As a kid I loved the cartoon Underdog. I was a small kid who got picked on and learned quickly how to be tough enough to hold my own. Under Dog was one of my heroes when I was younger Underdog was known as Shoeshine the everyday boy who shined, yep you guessed it, shoes. He was a weak unnoticed boy who appeared insignificant to all who walked by unless they needed a shine on their shoes. When trouble broke out Shoeshine would run into a phone booth where he would be transformed into Under Dog! The Phone booth would explode when he went through his metamorphosis from the weakling into the super hero who would rid the earth of all evil.
There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here! He would yell out, comforting hearts of all who were in fear of evil. Unable to help themselves Underdog would rescue them.
I have also recently read about the battle of Thermopylae, the movie “300” was based on this famous battle. In the film, a force of Greek warriors led by 300 Spartans fights against a Persian army of almost limitless size.
An Allied force of approximately 7,000 men marched together to defend the pass that would block the Persian army in the summer of 480 BC. The Persian army who’s number was in the millions; arrived at the pass in order to take Greece. The Greeks held off the Persians for seven days total, including three full days of battle. Despite the odds, the Spartans were determined not to flee or surrender, even if it meant their death.
It is truly awe inspiring how the God of Heaven and Earth will choose weak things of this earth over the strong, the foolish things to confound the wise things of this world, and turn the world upside down for his glory.
Over the past 30 years Christen men have checked out. They have stepped aside from the fight, much like King David did when he grew tired and stayed home from battle. The end result was too much time on his hands. King David withdrew from the battle, from his purpose and was swept away and enticed by his own appetites. Before we throw rocks at him because of all he did, let’s look at what we as “contemporary” men have done in his stead. We have handed over our God given office as men of God to the enemy. Like Adam who gave up what God placed in him to govern when he sinned. We have given up the priest hood of our homes, we have allowed ourselves to be reduced to the recliner watching TV, or worse we have given ourselves to working through life at a job that will only take us up a corporate ladder that leads to the emptiness at the top. We have sacrificed our wives, our families and our relationship with Jesus Christ, nothing else has eternal value. Men of Christ have stopped being warriors who are instructed to expose darkness, who are commissioned to take the news of life to anyone and everyone who have never received it. We have passed the battle on to our wives, to the women in the church. The result of our decision to become more like the world around us is being played out in front of us. We are now frustrated and displaced. Like Israel who asked for a king because they wanted to be like the nations around them we have traded the divine appointment of being Godly husbands and fathers for wanting to be more like the world around us. We want, we want, we want. We need, we need, and we need. We have turned our eyes, our hearts, and our minds off the battle and on to what is tempting and luring us into the place of separation and ultimately death, yes death. Don’t be a hater! These are not my words they are the words set in place by God not man. Divine words given to keep us from going where we decided to go anyway. The brother of Jesus said “each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
The enemy only comes to steal, kill and destroy. Men of God - the enemy of our souls has taken us out of the game! The average Christian woman is now bound up in insecurity, fear and condemnation. She can’t tell anyone about it because she has no covering and she knows it, protection designed by God through the men of God who walk with him daily. Our children are having sex at puberty, they are committing suicide. As they drop out of high school, drugs and teen age pregnancy have become pandemic. Brothers the need is desperate to fall to our knees before. We need to cry out to God and repent of the things we have fallen prey to. We need a change in the culture in the body of Christ, to what it once was to be a man of God instead of what it has become as a result of our decision to walk on our own. It’s never too late to change the highway we are traveling on. The offer is always held out to return. “If we confess our sins, he if faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness. Don’t be discouraged we have and advocate...we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense. Jesus Christ the one who atones for our sins.
God is in the restoration business. He wants to put us back in the position we have been chosen to walk in.
Like Under Dog and the 300 men from Sparta who warded off the on slot of evil in their perspective arenas. We have a battle to engage in. God has already given us all we need for victory. Our wives and children are in need of men who have the ability to take up the fight for them, the need is desperate. The reward is eternal and the dividends are abundant. When we are in place, when we are doing what we are designed to do we will experience life to its fullest. Anything less is unfulfilling. God's promises are the only promises that hold truthful. Any other promise result in emptiness.
Who will join me in the fight for the ones we love? Who will fight with me against the enemy of our God? Who will stand with me to know the ways of God and represent him to the nations?
It’s my prayer that all men who read these words will be inspired to to take a stand against darkness, make a change in his personal culture and in turn change the culture around him. The time to start is today. You can find me at guysnet@hotmail.com
No man can stand alone!
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17
No comments:
Post a Comment