Remarkable Men
Men of God are remarkable. Not because of who they are but because of whose they are. A man of God is God’s man. God made his men remarkable through Christ: The Lord said, Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. Christians are remarkable…. they are outstanding in a world of darkness.
The devil is up to his old tricks. Einstein said that the definition of insanity is to continue doing the same thing while expecting different results. Men cannot change themselves. Only God can change a person’s life. Repentance means to turn around. It means to change your mind. Repentance is to change the focus from myself to turn unto God.
When virtuous character is lost, then all is lost. Plato sought after the Greek concept of “Arete.” Arete is characterized by virtue, superior excelling excellence, and complete wholeness. He never found it. Perfection is only in the perfect lamb of God, Jesus the Christ the son of the living God.
Ron Tovar’s wife said, “I didn’t understand what it meant to be a Christian until I saw the change in my husband’s life. He walks every day in the newness of life following after Christ.” Ron was raised in a violent environment where “turning the other cheek” was a foreign concept. He had been taught the gospel of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. When you live in such a world, everyone is blind and toothless.
The devil and the politically correct culture will indoctrinate us to adopt the victim mentality. The world teaches us to say to Christians who speak biblical truth, “you hurt my feelings. I’ll sue you for intentional infliction of emotional distress. You’ve infringed on my right to the pursuit of happiness.” In the world of political correctness, we’re in for a rude awakening. Jesus said, “blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake….for great is your reward in heaven.”
Ron had been associated with the Assemblies of God as a lay minister. His pastor had said, ”Ron, you’re a steamroller. I don’t want to stand in your way.” A steamroller is good at breaking and crushing things in its path. However, after seventeen years, Ron fell from ministry because he would not allow the Holy Spirit to break his heart.
Proverbs says, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. When Ron was introduced to the Men of God of Influencers, he could only weep. God prompted him to pray, “Lord, I need the fellowship of like minded men who love God above all. Men who influence me to choke in the dust of others who chase after Christ.” At Influencers, Ron came to understand that ministry is where God creates an environment where the Holy Spirit can come help himself to our lives.
Hebrews 10:31 and following says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32. But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.”
You can’t have a testimony without a test. A gazingstock is an example held up so that others can see what God has done. The Greek word translated “gazingstock” means to be made a spectacle of….to be brought before the theater. Many of those whom God has made a spectacle of in the theater of life have given their lives as gladiators in the arena for Jesus Christ.
The next chapter of Hebrews 11, is known as the “Hall of Faith.” Most Christians are eager to quote examples of God’s deliverance. By faith these men and women of God parted the Red Sea, stopped the mouths of lions, brought excellent sacrifices for God’s glory, conquered the city of Jericho, subdued kingdoms, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong and their dead were brought back to life. These believers were made a gazingstock to show the power and the glory of God made manifest.
However, some men and women in the hall of faith lost their lives as a spectacle in faithful service to their Lord. They were sawed asunder, some were burned at the stake, some were stoned to death, afflicted, shamed and beaten. Others have died figuratively in obedience to the call, “the just shall live by faith.” This is the meaning of Galatians 2:20, “I was crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Those whom God has called will see God’s hand of deliverance through the affliction. The deliverance will be either in this life or the next. As God’s remarkable men, we will see the victory according to God’s timeline. This is the conclusion of the great fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians about the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord inasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, “Now thanks be unto God who always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.”
God has made us a gazingstock, a spectacle to manifest His power and love. We reflect His glory and grace. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 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. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
As His remarkable Men of God, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael