True Confidence & Small Slivers

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ’Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence,’ The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." –Hebrews 13:5-7

“But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” –Matthew 19:26

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 1:6

“My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” – I Corinthians 4:4-5

Men, when you wake up in the morning and prepare your mindset to take on the day’s challenges and the people who will come across your path, who are you putting your confidence in? Are you putting it in your thoughts and good feelings to motivate yourself to reach your full potential? Are you the main source of finding your inner confidence or are you relying on the God of the universe for his strength and leading on your life each day to give you your confidence as he imparts his power to you as his son to accomplish his plan for your life (Philippians 1:6)? I used to wake up in the morning and read some motivational thoughts I had posted on the mirror but my question for myself looking back is, “Were you trusting and relying on your own strength or God’s supernatural strength by embracing your personal relationship with Jesus Christ?”

Too often as Christians we go through life’s motions and live “half-hearted, faith-filled” lives. We limit God’s power he wants to impart to us because we don’t activate our trust, surrender, or our faith in the area we are struggling with and don’t have the answers to. We limit ourselves! Guys, we need to get our eyes off ourselves! This day isn’t about us! It’s about being a light, shining God’s love and truth into people’s lives! Don’t let these just be meaningless, cliché words that you hear. No, activate your faith and gain your confidence to take on life’s challenges today by complete surrender and trust in him to work everything out for good. Let him use you today! You don’t have to fear men when your confidence is found solely in Christ (Hebrews 13:5-7)! Think about it, the God of the universe wants to speak his truth to others and impart his power to them through little ol’ us (Matthew 19:26)! How awesome is that? Please, don’t put God in a box and limit yourself to just your own good intentions with trying to find your inner confidence. By doing this we are relying on a weak-minded, short-sited, feeble, accident proof god, ourselves! Don’t be your own life’s god. No, instead put your complete, 100%, surrendered, passionate confidence in Christ! We are selling ourselves and God short by not doing this. He has the strength to do it so why are we not activating our faith and our confidence in him? God wants to work through your trust in him, not your unbelief!

I want to leave you with one more thought. The closer you get to Christ in your walk the more you can feel the Holy Spirit’s leading power on your life and throughout your day but Satan wants to creep in and destroy your walk by using that one little sin that you struggle with that takes you away from your strong relationship with God. We all have one and Satan knows exactly each person’s weak point to get us away from our proper walk and surrender to Christ. For many of us men it’s the sin of lust, sexual temptation, or pride. It’s like having a small sliver in our foot that unless we take care of and ask God for strength to overcome it, it can turn into an infected wound and if we ignore it, it can take over the whole leg and lead to amputation. So it is with that “little sin” in your life that nobody really sees but you know it’s there and maybe you’re in denial about it being really all that serious. Well, let’s real quick relate it to lust and pornography. Let’s say you dabble with bad thoughts or looking at pornography once in awhile. Ok, so that’s the “small sliver” in your foot. But then let’s say there comes a time later on when it starts becoming more apparent to you and others around you that your dabbling with this “small sin”  has started to grow bigger to where you’re not hiding it as much anymore and maybe you’re even going to strip clubs, or watching inappropriate videos with your friends. Maybe you’ve decided to start acting out more physically in your relationship with your girl. Now, that “little sin” that started out as a “sliver” has infected the whole foot crawling up your leg. Guess what guys, it can lead to amputation and kill your “walk” with God! All because you ignored the warnings and let that small sliver manifest into so much more as it cripples you. God wants to expose that sin in our lives that is dangerous territory and can amputate our walk (I Corinthians 4:4-5). What “small sin” do you need to address today to stop the infection from growing into the other areas of your life? Think about it! I’m right there with you guys! Let’s put our complete surrender in the Lord, which gives us confidence and strength as we ask him to expose the areas of our lives that need to be completely cleaned out before it leads to our down fall as a man of God. Don’t stop fighting men! Satan has so many men lost because they look to our culture that is ok with rampant sin instead of God who wants to open our minds to the lifestyle he wants us to live.

If a sliver is left untreated it can lead to an infection of our whole body which can lead to amputation and even death. Stop living in denial. Address that “small sin” issue today and put all your confidence in Christ to live a life set apart!

Plugged Into God's Holy Fire

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." -Hebrews 12:1-3

"He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevere because he saw him who is invisible." -Hebrews 11:25-27

"Our God come and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages." -Psalm 50:3

Men, if Christ could suffer punishment, pain, and people's hatred for doing the right thing, certainly we can attempt to live this kind of a lifestyle as well. We need to stop playing this life safe. God isn't concerned with our comfort. No, he's stirring a fire inside our hearts to reach the lost and help the people heading down the path to hell without Christ. This passage says to let go of everything that entangles us and holds us back. He tells us to persevere by keeping our eyes on him and going forward in his strength. We do this by constant prayer, Bible study, and surrounding ourselves with positive friends, mentors, and accountability partners. Don't get tired living this lifestyle! Activate your faith and trust God that he will keep his promises that relate to your life and his specific plan for you as a man of God.

This second passage is powerful men! Could people say this about you in your walk with God? Could somebody say you are deciding to sell out to God and live dangerously as you risk it all for God and his best for you? I promise, he will take you places you never thought possible if you surrender, obey, and trust him as you activate your faith in his truths of the Bible. He said it so we MUST believe it and not let Satan tell us differently. Satan knows if he can get us to doubt God's promises we will become ineffective as obedient men and leaders in God's army. Look forward to your reward by trusting in the invisible God. He'll break down walls in your life! Remember, we serve the God of the Bible today that once parted the Red Sea to protect his children. He made a way when there wasn't one. He's still that God, men. Surely, he can take care of whatever you're struggling with today if you will trust him 100%.

How powerful is this verse in Psalms that says that God WILL NOT be silent because he is consumed by a holy passion and fire that he imparts on behalf of his children, us. This life isn't about us by any means but we serve a God who is crazy about his love for us! Embrace his love and care as you surrender completely and you plug into God's holy passion and fire. It's available to you if you will put your whole trust and faith in Christ. Surrender all men! Not 99.9% but 100%. He will work through your life to reach others and will give your life so much fulfillment, joy, and purpose! If you don't know how to surrender a 100% of your life then go get on your knees and tell God you want to do it and ask him to show you how. Ask him to break through your ignorance of what surrender looks like and how to live a lifestyle completely surrendered to him. Do this and let him do the rest!

"Dear Father, please consume me with your holy passion and fire to reach others with your love."

A Beautiful Surrender

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Men, claim this verse as your own each and every day of your life. You are going to need it all throughout your life to be able to rely on for your hope when things that you can’t understand happen. Like the times people do things to you that are completely out of your control. But don’t get frustrated when you are wronged because our God is much more powerful and has the final say. God might just be using it to show you new things he has for you. Maybe it’s not as bad as you originally thought it was. Remember, God can use the good and bad in your life to work his plan. God has a unique, specific plan for you. You are the only person who can fulfill this unique plan for your life. That is why you need to stay close to God and strive to follow his will for your life so you don’t go off course and miss blessings because you didn’t obey him. It remind me of the story of the man who died and went to Heaven and when he got to God’s judgment seat, he looked off in the distance and saw a huge stack of amazing things piled high that looked really desirable. He turned to God and asked, “What are all those beautiful things over there, God?” God looks over at him with a sad face, and says, “Those are all the blessings I had for you if you would have just stayed close to me and obeyed what I told you to do while you were on earth.” What a tragic thought! Don’t go through life faced to confront the “what if” mentality on the other side of eternity because you didn’t surrender to God’s calling on your life.

God can still overcome the obstacles we create for ourselves and get us on the right path, but the sad thing is we waste so much time and energy when we disobey and don’t listen to his prompting on our hearts. There are consequences for not trusting and following God’s will and his way of doing things. He knows best for our lives, guys! We can’t see the whole picture but he knows where it began and how it ends. It’s like the person who is standing too close to a painting and trying to figure why the artist put a dash of red here and a splash of black there. If they would just step back they would see the beautiful masterpiece of the painting with all the magnificent colors put perfectly in place on the canvass. This is exactly how it is with you and God in your life. Let the Artist work on the masterpiece that is your life; even when you can’t understand why he would allow something to happen. God is writing on you men. Let him make something beautiful of your life by giving yourself completely over to him. Remember the saying that says, “You can’t see the forest through the trees sometimes.” This is saying you can’t see much what’s in front of you when you’re caught up in a tough situation but stay the course and listen for God’s voice and his leading. He has the bird’s eye view and knows exactly where you’re at and will meet you there. You can’t escape him.

God is not here to hold us back or cause harm. He uses unfortunate experiences in life to mold and shape us for his glory. Only he knows tomorrow and what he needs to teach you to pass life’s tests. Determine today to simply trust him throughout your life and give him permission to mold you into the man he wants you to become. Only he knows what is best for you!

In surrender there is peace and rest because He holds tomorrow in His hand.

Our Guide

 

^“The Lord will guide you always;

he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” –Isaiah 58:11

We as men all need to claim this verse and hold it close to our hearts in our walk as Christian men. This verse is a promise from God to us. We are continually in a battle against the way of the world and the things that trip us up in our walk that hurt our relationship with God Almighty. It’s a daily challenge to be a God’s man and to avoid just going along with the crowd to feed our flesh with the things of this world while focusing on self and what we can get out of this life. We are called by God to live apart from the world and if we do this his blessings will follow. It’s easy to get swayed into thinking about things through the mind of our flesh and the world. We must ask ourselves though, “Do I trust God’s way is best according to what the Bible says and am I willing to base my life on it out of complete surrender to him?”

God guides us along to the true path of righteousness and right living. He doesn’t just throw us to the wolves of the world and expect us to fend for ourselves. He speaks to us through his word and the Holy Spirit’s leading on our life and impressions on our heart. He uses wise counsel of our Godly mentors and speaking the truth of the Bible. Men, if you want to be an effective leader in your relationships, get your rear out of bed and take the initiative to go to church and lead with devotions and prayer. Take the initiative to set boundaries in your dating relationships to respect her and do what’s right before God. Super tough, I know, but God desires it from us. Remember, God is looking for true men of his that aren’t flimsy in their faith and who aren’t ashamed of expressing their walk before God. This doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect but it does mean you will take the initiative to live a life pleasing to God and get back on the horse when you fall off in your spiritual walk. You need to do this for yourself and it needs to be important to you whether in a relationship or not. This reminds me of the opportunity to bow your head in prayer when you’re out to eat in public. This may seem small but it can be impactful to your relationships and to those around you. When I was a waiter in college and I saw families do this at their tables it was encouraging to my spiritual life to see that example and testimony of them being unashamed in their faith. This isn’t to throw it in people’s faces that you’re a Christian, but allowing yourself to be a testimony for God to open doors. We are never to throw our Christianity in people’s faces but we are called to be a light and example pointing people to Christ. Keep in mind everybody is on their own spiritual journey and that’s why it’s called a “personal relationship.” Don’t discount the impact your life and right living can be on those around you though.

Society’s women of God are crying for real men to lead their relationships toward things of God. Don’t leave them to take the reigns and do your responsibility before God as the leader of the relationship. You’re supposed to be a team and she’s not supposed to be dragging you around. Sure, she can be there to encourage you when you’re struggling but there shouldn’t be a constant pattern of you following her to Godliness. If this describes you, I would encourage you to take a break from the relationship to get your walk with God and affairs of the heart in order so you can return one day as a proper leader in the relationship and so your walk with God is back on track. Chances are you have your eyes fixed on yourself instead of God. I’ve been there often. Are you leading by example and does your walk match your talk? This is my biggest challenge that I fail daily on but we are to keep plugging away and not give up! We will never be perfect but that isn’t to be our excuse to stop fighting the good fight to do the right thing before God. Are you a leader as a man or are you just getting by with the normal, everyday stuff? The Lord is here to guide you and give you peace on your lifetime journey with him. Are you listening to him or are you going at it alone, thinking you know best for your own life? It’s time to wakeup and start listening to what God wants for your life to reach your full potential as a man, peer, boyfriend, husband, and father. Stop making excuses for coasting through life. The relationships around you are dependant on you getting your walk with God handled.

God has given everyone a roadmap for their life, called the Bible. Let’s open it up.

The Motions

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” –Matthew 6:7

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” –Ephesians 2: 19-20

 Men, do you ever feel as if you’re just going through the motions of life as a Christian? Has your prayer life become stale and your obedience unauthentic and repetitious? Do you ever feel like you’re seeking a religion rather than a personal relationship with God? It’s easy in life to get side tracked and feel distant from God. Many times we start seeking religious activities such as going to church, singing praise songs just because, saying the right words amongst our Christian peers but when we lay our head on the pillow at night we feel distant from God with no fire or passion for his way of living. We grow stagnant in our faith and before we know it we have no victory over our sin and flesh. Sadly, this happens to most Christians at some time or another and it’s a big reason we are called hypocrites and give Christians a bad name.

Men, it’s time to get back to our First Love which is Christ. How do we do that you might ask? It starts by getting back on our knees and asking for forgiveness out of a repentant spirit and asking him to give us his holy passion in our lives to see his face to obey him because of his love for us. Just like a house needs a cornerstone and strong point to keep it upright so too if Christ isn’t at the center of our lives as the cornerstone, then everything can crumble and become unbalanced.  Remember when you first accepted Christ and that change that came over you? Ask God to take you back to a fresh and new relationship with him. Ask him to take the clouds of your heart and mind away and to desire him again. He wants you to chase directly after him and not a religion or pious act. He didn’t make you to be an actor in your relationship. He wants authentic, real worship for him. Ask for forgiveness and ask him to renew your mind and heart and to give you a genuine love for him again. Wake up men! Stop coasting in your life and going through the motions of Christianity! No wonder our prayer lives and obedience to fight the flesh become ineffective! We’ve become unplugged from the Source of our life. We’ve stepped away from the personal relationship with Christ that gives us victory in our stand and have just become religious instead of authentic!  

There’s a song by Matthew West that pertains to this very thing. The first verse lyrics are as follows:

"This might hurt, it's not safe

But I know that I've gotta make a change

I don't care if I break

At least I'll be feeling something

'Cause just okay is not enough

Help me fight through the nothingness of life

 I don't wanna go through the motions

I don't wanna go one more day

without Your all consuming passion inside of me

I don't wanna spend my whole life asking

'What if I had given everything

instead of going through the motions?"

Men, get back in touch with God in your personal relationship. Stop going through the motions of life. Start living alive and free again as a Christian man of God! Start receiving his strength and power to overcome temptation and to get victory in your life. Remember, in God’s design he planned for you to be the head of your family. You have a lot of responsibility and people counting on you. You need an authentic Christ-centered walk. Re-embrace your faith today!

 Religious acts without authentic love are worthless.

The Power of the Tongue

“The tongue has the power of life and death,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.” –Proverbs 18:21

“Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,

 and discerning if they hold their tongues.” –Proverbs 17:28

“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” –James 3:3-6

Guys, if you’re anything like me then that little red thing inside your mouth has got you into trouble more times than you can count! Do you realize that we hold the power of death and life with one of the smallest members of our body? Our tongue can build people up around us to reach great heights or we can use it to tear people down and hold them back from going after their goals and dreams. The words we say to a person can be powerful! They can be enlightening and push someone to reach their full potential or we can destroy somebody’s world by our words. Usually, people remember the bad stuff we say to them. Think about when you were growing up. You can probably still recall the horrible names you were called or the bad things people said about you. It hurts doesn’t it? The bad things people said usually stick with us longer than the positive things said unfortunately. Do you also realize that we usually hurt and say unkind things to those we love the most and who are closest to us? We need to check ourselves, guys. I battle this all the time! I’m good at bringing people up but also very good at saying whatever comes to mind whether good or bad as if my filter is broken and making unkind comments.
 

If you have the gift of exhortation then you most likely have this love-hate relationship with the words that come out of your mouth too. The Bible says though that even a fool when he learns to hold his tongue is considered wise in that moment. I guess we should be biting that tongue extra hard! My teacher used to say to me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” How true that statement is and relates to our day to day. The tongue is so small like a ship’s rudder but controls our whole body. We all know that one guy who has a lot to offer other people but the things that come out of his mouth are just annoying or ugly. Or how about on the other side of the equation we know that one person who always has a kind word to offer and is very encouraging and you swear you can hear harp strings and doves flying over every time they say a word of praise. Exaggerated yes, but what a great opportunity each and every one of us has to lift our fellow brothers and sisters up in the Lord and the unsaved people we encounter daily to show them a slice of God’s love for them through our words.
 

Another thing to consider is there are many people who never reached their full potential for their life and stopped pursuing their dreams and somewhere along the way they stopped trying and allowed themselves to get bitter. Don’t let these people hold you back from your going after what you want to achieve in this lifetime. Often, they attack you and try to hold you back to avoid the guilt it brings to them by seeing you achieve success. They often will try to hold you down to their level. Don’t allow this to happen. Recognize that often this is just them projecting themselves onto you and misery always loves company. Men, start today coming from a positive place with your words to others. If you’re already doing this and being careful with what you say, then great job! Keep it going! The world needs more encouraging men like you. There’s so much darkness and ugliness in this world with people tearing each other down. Let’s work on trying to always come from a positive place inside to offer some of God’s joy and light to others.

You can work at being the best person possible inside and out but if you don’t control the tongue it can ruin your testimony and how people view you.