Tag: men

Purity

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Christianity, Discipleship, Encouragement, SpiritualLeave a comment

Purity is an innocent child, smiling, angelic.  Or maybe it’s a virgin girl, untouched, not sullied by sex, the touch of a man.

Men are off the hook.  No one expects purity from even little boys.  No one except God.

But we’re wrong.

We paint the picture of a “holy” man with his hands clasped in prayer, a halo behind his head, a somber, emotionless face.

He certainly is no soldier, practically not a real man.  A real man is tough, strong, sexual.  Impurity is just how it is; boys will be boys.

But we’re wrong!

How do we change this devastating status quo?  Can we be more but still remain dudes?  Fishing, hunting, gun toting, car driving, work with our hands, women loving men?

It’s more than possible!  It’s imperative!  IT HAS TO HAPPEN!

Two resources that have been very successful are the “Conquer Series” videos (conquerseries.com) and f3 Nation (f3nation.com).  Get in a group if there is one in your area.  If not, START ONE! 

Do the things you know are impossible but you know are right.  Work on disciplines, brand new habits, new mindsets.  Believe in a christian brotherhood and a faithful God who has NOT given up on you and who WILL walk through the battles with you.

If you’ve tried and failed, try again.  Get on your knees.  Pray for your family and that God would raise up a warrior within you.

NOW IS THE TIME!

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There’s A Lion in the Room

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, EncouragementLeave a comment

Let’s say I brought a lion into your house for a visit.

Let’s say the lion is quite large.

It’s ok though.  The lion is trained and responds to my commands.  It can be very friendly.

Do you want to feel it’s fur? Would you like to see it do tricks?  It will even play with you.

Wouldn’t that be fun?  Of course, it would be frightening at first.  I mean, this is a really big lion.  It could eat me without even tasting me.

All this hinges on your trust in me.

If I have proven myself to be a liar, you wouldn’t let me in the door with a little lion.  If I have proven myself weak, unable to control a house cat, you can’t trust me with a huge lion.

I have heard people talk so many times about men being jerks, women being crazy, teens being irresponsible, disrespectful.  It has usually been someone who has been hurt and, out of their hurt, they say hurtful things.

Two questions:

Are they acting according to their nature?  Men and women and teens, all humans have various tendencies, some trained, some instinctive.  They will act according to those tendencies with a fair amount of regularity.  Sometimes they will sin, do bad things.  Sometimes, sometimes they are just behaving the way they were designed.

Which brings me back to the lion.  Lions will act like lions.  Humans will act like humans.

Do you trust the trainer?  Do you really believe that God is in control?

Don’t hate men.  Don’t be exasperated with women.  Don’t look down on teens.

Trust God.

People

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, Encouragement, Spiritual, Uncategorized, Worship2 Comments

I’ve been let down lately, a lot.  People have disappointed me, betrayed me, ignored me.

You hear the exclamations so often.

“Women!”

“Men!”

“Kids!”

“Parents!”

And yet we’re constantly still looking for that person, that moment in time, that event that will prove that we have someone we can count on.

I’m going to side step for a moment and shout something:

Dads, your family is counting on you.  Their need for you is great and your betrayal of them takes an act of God to even begin to heal. Don’t give yourself an excuse to let them down.  DO NOT LEAVE THEM!  No excuses!

The reality, the fact of life is that people will let you down.  Can you understand then why Paul declared, “My God will supply all your needs, according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

He will meet your needs.  If you look at emphasis on each separate word it may make it clearer.

He – He meets your needs.  No one else.

Will – He WILL do it.  Trust Him.

Meet – He will see your needs, take care of them, fulfill them.  Wait on Him.

Your – He is interested in you.  He loves you.  He will take care of YOU.

Needs – Not wants, not things that will hurt you further.  Your needs are not sex, happiness, a new car that you go into debt for, a nicer house, better kids, better spouse.  In fact, in our self-centered world, we don’t often know what our needs are.  Look to Him.  Listen to Him.  He is meeting your needs.  The provision is already there.

So friends, family, people let you down.  They’re letting me down.  Can I tell you in love, in honesty, to myself . . .

SO WHAT!

Trust in Jesus.  You’ll be golden.