Do what is RIGHT
May 15, 2013
Do what is RIGHT
Man_Up
Doing what is right can be a challenging endeavor when we are put in stressful and strenuous situations. One of the most common temptations it seems is to quit. The parable of the seed and sower is seed that didn’t produce because one situation or another caused them to quit or give up. When we lose sight of the goal or become frustrated because of persistent failure it is easy to succumb to the temptation to turn and look for some relief. Even John the Baptist if you recall sent word to Jesus from prison asking are you the one or should we look for another. Do what is right and stay hooked up.
I recall the words of a wise man who once told me “if you are going to stop don’t start and if you are going to stop don’t start.” I took them as a wise statement to remember at the time. I have even made it a point to intentionally look at them from time to time. Incorporating them as rule to live by has been sometimes difficult. The challenges and difficulties in this life have been more than I have wanted to bear at times. That’s life. Be a man.
Ezekiel was warned early on by God that he was being given an extraordinary task. Excuses were not going to be tolerated. The message was going to be plain and direct. If he waivered with the message and they died in their sin, he would be held responsible. His emotions would be tried. His compassion for others would be put to the test. His anger would be tempted. The requirement for him would be to finish the task.
Situations and circumstances in this life seem to try to interrupt the tasks that we engage in. Emotions can get in the way. We do not want to appear to not be compassionate. We must be careful about allowing anger a place. Being pulled in so many directions will cause you to think about terminating the mission. Focus on the task at hand. Learn to recognize and appropriately deal with distractions. Finish what you have started.
Every successful person has had to deal with the distractions of life and every successful person has met the requirement of overcoming things that were meant to detour them. It is through the challenges of life that we are able to progress to the success that God wants in our lives. Challenges in life are not only possible but they are necessary for our growth.
Start and don’t stop.
Stay focused. Stay connected. Stay linked with God.
Man_Up and do what is right
Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.
Check out my book “Here’s the Man”.
This life requires that we know who we are and purposefully move forward.
It is available in soft cover, hardback, and e-book
“Here’s the Man” is available @
Available now from AuthorHouse @
You can also order this title through your local bookseller
or preferred on-line retailer.
Discipline and Obedience
January 15, 2013
Discipline and Obedience
Man_Up
Discipline is the focus and obedience is the key. Two words that are often quoted and misunderstood and quite frankly may very well be overused because their importance is overlooked. These two attributes are absolutely imperative for our spiritual growth and are the fundamental foundation for our spiritual maturity. They are a must if we are going to succeed in becoming what God wants us to be.
After we come to a knowledge of our need of a savior and act on that by repenting and calling on the name of Jesus and accepting Him as becoming sin for us and receiving Him as the salvation of our souls and believing on Him we embark on a journey of continuing to be changed as we learn from God’s word and begin to apply it to our lives. We must be very careful and not become arrogant in our thinking and forget that we all are expected to continue to grow and that none of us have arrived or know all. God has a plan for all of our lives and if we will trust Him we will be able to fulfill both His will and His purpose in our lives.
The road we are called to travel has the potential to be trying to say the least. Parts of the road will be easier than others. There may very well be times that we might not recognize the road we are on because of the difficulties we face. God takes us through a journey of establishing what we are to do. There are some things He will establish in our lives as a foundation so He can take us further. He will begin to develop in our lives some areas such as being attentive, being content, learning forgiveness, allowing gratefulness, and trusting in His security. This foundation is the beginning of His fullness being established in us.
These foundational attributes that God is developing in us are disciplines and they are necessary changes that are contrary to our human nature. Because they are contrary to our natural human tendencies or nature the only way they are taken on to advocate substantial change is by obedience. I don’t know about you but for me that is one of the truths about God that revolutionized my life. I know that I was changed when I accepted Christ. There was a marked and dramatic difference. However what was also evident was that I still needed to grow and part of that growth was my responsibility. Obedience is the only way we learn Discipline.
Trust God. Follow God. Be changed. Learn His disciplines by becoming willingly obedient.
Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.
Check out my new book “Here’s the Man”
and my others also “Be a Man”, “What a Man”, and “Where’s the Man”.
This life requires that we know who we are and purposefully move forward.
“Here’s the Man” and the others are available @
Available now from AuthorHouse @
You can also order these titles through your local bookseller
or preferred on-line retailer.
Line upon Line
January 11, 2013
Man_Up
Trust God to have His perfect way in your life.
I have looked for years for the understanding of why things happen the way they happen. It just appears at times that there is no reasonable explanation for why thins happen. The pain is unbearable or so it seems. The hurt is unsolicited and the disappointment is emotionally crushing. There seems to be no explanation and we somehow try to convince ourselves that we are supposed to be okay with that. I have come to accept that there are some things that are supposed to hurt.
As we accept the relationship with Christ and begin to walk with God we embark on a journey that is designed to develop our beings to be what He desires by promoting in us the characteristics that he wills to enable us to fulfill His purpose. He initially begins that process with discipline. That discipline is accomplished or performed in us by our obedience. In other words we learn his discipline by our acts of obedience. He said He desired obedience more than sacrifice. Don’t be confused. The act of sacrificing was being obedient. It wasn’t the sacrifice that caught His attention, it was the act of obedience.
There are two motivating factors that drive us. One is the fear of the consequences of His wrath. The other is the reward of His favor. Both are very powerful in their motivation. Both have their particular purpose. That purpose is to help guide us to become what God wants us to be. Allow Him to have His way in your life. He knows what is best. He knows what He wants of us and He knows how to establish in us what He desires.
His plans are sure and definitive. He makes no mistakes. He is the one who works all things together for our good. So allow Him to have is way in your life. He does things perfect and in order. Trust Him.
Man_Up and the man that God wants you to be.
Be a Man that God wants
September 14, 2012
God Wants You
Man_Up
What kind of man are you going to be? What kind of influence are you going to be? Where will that influence take place? Life is full of questions and those particular questions can often times be overwhelming. I don’t believe anyone in their right mind wants to miss God. We want to be sure of direction as well as taking advantage of opportunities as well. That will mean getting close to God.
God said that He looked for a man to stand in the gap and make up the hedge for the land that He would not destroy it but He found none. Is that not disturbing? It is not that He didn’t find a man, for the word declares that man existed at the time. It is not that people were not “spiritual” at the time for they were offering their sacrifices and observing the Holy days. The problem was their relationship with God was lacking. They served God with their mouths and not their hearts. This is an intolerable act with God.
It does not take a rocket scientist to see that there are a lot of things in this world that has not changed. There is a large portion of society today that does not believe, trust, or follow the teachings of Christ. Even among believers the views on critical issues such as salvation, maturity, and commitment vary. Some who consider themselves believers do not accept the bible as the infallible word of God. Many consider good works enough to secure eternal salvation as others hold fast to confession while treating their neighbors like trash.
God is still looking for a man who will believe and follow Him. God is still looking for a man who will trust and commit to Him. God is still looking for a man who will dare care for his neighbor and the world around Him. God is still looking for a man who believes that he can positively affect this society. I hope that person is you. That person can be you.
Man_Up and be the man God wants you to be.
Check out my new book “Here’s the Man”.
This life requires that we know who we are and purposefully move forward.
“Here’s the Man” is available @
Available now from AuthorHouse @
You can also order this title through your local bookseller
or preferred on-line retailer.
Do You Believe
November 28, 2011
Man_Up
Be A Man
On a recent trip to Costa Rica we discovered some things about ourselves as well as them. We say that people in general are all alike. We probably don’t realize how true that is. Although living conditions and climates and color of skin may be different we are more alike than we may want to admit. We all struggle with sin. We all have to make effort to go forward. We all have to learn to believe. We must learn to believe that we can make a difference.
God is looking for a man. God is looking for a man who will care for the world around him. He is looking for a man to dare to make a difference and obey Him. He is looking for a man who will follow through in his actions and see things through. He desires a man who would heed His strong warning and be an example in this life. He hasn’t asked most of us to go off to some foreign land but rather to be who we are where we are and make a difference. He is begging for a man who would be teachable and just learn how to trust Him. He is still searching for a man who would live a life of righteousness and holiness before Him and one who would walk the walk of faith before others. God is searching for a man who will be what God wants for him to be, when God wants him to be it and where He wants him to be. What He is searching for is someone who will give himself wholly to God. Paul said that we were to give ourselves as a living sacrifice which was our reasonable service.
In the eleventh chapter of Ezekiel we find an interesting portion of scripture. God has given Ezekiel some words to speak about destruction and then later telling that he would restore. It is what happens in between those two statements that is interesting. Ezekiel said that while he spoke Benaiah’s son died. Ezekiel fell on his face and cried with a loud voice and said God will you destroy them all? Then it was that God said he would restore.
God is looking for a man who will stand in the gap and make up the hedge for the land that He would not destroy it. Ezekiel is the man that God is looking for. His life proves it. His actions declare it and God is pleased. Again in the 37th chapter in the valley of dry bones we find Ezekiel just being the man that God wants him to be and He promises great things to be accomplished.
I’m convinced that with God’s help you also can be that man. Only believe that you can be that man.
I don’t know that anything else needs to be said. Simply know this.
You can be a man!
Man_Up and be the man God wants you to be.
Trust God
October 12, 2011
Man_Up
Trust God in the steps he leads you in. I recall the words of a wise man who once told me “if you are going to stop don’t start and if you are going to stop don’t start.” I took them as a wise statement to remember at the time. I have even made it a point to intentionally look at them from time to time. Incorporating them as rule to live by has been sometimes difficult. The challenges and difficulties in this life have been more than I have wanted to bear at times. That’s life. Be a man.
Ezekiel was warned early on by God that he was being given an extraordinary task. Excuses were not going to be tolerated. The message was going to be plain and direct. If he waivered with the message and they died in their sin, he would be held responsible. His emotions would be tried. His compassion for others would be put to the test. His anger would be tempted. The requirement for him would be to finish the task.
Situations and circumstances in this life seem to try to interrupt the tasks that we engage in. Emotions can get in the way. We do not want to appear to not be compassionate. We must be careful about allowing anger a place. Being pulled in so many directions will cause you to think about terminating the mission. Focus on the task at hand. Learn to recognize and appropriately deal with distractions. Finish what you have started.
Every successful person has had to deal with the distractions of life and every successful person has met the requirement of overcoming things that were meant to detour them. It is through the challenges of life that we are able to progress to the success that God wants in our lives. Challenges in life are not only possible but they are necessary for our growth.
Start and don’t stop. Be encouraged with the fact that God is for you and stay the course.
Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.
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