Pleasing God

The world reminds us that we are living in difficult times. The past few years have confirmed that the devil is alive and well on planet earth. There is trial and tribulation all around us. The devil tricks us into responding to the pandemic and pestilence with panic and pandemonium. In this world there is a lot to be mournful about. However, Jesus said, blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. From Jesus’ perspective of the beatitudes, his blessed attitudes, the mourning is over the things of this world that have separated our hearts from God’s heart. Then with a heart of meekness and humility, we can turn our eyes from this world and instead focus on the things of the spirit of God.

The world teaches us that we have plenty of enemies in this world. The devil will convince us to separates ourselves into warring parties…. His purpose is to steal, to kill and to destroy. His purpose is to divide and conquer. He does this by dividing warring factions into enemy camps. However, Jesus came to reconcile… to bring together that which has been separated. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus. Through Jesus Christ, he is the one who brings us together, our hearts aligned according to the word and will of God. He has called us in the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Therefore above all things put on charity, the love of God which is the bond, the tie that binds our hearts together in the bond of perfectness.

According to Ephesians 5:8-10 in the NIV, For you were once darkness, but now are the light in the Lord. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth and find out what pleases (is acceptable unto) the Lord.

What is pleasing unto the Lord? The word for “Pleasing” is the Greek word euarestos translated as “well-pleasing” or “acceptable” in the King James Version.

What is it that is acceptable unto God? In the Old Testament Levitcal law the priests offered sacrifices unto God for God’s acceptance. We think that to sacrifice means to give up something. However this is not God’s definition of an acceptable sacrifice. What are the sacrifices that are acceptable or well-pleasing to God? According to Hebrews 13:15-16, through him, then, we may offer up a sacrifice of praise always to God, that is, the fruit of lips, giving thanks to His name; and of doing good, and of fellowship, be not forgetful, for with such sacrifices God is well-pleased.

We are to offer sacrifices that are pleasing to God. These are the sacrifices of praise, worship in awe, reverence and respect from a heart of love. This is the essence of Romans 12:1, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Our challenge is to do that which is well pleasing (acceptable) unto the Lord. We often pray for God to bless us. Our prayer in English is a quote from the Beatles’ song: Please, please, please…. Please me. We think that prayer is for God to please me. We think that prayer is a plead for God to bring about our own good pleasure. However, James says, you pray and you do not receive… because when you pray you ask for things that you may consume it on your own lust. Lust is anything that we love more than our love of God. Lust is an over-desire… anything that we desire over our desire for God.

We live to please those we love. Who is it that you love most? The first and great commandment says, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…. With your very essence in everything that is in you.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, where your treasure there will your heart be also. We invest our efforts and our energy in the things and the people we love. Therefore, don’t accumulate things of this world, instead lay up for yourself treasures in heaven… through eternal investments with a heart to love and serve God above all.

In Ephesians 5 we were born into the darkness of this fallen world. Jesus Christ himself is the light of the world. We who have been born again of God’s spirit are his photo-multipliers… we are the lights in a world of darkness who reflect the light of Christ. The light eliminates the darkness. Light reveals and makes clear the truth of the Word of God. Jesus Christ is the Word of God… he is the revealed word of God made manifest.

Prior to receiving God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, we were blinded by the darkness of this world. Our fallen nature we inherited from Adam was the nature of sin and death. However, We have received new life in Christ through the power of His Holy Spirit. We were children of darkness but now we are children of light. Jesus Christ himself is the light…. He is the truth of the word of God made manifest. The Light of Christ illuminates the eyes of our spiritual understanding so we can see from God’s heavenly perspective.

Now that we have been born again of God’s spirit, we can live in the newness of life in Christ. As David said, Create in me a new heart O Lord. With God’s spirit born again within us, the desire of the new heart of God in Christ in us is to please God.

True prayer is Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane…. Jesus prayed three times for God to remove the impending cup of God’s wrath… of taking upon himself the pain, torture, shame, beating, crucifixion and death as just retribution for the sins of the world. He prayed, if there be any other way, Please Father, take this cup of wrath from me. His ultimate prayer, however was “Not my will but thine be done.”

True prayer is not please, please, please…. please me. Instead the essence of prayer is the diplomatic French phrase: “S’il vous plait.” This means, “If it pleases you.” In other words, “Not my will but thine be done.” The blessing is not in seeking the blessing, instead the blessing is seeking the Blessor and in doing that which is well-pleasing, acceptable unto Him.

Here are some other verses to understand from the perspective of Christ’s eyes behind our eyes what it means to be well pleasing unto our Heavenly Father…

Psalm 147:10-11. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

1 Thessalonians 2:4. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

John 8:29. Jesus said, And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Col 3:23. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

Hebrews 11:6. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that the exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Psalm 69:30-32. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.

Our prayer is according to Psalm 19:14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

That we may be well-pleasing in thy sight O Lord, offering up continually a sacrifice of praise from a heart of love to thy honor and glory!

Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Treasuring Treasure

Solomon said in Eccleastes, there is nothing new under the sun. The devil is up his same old tricks. He has propagated the same lies ever since the Garden of Eden. However, the one true God is the God of new beginnings… when we are born again of His spirt, old things are passed away, he makes all things new.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus set up a new attitude.. the beatitudes are God’s attitudes. According to Matthew 7:15-23 Jesus continued his sermon on the mount and warned the people about false prophets who did not speak for the true God:

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

God created Adam and Eve as three part beings… Body, soul, and spirit. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, their spirit died that day. The mind is a part of the soul of man. This is where the will of man affects the reasoning and the decisions of life. Men usually base their decisions on feelings. However, feelings will deceive us…. Feelings are part of the wisdom of this world. This type of wisdom is earthly, sensual, and devilish. If you’re in the darkness but think you are in the light, how great is that darkness. In Matthew 7 Jesus said, not everyone who calls out Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. Even though you cast out devils and healed people in my name, I’ll say, depart from me, I never knew you.

Jesus had taught the multitude in Matthew 6 that the material things of this world are only temporary. Therefore do not store up treasures on earth. Instead treasure treasures in heaven, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. What is it that you treasure… what in this life do you hold dear? What do you value most? The devil will distract you to value your feelings, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh. He appeals to the over-desires of this world… the things we lust for over our love of God… the things that blind us to the truth of the Word of God. Through the eyes of the flesh, men of this world think that the devil’s lies are true. The devil has convinced them that wrong is right and the righteousness of God is wrong. The devil’s purpose is to steal, to kill and to destroy.

The battlefield is for the minds and hearts of men. In this spiritual battle Ephesians 6 says…. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high. According to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are not of the flesh. Instead they are spiritual (empowered by the spirit of God in Christ in us) for the pullling down of the devil’s spiritual strongholds. How do we fight back against the spiritual powers of the darkness of this world? We do this by casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of Christ, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Jesus Christ is the truth of the word of God made manifest. He alone is our standard for truth.

Man’s attempts to justify the lusts of their flesh, and the desires of their evil hearts are futile vain attempts to rationalize sin. Sin separates our hearts from God’s heart. Those who lust after sin run away from God. According to John 3:19…. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

However the next verse says that those who love God and treasure treasures in heaven, run toward God: But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Those convicted of the lies of the devil attempt to cancel those who speak the truth of the Word of God. How do you respond to those who attempt to enforce the cancel culture? Paul said to Timothy, refuse foolish speculations. Don’t get discouraged by the lies propagated by those who are controlled by the god of this world whose eyes he has blinded lest the glorious gospel of truth should shine unto them. For the Lord’s bond servant must not strive… he must not be quarrelsome. The battle is not against flesh and blood… it’s not against the people whom the devil uses as his mouthpiece. The battle is against the devil and his lies, deception, and accusations. Therefore do not retaliate and recompense evil for evil. Instead counter the evil with gentleness, kindness, mercy, love and grace. As Paul said in Romans 12, be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world. The light is That which illuminates, makes things clear, and reveals the truth. The light of Christ illuminates the truth of the Word of God and dispels the darkness of the devil’s lies.

The job of the Holy Spirit is to afflict the comfortable and to comfort the afflicted. Before a person can repent, he must be convicted of the sin, the missing of the mark of truth. We are called as light-bearers… let your light (of Christ) shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. For those whom God has chosen, the light will defeat the darkness of the devil’s focus on sin, guilt, shame, and having missed the mark of Christ. Then when a person comes to Christ with a heart of repentance, turning from sin and unto the Lord Jesus Christ, a broken and a contrite heart, God will not forsake.

It’s easy to focus on sin… on guilt and condemnation. How do you turn from sin?… Sin is missing the mark. The Greek word for sin is “hamartano.” It’s made up of two words, “missing” and the “mark.” The emphasis of this word is not on the missing but on the mark. The devil focuses on missing. How do you not miss the mark? You aim at the mark instead of the missing. Therefore set your affection on things of God…. Treasure treasures not on the things of this world but instead treasure treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also…. As Paul said, “I press toward the mark of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus”….

…. In treasuring heavenly treasures we also press toward the mark of Christ so that we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Lord Give us Men

Jesus set up a Standard that is above the standards of this world. To enter into his presence and to become his discipleship is on God’s terms not ours. His recruiting methods were contrary to the World’s. He did not appeal to the sin nature we inherited from Adam. His terms of discipleship were not acceptable to most men.

According to Mark 8:34-38, “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

The people had asked Jesus, what is your plan? He said, those guys over there…. He pointed to a despised tax collector and lowly Galilean fishermen and said, “those guys who are looked down upon by the world. They are the plan.”

He said, “take up your cross and follow me.” The cross is the symbol of death. In order to follow Christ, his non-negotiable term is to die to self. We must give up our selfish selves in order to follow him.

It’s not about the cost, it’s about the value. What is it that you love? You value what you love. The first and great commandment is to love God above all. The first of the Ten Commandments says, thou shalt have no other God’s before me, including the god of self. The Aramaic text says, “thou shall have no other gods between your face and my face.” To be a follower of Christ nothing shall come between you and God.

Many say they are committed to following Christ. However Jesus would not commit himself to them. He knew what was in the heart of man. He knew that they wanted to come on their own terms, not God’s. Oswald Chambers said, “When Jesus bids a man come, he bids him come and die.” We must forsake our selfish selves in order to approach God’s throne of grace with a heart of meekness and humility. A true disciple hungers, not for the things of this world, but for the righteousness of God through Jesus’ sacrifice for sin on our behalf.

Jesus did not say, “you have to do the right thing”… he simply said, “follow me.” He led not by eloquence of speech, but by his example. He said, “I always do my Father’s will.” He said, “follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Their lives were wrapped up in their fishing business. However Jesus implied, “when you follow me you will catch men in stead of fish.” He called his disciples to cast a net into the world to catch those God has prepared to become captive to the Lord. Either we are slaves, captive to sin and the sin nature we inherited from Adam or we by the freedom of our will become captive to Christ.

Jesus said, “unless you hate mother, father, sister, and brother, you cannot come follow me.” Compared to every other relationship and the things of this world, you need to love me and hate everything else compared to your love of God.

He said, “if you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed… and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” Freedom is not in following the things of this world… family, friends, material possessions, reputation, worldly honor, or selfish ambition…. Freedom is known only through knowing the truth as a disciplined follower of Jesus Christ. To know him is to know truth for Jesus said, “I am the way the truth, and the life… no man comes unto the father but by me.”

There is no security in the things of this world. The only security is in the Word of God made manifest in Christ. This is why missionary Jim Elliot said, “he is no fool who loses that which he cannot keep to keep that which he cannot lose.”

The greatest danger in life is not failure to succeed in our ambitions. The greatest danger is to succeed in things that do not matter. Everything in this life will soon be passed, only that which is done in Christ shall last. What endures? Everything we accumulate in this life will come to naught…. It’s here today and gone tomorrow. The only things that endure are the things of the spirit of God in Christ…. God himself is our eternal portion… Jesus said, “Do not covet the things of this world. They are only temporary… here today and gone tomorrow. Though this world will pass away, I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

When we have our vertical relationship with God in order, then our horizontal relationships with others will be blessed. The greatest blessing is not in seeking the blessings but in seeking the Blessor.

How shall we then live? What as men of God shall be our purpose, our calling and the fruit of our labor?

When Pete was called to minister to men he penned this prayer.

Lord Give Us Men…
…Men with stout hearts and fire in their eyes. Men who fear nothing but you, and who owe nothing to anyone but acts of love.
Lord give us men.
Men who are willing to live and die for you, who name the name of Christ and live for His glory.
Lord give us men.
Men who know your voice and whose greatest delight is to do your will. Who are slow to anger, quick to listen, and eager to forgive.
Lord give us men,
Men who love their wives and honor you in their homes; Who are living epistles of salt and light to all they know and meet. Men whose sacrifice, service, and love are renown and who are known to have spent time with you.
Lord give us men!
These kinds of men! For the world is desperate for them.
Lord give us men,
Men of faith and action, who have eternity in their hearts and only you as their focus, passion and reason for living. Men of whom the world is not worthy.
Lord, these men are few, but they know that you use ordinary men to do extraordinary things through your power. That you use foolish men to shame the wise; weak men who because you become strong.
Men who are known more for their availability than for their ability. Men who choose to decrease so that you may increase.
Lord to me this seems like an impossible request, but these are the kind of men you make when they give their lives in total abandonment and absolute trust to you.
Lord let me be a man like this among men like this.
Lord let me be that man. —Pete McKenzie 2006

May this be our prayer too,
…Lord, that we may live to the praise of the glory of thy grace.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Disciples: Lord Give Us Men

To get to know Jesus Christ we need to approach his throne of grace with meekness and humility, recognizing that we are poor in spirit and mourning over the sins that have separated our hearts from God’s heart. We must approach him with a hunger and thirst for righteousness. To become a disciple of Christ starts with a heart of repentance, recognizing our need for a savior from our sin nature that has blinded our eyes to the glorious light of the gospel of truth.

Then when we come to our Lord Jesus, we will able to see from his heavenly perspective instead of the world’s perspective. Jesus continued his teaching on the sermon on the mount…. You have heard from the Pharisees, that you should repay evil for evil… an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. However, Jesus said, bless them that persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven. As the Apostle Paul said, in order to follow my Lord, I’m crucified to the world because in my flesh there is no good thing. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the live that I now live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Jesus said, In this world you will have tribulation… mental pressure, heartache, testing, and temptation. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. The abundance of life is not in the the pain and suffering of this world. Neither is it in the abundance of worldly things. Instead the abundant life is in the presence of the Lord. Despite the turbulence of the world around us, in his presence He will deliver us through the storm, in the storm or by the storm.

Discipleship, becoming a disciplined follower of Christ is on God’s unilateral terms, not ours. Following him is non-negotiable. Whosoever wants to come on God’s terms may come. The first unilateral term to becoming a disciple is, “come and see.” The second is “come and learn.” The third term is “come and do…. Jesus said, Walk with me, come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

Jesus said, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. The cross symbolizes dying to self…. For in Christ my life is not my own. My life is hid in Christ with God. Then Jesus said, whoever wants to save his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it. For what good is it if a man gains the whole world but loses his soul? Life on earth is but a nanosecond in eternity. This life on earth will soon be passed, only that which is is in Christ shall last. As Missionary Jim Elliot said, he is no fool who loses that which he cannot keep to keep that which he cannot lose.

1 John 5:11-13 says….. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

There are four responses to the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The first is outright rejection. This response says, I’m my own master, I’m the master of my own destiny. The second response is a tepid response…. Those who attend church as casual Christian’s but never make a commitment to follow Christ. The third is those who think they are saved but have never confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord. They attend church and may be involved with giving and serving. They say he’s Lord but don’t really mean it. They have not committed their lives by accepting God’s gift of salvation on his terms and following Jesus Christ from a heart of love.

The fourth response is to accept God’s gift of salvation by confessing that Jesus is Lord and believing that God raised him from the dead. Christianity means “I surrender all.”…….. To confess Jesus is Lord means to agree with God’s word that Jesus is Lord and that I am no longer lord over my own life. Lord means owner…. All that I am and all that I have is yours Lord. Contrary to popular opinion, Christianity is not who we are but WHOSE we are.

In God’s divine transaction, we have been bought with a price. The price was the precious innocent blood of his son Jesus Christ. Those whom he has redeemed from the sin that separated us from God…. Those who accept God’s gift by confessing Jesus is Lord and believe God’s power in the resurrection receive his precious gift…. life of the spirit… eternal life in Christ.

Peter had to learn a hard lesson to realize that he was powerless in his own ability. He had told Jesus, even If the whole world forsakes you, I will not forsake you. Then Jesus said, Peter, before the cock crows twice, you shall deny me thrice.

While Jesus was being questioned in the court of the high priest a girl at the palace courtyard said, “I recognize you as one of his followers.” Peter swore, I am not one of Jesus’ disciples.” Then someone said, “I can tell by your accent that you are a Jesus follower. Peter responded cursing, “I know not the man.” Then the cock crowed and Jesus’ eyes met Peter’s. Peter went off and wept bitterly. Thank God for breaking our hearts for what breaks his. A broken and a contrite heart, the Lord will not forsake.

When we turn our hearts to the Lord in repentance, Romans 10 says, he who believes on the son of God shall not be ashamed. Even though the devil and his followers try to shame us and ostracize us, as the Apostle Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it us the power of God unto salvation.

Jesus said, follow me. He did not ask his disciples to do anything he himself did not do. He didn’t say, do what I say. Instead he said walk with me. To deny oneself is to say yes to Jesus Christ. To look unto Jesus is to press toward the mark of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. Then when we walk in the light as he is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Those who chose to follow Christ have eternity in their hearts. It’s only by God’s grace and mercy that he has called us unto himself. Thank God that we can say and rejoice with the Apostle Paul…. I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which He’s committed to me (and I’ve committed unto him) until that day (of righteous judgement.)

There are always more to and better ways to follow in the footsteps of our Lord…. It starts with a heart of love…. God’s love in that while we were yet sinners, he gave his only begotten son as the righteous payment for our sin nature. By grace, he has called us from the darkness of this fallen world into the glorious light of his gospel of truth…. That because of his love for us, we can chose to love him above all.

Loving God above all is the requirement for following in the path of righteousness. Then when we walk in the first and great commandment, to love the Lord thy God with all of thy heart, soul, mind, and strength… we can live in the liberty where with Christ has set us free. Our liberty as his disciples is to follow him and serve others from a love.

What kind of Men is God calling? Pete wrote this prayer when God called him to start Influencers in Orange County:

Lord Give Us Men…
…Men with stout hearts and fire in their eyes. Men who fear nothing but you, and who owe nothing to anyone but acts of love.
Lord give us men.
Men who are willing to live and die for you, who name the name of Christ and live for His glory.
Lord give us men.
Men who know your voice and whose greatest delight is to do your will. Who are slow to anger, quick to listen, and eager to forgive.
Lord give us men,
Men who love their wives and honor you in their homes; Who are living epistles of salt and light to all they know and meet. Men whose sacrifice, service, and love are renown and who are known to have spent time with you.
Lord give us men!
These kinds of men! For the world is desperate for them.
Lord give us men,
Men of faith and action, who have eternity in their hearts and only you as their focus, passion and reason for living. Men of whom the world is not worthy.
Lord, these men are few, but they know that you use ordinary men to do extraordinary things through your power. That you use foolish men to shame the wise; weak men who because you become strong.
Men who are known more for their availability than for their ability. Men who choose to decrease so that you may increase.
Lord to me this seems like an impossible request, but these are the kind of men you make when they give their lives in total abandonment and absolute trust to you.
Lord let me be a man like this among men like this.
Lord let me be that man. —Pete McKenzie 2006

May this be our prayer…that as disciples of our Living Lord we may ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Men of God for Such a Time As This

Jesus taught the multitude at the Sermon on the Mount that the life of a disciplined follower of Christ is through the narrow gate and in the narrow way. Jesus Christ himself is the way the truth and the life. In Matthew 5:36-48 Jesus continued his teaching. His message was upside down from the teaching of the Pharisees. Jesus said, you have heard it said that you should love your friends and hate your enemies. But I say unto you love your enemies… bless them that curse you, slander you, and despitefully use you.

Why? Because tribulation workerth patience and patience experience and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is Mande manifest in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

The important thing is to think, respond, and act according to Christ’s heart behind our heart. When we act and react from a heart of the love of God, love covers a multitude of sins. The way to defeat your enemy is to make him your friend. Jesus Christ himself is the one who reconciles our hearts together in the unity of the spirt in the bond of peace.

How do we tolerate turning the other cheek when we’ve been slapped? How do we go the second when we’ve been compelled to go the first mile? According to Philippians 2, let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus…. He humbled himself and became obedient, even unto death on the cross. He for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and is set down upon the right hand of the throne of God.

The beatitudes are the godly attitudes. These attitudes are upside down from worldly attitudes. These attitudes start with humility…. Blessed are the poor in spirit who mourn over the sin that separated our hearts from God’s heart. Blessed are they who are meek to be taught by the true Word of God. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst not for the things of the world, but for God’s righteousness…. The righteousness of God in Christ…. For he who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

An attitude of gratitude for God’s gracious gift of his Holy Spirit is the prerequisite for loving and praising God through our thoughts and actions. The love of God is manifested in walking in the spirit of life in Christ… his hands behind our hands, his feet behind our feet, his eyes behind our eyes…. As we are motivated by His heart of love and service behind our heart.

In an upside down world, to live is to die to self, to be a leader is to humble our hearts to become a servant, to be set free is to be bound by the bond of love as a bond servant of our Lord. The ultimate victory is the ultimate surrender to His will. We have been called to liberty… the greatest freedom is to live captive to Christ.

To be lifted up, is to be abased and to condescend to men of low estate.

God is not impressed with our knowledge of the Word.. For knowledge puffs up.. it inflates our egos. In contrast to knowledge, love builds up. We’re called to edify, to encourage, and to love with the mercy, grace, kindness and peace of the Prince of Peace.

Jesus was popular with the crowds that followed him around. They wanted him to be their king. However, he said, that’s not my calling. They asked him, then what’s your plan? He pointed to a despised tax collector and low class Galilean fishermen. He said, those guys over there, they’re the plan. God chooses the weak things of the world to confound hte wise..

Most casual Christian men in church struggle with guilt and shame. They struggle to make and keep their promises. They have trouble saying, I’m sorry, I need help, I’m mistaken, or I love you. The average casual Christian thinks that there is no one he can please. His heart is angry because of the wrongs he has suffered at work, in relationships, and in his family and his marriage. He doesn’t think that anyone can accept him for who he is. He denies that his marriage could be better. He does not communicate anything with his wife except on an informational level. He’s unwilling to accept counseling to improve his marriage. He thinks that other men are more spiritual than he is. He questions his salvation. He does not believe that he can get serious with God because he’s afraid that God will compel him to go to Africa as a missionary. He’s afraid to be around men who ask him to pray or share from the Bible. He doesn’t have a best friend. He doesn’t befriend others… instead he views them as his competition. He’s comfortable in shallow interactions but he cannot connect deeply with other men. His identity is in his work, his performance, his ability to fix things. He only does what he thinks he can do well. He wants to be involved in spiritual things, but is unwilling to get up in time to participate. He wants to live for Christ, but not if it means dying to self. He wants redemption without confession of his own weaknesses. He’s willing to make promises, but only if they have escape clauses.

Casual Christians become casualties in the spiritual battle. God has called men of God for such a time of this. When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects his men to be the reliable ones… Men who bear up under pressure and who trust in the Lord with all their hearts and lean not upon their own understanding…. Men whose power is in their surrender to the Lord… who take refuge under the shadow of His wing. Men with a heart to love God by loving others… Men of God who say, “Lord, here am I… send me!”

…that as men of God whom He has called for such a time as this, we may ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Well you know where we’re continuing on in the Sermon on the Mount. When I when I read it, I feel like Jesus is making his point and then he makes this point and then he makes this point. And he keeps driving it home until I think he wants us to get it. It’s kind of like watching TV and you’re watching a ballgame. And you see the same commercial over and over and over and over and over. And then finally on about 215 time you figure out what they’re trying to sell. Well thank Jesus knows we’re slow learners, and he knows we need to hear something more than once. So in chapter five is he begins to play out what the Beatitudes were all about. What Jesus is done and given us our salvation in the Gospel, knowing that we’re poor in spirit, and we’re mourning and repenting over our sin, and we’re humble and, and then we’re hunger and thirst for righteousness. And then we become merciful. blesser, the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God bless are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. And so he’s been through all that. And then he starts saying, this is a lifestyle, that if you believe in me and follow me, this is a lifestyle you’re going to lead. A lot of people didn’t get that in the fine print when they came to know Christ. They bought the theology of the Gospel, Jesus died for us, John 316, so that we would not perish but have eternal life, that Jesus was buried and raised and lives today for us. So they bought the theology. But when it comes to buying the lifestyle as a different thing, there’s a penetrating question Jesus asked his disciples in the passage we’re looking at today. And it’s in Matthew 546, to 48. And we already been over Jesus saying seven times. Now you’ve heard it said, you’ve been taught by the Pharisees, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say to you, so he’s correct in everything that the Pharisees were teaching, they always taught the letter of the law. Jesus always taught the spirit of the law. It’s not just doing the right thing. It’s doing it with the right attitude. It’s doing it with the right motive. And so I think you and I struggle with that a lot of times we do the right thing. But we’re doing it with a bad attitude, in the wrong attitude. And so he’s saying, I’m always looking for the spirit, the motive, the character of what you’re doing. And this is the kind of lifestyle you’ll leave. And then he goes on, and it says, when he said I for an eye and a tooth for tooth. And then he says, You’ve heard it said that you should love your friends and hate your enemies. We talked about that last week. But I say to you, love your enemies and Bless those who persecute you. So we started getting into a lifestyle thing where that stops you in your tracks. Love your enemies, so all your friends, include your enemies. And that’s what God taught me years ago, about my physical maladies. I was having some physical issues. I had a list of them still do? And he says, Oh, you’re listing your friends. I said, Pardon me? He says, yeah, those are your friends. This is this define friend is anything or anybody that points you to Christ is your friend. And so all these things that you’re listing here, they’re pointing you to me, you’re praying about them, are you seeking my face on them? So call them your friends. And I never heard it put like that before. And that changed my attitude about my maladies, that they’re pointing me to Christ. So you’ve four if you love those who love you, what reward Do you have? Do not even tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, and this is a penetrating question, what do you do more than others? If you only greet your brothers, if you’re just gonna love those who love you What do you do more than others? Don’t even the Gentiles and tax gatherers do that. Therefore, you’re to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. And he holds a pretty high standard there. The heavenly Father is perfect in every way. And we know we’re not perfect in every way. So what’s he talking about?

When he’s talking about our goal, our aspiration or our inspiration and desire is to be like Christ. Now we know and we make peace with the reality that this out of heaven will never be perfect in our behavior and our thought life in the not sinning, not being insidiously preoccupied with ourselves. That’s just not going to happen. But our if your goal is to be perfect as your Father in heaven that changes everything in regard to sin in your life. You don’t justify sin anymore. You call it what it is. You don’t try to rationalize and I can do this or get away with this or this is not that big a deal. God says you got to look at that differently. And so you don’t see sin like that anymore. You start seeing sin is something you hate. So if you’re going to hate anything, don’t hate your enemies, hate your sin. Hate the wrongdoing, hate that wrong motive. Hey Dad hurt that you heard that slide that you gave. Hate that sin of being vengeful and having to explain yourself and then the case yourself all the time, the sin of holding grudges, of being easily offended, of lashing back, or being critical. We could go on and on. But Jesus is saying, what do you do more than others God has called us as Christians to do more than others. And that’s what being slapped on the right cheek is all about. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, do more than others, volunteer to go two miles, turn the other cheek. If they force you to go that one mile volunteer to go to that’s doing more than others. Nobody does that. But I’ve called you to live a life that nobody can do. Nobody can live this life apart from me. And so I’ve called you up higher to a higher standard of living. But I’ve also given you power to do it. When you received the Holy Spirit, and it says in Romans one you did not receive a spirit of timidity, but power and love and discipline. So he’s not telling us to do something one that he hadn’t done himself. When he was reviled, He reviled not when he suffered, he uttered no threats he could have called 10,000 angels when they came to arrest him. They will add this mock trial and false witnesses with a sin against him, beat him and slapped him around, made fun of him. Beat him almost to death, then carried across as far as he could, went up to the cross and died on it. He could have called 10,000 Angels, but he didn’t. And when they started asking him questions, he didn’t have to answer him. He didn’t have to vindicate himself or explain himself when he was reviled, He revile not, when he suffered, he uttered no threats. What do you do more than others? Don’t even Gentiles do the same. So the great climax of the discipleship, the life that we’re living as we would become like Christ, which means that we’re going to live a life that most people won’t do won’t live. Most people again, who bought the theology, but not the lifestyle, that are professing to be Christians, justifying and rationalizing the sin, as if we’re not going to have to stand before God one day an answer for that is if sin is not a big deal. Sin is what the fall was all about. We talked about that last week, appealing to the self, making God look like he’s unfair and unjust. Or that God will look the other way. He didn’t care about that. The amazing grace that He gives us, even in that process it we fight through. And we fight every one of us fight through that. Every one of us are dealing with sin in our lives. And hating people. And we live we don’t like to say we hate them. We say we don’t like them. We don’t prefer them. But God says you either love him or you hate him. You don’t love him or hate him.

You don’t love him, you spy them. If you don’t love them, you get even with them. If you don’t love them, you’re offended easily by them. And God says you have to love them. And we talked last week about that love is Agave love, that unconditional love. And we talked about what that’s all about. And it’s not a love that anybody can live. You can live arrows and Romans and filet o friendship, have a friendship, love, a family love. And you can do that without the help of the Holy Spirit. But you cannot have a God a love without the Holy Spirit. That’s the spirit that comes into your heart when you come to know him. He’s imparted that to us. So we have no grounds to stand down. And we can look at our resentment banks and justify everything that we do that sin instead of call it sin in repinning. But if you don’t know these words, you won’t even be aware that you can harden your heart to sin. And Jesus says, you know, you guys you’re in the world. In John 17, he said I have given them he’s praying to God, to his father. He says, I have given them your word in the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world, not only asked you to take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil one. They’re not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Twice, he said that. Look, what he’s saying, Guys, I left you here, I didn’t save you and take you right to heaven. I mean, some people may have had come to Christ on their deathbed and gone right to heaven. But he said, I’m leaving you here, I’m not asking you God to take them out of this world, or out of California has moved to Texas or Idaho. I’m not asking you to do that. Here’s what I’m asking. Keep them from the evil one. You know, guys, we’re in a spiritual battle. And in the spiritual battle, there’s angels and demons. And they’re very real. And the demons job is to entice us to tempt us. To destroy in us everything that loves Christ, and every all the character that we have. He’s a accuser that heaps guilt and shame on us. Even after we’ve asked forgiveness and received it, he will accuse us. He is the one that points that bony finger at you. And says, Yeah, you’re the one aren’t you want to his? Didn’t you do that? Now they don’t, they’re not all knowing, but they keep their eye on us pretty close. And so there’s a lot of demon possession going on in our culture. But they say that if you’re a Christian, and you truly have the Holy Spirit, and I believe this, you cannot be possessed by the devil are an evil spirit. But you can be oppressed by it. You can be tempted to temptations, not a sin. It’s fallen to temptation. That’s the sin. Everybody, Jesus was tempted. So we know it’s not a sin. But we saw how he thought that temptation with the Word of God the truth. And so we need to be protected from the evil one. And God protects us from the evil one, but he has a easier job protecting us when we’re walking in the Spirit. We’re abiding in him. We’re spending time in His Word. When you’re spending time with guys like you’re sitting around this morning. That’s how he can more easily protect us from the evil one. He protects us from the evil one by giving us his word, and given us His truth, and given us prayer and the privilege of praying in his name. And coming before a holy father, like we did this morning, was a great prayer time this morning. But you know, the gospel is always a paradox. If you want to live, you have to die. If you want to be first you have to be last. If you want to be great, you have to become a slave. And so that’s the paradox of the Christian life. And so if you don’t like paradox, you’re not going to like trying to figure out how to live the Christian life.

Because he says, If you want to be great, you have to be a slave of all. And so in God’s economy in his system, slaves, guys who choose to be slaves as Jesus did, who humble themselves, give up their right to themselves. He said, those are the great people in the kingdom. Because you’re not going to be great in God’s kingdom. If you’re still living for yourself in your motive is insidiously preoccupied with you. It’s all about you. And we have a culture that’s always been this way ever since the Garden of Eden. But we have a culture today that’s twisted it is turned it on its ear. It said it’s all about you get what you deserve. Get the car you deserve the insurance you deserve those pecan pie you deserve. Well, leave that out. It may be okay. With a scoop of ice cream. You know, we’ve found in scripture in Luke Simeon who held Jesus in his arms when he was a baby. It says and then he prophesied and said this child is set for the fall and the rising tide and of many in Israel. So we say in that one in the same time Jesus is for rising up in the falling of men. There are men that will be broken on the rock of Christ. There are men that will rise up and become men of God, because of Christ, and they’ll stand on the rock of Christ that cannot be shaken. Jesus has been concerned that we should understand who we are in light of the fact in how we’re supposed to live. You have to be perfect. So you’re not going to be perfect in your lifestyle. But you can be perfect in your heart. When God looks at you, he sees the perfect perfection of Christ. He didn’t see all your stumbling around and sin and he didn’t see my excuses that I make and the things that I do the lust in the heart, he’s decided not to see that. Because I have the Holy Spirit in my heart, I’ve been cleansed by the blood of Christ. So when he looks at me, that’s what he sees. He’s not the accuser of the bread, that brother and that’s the devil. He’s the blesser of the brother. And he reminds me of who he is, he gives me grace. He gently corrects me. And he tells me to gently correct others, if I correct them, to be like him, have this attitude in you, which was also in Christ. Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God is something to be held on to. But He emptied Himself took the form of a bondservant, made in the likeness of a man. And being found in the likeness of a man, He humbled Himself, even to the point of death on a cross, have this attitude in you. And the only way you can do more than others is to have that attitude that Christ said, Christ attitude was an attitude of servanthood, of blessing of putting others first of humbling himself. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. Why, so that he may exalt you at the proper time. There will always be an exhausting of the humble man, who doesn’t need to talk about himself all the time, then love to hear his name, although we all do. He wants He’s humble. He, Jesus made a point and one point of saying, when you walk into a banquet, don’t go sit in the place of honor. He says, Stay in the back. And if they want you in the place, they’ll call you up. Because if we go sit in the place of honor in front of everybody, they’ll have to come up and say, Hey, this is not your seat. You need to blow him out of here. And that’ll embarrass you. So I can embarrass, you are exhausted. And you have to decide what you want. Do you want to do more than others? Do you want to live a lifestyle exemplary of Jesus Christ? Is that your desire? Is that your motive? Is that why you do what you do? You want to honor Christ and be like him in this very evangelistic? You can’t. You can’t separate discipleship, stomp in the word and prayer fellowship and witnessing, being obedient to Christ in obeying Him, making Jesus Lord of your life. All of that’s about one thing about evangelism. If it doesn’t work itself out in having men who are done with themselves, men who had turned the other cheek and go the second mile, then we’ve aborted what he’s what all the discipleship was about. Some guys read their Bible and study and to get smarter,

to have more of a up at sown others, because of the way they know the word. And God’s not impressed with that. God’s press with a humble guy who reads a word and obeys the word who wants to become this like Jesus Christ, he reads the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is love and joy and peace and goodness and kindness, understanding self control, and he looks at that and he goes, that’s what I want. I want that in my life. I want that to be my character. I want that to be how I act. I want that to be who I am. I want to be those things. And I can be those things in Christ. But you have to hold on to him for all your worth and follow Him with all your heart. So we’re we’re talking about being the men of God that God has called us to be. But we have a problem. In one day, I was thinking about this and ministered demand for a lot of years it just and by this time So I got to know myself and I got to know guys. And so I asked the question, what’s the average guy in the average church look like? What’s it? What kind of guy is he? What characterizes this guy? Go Jesus has called us and said, Look, when he showed up, and they said, we’ll come and be our king. He says, My kingdom is not of this world who come into politics? He said, I’m not going to get in politics. He said, What is your plan? He looked at Matthew leave at the time in the tax table, he said, See that tax gather over there. He’s a plan. And he looked at guys like me and you and say they’re the plan. But we got a problem because our pro profiled what the average guy in the average church looks like today. And I gotta say, before I read this, it’s not only the guy, not totally to blame, but you lead a guy to Christ, you’re supposed to disciple the guy in discipleship is not a strong suit of churches. That’s not what they’re really good at. Helping guys. The men of the word, understand what it means for Jesus to be Lord of their life. Be man of prayer, the importance of fellowship that you’ll never be a godly man or man of God, if you’re not running around women of God. Never do the man of God and you could be in should be if you don’t have godly men in your life. So what characterizes and challenges this average Christian guy, he’s insecure and inadequate, isolated, lonely and fearful. He’s casual relationally with Jesus. And with others, he’s under challenged spiritually, and has to look very hard if he wants to be a part of something bigger than he is to give his life to. He has misplaced priorities and rarely takes time to consider how to make them right. He works hard, usually more than is needed or healthy. He’s stressed and he hates it. But he doesn’t think he can do anything about it. He feels trapped. He doesn’t take care of himself physically. Didn’t really exercise enough than eat right? Probably overweight, will not go to the doctor even if he suspect something’s wrong. He’s not had a physical exam in recent memory. This man has a basic struggles with things like guilt and shame. Believing God loves him, receiving grace, giving grace, making commitments and keeping them business ethics. You might call him more businessman who happens to be a Christian than a Christian who happens to be a businessman. This guy struggles with being able to say simple things like I was wrong. I don’t know. I’m hurting. I need help. I’m sorry. I love you. He has a father wound. Possibly grew up without a dad and been looking for one all his life. Or maybe had an absentee dad who was home but never spent much time with him. Or maybe never never heard his dad say son, I love you. Or son, I’m proud of you.

He could never please his dad and be good enough. Maybe his dad was verbally critical of him and did not believe in him and those put downs have dogged him all his life. He had a hard time respecting his dead. He was hurt seeing his dad mistreat his mom or seeing his dad dominated by his mom. He was never mentored or helped spiritually or morally by dad. Maybe he was never disciplined by his dad and felt that he didn’t care about him. He was maybe he was punished by his dad a lot and was physically kicked around. This man is struggling with pornography if he’s not already addicted to it. He has an anger problem and usually does not even know why. He’s challenged if not struggling in his marriage. He’s not interested in his marriage as much as his wife is. He had no preparation for marriage didn’t read any books or attend any classes or premarital counseling. He does not pray with any consistency with his wife. He feels that he cannot please her and that she does not accept him for who he is. He feels that he cannot be himself. and still be loved by her. While he knows he’s not perfect, he resents that she spends most of her time trying to change him. He would like for her to be as interested in having sex as he is. He does not initiate. He doesn’t initiate things like going to counseling for himself or his marriage. For didn’t initiate date nights or romantic weekend getaways. Anything that’s designed to work on his marriage, such as couples retreats, marriage workshops, classes, small groups, reading something that focuses on a relationship. He’s not interested, not enough to pay a price to go and do that. He doesn’t communicate with his wife in anything more than an informational level. And this guy’s plateaued spiritually. He’s heard 1000 sermons, he’s been to numerous retreats and workshops, seminars, classes, small groups, Bible studies, conferences, maybe even Promise Keepers. He’s read the latest and most stimulating books about men. He knows there’s a lot more to God than he’s gotten to yet. He feels that he needs an accountability group but doesn’t really want one. He knows he does not even does not serve enough, read his Bible enough, pray enough share his faith enough, often feels like throwing in the spiritual towel because he’s just no good at. He does not feel that he can be just himself and still be a Christian and a man of God. He believes that other men have their act together, but he doesn’t. He believes that God loves the other guys, but not him. He believes that he’s unique and the only guy struggling so much with his particular temptations and sins. He struggles with believing that he’s really saved. He spends most of his time in sin management rather than feeling free in Christ. He compares himself to other men and comes away feeling inferior or like a loser or maybe comes away feeling superior. He’s uncomfortable with this term with the term man of God as it applies to him. He wants to be a man of God kinda but does not know how to become one. He’s afraid to get too close to anyone because he’s afraid that they’ll find out who he really is. And he’s terrified of losing control. He feels uncomfortable on spiritual turf. He doesn’t particularly like going to church. He has a hard time identifying with the guy up there preaching. He’s afraid that if he really gets serious with God, he’ll make him go to Africa as a missionary. He struggles in his prayer life. He cannot keep up with his wife spiritually and allows her to take the spiritual lead in their relationship. He’s fearful of sharing his faith, because he does not know how to and he fears rejection. He knows he does not know the Bible very well. And avoids places or situations where you might be asked to pray out loud or look something up. He’s willing to be an elder or Deacon but does not believe he’s qualified spiritually. So he ducks in dodges and does a lot a lot of fancy spiritual footwork, so not to be found out. He’s more apt to attend a business meeting or painful root canal than a prayer meeting.

He doesn’t have a best friend. He’s not that interested in the Men’s Ministry if they have one. He has a hard time trusting other men. He feels competitive with other guys. He’s afraid to be really known by another man he wants to be but is afraid to take the risk. He’s afraid to lose control of his emotions and embarrass himself if he gets too close or invulnerable to others. Other guys, he does not have time to cultivate a best friend. So he settles for shallow relationships with men who are not even who are not more interested in going deeper than he is. He’s more comfortable isolating when he’s struggling or hurting than sharing his perceived weakness with another man or men. There’s absolutely no hugging going on. He finds his identity in his job. I am what I do, or his bank account, or possessions I am what I earn. Are his sexual prowess. Real men always have great sex or a self sufficiency I walk alone I’m a self made man or in his emotional Strength big boys don’t cry. He’s confused about what a real man is in our day or what a man of God is and how he might become one. He’s confused about spiritual leadership, and how to be a spiritual leader in his home, or what his role as a Christian husband and father is and how to do it. Or how to work out his salvation in the marketplace and still be able to provide for himself and his family. In other words, how you going to turn the other cheek and go the second mile and still make a buck out of that. He sees himself as basically a good guy. And he really is, even though he doesn’t tithe much that he gives occasionally when he can. He does not help or serve a volunteer at church much but feels pretty good about it when he does. He reads but not much. And basically when the job requires it, he walks away from things he can’t do well, or soft, quickly, or fix easily. He struggles with feeling unappreciated and respect and respected for who he is and for what he does and contributes. He wants to be respected but basically does not feel he deserves it or worse, does not feel he’s earned. He wants things as long as he can have them in on his own terms. He wants a best friend but not if it’s going to take a lot of time. He wants to be in a small group and not if they have homework. He wants to be involved in spiritual things, but not if they happen in the early morning. He wants to be a better husband and father but no book or reading or attending classes. He wants to write out a check to help but not get personally involved. He wants to go to church but thinks it’s more for women and kids. He wants to crown but not the cross. He wants to be glorified with Him but not crucified with him. He wants to live spiritually but not if it means dying to himself. He wants to be humble but not broken. He wants to have a clear conscience with not if it means he has to repent. He wants to be pure but not without confessing his sin, but without confessing his sin.

He wants to be an accountability group but not held accountable. He wants to be called a servant but does not want to be treated like one. He wants to be a man of character but not if it means discipline himself. He wants to be obedient but not if it means giving up control. He wants to be a man of prayer but not if he has to be alone with God. He wants to be a leader but not if it means being a footwashing slave. He wants to make commitments but maintain his right not to keep them. He wants to keep his vows with only a few keep years. He wants to be involved but only when it’s convenient. He wants to be depended on but still be free to keep his options open. He wants to be able to sin but without having to face the consequences. Is that enough? That’s our struggle, guys. Jesus says what do you do more than others? These are the things that guys struggle with. You probably heard a few things in there you might could identify with. But God has called us to be the kind of guys that other guys want to be. They have a hard time finding the guy they think is a man of God or a man of prayer. A guy of character guy who puts others first God who sacrifices and serves the gods what God does in our hearts when he’s making a man of God. So this week, or maybe just less limited to this day. Something we might can handle this go this do more than others. What do you do more than others? That’s a valid question that God could ask every man who follows Him and claims to be a follower of Christ. What do you do more than others? He’s called us to be a more than others life. Most people won’t live this life. Most people who profess Christ don’t aspire to do this. But in times like these, we need men who aspire to do this as who they want to be and they’re willing to sacrifice and deny themselves. They will endeavor be prepared for the crisis when it comes because when the crisis comes in courage is required. He wants to be that guy that can be depended on that guy that will stand In the face of danger and bear up under suffering and sacrifice for the good of others, as what God has called us to be guys, let’s never forget that. Let’s pray as we close. Let’s pray that God would make us these kind of men. Let’s pray that God would shake us free. They would protect us from the evil one who just wants to do everything in his power to keep us from being these kind of man. This Don’t be lazy unless repent from being lazy. This repent for more than the easy road rather than hard road. This repent for being on the wide road in the broad way, instead of the narrow gate in the narrow way. This repent of whatever we need to repent off. I can’t imagine that this morning God hadn’t said something to your heart. Something that you want to repent of and stop doing. In the power of Christ, not in your own willpower, not in your own sternness. But letting Jesus Christ come in and dominate your life and he’ll conquer that you can’t conquer the sin in your life. But when you’re walking in the Spirit and abiding in him, he said, he said, you will bear much fruit out deliver you from that. That weakness, that sin, that lust, that unhealthy appetite, that aspiration, that glorify yourself, that desire to have more than you need or deserve. And all those things that we struggle with. And Father, we come to you this morning as a bunch of guys who are here because we want to be men of God, we showed up this morning because we love the fellowship. We love the music, the worship, not so much about the teaching. But Lord, this teaching is hard. And I had to go through it myself and look at myself, to know myself to be able to write this stuff down because I’ve struggled so much with so many of these things. And Father, we are desires to be perfect because our Father in heaven is perfect. And so we’re asking you today to help us be perfect in Christ. protect us from the evil one. Help us be the men that you called us to be that you died on the cross to redeem. Help us be the fathers in our homes. Help us be the husbands to our wives.

Help us be the businessman that honor you, in all of our dealings, help us guard our mouth, and our critical spirits, our profanity, our lust after women, our temptation in pornography, our habits that are unhealthy for us physically. Lord, there’s so much but thank you for if we never did one thing we tried, we were giving it our best. And you said Well done good and faithful servant. Thank you for your grace and Your mercy as we traveled this road of being God’s man, thank you for leading and guiding us. Thank you for protecting us on the freeways on the highways and byways of life and all our circumstances. Thank You that we always have you to turn to thank you that you gently correct us. Thank You that You love us anyway, no matter what. And thank you that you’re raising up men like these for Sam such as this, because these men are what the world needs. These men are not the world is not worthy. And I’ve asked a blessing on each one today, each one in the sound of my voice and we want to go out there and give them heaven and bless your name. And see people come to Christ. And so you bring make friends of enemies. And so you do what only you can do in our hearts and lives in the days of head even today in Jesus name and all God’s men said Go get him heaven guys.

What’s In It for Me?

The beatitudes are the doorway into the narrow gate and the narrow way, Jesus Christ himself. He is the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father except by him. Jesus Christ is the word of God made manifest. To know God we must know our Lord and Saviour, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

In following Christ, there are two things we need to ask ourselves. The first is what’s it’s going to cost me? The second is, what am I going to get out of it?
The world has indoctrinated us to ask, “What’s in it for me.?” This “WIIFM” decision criteria focuses on self. The world says look out for number one, and you’re number one.

The world’s doctrine is upside down from the Word’s doctrine, the truth of scripture. Jesus said, in Matthew, continuing his sermon on the mount… You have heard it said, but I say…. The word of God is the opposite from the world’s doctrine.

Many people listen to Jesus’ message but they have not bought into following him from a heart of love. The world says, “don’t get mad, just get even.” They say, “God didn’t call me to be a doormat.” However Jesus said, if a person slaps you on the cheek, then turn the other cheek.

Any man can claim his rights and any demon will make sure he gets them. However, human rights are often Godly wrongs. People will understand whether I’m a Man of God by how I respond to adversity… by the decisions I make and the way I treat other people.

Jesus said, if we’re looking for reasons to get upset when we’re wronged, this will take our hearts away from a heart of following the Lord.

George Meuller said, There was a day when I utterly died to the world and my own tastes and will. I died even to the approval of my brothers and friends. My purpose when I died to myself was only to please my Lord.

The beatitudes begin with humility. Blessed are the poor in spirit… those who come to realize that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. True life is only in the spirit of God in Christ in us. Blessed are they that mourn… Mourning over the sin that has separated our hearts from God’s heart produces true repentance… turning from my selfish self and unto God. Blessed are the meek… those who are humble of heart to recognize that God’s best interest is my best interest.

Ephesians says that God’s requirement for a servant is that he be found faithful. A faithful man faithfully serves God by serving others from a heart of love. Without the spirit of God we cannot love with the love of God. We can only love with God’s love because he loved us first… for in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. We love him because he first loved us.

We can either feed the flesh nature we inherited from Adam or we can feed the nature of the spirit we inherited when we were born again of His spirit. If we focus on self… on how unfairly the world has treated us and how others have wronged us, we will feed the god of the flesh… the god of self.

The root of the sin nature is in the same lie that the devil told Eve…. If you disobey God’s only command by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, then you will be like God…. Go ahead and take a bite of the forbidden fruit. Your purpose is not about God, it’s about you. Live for your own self and you will be like God knowing good from evil. When Eve took the devil’s bait and doubted the Word of God and the Love of God, she turned her heart from God and toward her selfish sin nature.

When we feel as if our so-called rights have been violated, we need to ask ourselves, “why does this upset me?” Is it because my pride has been offended? In the daily decisions of life, why have I become embittered by circumstances and situations?

Pete recalls that he called the pharmacy recently and the pharmacy representative said, you need to call this number and check on your Medicare coverage for this prescription. Pete called the number and someone from a foreign country answered the phone. Pete couldn’t understand his accent. The man said, please hold on the line while I check your coverage. Pete waited and waited… After holding for 45 minutes, and Pete felt himself getting frustrated, he heard God’s still-small voice. “I’m giving you a check up from the neck up. When Jesus Christ was reviled he reviled not. You need to understand that the man on the line is not only trying to help you. He’s just trying to do his job to support his wife and children from a heart of love… You need to learn to recompense to no man evil for evil. You need to seek to bless others from a heart of love.”

The man answered after an hour, I’m sorrry but I can’t resolve your issue with your Medicare prescription coverage.

James Francis wrote and essay called “One Solitary Life” about the life of Jesus…. In an upside down world, God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wisdom of the world. According to this essay:

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant. He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30. Then, for three years, he was an itinerant preacher.He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a home. He didn’t go to college. He never lived in a big city. He never traveled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but himself.He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his garments, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave, through the pity of a friend.Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. I am well within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned–put together–have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that one, solitary life.

If you’re claiming that Jesus is Lord, this is the kind of life God has called you in following the Lord. Every moment of every day, God gives us opportunities to deny our selfish selves and to live for the glory of God in Christ….

… that we may ever live to the praise fo the glory of His grace,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael