Category Archives: family

The Power of a Father’s Presence (or Absence)

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There are two ways to measure power. One is to see it at work (a weightlifter breaking a world record, a rocket launching into space, an Indy race car speeding down the final stretch). Another way to measure power is to observe it’s absence.  Some studies reveal that 1/3 of all children in the U.S.A. are being raised in a home where there is NO father.

“Young men who grow up in homes without fathers are twice as likely to end up in jail as those who come from traditional two-parent families…those boys whose fathers were absent from the household had double the odds of being incarcerated- even when other factors such as race, income, parent education and urban residence were held constant.” (Cynthia Harper of the University of Pennsylvania and Sara S. McLanahan of Princeton University cited in “Father Absence and Youth Incarceration” Journal of Research on Adolescence 14 (Sept. 2004).

Fatherless homes:

75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes- 10 times the average.

63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (U.S. Dept. Of Health/Census)- 5 times the average.

90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes- 32 times the average.

85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes- 20 times the average (Center for Disease Control).

80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes- 14 times the average (Justice & Behavior, Vol. 14, p. 403-26).

71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes- 9 times the average (National Principals Association Report).

The Father Factor in Education:

Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.

Children with fathers who are involved are:

  • 40% less likely to repeat a grade.
  • 70% less likely to drop out of school.
  • more likely to get A’s in school.
  • more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.
  • High School Dropouts. 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes (Source: What Can the Federal Government Do To Decrease Crime and Revitalize Communities?)
  • Educational Attainment. Kids living in single-parent homes or in step-families report lower educational expectations on the part of their parents, less parental monitoring of school work, and less overall social supervision than children from intact families. (N.M. Astore and S. McLanahan, American Sociological Review, No. 56.

Suicide: 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (Source: What Can the Federal Government Do To Decrease Crime and Revitalize Communities?)

Behavioral Disorders: 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes (Source: What Can the Federal Government Do To Decrease Crime and Revitalize Communities? )

Juvenile Detention Rates: 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes (Source: What Can the Federal Government Do To Decrease Crime and Revitalize Communities?)

Confused Identities: Boys who grow up in father-absent homes are more likely that those in father-present homes to have trouble establishing appropriate sex roles and gender identity.(P.L. Adams, J.R. Milner, and N.A. Schrepf, Fatherless Children, New York, Wiley Press).

Aggression: In a longitudinal study of 1,197 fourth-grade students, researchers observed “greater levels of aggression in boys from mother-only households than from boys in mother-father households.” (N. Vaden-Kierman, N. Ialongo, J. Pearson, and S. Kellam, “Household Family Structure and Children’s Aggressive Behavior: A Longitudinal Study of Urban Elementary School Children,” Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 23, no. 5).

Achievement: Children from low-income, two-parent families outperform students from high-income, single-parent homes. Almost twice as many high achievers come from two-parent homes as one-parent homes. (One-Parent Families and Their Children, Charles F. Kettering Foundation).

Delinquency: Only 13 percent of juvenile delinquents come from families in which the biological mother and father are married to each other. By contract, 33 percent have parents who are either divorced or separated and 44 percent have parents who were never married. (Wisconsin Dept. of Health and Social Services).

Criminal Activity: The likelihood that a young male will engage in criminal activity doubles if he is raised without a father and triples if he lives in a neighborhood with a high concentration of single-parent families. Source: A. Anne Hill, June O’Neill, Underclass Behaviors in the United States, CUNY, Baruch College.

A unique Swiss government study (presented in 2000) revealed:

If the mother & father attend church regularly:

33% of their children will end up attending church regularly

25% of their children will end up not attending at all

If mother attends church regularly & the father does not attend church at all:

2% of their children will end up attending church regularly

60% of their children will end up not attending at all

If the father attends church regularly & mother does not attend church at all:

44% of their children will end up attending church regularly

34% of their children will end up not attending at all. (NOTE: higher than if the mother and father both attend!)

Now look at the numbers from the survey released by the Baptist Press:

If the mother is the first to become a Christian in a household, there is a 17% probability that everyone in the household will follow.

If the father is the first to become a Christian in a household, there is a 93% probability that everyone in the household will follow!

God has given great power and influence to fathers. Dads, don’t squander it!

 

Getting to the heart of worship

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We showed this video Sunday, seeking to apply the main message in the Book of Job. In the end, the Book of Job asks the question: Do you worship God because of all that he has done for you or do you worship Him simply because He is God? Matt and Janna Shuford share the powerful story of how they discovered the answer to this question in one of the clearest explanations of the Gospel I’ve ever heard. Hit the link below:

 CLICK HERE: My Story- the Shufords

A Tribute to Dr. Brian Newman

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I can’t stop thinking about him. I’m shocked, I’m sad, I’m confused, I’m challenged… I’m envious. Paul’s words from Philippians 1:21 come to mind. “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” All of us who have been impacted by Brian have experienced an unbearable loss. Those who never knew him have missed out on an unspeakable blessing. I’m one of the blessed ones. I have lost a dear friend, brother, and partner in ministry. I will miss Brian in a million ways. A friend of mine says, “Grief is the price we pay for love” and I am certain, the greater the love, the greater the grief. This is why we are all grieving so much.

I’m often asked at a time like this, “How do people who do not know the Lord make it through something like this?” My answer is always the same: “They don’t.” Oh, they may live on; they may make it to the next day somehow. They may press on in some way and “make it through”. But God has not called us to just make it through life. Following Jesus means that we experience His abundant life in us through all things. The NIV says, we are “more than conquerors” through Him (Romans 8:37). The NLT says it this way: “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us”. Those of us who cling to the grace of Jesus and seek to live in step with the Spirit, live above and beyond whatever may come our way. We know that we are fully alive as we grieve with hope and weep through breaking loss. The Gospel is not that we receive Jesus and all of life will go well for us, or we’ll never get sick, or never walk through tragedy. The Gospel is this: Whatever we face in life (or death) we get Jesus and He is more than enough for us. We are called to live life to the full in Him. His love that defines us comes without condition, never changes, and will never fail us. The extraordinary life that Jesus envisions for us is one of reckless abandon and unrestrained joy because we have Him. We are defined by His love and that is enough for us.

I know Jesus better because I encountered Him in Brian. He lived like Jesus – for others. He has forever impacted my life for the better. In Galatians 5:22, Paul, this painter with words, presents a portrait he calls the “fruit of the Spirit”. Here is Paul’s list of qualities that are present in a life that is being transformed by His Spirit. You tell me (if you knew Brian), do these words not describe him? “Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control..” This is the Brian I know and love. This is a portrait of Jesus.

Thank you God for the great gift you have been to me through Brian. I look forward to seeing him soon. By the time I do (and it could be today), he will have met every person in heaven and will be ready to joyfully introduce me to each one. I look forward to that. Until then, for me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

The Ten Traits of a Healthy Family

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1. They have an irrational commitment to each member of the family. They display an illogical love for one another, spread lavishly and without discretion. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1 Driven by 1 John 3:1, stunning amounts of love, kindness, and forgiveness are shared to family member.

2. They communicate with truth and grace. Mom and Dad model Ephesians 4:15 How we treat our spouse (and how we extend grace to our family members) will confirm or contradict what we believe about God.
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:15 Create an atmosphere where truth can be discussed, regardless of how difficult it may be to talk about.

3. They affirm the value and uniqueness of each member of the family. Each person is loved for free and without judgment. His or her opinions and feelings are always honored.
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7 Celebrate the uniqueness of each child in our family. “I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”

4. They vow never to abuse, shame, control, or intimidate one another. “Oh, children are resilient- they bounce back.” No children are fragile and understanding that children are fragile- no emotional, verbal, or physical abuse is tolerated in any way and is immediately confronted. Consider the power of words.
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:5
Unkind words are not tolerated- “We do not talk to each other like that in our family.” Parents: You must model kind words and challenge this early on.

5. They share a strong spiritual foundation. Parents recognize that a “mild
dose” of God will never cultivate a life that has Christ at the very center, guiding every aspect of life (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). There is no abdication of spiritual formation- no outsourcing to the church. We create spiritual orphans, spiritual schizophrenics. Complete disconnect! What’s your goal parents? There’s a big difference between a young person who goes to church & one who is truly sold out to God.

6. They teach respect for others. Racism, arrogant superiority, or disrespect
for people who are different is never tolerated. Jesus added to the Shema that we should love each other as we love ourselves:
“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’.” Matthew 22:39
When you see a child who is different than other kids ask, “What would it feel like to be that kid?” Teach your children to love and honor all people- adopt Martin Luther King Jr.s’ dream for our nation. Help your children dream of the day when every person- Hispanic, black, Asian, European and all people will know that they are loved with the unprejudiced, unbiased, and unrestrained love of Jesus.

7. They instill a sense of responsibility in one another. Each member knows that they must take responsibility for their own actions and face the consequences of their poor choices. Self-esteem does not result from simply heaping large amounts of affirmation and praise. It happens when a child learns to be responsible.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.” 1 John 1:8-10
Let the consequences do the teaching. It’s God’s way- and parents too often get in the way of what God wants to do, simply through the consequences of choices made or not made. Parents: Do NOT rescue your child. This takes courageous parenting- it takes faith- to believe that God will work in your children’s life as He sees fit. When you let the consequences do the teaching you place that child in the hands of God.

8. They play together. This is so important. Laughter and fun mark a family that builds strong relationships with one another.
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

9. They celebrate rituals and traditions together. This gives the family a sense of constancy and permanence. They know that the love and commitment of the family will never change- this year, next year, and the next…
“Ask the former generations and find out what their fathers learned, for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?” Job 8:8-10

10. They seek help when they come to an impasse. They understand that all families have issues that may need outside or professional help and they are not afraid to ask for help when needed.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

God is very clear about the kind of families He wants us to have. Let us follow His principles and seek to honor Him in our families.

God’s Design for the Family

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“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (read 6:6-9)

God’s Design for the Family (4 Snap Shots)
1. A haven of worship
In the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) God teaches us that we are to worship Him comprehensively- with all of life. He immediately follows these verses with clear instruction of how, when, and where this command is to be lived out, taught, and passed on from generation to generation. Clearly the weight of responsibility falls upon parents and it is within the context of the family that the Shema is lived out. Parents, you are the cultural architect of your home. You are to create an environment within the context of the home in order to worship God. Through the Shema God is teaching His people that worship is a 24-7 experience. We have so compartmentalized our lives that we somehow think worship is something that takes place on Sunday mornings and no other time. You never see that in the Bible! Teach your children about private worship- personal worship- worship as life. From a very early age teach your children to pray. Pray with your children. Ask, “What are you worried about? What are you really glad about? Let’s talk to God about that.” The home is to be a haven of worship.

2. A refuge of relationships
Notice, all of this is done together, in the context of life-giving relationships. I call it a “refuge” because the home should be the place where we’re loved for free. Moms, dads, and children are facing relational challenges all day long, often in a harsh and hostile world. We need to find a refuge of understanding and love in the home. Every spouse would do well to ask the question: “What’s it like being married to me?” Every parent should ask the question: “What is it like being my child?” What does my child hear from me? What do they see in me? My life is setting the pace for the kind of environment that is found in my home. By watching me what are my children learning about core values- such as honesty, generosity, perseverance, consistency, responsibility, forgiveness, prayer, and discipline? The home is a refuge for life-giving relationships.

3. A school of instruction
Notice in Deuteronomy 6 the training and teaching taking place is done in the home. This is God’s design. The home is a seminary, a “seed bed” for theological instruction. When we transfer the responsibility of the spiritual nurturing of our children to the church, our kids become “spiritual orphans”. Our kids become spiritual schizophrenics, taught the Word of God at church but at home it’s rarely mentioned. Partner with the church. Be consistent in church attendance, but never abdicate the spiritual formation of your children off to someone else.

4. A place of grace
The home is to be a place where each member is loved with the unconditional and lavish love of God. The home is the place where forgiveness always prevails! You can let your guard down and be loved for free in the home. In the end, we see God’s dream to form a community of people, centered on His love. His dream to have a family that would love freely and be so radically inclusive that every person would be drawn in like a magnet to Him. He dreams of a place where people are embraced with all of their sin and failure and loved into a relationship with God through Christ and then set free into their God-given mission in the world. The home is to be like God’s Church. The Church is a family, filled brothers and sisters- of all nationalities, races, places in life- and God is our Father. Indeed the Church is the very family of God.

What Every Mother Needs

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“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”       2 Timothy 1:2

Paul’s blessing to young Timothy is my blessing for all moms this Mothers Day.

Every mother needs:

1. Grace

Mothers, may God’s unmerited, pardoning and transforming favor and power be upon you.  May His grace cover you, define you, and guide you as guide others.  May your marriage be grace-centered.  May you parent with grace.  We are all in need of grace.  So let’s go ahead and destroy the myth of the “super mom”.  There are no perfect moms.  The super mom is simply the mom who sticks with it day in and day out and does not give up.  Real moms need the grace of God.  God’s grace picks up where we are done.  Paul said,

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.  No, I worked harder than all of them- yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”  1 Corinthians 15:10 

Mom, God’s grace finishes the task when you can’t go on.  Aren’t you glad, when you feel you can’t go on, God’s grace gives you strength?  When you fail, His grace covers you.  When you lose your temper, His grace covers you.  When you find yourself feeling all alone, unappreciated, or unworthy His grace covers you.  You can turn to Him.  To be a mom is to rely daily on God’s grace.

2. Mercy

God’s warm and tender affection for those who are in need and who are afflicted comes in unlimited ways to moms.  It is His compassion and understanding love that can keep you going.  Moms, God knows your deepest hurts.  He understands those private moments when you grow weary and become discouraged.  To be a mom is to rely daily on God’s mercy.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16

3. Peace

Peace is the fullness of God’s blessings upon His people- because we have been reconciled to Him through the death of Jesus Christ.  Because we have peace with God, we can experience peace in our hearts daily.  Mom, what do you need more than peace today?  You find it as you run to God.  To be a mom is to rely on His peace in your life daily.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

Mom, you are a valued treasure to God to everyone around you.  But your ultimate worth in life is not found in being the perfect mom, it’s not found in your husband or your children.  Your worth is found in Christ.  In Him you find peace.  In Him you find mercy.  In Him you find grace.

Happy Mothers Day Mom!

Pastor: follower, leader, servant, debtor

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I’ve been called to be a pastor.  Paul wrote, “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers…” “Pastors and teachers is actually one word in the Greek- it could be said, “shepherd/instructor”.  Clearly my first calling is not to a position or a place but to a Person.  My highest calling (like any believer) is to Jesus Himself.  My role as a pastor is love God with all my heart and to love others- more than I love myself.  My task as a pastor is to communicate God’s vision for His church and to shepherd the people as together we accomplish the mission God.

“The first task of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say, “thank you”. In between the leader is a servant and a debtor.” Max Depree

I love Max Depree’s definition of the role of a leader.  My first task is to tell the Truth- whether people want to hear it or not.  The Bible gives us His truth.  And I know that I am a servant and that I indebted to anyone who will allow me to lead. It was Andy Stanley who said, “leadership is a stewardship, it’s temporary, and you’re accountable”.  All of us are accountable before God Almighty for the vocation (“calling”) He has given us.

My primary role is to stay close to Jesus. My highest calling is to Christ Himself- to stay so close to Him, to listen to Him and obey Him in my role as pastor.  The priorities of my life will be guided by Scripture: God first, my wife second, my family, and my ministry.  I will live openly and authentically before you. I follow the apostles example in Acts 6:1-4. I will devote my life to prayer and to my personal walk with Jesus Christ. This is true for me- but it is true of you as well- as a parent, a friend, a co-worker, a classmate… if you’re not walking closely with Jesus, everyone around you becomes a victim of your unspiritual life.

I long to walk so closely with Jesus that I could join Paul who said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 11:1 Copy me as I copy Jesus.  The pastor’s role is to point everyone to Jesus. I don’t want to waste my life- and I know you don’t want to either.  God is calling us into this great adventure that is His redemptive mission- to bring hope and healing to our world.  If a church can determine to align all things (both personally and corporately) with His mission, that church will change the world.  Let the journey begin.

Christ Transforming Culture

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Call me crazy but I am certain that when Christ was dying on the cross He was not thinking, “Now my followers will be able to go to church on Sundays until I return.”  I believe His vision was one of a people radically transformed by His love and, in response to His love, loving others in the same way He did.  I say this because this is exactly what He taught.

The Church Jesus envisioned was one transforming every aspect of culture, one person at a time.  By “the Church” I mean His people (not a building or even a gathering) but His followers scattered across every aspect of culture.  Christ alone will transform our culture and He will do it through His followers.  How does this happen?

When we speak of culture we are talking about multiple domains among a people.  In America it might be shown like this graphic on the left (there are clearly other ways to break down the different domains but these are the main divisions).  Often we think that the Church (or even our faith) is one domain among many and if we could just get people IN church we will impact our culture for Christ.  Increasingly, however, people are not going to church and therefore many conclude that our impact in culture is waning.  However, when we explore the early Church we see that “success” was never measured by how many were “coming to church”.  Their measure of “success” was simply dying to self, living for Jesus, and loving Him so passionately others were blessed.  I believe that God is bringing about an awakening among His people and I see a reformation of global proportions taking place.  This reformation is not about something “new” but about something very old.  It is a rediscovery of the Church, not simply gathered, but scattered.  Gathering is critical to the life and health of Christ’s followers but it is the church scattered that transforms a culture.

A better depiction of the Church is one scattered across the many domains of culture.  As Christ’s followers recognize themselves as a sent people, sharing His love with others (by serving and sharing the Gospel), we will see the culture revolutionized by His love.  When a culture is transformed it means that people across every domain are encountering Christ and His bigger Story.  His bigger Story (the Gospel) is bringing restoration and redemption to all people and to every aspect of culture.  Business people realize that they are being called into God’s bigger and better Story- blessing others through ethical business, providing income for families to have what they need, and offering necessary goods and services.  They’re actually partnering with God and His greater kingdom agenda in Christ.  Parents realize that their role is to raise children to love God so passionately that others are blessed.  Politicians and government workers rise up to serve their God-given role to protect, bring justice, and bless the people by serving them.  Educators join the great calling to teach and train up children as global citizens and servants of God.  Those in media and entertainment seek to recapture the arts to the glory of God, expressing truth and beauty in all that they do. This is the church scattered.  And like all previous reformations this one will come from the bottom up as God’s people decide to trust Him enough to live out the words of Jesus:

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28

What’s Your Story?

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My Story- the Grace of Jesus Christ

My story is the story of God’s transforming grace that has changed my life.  I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home and was going to church nine months before I was born.  My mom and dad are committed followers of Christ.  So I learned about Jesus from a very early age and when I was 9 years old I wanted to make a decision to trust Christ with my eternity.  Looking back, I didn’t know much but I knew He had died on the cross for my sin and that in Him I would find forgiveness and not have to pay the price for my sin before a holy God.  I sat in my grandfather’s house, with my dad, as they explained that God loves me and that Jesus had come to die on the cross so that I might have a relationship with Him.  I could live with Him, now and throughout eternity.  And so, with child-like faith, I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sin and I told Him I wanted Him to be the Leader of my life.  I know that it was then that the trajectory of my life was forever changed.

Throughout my teenage years I was in a great youth group and I got involved in Young Life and later Campus Crusade for Christ on the college campus.  I began to serve God through these ministries and through my many relationships.  My junior year of college I knew clearly that God was calling me into vocational ministry.  Following seminary, I was serving as a Youth Minister in Dallas when I had a “Grace Awakening” that was life-changing.  Though I was a committed follower of Christ and serving Him in a great ministry, I sensed my motivations were skewed.  You wouldn’t have known this outwardly, but inwardly I was driven by a need for approval, a kind of need to be needed.  Ministry provided me a way to help, encourage, and bless others.  In return I blessed by a sense of purpose because I was making a difference in the lives of others.  But I realized I was not serving to honor Christ alone, but because of what serving others could do for me as well.

Several things converged in my life at that time but perhaps the most significant was a new revelation from God’s Word, found in 1 Corinthians 5:21 that says, “He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf, in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  I understood the first part of that verse but it was the second part that changed my life.  God was telling me that He had forgiven me fully, accepted me unconditionally, and loved me completely.  Through Christ’s death upon the cross, He had made me righteous (perfect) before Him.  I realized anew that my identity was found in Him alone- not in my performance or through the approval of others.  I was able to embrace His grace fully and from that day on I’ve determined to live in it.  This is why I can genuinely love others- even those who disagree with me or are unkind to me.  It’s really not my grace to give, but God’s grace.  I’ve since learned that when I serve Christ for any reason other than to make Him known, it becomes a form of idolatry- serving ministry (or others) instead of Him.  On our best days, ministry is simply an overflow of the one relationship to which He has called us.  The greatest joy of my life is telling others about this life-changing grace of Jesus and being there when the Light comes on.

For more stories or to post your own, go to: www.10000stories.org

The Triathlon of Manhood

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I’ve learned many life lessons from triathlon and the many life parallels of being a man.  In 1 Corinthians 9:24, Paul says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” His point here is not so much about competing against others as it is about the how you run this race of life.  He says race to win. The triathlon is an image or parable of a man’s life in many ways. It’s not enough to start the race, you must finish the race strong.  (In fact, they have a term for it when you “DNF”- did not finish- too many men DNF in life).  Many men start strong but very few finish well.  Along the way you’ll suffer many setbacks, you’ll want to give up, you’ll never win every race, you’ll suffer injury along the way.  You’ll need to train hard.  You’ll need to live a disciplined life, and you will definitely need some men to come along side you and train with you.  As individual of a sport it seems to be, you cannot do it alone.

But here’s the KEY learning: The idea behind “the triathlon of manhood” is this: We must focus on three disciplines in order to finish strong.  A man must do well in all three areas of his life in order to succeed as a man.

The Triathlon of Manhood

1. His spiritual life

2. His relational life

3. His vocational life

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthian 16:13-14 The NASB says it this way: “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14.  This passage has four imperative commands that tell us how to run and win this race.

Winning the Race

1.  Be on guard. Watch out! Be alert!  Many men are not aware of the schemes of the evil one.  You need know the Word of God, study it, and apply it!  Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”  Listen: there are moral conditions for spiritual insight.  If you want an ever-expanding and clearer view of God, you must keep your heart pure.  Wake up! Do not give into sin.  .

2.  Stand firm in your faith. Hold tight to your convictions. Real men are unmoveable in their convictions.  Guard your heart, be alert regarding what goes in to your mind, what you see.

3.  Be the man. Be courageous.  The one defining mark of a real man is courage. Real men humbly listen to the audience of One.

4.  Don’t stop loving. Everything you do must be done in love.  We struggle in our culture to combine the rough, adventurous, masculine, barbarian spirit of men with a loving, kind, and tender heart (that’s a tough thing) but it is a potent combination in the hands of God.

The ultimate ironman: Jesus Christ. Jesus is the ultimate man and He has finished the race for us.  He becomes, at the same time, our goal and the means (the power) to finish the race strong.  Men, commit to the triathlon of life and you will finish strong!