual sin as it is physical sin. I know that my spiritual relationship is not merely spiritual as the world deems these days.
I actually have an appointment with God and most definitely better be bring my Lawyer, my Propitiator the Lamb of God with me when I stand before the Throne in the first Judgement at the Bema Seat of Christ. If we commit adultery with each other God will have no reverence and love from us.
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28 KJV)
Take a Praise Pause
I don't think anything blesses God more
than when we stop right in the middle of what we're doing sometimes and
lift our hands to worship Him or take a moment to bow down before Him
and say, "I love You, Lord." In the scripture for today, the psalmist
says he took time seven times a day and all day long to praise God.
Think about a businessman, for example, maybe the president of a large company. Wouldn't it be wonderful if two or three times a day, he would close the door to his office, turn the lock, kneel, and say, "God, I just want to take some time to worship You. Father, all these things You are giving me - the business, the money, the success - are great, but I just want to worship You. I magnify You. You are so wonderful. I love You. You are all I need. Father, I worship You. Jesus, I worship You. Holy Spirit, I worship You." I believe that if the businessman did that, he would never need to be concerned about his business, his finances, or success. All of those things would be taken care of.
Matthew 6:33 (KJV) says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Think about a businessman, for example, maybe the president of a large company. Wouldn't it be wonderful if two or three times a day, he would close the door to his office, turn the lock, kneel, and say, "God, I just want to take some time to worship You. Father, all these things You are giving me - the business, the money, the success - are great, but I just want to worship You. I magnify You. You are so wonderful. I love You. You are all I need. Father, I worship You. Jesus, I worship You. Holy Spirit, I worship You." I believe that if the businessman did that, he would never need to be concerned about his business, his finances, or success. All of those things would be taken care of.
Matthew 6:33 (KJV) says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)