Posts tagged Manhood

Learning from the Wisdom & Experience of Others

May05
2012 Written by Warner Smith

One of the first disciple habits which I began to practice following my conversion was to read the chapter in Proverbs which corresponded with the day of the month.  So today on the fifth of the month the devotion topic will be taken from the fifth chapter of Proverbs.  The book of Proverbs is the accumulated wisdom which is passed down from a father to his son.  While everyone receives pearls of wisdom from parents the biblical author has much which we (particularly men) need to hear.

First, we learn an important principle for learning from another’s wisdom.

1 My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, Proverbs 5:1 (ESV)

We must be attentive.  We have to be willing participants in the learning process.  This is why so much accumulated wisdom has been lost over the generations.  Often the person who possesses the wisdom is ready, willing and able to transmit that wisdom to the next generation, but those who need to learn are not ready to receive.  As a parent we need to be constantly transmitting our values and accumulated wisdom to our children because we can never be sure when they are listening.

Next, we learn the purpose for our paying attention to the wisdom of others.

2 that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. Proverbs 5:2 (ESV)

Each of us have much to learn.  Beware of anyone who thinks he/she knows it all.  Those who have followed God will be the first to admit their own ignorance and waywardness.  Learning discretion (the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation) is a worthy goal and should be a topic of interest for every Christian.

Now the lesson and point of all this accumulated wisdom is simple and severe.

3 For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, 4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; 6 she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it. Proverbs 5:3-6 (ESV)

Be careful!  You really cannot trust your lying eyes.  The weakness in your character is known by your enemy.  Satan will never show you the consequence of an action, he will simply entice you. As a pastor for twenty-four years let me tell you that moral failings bring great heartache, not just to the offender or the offended but to many innocents whom you would never wish to harm, but who will be harmed more than you can comprehend.

Each of needs to hear and learn this lesson, because the statement “there but by the grace of God, go I” is true.  None of us are beyond experiencing a moral failing! For this reason each of us who name Christ as our Lord, and claim to love our spouses, our children, and our testimony need to be vigilant and guard our eyes and our hearts.  Each of us need to follow Job’s example when he said:

1 I have made a solemn promise never to look with lust at a woman. Job 31:1 (GN)

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Being A Godly Man Part 2

May04
2012 Written by Warner Smith

Satan’s modus operandi (a distinct pattern of operation that indicates or suggests the work of a single criminal in more than one crime) is to divide and conquer.  He seeks to destroy the affection that husbands have for their wife and the affection which a wife has for her husband.  As a Christian man it is prudent that I understand Satan’s method of attack and also that I become aware that my marriage is going to be a target of his attack.  Too many Christians are blissfully ignorant that Satan would attack their marriage.  To each and every married Christian I carefully and boldly declare; WATCH OUT!

You have an enemy in this world and it is not your spouse, it is Satan.

8 Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world. 1 Peter 5:8–9 (HCSB)

The chief means for resisting Satan as a godly man is to obey Christ.  In particular every married Christian man needs to obey the command to love your wife as Christ loved the Church.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:22–33 (ESV)

Did you get that? You are to love your wife and the pattern for your love of her is Christ’s love for His church.  Wow!  Does Christ ever quit loving His bride the church?  No!  So I am to keep loving my bride.  I am to love her as I love myself.  If you do not love yourself then you are also disobeying the second part of the second commandment.

36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important commandment. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36–40 (HCSB)

Unfortunately many men whose life does not turn out as they had planned become bitter.  This bitterness will sometime turn inward and develop into self loathing.  Other times this bitterness is directed outward and poisons all other relationships.  Men in particular need to know that they are much more than the sum of their 401k or of the things they have accumulated.  True success is measured by submitting to God’s will for your life.

If you are married, you can rest assured that one part of God’s perfect and permissive will for you life is that you love your wife.  Love is a choice.  You can choose to be in love or out of love.  Satan wants you to believe the lie that people fall in and out of love and that there is nothing you can do about it.  That is asinine (extremely stupid or foolish)!  You chose, courted and proposed to your wife.  During the course of your courtship you loved her.  Any negative changes to your feelings are within your and her power to alter. Your feelings are certainly under God’s authority.  If you find yourself feeling less love for your wife than you once did, then confess.  Ask God to increase your love for your wife.  Ask God to protect your marriage from Satan’s attack.

As a Christian man you need to understand that by loving and supporting your wife you are giving your children a godly example. Satan knows this and he is fighting you, and will to continue to fight you on the home front.  He always seeks to divide then conquer.  If he can keep you preferring to be away working, because you think providing things for your family is how you love them, then he wins.  Please understand that your wife and kids need less stuff and more of you!  There is no substitute for quality time and you can never know when quality time will occur, you cannot schedule it.  Therefore give your wife and children quantity time and the quality time will take care of itself.

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Being A Godly Man

May03
2012 Written by Warner Smith

Being a Christian is the hardest thing I do in my life. Being a good husband and father is no picnic either. The reason for this difficulty to lead a Christian life and maintain the important relationships in life is because we are attacked by Satan regularly.  This is called Spiritual Warfare.  We should pray warfare prayers.

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Ephesians 6:10–18 (ESV)

We should pray on this spiritual armor every morning.  This is also an excellent means to conduct a spiritual inventory each day also.  As I pray on the belt of truth I examine my own honesty, as I pray on the breastplate of righteousness I consider my own personal righteousness, etc.

My relationship with my wife is a vital part of my being a godly man.  I am her leader and protector.  I should put forth all my energy in maintaining this relationship.  My relationship with my wife has great impact upon my relationship with Christ.

For example the effectiveness of my prayers can be hindered if my relationship with my wife is not right.

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)

As a godly man I am to live with my wife in an understanding way.  It is easy for men to become demanding and domineering over time.  Think of the character Archie Bunker.  I am to be understanding of my wife. and not overbearing.  Godly men will honor their wife.  Think how you would handle a valuable and delicate object such as a Stradivarius violin were it placed in your hands.  Think about how you would instruct your young son to handle it were it in his hands.  Your wife is far more valuable, and her spirit is much more delicate.  She is the weaker vessel.  This text is not implying nor teaching that husbands are superior to their wives, but that men and women are different.

Adrian Rogers once helped me to better understand this comparison.  He said men are like denim and women like silk.  Denim is tougher than silk but not more valuable.  Silk is far more valuable than denim.  Husbands your wife is fine silk, she is delicate and you can severely and easily damage her spirit by being inconsiderate, and dictatorial.

As a Christian man I am commanded to love my wife.  I must be aware that Satan also knows how important it is for me to do this and that He will do everything in his power to attack this relationship.  This is why divorce is such a personal tragedy for the families who suffer it and also why so many marriages today suffer this tragic end.

If you have a desire to be a godly man you need to take notice of how you are living with your wife, and acknowledge that Satan is also taking notice and waiting for the most opportune time to attack.

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Religion Can Get In the Way Of Your Own Salvation Part 2

Apr26
2012 Written by Warner Smith

If you have always gone to church you could have trouble accepting the truth that you need a spiritual rebirth.  According to Jesus’ teaching everyone “must be born again.”

We all need to be twice born.  Once “from above,” or a supernatural rebirth.

Christianity at its very core, is about our each having a supernatural rebirth. This rebirth can only be accomplished through a genuine work of God.  God alone can make it happen. This second birth can only be received by faith, and if God does not make it happen after you receive it by faith then it will never happen. Why? Because you and I do not have the ability within ourselves to make it happen. This makes us feel helpless, but the truth is only God can make it happen. All you can do is throw yourself upon His mercy and cry out for His grace.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.     John 1:12-13

In Greek, the word translated “right,”is  (εξουσίαν) exousia. It means the right or freedom of choice, authority, and ability or power.  It means all three of those things. You and I have the God given right or freedom to choose to receive Him.  We have His authority to choose to receive Him for ourselves, and He has given us the ability to make the choice to receive Him. God has given us the right, the authority, and the power to become children of God.  He gives this right, authority and power to everyone who will believe in His name.

We are not born into God’s kingdom through any natural process.  Our blood does not qualify us, nor our ancestry, only God can initiate this second birth.  People tell me very often that their parents were great Christians, and they somehow assume that their parents faith passed to them genetically.

Unfortunately this is not the case.  Mom and Dad passed down to you a sinful nature known as depravity. They needed to be born again just as you I need to be born again.  God has to work the miracle of salvation deep within you through His Spirit or it will not happen.

A true spiritual rebirth will not occur through religion. It will only happen through a life changing encounter.  You need to know this because you need to tell others that only a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ can forgive sin.  Not only does He forgive your sins, but a genuine rebirth will alter your nature.  Deep within your spirit God will change your inclination to agree with His will forever. You can still sin, but inside your core you will grieve.  You will feel terrible, because God the Holy Spirit will convict you and condemn your sin.

This second birth is a spiritual birth.

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.    John 3:5–6 (ESV)

Someone recently asked me what being born of the water meant in this text.  The best answer will fit the context of the passage.  This text is an example of Hebrew thought being translated into Greek.  Hebrew often uses parallelism to expand and complete a thought.  Being born of water is to be understood as the parallel for being born of the flesh.  Being born of water or of the flesh parallels being born of the Spirit.  When our mothers water breaks we are born of water, when we exit her womb we are born of the flesh.

The point of this text is to explain the necessity of our being born of the Spirit.  God the Holy Spirit must be the midwife of our being reborn or we will not be truly born again.  While I have the right to choose, God’s Spirit must also be involved.  Many people have walked an aisle, shook hands with their pastor and joined the church, but were not born again.  If God’s Spirit is not involved your nature will not change and sooner or later you will claim that Christianity did not work for you.  The reason for this is that you tried to be born again by your own will in your own power and God’s Spirit was not involved.

This second birth is a spiritual birth or it becomes only an empty religious ritual that has no saving power.

We all “must” be born again or we cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘you must be born again,’    John 3:7

In Greek the word translate “must” is dei.  It means a divine necessity. In other words a spiritual rebirth is a divine necessity.  It is nonnegotiable.  You, me and everyone else who has ever or will ever walk the face of this earth must be born again, there are no exceptions.  Jesus did not say:

  • Nicodemus, it’s important for you to be born again, or
  • Nicodemus it will help you to be born again, or
  • Nicodemus you will achieve your spiritual ambition if you add this component of rebirth to you religion.

He said, Nicodemus You Must Be Born Again!  If you are NOT born again you, the CEO of religion in Jerusalem, will not see the kingdom of God.  This concept is at the very heart of Christianity. There is no substitute. You cannot substitute church for this rebirth.  You cannot substitute your parents relationship with Christ for your own.  You will not get a pass because of your denominations understanding of salvation.  You, each and everyone must be born again!

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Religion Can Get In The Way Of Your Own Salvation

Apr25
2012 Written by Warner Smith

Many Christians were raised in the church.  For some this Christian heritage gets in the way of their own salvation.  In John Jesus talks to someone whose spiritual heritage is getting in the way of his own salvation.  His name is Nicodemus and he has one of the most impressive spiritual resumes in all of the New Testament.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Him by night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him. Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old?  He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered. “Truly, truly I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things?    John 3: 1-10

Nicodemus was a Pharisee who was a ruler of the Jews. In Greek the presence of the definite article “the” is very important.  Sometimes it is left off for the purpose of adding emphasis. It is absent for this purpose in this text, to say to us that Nicodemus is “THE” most prominent person.  In Greek, we can understand this to read “there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews.” He was the CEO of religion in Jerusalem.

Nicodemus asks Jesus a question “Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”  Jesus didn’t answer his question.  He did not say, yes, I am from God. Instead he said “Nicodemus do you want to know where you really stand in your relationship with God?  I want you to know that unless you are born again you, the CEO of religion in Jerusalem, will not see the kingdom of God.”

This answer baffled Nicodemus.  We mistakenly think this is the first time Nicodemus had heard the term, “born again,” but it was a common phrase among the Jews.

When you were circumcised on the eighth day you were said to have been born again. When you went through the rite of  your bar mitzvah you were said to have been born again.  When you were married, you were said to have been born again.  When you turned forty, you were said to have been born again.  Were you to become a Rabbi you were said to have been born again.

Nicodemus understood the term “born again” as it related to his practice of Judaism. What he did not understand was Jesus telling him that he must be born again, again. He was thinking I am a Jew, I have been circumcised, I have been bar mitzvahed, I am married, I am now over forty and I am a Rabbi, in fact I am “The Rabbi” in Israel. In other words, Nicodemus is saying “I have had all of the born again experiences in Judaism and you, Jesus, are telling me that I must be born again!”

He is totally shocked. Nicodemus was confused: thinking “How can I do that, when I have already done it all.”

Many Christians who grew up in church are like Nicodemus.  They think “I grew up with Christian parents, I have gone to church all of my life.  I have gone through catechism class, I have learned all of the liturgies and rituals.  I was in the choir, or I was in the youth group.  So when they hear  Jesus is saying, “you to must be born again.”  Some church people who have done their religious duty all of their life, do not truly understand that they must also be born again.  Religious people also need to be changed from within by regeneration.

Nicodemus did synagogue, just like some people today, do church.  Doing church doesn’t save anyone!

. . . unless one is born of water and spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Jesus is saying the Spirit is not something you can predict.  He is not a formula, He is God, He is the movement of God.  Nicodemus throws up his hands and says, “how can these things be?”  Jesus ask him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and you don’t understand these things?” Nicodemus is totally confused when it comes to really talking about the things of the Spirit of God.

When Jesus wants to talk about spiritual things, Nicodemus wants to talk about church attendance. Nicodemus can only talk about duty, the law.  Nicodemus wants to talk in terms of the outside of man while Jesus’ language is about the inner man.

A. T. Robertson, a great theological scholar said: “this well known authorized teacher of Israel was told by Jesus that his theology had made him immune to spiritual apprehension.”

Are you like Nicodemus?  Are you trusting in the outer signs of your religion to save you and forgoing asking God to re-create you from the inside, through His Spirit as you call on the name of His Son, Jesus.

Please for the sake of your eternal soul ask Jesus Christ to give you the spiritual new birth!

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