1 Timothy 6:11 - But You, O Man of God

Summary

The speaker addresses the decline of traditional masculinity and the societal attack on manliness, referencing current issues such as transgender identity in sports and gender-neutral parenting. He emphasizes the biblical concept of being a 'man of God', drawing on scriptures from Psalms and Timothy to encourage men to flee from pride, the love of money, and discontentment. Instead, they should pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. The sermon calls for a return to the Word of God as a source of guidance and strength, urging men to be protectors and providers with a focus on eternal values.

Takeaways

• 🔊 The speaker emphasizes the societal attack on masculinity and manliness, suggesting that traditional male roles are being belittled in various aspects of culture.
• 🏫 There is concern over educational institutions offering courses that teach men to apologize for their masculinity, indicating a shift in how gender roles are perceived.
• 🏅 The term 'godly man' only appears once in the Bible, in Psalm 12:1, highlighting the rarity and significance of this description.
• 🤔 The difficulty in defining what a godly man is, and the broader societal struggle to define what a man is, is a central theme of the speech.
• 🏃‍♂️ The speaker recounts stories of male athletes identifying as female and competing in female sports, causing controversy and raising questions about fairness.
• 👶 There is a discussion about parents avoiding gender-specific terms for their children, aiming to let them identify their own gender as they grow, reflecting changing societal norms.
• 📖 The phrase 'man of God' is used 73 times in the Bible, with most instances in the Old Testament and two in the New Testament, both in Timothy's letters.
• 💨 The speaker calls for men to 'flee' from pride, the love of money, and a spirit of discontentment, which are seen as hindrances to becoming godly men.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Men are encouraged to 'pursue' righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness, as part of their journey to becoming men of God.
• 📝 The importance of knowing and understanding the Scriptures is highlighted as essential for men to be complete and equipped for every good work.
• 🌟 The speaker concludes with a call to action for men to prioritize their relationship with God, keep eternity in mind, and be present for their families, as part of being a man of God.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the sermon in the provided transcript?

The main theme of the sermon is the concept of being a 'man of God' in contemporary society, with a focus on the challenges faced by men in upholding traditional masculine values and biblical principles.

What does the speaker suggest is the current societal attitude towards masculinity?

The speaker suggests that masculinity and manliness are under an 'all-out, frontal attack' in society, with various institutions such as the press, television, movies, music, art, politicians, educators, and even some churches belittling and berating the idea of masculinity.

What is the only place in the Bible where the term 'godly man' appears?

The term 'godly man' appears only once in the Bible, in Psalm chapter 12 verse 1.

According to the speaker, what are some of the societal issues that reflect a departure from traditional gender roles?

The speaker mentions issues such as males self-identifying as females to compete in female sports and parents not identifying the sex of their children, referring to them as 'theybies', allowing them to choose their gender identity as they grow up.

What are the three main things the speaker advises men to 'flee' or avoid?

The speaker advises men to 'flee' pride, the love of money, and a spirit of discontentment.

What are the key attributes that the speaker suggests men should pursue?

The speaker suggests that men should pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

How does the speaker describe the importance of the Bible in shaping a man of God?

The speaker emphasizes that knowing the Holy Scriptures is essential for a man of God to be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work, as all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.

What does the speaker imply about the role of men in the church, family, and community?

The speaker implies that men should take their rightful place in the church, family, and community as men of God, displaying boldness, courage, and godly character.

What are the three 'P's the speaker suggests for a man to live by as a man of God?

The three 'P's are Priority (having the right priorities in life), Presence (being available to God and family), and Protection and Provision (fulfilling the god-given roles of protector and provider).

How does the speaker relate the concept of being a man of God to the idea of personal devotion to God's Word?

The speaker relates it by stating that a man of God must prioritize personal devotion to God's Word, as it is the foundation for godliness and the ability to stand against unprofitable things and for what is right.

Outlines

00:00

😔 Societal Attack on Masculinity

The speaker laments the societal attack on traditional masculinity, citing examples from various media and even educational institutions that undermine the concept of manliness. The speaker also mentions the occurrence of males identifying as females in sports, causing controversy and perceived injustice. The paragraph concludes with a rhetorical question about the state of the world and introduces a scriptural reference to the scarcity of the term 'godly man' in the Bible, emphasizing its importance.

05:02

📜 Biblical Reference to 'Man of God'

This paragraph delves into the biblical usage of the term 'man of God,' highlighting its rarity with only two New Testament references. The speaker contrasts the societal decline of masculine virtues with the biblical call for men to embody godliness. The paragraph emphasizes the need for men to stand against the tide of societal pressures and to embrace their roles as men of God, as illustrated through the examples of Moses and David.

10:02

💡 The Call to Flee and Pursue

The speaker identifies specific worldly aspects that men should 'flee' from, such as pride, the love of money, and discontentment. These are contrasted with the virtues that men of God should pursue, including righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. The paragraph calls for a deliberate effort to avoid the trappings of the world and to actively seek godly qualities.

15:05

👷‍♂️ The Struggle with Materialism and Identity

The speaker discusses the struggle men face with materialism, using personal anecdotes to illustrate the tendency to accumulate unnecessary items. The paragraph explores the theme of identity, suggesting that men often define themselves by their work and possessions rather than their family roles. It also touches on the idea of men's inherent need to provide and the distortion of this into a love for money.

20:06

🚫 The Dangers of Worldly Pursuits

Continuing the theme of materialism, the speaker warns against the dangers of prioritizing worldly pursuits over spiritual growth. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of fleeing from the love of money and discontentment, and instead, focusing on the eternal and godly aspects of life. It calls for a reevaluation of what truly matters and a redirection of passion towards godly virtues.

25:09

📖 The Power of Scripture in Godly Living

The speaker underscores the importance of Scripture in shaping a man of God, referencing 2 Timothy 3:15-17. The paragraph explains that being 'complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work' is directly linked to a deep understanding of the Scriptures. It suggests that neglecting the Word of God is at the root of the decline in godly men and calls for a renewed commitment to engaging with Scripture.

30:10

🔑 Prioritizing the Word of God

This paragraph challenges men to prioritize their relationship with God and His Word above other aspects of life. The speaker posits that many men claim to honor the Word of God but fail to demonstrate it through consistent devotion and prioritization. The paragraph serves as a call to action for men to genuinely integrate the Scriptures into their daily lives.

35:52

🛡️ The Role of Men as Protectors and Providers

The speaker discusses the traditional roles of men as protectors and providers, emphasizing the need for men to reclaim these roles in the context of their faith. The paragraph highlights the importance of being present, available, and committed to one's family and community. It also touches on the idea that a man's legacy should be one of godly character, not worldly success.

40:54

🌟 Becoming a Man of God

In the concluding paragraph, the speaker expresses a desire to inspire the congregation to become men of God, acknowledging his own past mistakes and the challenges of living a godly life. The paragraph serves as a call to commitment, urging men to decide to live differently by the grace of God. It ends with a prayer for conviction and transformation through the Scriptures.

Keywords

💡Masculinity

Masculinity refers to the qualities traditionally associated with being male, such as strength and courage. In the video, it is discussed as being under attack in society, with the speaker expressing concern over the belittlement of these traits in various cultural spheres. The concept is central to the theme of the video, which is about the importance of maintaining traditional male virtues in the face of societal change.

💡Man of God

The term 'Man of God' is used to describe a man who is deeply committed to his faith and living according to religious principles. It appears in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Psalms and in the letters to Timothy, where it is used to highlight the contrast between worldly men and those who are dedicated to their spiritual path. The video emphasizes the importance of being a 'Man of God' in the current generation, as a counter to the perceived decline in traditional masculine values.

💡Pride

Pride, in the context of the video, is identified as a negative trait that men often exhibit, focusing on their accomplishments and status rather than their relationships and spiritual growth. The speaker encourages men to 'flee pride', suggesting that it can lead to destruction and separation from the virtues of a godly man.

💡Love of Money

The 'love of money' is described as a root of all evil in the video, referencing a biblical concept that excessive focus on wealth can lead to moral downfall. The speaker advises men to flee this love, indicating that it can distract from the pursuit of righteousness and godliness.

💡Discontentment

Discontentment is portrayed as a spirit of unrest and dissatisfaction that can affect men, leading them to seek fulfillment in the wrong places. The video script mentions this as something that men need to guard against and flee, as it can detract from a godly life and lead to a focus on materialism or worldly pursuits.

💡Transgender Identity

The concept of 'transgender identity' is brought up in the video as an example of societal changes that the speaker finds troubling. It is mentioned in the context of a discussion about athletes who self-identify as a gender different from their biological sex, which the speaker sees as a sign of the times and a challenge to traditional gender roles and identities.

💡Scriptures

Scriptures, in the video, refer to the holy texts of Christianity, which are said to be 'god-breathed' and essential for equipping men to be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work. The speaker emphasizes the importance of knowing and studying the Scriptures as a means to become a 'Man of God'.

💡Flee

The term 'flee' is used in the video as an imperative verb, urging men to actively avoid and run away from negative influences and behaviors such as pride, the love of money, and discontentment. It is contrasted with 'pursue', indicating the dual action of escaping harmful things while seeking positive virtues.

💡Pursue

To 'pursue' in the video means to actively seek after positive qualities such as righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. The speaker encourages men to pursue these virtues with the same passion they might otherwise devote to less noble pursuits, as part of becoming a 'Man of God'.

💡Good Fight of Faith

The 'good fight of faith' is a metaphor used in the video to describe the struggle to live a life of faith and righteousness amidst the challenges and temptations of the world. It suggests that men should be warriors for their beliefs, standing strong in their faith and fighting against the forces that would lead them away from godliness.

Highlights

The song's lyrics were changed in 2018 to reflect the perceived attack on masculinity in society.

The term 'godly man' only appears once in the Bible, in Psalm 12:1.

The concept of masculinity is being challenged and belittled in various societal spheres.

Some college campuses offer courses to teach men how to apologize for their masculinity.

Two male athletes who self-identified as females won a state female track and field competition, causing controversy.

A societal trend of not identifying the sex of children until they grow up is critiqued as tragic.

The importance of revisiting the concept of a 'man of God' in the modern era is emphasized.

The phrase 'man of God' is used 73 times in the Bible, with significant mentions in Timothy.

Men are called to flee from pride, the love of money, and a spirit of discontentment.

Men are encouraged to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

The necessity of standing up for what is right, regardless of societal pressures, is highlighted.

The role of men as protectors and providers is discussed, with a call to embrace these roles.

The importance of personal devotion to God's Word as a means to becoming a godly man is underscored.

A call to action for men to take their rightful place in the church, family, and community.

Three life lessons for being a man of God are presented: Priority, Presence, and Protection/Provision.

Transcripts

gone fast forward to 2018 we changed the

words of that song a little bit and we

say where have the men gone masculinity

and manliness are under an all-out

frontal attack our society the press

television movies music art politicians

educators and even some churches

constantly belittle berate and attack

the idea of masculinity it is all around

us to the point where people are even on

some of our college campuses today

offering courses to teach men how to

apologize for their masculinity what's

happened in the world well just very

briefly we're gonna go through a couple

of things this morning before we land

back in first Timothy chapter 6 I want

to talk to you this morning about the

man of God but as I do that I want to

just give you a couple of facts first of

all do you know that the terms godly man

only appears one time in the entire

Bible the phrase godly man and it is in

Psalm chapter 12 verse 1 so hold your

finger here and turn back with me to the

Book of Psalms chapter 12 and you'll see

the only mention of godly man in the

entire Bible help Lord for the godly man

ceases for the faithful disappear from

the sons of men they speak idly everyone

with his neighbor with flattering lips

and a double heart they speak we have a

hard time defining what a godly man is

as I said it's only used one time in the

entire Bible in fact we have a hard time

defining what a man is anymore two

stories this week have caught my

attention maybe you perhaps read these

stories to two athletes in the state of

Connecticut both won first and second

place in the state

female track and field competitions the

winners for their high school the

problem with winner number one and

winner number two was that they were

males who self-identified as females and

were allowed to participate in the event

as female caused an up cry among the

community the girls would work the

hardest throughout the year had led

their conferences in track and field

events placed seventh and eighth after

these two males who self-identified as

females what have we come to as I read

that article and then I read a second

one that people today are no longer

calling their children babies they are

calling them babies th e y bi es babies

because they don't want to identify a

sex with their child they want them to

figure out on their own as they mature

and grow whether they are male or female

it's tragic and sad babies we don't call

them he we don't want to call them XI so

we call them they babies it's a sad

state that we have come in the psalmist

hit it correctly when he said

the godly man ceases well let's turn to

first Timothy chapter 6 because I want

to talk to you this morning about being

a man of God this is Father's Day but

this is not a Father's Day message this

is a man of God message and we

desperately need today a revisiting of

this idea of a man of God and hopefully

by the end of our message this morning

you and I have a better idea of what it

means to be a man of God before I start

that let me tell you this phrase you see

in 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 11 when

he says but you O man of God

oh man of God or man of God is only used

73 times in the entire Bible

71 of those times are in the Old

Testament and they refer to men like

Moses who's referred to as a man of God

David an angel who appeared to some a

couple who was infertile some unnamed

prophet and then we get to the New

Testament the phrase man of God only

appears two times in the entire New

Testament both in Paul's letters to

Timothy one here in chapter 6 of 1st

Timothy the other in 2nd Timothy chapter

3 verses 15 and 16 you know so Timothy

is placed in a group of very elite

people when it says but you man of God

and see how what I want to focus on this

morning is the contrast in verse 11

where it says but you O man of God

because I believe the destiny for every

man who has claimed the name of Jesus is

that they be a man of God and they not

be like the psalmist was writing about

in Psalm 12

when he says the godly man ceases what

our generation needs what every

generation needs our men who are willing

to stand up and say it doesn't matter

what the cost is and it doesn't matter

the price I have to pay I will be by the

help and grace of God a man of God don't

let it be said of our generation the

godly man ceases you know and it breaks

my heart that even churches have gotten

into this whole transgender identity

crisis now in some of the more liberal

churches you know what we don't know how

God made somebody you know we don't know

the genetic makeup they could have a

predisposition to this way you know for

a long time I've been trying to portray

myself you know say I really see myself

as a millionaire unfortunately it hasn't

worked yet I don't know what the problem

is because all these folks is self

identify with something else seem to

fall right into what their self

identifying with but men like Moses and

David and now Timothy I don't want to be

the time that is referring to our

generation where the man of God were the

godly man ceases Moses wrote in Psalm 90

and you can just kind of jot this down

the heading of that Psalm is a psalm of

Moses the man of God is the heading in

Psalm chapter 90 you know and here in

first Timothy the contrast is going to

be this but you O man of God and then I

hope you notice in the next few words

that follow Paul just really says two

things and I don't think it's

complicated this whole idea about being

a man that's what I love about Ken

graves I said it earlier in the service

ken graves that every man's conference

I've heard him speak at says this I

don't care what scale you are on the

man's skill but just get on the man's

scale

I don't care if it's a mr. Rogers or a

mr. t but get on the mister scale you

know that you learn to act and portray

yourself as a man but not only as a man

but a man of God and so the two things

that Paul is going to tell Timothy in

these two verses here are key to us

becoming men of God in 2018 so first of

all he says but you man of God flee

these things there are some things that

just aren't worth the time and energy

and effort yet these are very things

that our society places a premium on and

you might be asking yourself the

question well what is Paul telling

Timothy to flee well if you'd come to

the men's Bible studies on Thursday

night we talk about these things I heard

a conversation in the back

you know as ice you're hurrying around

back there dude do we always do the same

thing at Men's group that we do on

Sunday morning it just happened to work

out that way that we're doing it back

kind of like it I'll come in and take my

notes on Thursday night I said that's

good I'll use that my message cuts down

on my study time a whole lot because you

mentor I love what God is speaking to

you men but we did discuss this at

length in one of our men's studies but

notice he says but the bud is a contrast

it is is putting together two opposing

different points of view and he's

already talked about in the preceding

verses some of the characteristics of

men that would not classify them as a

man of God but rather a man of the world

and some of the things he mentions you

go back and begin to read these in

verses three on through verse 10 of this

chapters I think everything should be

taken in context especially when you see

the word but you know but is joining two

things together that you need to connect

and just a couple of things that he

talked about that I found prevalent

today that we need to run away

from and notice in this list he doesn't

even say anything about lust he'll talk

about that a little later when he says

flee youthful lust but he says but you

man of God flee these things and let me

just give you three that he mentions in

the preceding verses that I think are

common with men today the first is pride

men tend to be creatures of pride they

they get their identification on what

they do what they've accomplished how

many people they're over how much money

they have it's a pride thing you know

and really to me one of the basic

differences of men and women and their

conversation is this you get a group of

women together and you hear them and

they're if you could just observe their

conversation their conversations

generally going to be about family and

they're gonna take out pictures and show

you pictures of your of their children

or their grandchildren this is our

family you look at their Facebook post

and a lot of women or their Facebook

posts are out there about things about

their family which is which is fine and

good but you get a group of men together

and I can guarantee you within two or

three minutes of a conversation of a

group of men being together it's going

to be well what do you do and men tend

to talk about what they do rather than

their identity as part of a family

would y'all say that's correct how many

men do you know that pull out their

photo albums and start showing you

pictures of their kids and how many men

do you know they get together playing

talked about relationships with their

kids or were their spouses not a lot

unless we're in a very desperate state

we talked about what's going on at work

you know how you know how we're

progressing you know the things that

were involved in I'm on this committee

I'm on that board you know and I do this

and I do that and so pride is something

that we really need to run away from

he says flee pride the second thing he

says to flee

is the love of money because the love of

money Paul will tell us is the root of

all evil now I understand that God has

wired men to be providers I'm even from

ancient times it has been the role and

responsibility of a man to be the

provider but somewhere along the line

that's morphed into a love for money and

that we are to flee this love for money

the third thing that Paul talks about in

these earlier verses about fleeing is a

spirit of discontentment I'm just not

happy anymore we get this restlessness

about us we want to move on to the next

adventure there's always this little

discontentment that we need to guard and

flee and run away from and if we're

honest with ourselves you know that that

on that men we deal with this issue of

pride Paul says get away from it because

pride comes before you sure pride comes

before destruction and a haughty spirit

comes before a fall

same thing but you know pride will

eventually cause us to trip up they've

been the love of money you know you talk

about guys and and their love for money

it's expressed by their stuff you know

they say the only difference between a

man and a boy is the price of their toys

you know is I don't know what is that

sometimes I like to walk through Lowe's

or Home Depot and I'm walking through

Lowe's and and I see this $200 thing

that I really think I need to have of

course I don't buy it but a lot of times

we go out and buy stuff like that we

think we need it and we don't ever use

it now I probably have

reaped this from the way I treated my

parents when I was growing up but you

know after having eight kids I don't

think I have a complete toolbox at my

house I thought once the boys left you

know that my tools would be okay

but see my girls like to work on stuff

too I was out cutting the grass

yesterday and I hit a steel tent peg in

my backyard I said what in the world am

I doing with a tent peg in my backyard

only to find out that the girls had

gotten now or one of the girls had

gotten out a tarp staked it in the

ground and put soap and water on it so

the kids could slide on it which is fine

and good but you know I was always of

the opinion that I would eventually

harvest this crop of tools that were

planted in my back yard you know but

anyway I think about these things that I

got to have and I want to get that I get

them and I never use them because I just

wanted to have them you know because

this love of having stuff I was a little

bit honest earlier when I said that my

wife will ask me to fix something and I

yeah I will I would gladly fix it but I

go look at my toolbox to get what I need

to fix it and I don't have to the tool I

need to fix it so guess what does it

happen it doesn't get fixed you know but

then our wife would want something that

may be beneficial for the house and we

say honey we can't afford that this love

for money that guys and you look at I

don't know where the the myth came from

that women tend to be bigger spenders

than men I had opportunities over the

years to talk to a lot of people about

finances and what I've generally seen

that's not always true but what I've

generally seen is that when a wife

spends money

it is usually four things for the house

or she might go out and buy a new dress

or an outfit or something nice for the

house you know in the husband why'd you

spend that hundred dollars on that dress

and then the same guy who complains

about a hundred dollar dress will drive

up with a thirty thousand dollar boot on

the back of his car or go out and buy a

new car or a new gun or a new technical

thing or something you know I really

want this I didn't love for money I mean

we need to flee away from that and

following right along with that is the

idea of discontentment and it seems like

you know the older we get as men the

more discontent that we get you know

women get this bad rap about you know

menopause and the change of life and

that kind of thing but I know too many

men and their 50s that all of a sudden

or I know what snapped in them they got

to go out and buy a brand-new

convertible car you know and drive

around you know with a hood down and you

know show off and that kind of stuff

where we go through this midlife crisis

just like the ladies do that we're not

content and it's displayed in the way we

treat our wives and our children you

know the spirit of discontentment well

enough of that because he says flee

these things so if you're going to run

away from something you need to run to

something and so that's what he tells

you to do or tell us Timothy now notice

this is all in reference to being a man

of God he says flee but then he says

pursue pursue righteousness godliness

faith love patience gentleness fight the

good fight of faith lay hold on eternal

life to which you were also called and

have confessed the good confession in

the presence of many witnesses

I wish in my own life I would pursue

those things with as much passion as I

pursue the things that Paul says I

should flee I mean I think about a man

being wrapped up in his job and it's not

a bad thing

to be good at what you do you should be

and you should devote yourself you know

to being able to provide for your family

but I think about the passion through

which we pursue our careers our jobs are

our self fulfillment and our

entertainment do we at least with that

same level of passion pursue the things

that tend to godliness to gentleness to

faith in patience in fighting the good

fight you know God has made men I

believe by the very way that we're wired

to be protectors and part of that and

we've been saying about God our Heavenly

Father being our protector and one of

those things about protecting is that we

you know we tend to be pugnacious

sometimes that is we like to fight but

we are losing that too there was a man I

believe was in New York this week who

was arrested a group of 12 year olds

were harassing his wife and his children

you know throwing rocks at them and

taunting them well this 39 year old guy

got a little fed up with it and he

walked over and shoved the

twelve-year-old kids down to the ground

so immediately he was arrested for

abusing the children see God has made

men he's wired us to be protectors and

and sometimes we lose that identity but

we're quick to fight for what we think

is the right thing even if it's our own

personal freedom we tend to fight for

that but he says fight the good fight of

faith and we need to pursue that so

these are some things he says to pursue

and and I look at that list

righteousness godliness and faith and

love and patience and gentleness I say

there's no hope it's easier for me to

follow the things I'm supposed to pursue

and flee the things I'm supposed to

pursue I find it easier to do that so

how what's the answer well that brings

me to my second time that this statement

man of God is used and turn now to 2nd

Timothy chapter 3 verses 15 and 16

because herein lies the key if I'm going

to be different than the men of my

generation and actually be be a man of

God and flee those things that are not

profitable and pursue those things that

are eternal and important I need to have

some guidelines some way in which to do

that so 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 15

and we'll find the second and other only

mention of man of God in the New

Testament and from childhood you have

known the Holy Scriptures which are able

to make you wise for salvation through

faith which is in Christ Jesus all

Scripture is given by the inspiration of

God and is profitable for doctrine for

reproof for correction for instruction

in righteousness and here we go

that the man of God may be complete

thoroughly equipped for every good work

so the first mention in the New

Testament of man of God but you O man of

God flee and pursue and the other only

mention of man of God in the New

Testament is the man of God may be

complete thoroughly equipped for every

good work by knowing the Scriptures

because all Scripture is god-breathed

and I think one of the reasons that we

are losing the battle with godly men

today is that men all of us tend to be

more focused on games entertainment than

we are the Word of God I got to go to

work I got my job to do I don't have

time for this

and if we're seriously honest with

ourselves how many of us is men are

faithfully consistent in our personal

devotions that we are giving priority to

the Word of God in our life and the

opposite of that I may have one answer

to that but you asked my wife or my

children let me have a little different

answer do I give priority to the Word of

God oh yeah I do I honor the word do I

ask my ask my wife or my children

does this Chuck honor the Word of God

well you know he's now there they they

wouldn't say that I don't think do you

see what I'm coming from you know we

give priority to a lot of things and we

wonder why we're not godly men we're not

rising up in our generation we don't

have the strength to flee away from

things that are unprofitable we don't

have the courage to stand up for the

things that are right and at the very

root of that is we have neglected the

Word of God we have avoided personal

commitment and devotion to God's Word

and I'm willing to bet that if in most

churches you would take a survey where

people would respond to the survey

without fear of people knowing who they

were and yet one question on the by on

that survey and it would be this how

many times have you read through the

entire Bible do you think you'd get more

answers from the women or from the men

just off the top of your head what do

you think you'd get probably the women

would say they are more diligent in

reading the scriptures than

men are because we're caught up in manly

things we don't have time to read the

scriptures you know we got we got more

important stuff to do and we wonder why

the godly man ceases and the man of God

is not filled with boldness and courage

you know and I encourage you to read the

history of some of these men through the

ages have who have stood in their

generation and they said thus saith the

Lord as for me and my house we will

serve the Lord or maybe you're like that

guy in the book of Judges I am I am sick

and tired of the enemy coming in and

ripping off my family and my possessions

and I'll fight in this pea patch till

the very end but I'm gonna defend what I

have against the attacks of the enemy

that's the kind of men we need today men

that are bold and courageous men who see

their need for Jesus men who sense their

need for the Word of God who hunger and

thirst after the Word of God who say I

think God's word for me is more

important than my breakfast that I'm

going to commit myself to the Word of

God then we will begin to see men rise

up and say no longer well I let the

enemy take from me and from my family

what he doesn't deserve we're the men

who as Paul encouraged us last night

like Jove who every single day would

give up and pray for his children saying

I don't know if they've sinned I don't

know if I don't know what's going on

with my kids but I sacrifice it I pray

for them you know and rise up old man of

God it's time that we become men and

then you know before I give you three

applications to this just real quickly

one other scripture I want you to look

at with me and I know most of you in

here are carrying a new

James but first Corinthians chapter 16

verse 13 they're going to find a little

different translation in the New King

James than you will in the authorized

version or the King James Version but

first Corinthians 16 says watch stand

fast in the faith be brave be strong I

know some of you in here carry a King

James Version and if you have a King

James Version I want you to reread it

real loud so everybody around the world

all three of them can hear you read it

anybody have an old King James Version

1st Corinthians 16:13 free to go ahead

and read it real loud yep had both up

Rita here it says quit ye like men act

like a man be brave be strong be bold

and I think the time has come before the

Lord returns that men begin to take

their rightful place in the church in

the family and in the community as men

of God because I can tell you what when

you and I go the way of all the earth if

the Lord were to tarry another hundred

years twenty-five four years from now or

after we're dead people aren't going to

give a flip about what we did while we

were here they won't care how successful

we were in business they won't care how

rich or prosperous we were but only

those things that have been still godly

character will last so let me leave you

with three life lessons in this and you

can remember these by the letter P so if

I'm going to be a man of God first there

needs to be priority in my life

I need to get my priorities in the right

place first on that list of priorities

is my personal relationship with the

father because I can never lead someone

beyond where I've gone myself and so as

a man if I'm gonna get priorities right

in my life the very first thing I need

to do is settle the issue once and for

all about my eternal salvation have you

made a decision to surrender your life

to Jesus that is the top of the list

before you having a right relationship

with God the Father and over everything

else you and I do all that we accomplish

all that we set out to accomplish that

should be the very top of our list I

want to have a right relationship with

the father that is the top priority of

my life and it's the most important

priority of my life close to that once

I've made a decision to get right with

God I need to keep eternity before me

that's the priority

I belong to God this life is not all

there is I need to keep heaven before me

part of that priority as I give God my

prime time not my leftover time you have

God your prime time not your leftover

time so it's a matter of priority and

once you get those three priorities

straight your relationship with the

Father your mind set on eternity and

giving God your prime time then you will

begin to see the other priorities that

fall right into place

your wife your children

your grandchildren priorities number two

presence aren't you glad this morning

that the Heavenly Father is always

available to you one things we love

about our Heavenly Father is that

anytime we can go to him and he's not

going to say you know this really isn't

a convenient time can you come back

later are you bad God doesn't say that

to you so if I'm gonna be a man of God

then I've got to do something about my

presence my availability both to God and

to those that God's called me to

minister to my family so priority

presence and then the third that I I

just want to kind of throw out at you is

after priority after presence comes

protection and provision and notice

where they are on the list you know if I

get my priorities right and I get my

presence right not the gifts that I get

but my presence then I can begin to

focus on the things that are eternally

important my god-given role and

responsibility of being a protector and

a provider to my family I want to show

you another short video clip this has

been out for a few years that kind of

sets the stage of what I think God is

trying to say to you and me about these

life lessons and learning to be a godly

man

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

as we wrap up this morning all I've

hoped to do this morning was wet a

desire in you to be a man of God you

know all of us have made mistakes I can

look back and I could bring all eight of

my children up here and they could

probably list all the mistakes I've made

being a parent

I've blown it I've messed up I've done

wrong things I've said wrong things and

I've acted wrong ways but you know today

I can make a decision that for the rest

of my life by the help and grace of God

I will be a godly man and I don't if you

called the words of that song in that

video or not but at the end of my life I

hope they can say over me there lies a

godly man but you know the choice is

yours you can continue the way you've

been living and hope everything turns

out okay or you say things are going to

be different from this day forward I'm

gonna be a man of God you stand with me

as we present ourselves before the Lord

Lord these are difficult and trying

times that we live in

father I pray in Jesus name that as we

read earlier that the scriptures would

convict and reprove us and correct