Lord Give Us Men

Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

 

Fathers are far more than biological procreation contributors, more than mere providers for food, shelter, clothes and security for the family. Both parents have their God-given roles in raising children. The duties of parents to their children are to maintain, protect and educate them. When parents are wanting in authority, children are wanting in duty. 

Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light

and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Everyone sees that the world around them is entangled in a spiritual struggle against "In God We Trust" [all that phrase stands for] that has manifested itself into a battle with evil for the hearts, minds and wellbeing of every man, woman and child; and shockingly children are the largest target and the prime focus of their war on children. These precious little minds, bodies and souls need and deserve strong and godly protection by strong and godly fathers. 

Lord give us men. Men who are willing to live and die for you, who name the name of Christ and live for His glory.  
Lord give us men. Men who know your voice and whose greatest delight is to do your will. Who are slow to anger, quick to listen, and eager to forgive.
Lord give us men, Men who love their wives and their children;  honoring you in their homes; Who are living epistles of salt and light to all they know and meet.  
Men whose sacrifice, service, and love are renown and who are known to have spent time with you.
Lord give us men. These kinds of men! For the world is desperate for them.
Lord give us men, Men of faith and action, who have eternity in their hearts and only you as their focus, passion and reason for living. Men of whom the God-rejecting world is not worthy. Lord, you use ordinary men to do extraordinary things through your power. Men who are known more for their availability than for their ability, and because you become godly strong. Men who choose to decrease so that you may increase.
Lord let me be a man like this among men like this. Lord let me be that man. — Pete McKenzie

God has called men from the darkness of this world into the glorious light of his gospel of truth. He has called us according to Mark 9:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.” He who enters into God’s inner chamber must enter in with personal abandonment and absolute trust. Before we can enter into his holy presence we must trust their heavenly Father absolutely. Absolute trust begins with prayer. Prayer is aligning our heart with His heart. Absolute means without restrictions or qualifications. Absolute is fundamental, uncontaminated, unadulterated, pure, refined, without deviation from God’s exacting standard of truth. Only men who trust Him absolutely, who are not confused about the object of their trust can enter into God’s holy of holies.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.” Trusting in the Lord is indicated by your concept of the object of your trust. How trusting are you of God and the integrity of His Holy word? Father made us worthy and now by His grace, His mercy in Christ has cleansed us, reconciled us, and made us His own.  A man of God is God’s man. The phrase “man of God” is the genitive of possession. Christianity is not who we are, but whose we are. “For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I but Christ lives in me, and the life that I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

According to 1 John 1:11-13, These things have I written to you so that you may believe in the name of the Son of God, and that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God. To know Him is to love Him. Herein is the love of God made perfect ... we love God because He first loved us., meaning without His loving us first, we could not have the capacity to love Him. The love of God is unlike the types of love in this world. Agape is the Greek word for God’s unconditional love. God’s spiritual unconditional love does not require love in return. Love is manifest in the pure act of giving. For God so loved the word that he gave his only begotten son. As you are a child of God and Creator God is your heavenly Father, be a pure and true father {as God intended] to your children. God designed the family and your children need that.

 

Lord give us men! Men who put on the “Full armor of God” in front of their wives and children and stand up firm as protectors and providers against the attacks of this demonic and sinful fallen world as You designed them. Men who instruct and train up their children in the godly ways in which their children should walk in life. Men who join their hearts together to create an environment where their family is safe, and the Holy Spirit can come help Himself to their lives to share in the unity of the Spirt in the bond of peace.

Lord give us men! Men who love You [their heavenly Father] above all. Men who give their lives to you in total abandonment and absolute trust. May I be a man like this among men like this that we all may live to the praise of the glory of thy grace!

Happy Father’s Day! Your brother in Christ,
Michael & Brian