A Few Good Men
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A Few Good Men
A Few Good Men
30 “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
The Men’s Thesaurus
The Men’s Thesaurus
(men don’t always say what they mean) – ladies, please allow me to translate for your future benefit:
When a man says “IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN”
He means: "I have no idea how it works”
When a man says "TAKE A BREAK, HONEY. YOU ARE WORKING TOO HARD’’
He means: "I can’t hear the game over the vacuum cleaner"
When a man says ’THAT’S INTERESTING DEAR.’
He means: "Are you still talking?"
When a man says: "IT’S A GUY THING"
He means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with this, and you have no chance at all of making it logical"
When a man says "CAN I HELP WITH DINNER"
He means: "Why isn’t it ready yet?"
When a man says "UH HUH, SURE HONEY,” or “YES, DEAR"
He means: Absolutely nothing – It’s a conditioned response.
When a man says "YOU KNOW HOW BAD MY MEMORY IS."
He means: " I can remember the theme song to ‘Hogan’s Heroes’, the phone # of the first girl I ever kissed & the vehicle identification numbers of every car I ever owned – but yes, I forgot your birthday"
When a man says ’OH, DON’T FUSS, I JUST CUT MYSELF. IT’S NO BIG DEAL"
He means: "I have probably severed a limb, but I will bleed to death before I admit I’m hurt, so get over here and help me!"
When a man says ’I CAN’T FIND IT.’’
He means: "It didn’t fall into my outstretched hand, so I’m completely clueless"
When a man says “I HEARD YOU.”
He means: "I haven’t the foggiest clue what you just said and I am hoping desperately that I can fake it well enough so that you’ll not spend the next 3 days yelling at me."
When a man says "YOU KNOW I COULD NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE"
He means: "I am used to the way you yell at me and realize it could be worse."
When a man says "YOU LOOK TERRIFIC!"
He means: "Oh please don’t try on one more outfit, we’re late and I’m starving."
When a man says "I’M NOT LOST. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE.’’
He means: "No one will ever see us alive again."
When a man says “I don’t think I can go today.”
He means: Shopping is NOT a sport, and no, I am never going to think of it that way.
When a man says, “I don’t remember saying that.”
It’s because he means: “Anything I may have said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all past comments become null and void after 7 days.”
When a man says, “that’s not what I meant.”
He means: “If something I said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, I meant the other one.
If your husband says, “honey, what color is this?”
He means: ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. I have no idea what “taupe” (toope) is.
No matter how many of us have heard those excuses or responses, we all can agree that it is imperative for the body of Christ to have a few good men! But not “good” as what the world would describe but as how the Word of God describes! So what does it look like to be a “good man”? Lets take a look:
Good men are men who have learned to lean on the Lord for:
Good men are men who have learned to lean on the Lord for:
Salvation
Salvation
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
We men are bad about trying to be “in control”...to “make things happen.” Often ladies find it easier to “rest in the Lord” and lean on Him for salvation. It’s a part of a woman’s nature to place themselves in someone else’s hands. It’s not that way for men. Is that fair?
We men are bad about trying to be “in control”...to “make things happen.” Often ladies find it easier to “rest in the Lord” and lean on Him for salvation. It’s a part of a woman’s nature to place themselves in someone else’s hands. It’s not that way for men. Is that fair?
Jesus solves this dilemma:
3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Children have that attitude of trust, even male children...but something happens to us once we begin to feel even the slightest amount of thickness in our “peach fuzz!” We begin to think we can solve our own problems and live life on our own without any help. But good men realize they haven’t arrived and they need to be saved from their sin just like everyone else!
Children have that attitude of trust, even male children...but something happens to us once we begin to feel even the slightest amount of thickness in our “peach fuzz!”
I thank God for a few good men we have here at Fellowsville AG...they have learned to lean on the Lord for their salvation...
Strength
Strength
30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
10 He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might.
Supply
Supply
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
We all want to be the breadwinner/mighty hunter, but ultimately we need to see even our own selves as being in God’s hands. Everything we have comes from God!
We all want to be the breadwinner/mighty hunter, but ultimately we need to see even our own selves as being in God’s hands.
Soundness (Reasoning/wisdom)
Soundness (Reasoning/wisdom)
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
This is the one of only 2 prayers any man can pray which the answer is always yes! The other prayer is found in Romans 10:13:
This is the one of only 2 prayers any man can pray which the answer is always yes!
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
I thank God for a few good men who have learned to lean on the Lord for: salvation, strength, supply and soundness/wisdom. But good men not only need to learn to lean on the Lord,
I thank God for a few good men who have learned to lean…
Good men are men who have learned to lead:
Good men are men who have learned to lead:
Their flesh
Their flesh
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Men, we have to lead our flesh or our flesh will lead us!
Their families
Their families
23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.
Headship isn’t being the big boss...it’s loving leadership. God is no respecter of persons...women are equal in His sight.
Headship isn’t being the big boss...it’s loving leadership. God is no respecter of persons...women are equal in His sight.
Ill.—The Bible says she is the “weaker vessel”. This is not an insult...rather, it’s a compliment to her. She is not less valuable, rather, she is more fragile, and in need of strong, yet loving, leadership.
Women are like fine silk. Men are more like corduroy.
Silk and corduroy: which is more fragile? Which is more valuable? The answer to both questions is “silk!”
In God’s wisdom he has given each family a head...for anything w/ 2 heads is a monster!
But this is not a privilege as much as it is a responsibility!
The hardest thing you will ever do will to be a good husband and a good father to your children...
...Eli could run the temple but could not run his family:
13 I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.
...David could run a kingdom and lead men into battle, but could not run his children
...David could run a kingdom and lead men into battle, but could not run his children
5 About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him.
6 Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.
Men, bringing your family to church on Sundays and Wednesdays is great but how are you leading your family in the relationship with God at home? At school? On the sports field?
Lead our flesh, lead our families and lead...
Lead our flesh, families...
The fallen to Jesus
The fallen to Jesus
7 But like Adam, you broke my covenant and betrayed my trust.
[word “men” could be translated “Adam”]
[word “men” could be translated “Adam”]
12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
Shall many come to God and live for Him? Not if we don’t lead the fallen! It’s why God left us here.
Shall many? Not if we don’t lead the fallen! It’s why God left us here.
22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.
I thank God for our few good men who have learned to lead their flesh, their families and the fallen but leaning on the Lord and leading are not all that is involved in being a good man. We also need to know that...
I thank God for our few good men who have learned to lead...
Good men are men who have learned to love:
Good men are men who have learned to love:
the Father (the Lord)
the Father (the Lord)
1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Our Lord, come!
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. [accursed]
their Families
their Families
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. [accursed]
We covered this under leadership...how? When we said the only real leadership is loving leadership!
We covered this under leadership...how? When we said the only real leadership is loving leadership!
Further: God admonishes every husband to "love your wife". This may seem like a strange admonition to many. Some will say, "If I didn't loved her I wouldn't have married her." Wait a minute, love, as used here, means far more than affection. It means more than emotional feeling or satisfaction. It means that you or I are going to seek the welfare and happiness of the person we are going to love, and lead them lovingly. That means that my effort will be to make the object of my love happy, secure, and comfortable.
This admonition goes far beyond just telling the husband to love his wife as long as she is beautiful, lovely, etc:
Joke--A man was talking to his wife after she had done something that he did not approve of. He said to her, "How can you be so beautiful and stupid at the same time?" She replied, "God made me beautiful so you would love me, and He made me stupid so I would love you."
the Church
the Church
25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
9 Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.
4 Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.
9 But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.
Love/join the family of God
50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”
Get Connected
[love/join the family of God
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
I thank God for the few good men God has given to us...don’t you? We need a few more, so how about you?
I thank God for the few good men God has given to us...don’t you? We need a few more, so how about you?
30 “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
Play video “Gods Man-A Real Man”
Consider this a call to battle: to stand in the gap, to be the few good men that God is looking for to lean on Him, to lead and to love!