Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  ––Galatians 5:25

The next time you encounter a complex situation, listen to your godly instinct and obey it—quickly. Great decisions do not require great deliberation. For God’s man, great decisions require simple cooperation in the first few seconds. That voice will always say, “Honor God and love people.”

The key to winning moments is the first few seconds. Prompt (versus delayed) obedience is critical. I love the story of the man who was driving behind a Brinks armored truck when he noticed a bag resting on the back bumper. It fell off when the truck took a right at the next street. The man quickly pulled over and retrieved the bag, but by the time he got back into his car, the armored truck was lost in traffic. He immediately drove to the nearest police station and turned in the bag. In it was $85,000. Police officers gathered round the man as an official from the Brink’s company arrived to collect the lost bag and thank the man. She said, “You are a rare breed, sir. Thank you for having the character to turn in the money.” The man said, “It’s because I don’t trust myself that I turned in the money. I knew if I thought about it very long, I probably would not have turned it in.”

The point, of course, is that the longer we mull a character decision or action, the greater chance the enemy has to whisper in our ear and bring the temptation to follow our flesh. But when we obey without listening to conflicting feelings, we are trusting God. Another example: when you see your children facing danger that they don’t see (such as when your child is ready to touch a hot stove), the quickest way to warn them is to call their name. I expect them to listen to my voice over their feelings about continuing their own way, because there is a trust there; there is time for explanation later.

God’s men risk committing themselves to quick responses to God’s voice, instead of flesh-driven impulses. He builds his life around God’s voice, and by so doing, will experience a less stressful and complicated life. Extra information is unnecessary because godly instincts are in charge.  Instead of making messes, he discerns without over-thinking, and avoids finding a way around something that God actually wants him to face. It is always character that will provide long-term pleasure. Pleasure will not develop character. Listen to God’s voice and act promptly to obey.

Father, You are the only complete and lasting pleasure; I will trust You.

Every Man Ministries

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” ––John 14:6-7 ESV

“Take it easy.” “Be careful who you trust.” “Don’t let them see you sweat.” Lots of phrases describe our culture’s measured approach toward blunt honesty and truth. We’re told to play our cards close to our chest, to not let others see behind the calm exterior.

While we need to be careful what we share and with whom, the default position for God’s man is on the side of full disclosure. In a world that doesn’t typically show its true face, we worship a Man who does. Jesus never held back, withheld hard details, or skirted the truth. When asked who He was, He didn’t pull punches: “The Jews answered him, ‘Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?’ ‘I am not possessed by a demon,’ said Jesus, ‘but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death’” (John 8:48-51). It was this kind of blunt truth that made the Pharisees want to execute Jesus.

How often are we 100% honest with people? I have a good friend who leads a men’s group, and lately it’s been hard for him. He recently asked me, “Kenny, out of the 20 or so guys in the group I co-lead, three are living with their girlfriends, and a few others are sleeping with the women they’re dating. How honest should I be with these guys?” For the most part, these men are committed believers, according to my friend. I told him what I would tell you: 1) if these guys are truly following Jesus, the Holy Spirit is already convicting them about what they are doing; 2) by being honest and telling them that what they are doing is not pleasing to God, you aren’t condemning them. You are simply stating the truth of God’s Word (see 1 Corinthians 7:1-2 with a clear delineation from Paul about the importance of abstaining from sex before marriage). And 3) by loving them and not rejecting them—but instead walking alongside them—you will continue to influence them and their future decisions.

Honest doesn’t mean cruel. This is very important: We don’t wield the truth like a weapon—there’s way too much of that happening in our culture today. Paul frames it brilliantly: “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). God’s men speak truth born of the wisdom gained by spending time with the Father; we frame everything we do and say by what and how Jesus used truth—to admonish, correct, and most importantly, to preach the Father’s love.

Father, help me boldly tell the truth and do so in a way that honors You. 

Every Man Ministries

For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.  Today, if only you would hear his voice.  ––Psalm 95:7

We hear the term “God’s voice” a lot as God’s men, but what does that mean? What impact do those words have on our minds? What happens in many cases is that the more we hear a term, the more likely its impact diminishes. Then we are in danger of not examining our response to that particular term.

God’s Word tells us that He has supplied His voice to each of us individually through the Holy Spirit who dwells within each of us as His children (Romans 8:9). The term “still small voice” is used in Scripture (1 Kings 19:12-13), which indicates that it is a clear voice within us that speaks to us quietly.

Often in everyday life, when real communication takes place it’s because we are very intent on hearing that person’s voice. And so it is with our loving Father: We lean forward to listen, and make sure we don’t miss a word; we anticipate His next words, and want to be sure we are reading the lips of God. I love how Jesus talks affectionately about us, His sheep. (And yes, sheep are stinky and stubborn … an apt description of us, His “sheep”!) Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28 NKJV).

But to hear our Shepherd, we need to actively listen. And if we are not intent to listen to Him, it can be an indication that we have become somewhat blasé about the Person who loves us perfectly and unconditionally, and who has our best interests in mind. When we take God for granted, we are not so apt to receive His communication because we are so intent on the things that we can actually see around us––circumstances, relationships, etc. Remember, unless we anticipate God speaking to us, we cannot receive and experience His amazing love for us.

Make no mistake: God has you parked right now in this little corner of the digital universe, reading these words, because He wants you to realize that His voice is very important, and that He loves you so much that He wants to converse with you. (Cool, right?) But be on guard, because we are very susceptible to the world, the flesh, and the devil—and all the distracting voices contained within. Seek His voice; listen for His words. You will not be disappointed!

Father, thank You for the faith that You have given me to listen intently and on purpose; to both listen for and hear Your words meant especially for me. 

Every Man Ministries

So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” …  ––Hebrews 3:7-8

Whether you’re sizing up a decision, a relationship, or a particular circumstance, the process can be taxing and overwhelming. When your mind is filled with unlimited options, decision-making can become very confusing. God’s man is devoted fully to God’s purposes, and will not need a long list of options. Instead, he will target what really matters based on his exposure and experiences with God’s purposes, found in His Word, in prayer, and through godly counsel.

When you came to Christ, your filters changed. For God’s man, this means deciding things differently, and making decisions based on God’s purposes. God’s way eliminates confusion and provides clear decisions and godly instincts for effectiveness.

God’s man will be driven by the love and character of Christ. Plain and simple. A man who risks committing himself fully to these purposes consciously builds his life around them, keeps punching and will not be mastered by any earthly moment. He might get stunned or knocked down, but he will get back up, come out punching, and land more blows. Why? Because he sees the most important variables in a given situation: what shows love for God and what demonstrates love for people. Extra information is unnecessary because godly instincts are in charge. Instead of making messes, he discerns—through spiritual “muscle memory” and often without much rumination—the better, godly things around him.

Holy hunches, sensing the Spirit, trusting insight over eyesight sounds spooky to a lot of men because it requires faith––and risk. God’s Spirit is not failing in our lives. Why would we assume differently? The disparity between intuition and impulse lies in our familiarity with His voice. If we are hearing his voice, we cannot give in to our impulses. True, we have formed habits in our past life. And our Father understands this. The greatest news, despite our past, is that He promises to work with us through the firm but compassionate voice of His Holy Spirit.

Thank You for working with me, Father. Your voice is an increasingly familiar and welcome sound in my life!

Every Man Ministries

Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”  ––Luke 9:23

The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoffer is one of the great Christian books of the 20^th century. Born in Germany in 1906 and raised in a Christian home, young Bonhoffer saw the rise of Naziism and the effect it had not only on German society as a whole, but on the German church. In The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoffer writes, “[Discipleship] is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.”

Considering the fact that Bonhoffer called out Hitler and the Nazi party as the evil entities that they were, and was subsequently executed for his participation in a plot to assassinate Hitler, those are tall words backed up by very sober actions. Bonhoffer is a great example for every God’s man: He knew his priorities, was not afraid to vocalize them, and did all he could to carry them out.

Thankfully, we don’t live in 1930s Nazi Germany, and God most likely won’t ask you or me to pay the ultimate price for our faith. But it still begs the question: How far are you willing to go to represent Christ in an increasingly secular and hostile culture? Here’s the irony: God isn’t so much asking you to die for your faith as He is asking you to fully live for it.

What this means is summed up well by Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase: “They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness. They weren’t in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ” (Revelation 12:11, MSG). The optimal word here is “willing.” This is a decision we make beforehand—before crisis occurs; before the proverbial poo-pay hits the fan. When we are under pressure, do we choose Jesus? What does that look like? It could be a “small” thing like deciding to tell the guy in front of you at the mall that $100 just fell out of his pocket. Or it could be a big thing like thoughtfully but strongly refusing to support a cause at work that you know is anti-biblical.

Discipleship is a long game; a lifetime endeavor. It’s contemplating your actions in response to the world’s pressures or demands—ahead of time. Discipleship’s foundation is built upon the small stones plucked from the river of decisions you make day by day and year by year. While I can’t guarantee you that discipleship—choosing to live by God’s Word in thought and deed—will be easy, I can absolutely guarantee you that it will be worth it.

Father, I know the cost of discipleship is high—give me the courage to pay the price to live for You each day. 

Every Man Ministries

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  ––Hebrews 11:1

Willpower. It’s a word I heard a lot growing up. My Dad—who was a former military officer—used to say, “We need to exercise our willpower to live a healthy life.” And he was correct. However, for God’s man, a successful life is defined through a Kingdom lens: Submitting our will to the power of His purpose for us. That’s not easy to do, because we are trained to strive; we are trained to fight; and we are trained to succeed in our own gifts and talents and willpower (stick-to-it-iveness). And, hear me clearly: All those attributes are important and necessary!

In the end, every man will discipline himself to his strongest hope. To get the girl, we discipline ourselves to buy flowers, write sappy cards, and concentrate on listening. Why? We hope to win her affections. To get the contracts for our business, we network, smile, and dial, and follow up on leads. Why? We hope to get paid (financially, promotionally). To get that six-pack stomach, we discipline ourselves to eat right and suffer a core workout at the gym. Why? We hope to look like the dude on the cover of Men’s Health.

The soldier, athlete, and farmer are each married (or “wired”) to give in to temptation. The soldier is tempted by civilian life. The athlete is tempted to cut corners (steroids). The farmer is tempted to sleep in.  But each also has a strong hope waiting for him that is stronger than the temptation, which causes him to discipline himself and practice self-control. The soldier’s hope is to win the approval of his commanding officer, so he concentrates on his military duty. The athlete’s hope is to attain the gold medal, so he follows the rules of the competition. The farmer’s hope is the upcoming harvest, so he wakes up early and walks behind smelly oxen while plowing his field. When the stimulus comes to those three guys, their hope intervenes, and they say no to their temptation and yes to their hope. Hope is power and it’s the Holy Spirit’s mission in our life is to remind us of our strongest hope.

It’s pretty nice to live a guilt-free life, to know that the Creator of the universe has decided to lay His hand on your shoulder and say, “I want you as my son.” That’s true willpower: Doing the Father’s will in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Father, it is You who has put this hope within me; thank You.

Every Man Ministries

The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great.  ––Joel 2:10-11 NKJV

1. partisan – also partizan (Italian), 1550s, “one who takes part with another, zealous supporter”

During World War II a groundswell of everyday people rose up across Europe to combat the Nazi war machine. It’s estimated that 500,000 French men and women worked for the Resistance during Germany’s occupation of France. Resistance workers carried out thousands of acts of sabotage against the German occupiers. Many of these freedom fighters—called partisans—died doing so.

We don’t really hear the word partisans much anymore. However, I recently saw it in an article about the number of everyday folks in Ukraine fighting back against Russia’s bloody, illegal invasion of their sovereign nation. The Ukrainian Resistance includes old women—called babusyas—and old men, many of whom report Russian troop movements and materiel via encrypted social media channels.

Partisans is also a great word to describe those who unflinchingly follow Jesus. Just as the European Resistance fought the Nazis, we are in a full-blown war against the kingdom of darkness. As God’s man, never doubt your place and your power in this epic struggle. You are, truly, one of God’s partisans on the winning side against spiritual tyranny. We all know how the war ends—Jesus returns triumphant and Satan is cast down for good—but we still have battles to fight.

So what does it look like to be a partisan for God? It starts with each of us, with the internal war for possession of our minds and souls. Are we winning the war of integrity regarding our thought life and what we do in private? As we walk in victory over Satan and his plans to wreck our lives, God uses us to our fullest extent. Once we are free, we can help other men still struggling with doubt, fear, addiction, and spiritual uncertainty. You are called to be a partisan—a warrior in the struggle to sabotage the enemy’s plans and defeat his strategies.

Father, thank You for equipping me with all I need to be a victorious partisan for Your Kingdom. 

Every Man Ministries

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  ––Acts 20:35

The most lethal blow a man can give discontentment is a strong purpose for living. That is why part of the Holy Spirit’s mission in your life is to keep you engaged in chasing God’s purpose. You can’t ask for better instruction. Paul tells Timothy the secret of the one-two-punch, warns him not to seek satisfaction outside of God by seeking contentment of self by chasing the buck. He teaches Timothy a life of godliness and a life of giving.

Sacrificial giving of time, finances, and skills to help others and further God’s purposes in the world breaks the power of materialism and puts us in touch with our brothers and ourselves. Paul was in the habit of not neglecting the poor; specifically, by taking up collections and personally delivering them (Romans 15:26-27). This was part of the Holy Spirit’s work in his life, teaching him to be content in all circumstances. The poor taught him to answer the question: “What do I really need?”

This all seems so simple, and we have heard it many times: others versus self. Hearing it and doing it, however, are two very different things. Paul struggled with this as a Christian in Romans 7, and showed his discontent when he exposed himself and the struggle that was going on within himself. He knew the difference between right and wrong, especially because of his background as a Pharisee. He was extremely frustrated because he could see the losing battle he was fighting. He then reveals the answer to his dilemma in Romans 8: He will never be able answer this question. The light bulb goes on, the law of measurement is defeated. No more comparison; it’s over. God relieved the pressure of being “good enough” for Paul, and He does it for us as well.

Live a life of godliness and gratitude by giving of yourself. It can be frightening at first, because we don’t know what we are giving up in exchange for giving our time to others. But then, once we start the journey of giving, we see the beauty in it. We see that rather than giving up something, we gain so much more. We gain connection, we gain fulfillment, and we gain enrichment. A lifestyle of giving never disappoints.

Father, thank You for giving so freely of Yourself, and also for teaching me how to give to others.

Every Man Ministries

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  ––1 Kings 19:11-12

When I talk about the importance of getting alone with God, guys inevitably ask, “You mean, reading my Bible and praying?” Yes, that’s a big part of it—but not exactly what I’m talking about. For hundreds of years Christians practiced silence and solitude as part of their spiritual ritual. And let’s face it, it was a lot easier to find a quiet place to hear from God in 1524 than it is in 2024.

Particularly prior to the Industrial Revolution, living in sync with one’s natural environment was just what people did. Prior to 1000, even, it’s believed that the number of people living in urban settings was less than 5%. By 1800, this number reached about 8%; and by 1900 it had increased to around 16%. The vast majority of folks were in rural areas and lived an agrarian lifestyle—farming, raising livestock, etc. People didn’t need to “get away” into nature—that’s just where they lived. It wasn’t until the start of the 20^th century that people increasingly left the countryside to live in the new and growing cities.

With urbanization I believe we lost something that God never intended for us to lose: our familiarity with silence and solitude. Most of us have not only lost touch with the natural world God created, we’ve lost touch with the ability to meet Him there—away from the lights, people, noise, and stress. We are a people increasingly isolated from the ways and means by which we hear God most clearly: when we are alone in a quiet place.

Depending on your life stage, it can be tough to get alone with God to not “do” anything. Just listen. Just sit. Just be in His presence. Sound hard (or boring)? At first, yeah. It can be. But like everything else, practice is the key. Get away for a few hours or for a day—just you and your Bible—and spend some time alone with God in a natural, relaxing place. If you can’t do that—no car, no time, etc.—then go to a quiet park. Or on a walk to a quiet place in your neighborhood. Listen for His voice; practice tuning your ear to His frequency. Try not to “talk” to Him—even if for just five minutes to start—and just listen.

Listening to God in silence is a dying art. The Father is looking for men who are willing to master the craft and teach it to others.

Father, help me find solitude and silence so I can hear You more clearly. 

Every Man Ministries

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. –Luke 5:15-16

Every day our brains consume about 100,000 words’ worth of data. That’s about the length of Tolkien’s The Hobbit. But what’s more amazing is that our brain is actually bult to handle more—up to 74 gigabytes. Think about how much more information we are exposed to today than just 20 years ago, before the iPhone was first introduced. In a lot of ways, technological advances in how we receive and process information have been a blessing. We can now distribute the Gospel message to virtually every corner of the earth—at least, to anyone who has a smart phone.

The downsides, of course, are many. Information overload is a real thing—the medical term is cognitive overload, which is when you are exposed to more information than your brain can handle. The average screentime usage has increased in the US to just over 7 hours per day. And it just keeps rising.

The spiritual dilemma is that while we get more immersed in our little digital appendages, spending actual quiet (as in silent) time with the Father seems to get more difficult. Jesus modeled alone-time with God, and grabbed it every chance He got. Why? Because He knew that His relationship with the Father was just that—relational. Jesus knew that intimacy with His Father was proportional to the amount of time He spent with Him. Not because “God would love Him more,” but because He would hear more clearly from God, understand His will, and the means to carry it out.

Silence is a difficult thing to achieve in our warp-speed culture. When was the last time you spent just 10 waking minutes in complete silence—no phone, no friends, no kids, nothing but silence—with the Father? Even if you have a houseful of kids and non-stop noise in your home, steal away for 10 minutes to a quiet place. It might be using ear-plugs and locking yourself in the bathroom, or it may mean escaping to the wilderness for a couple of days alone—just your Bible and a notebook. If you have the desire, God will provide the means.

This “silent thing” isn’t just for monks who lived in the Egyptian desert 1700 years ago, or for Catholic saints who lived in caves while the Plague was ravaging Europe. It’s for all of us. Want to know the Father’s heart? Get someplace quiet enough to actually hear His voice.

Father, help me fight for silent time alone with You; I want to hear from You. 

Every Man Ministries

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  ––Romans 8:1

A prosecuting attorney asks the witness, “Do you see the person responsible for the crime?” In slow motion the witness points to the defendant and says, “That’s him right over there.”

The attorney then says, “Let the record reflect that the witness has identified Mr. Outta Luck as present at the scene of the crime.” Getting that witness to point the finger may not be conclusive evidence of guilt, but it’s very persuasive. It plants an image in the jury’s mind that they won’t be able to easily dismiss during deliberations. Every chance a prosecuting attorney gets to weaken or discredit the character of the defendant, the better his case gets.

For Satan, taking potshots at the character of God’s man is an art form, hitting below the belt, definitely; whatever it takes to undermine your reputation before God and man. He loves to exaggerate the normal and elevate it to extremes. For example: “I made a mistake” becomes “I always blow it.” “I need to work on that,” becomes, “I’ll never change.” “This is making me feel overwhelmed,” becomes, “Life is falling apart.”

God allows Satan to make these arguments but dismisses them because of the believer’s representation in Christ. We have the best defense attorney in the world, as it says in 1 John 2:1: “But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” He advocates on our behalf and provides us with complete immunity against any charge.

There is never a reason for self-pity and condemnation. Christians fall and then get up again. Confess and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Our Father has unconditional love for us.  I know that’s a hard one to accept, but you have been given a choice. Make the right one.

Father, I can believe the accuser or the Redeemer; thank You for the choice.

Every Man Ministries

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!  ––Philippians 2:8

Jesus tells a story about a Samaritan traveling down a road who came upon a man who had been beaten and left lying in a ditch. The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.

It is more important—more important than anything—to recognize who the Samaritan is here.  This Good Samaritan—a modern-day Eagle Scout—is a hated foreigner, but Jesus dignifies him with hero status. Jesus gives us a triple scoop of dignity here drowned in compassion. Again, notice the progression: “he saw” the man in the ditch, and then “he took pity.”  He transfers over from his own life what was lost by the man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. The Samaritan replaces his own position on the donkey with that of the hurt man. He gives away his own dignity in order to restore the dignity of another.

The actions speak louder and clearer than any possible words. The Samaritan truly jumped inside the hurting man’s skin and didn’t allow himself to be at peace until he’d restored peace for him.  That is the best working definition of compassion one can find and the best picture of restoring dignity—by divesting yourself of your own.

Sound familiar? Jesus lowered himself to the lowest level in society—to that of a disdained and doomed common criminal—and suffered indignities no human being deserves. He models—in stunning fashion—what it means to humble oneself for the sake of others.

For us, the ability to demonstrate Christ-like compassion is intimately tethered to our own willingness to be undignified. The question to ask yourself is: ”How undignified am I willing to be in order to meet the needs of others?”

Father, thank You for showing me how You did the very same thing for me: You set aside your dignity and You suffered for me. You are amazing.

Every Man Ministries

As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him …  ––Psalm 103:15-17, NKJV

When we slip up—yell at our child, lie at work, watch something we shouldn’t watch—getting back on track can be hard. It seems like the older I get, however, the more quickly I can recognize and appropriate God’s grace—the timeline of “getting over” my shame or embarrassment and making things right seems to get shorter and shorter. While I’m grateful for that, I certainly haven’t “arrived.”

We’ve all heard the verse about how God casts our sin as far as the east is from the west (David writes this in Psalm 103:12). It’s a great thought. What we forget, however, is our position vs. our condition. Our position in Christ is as a set-free, all-debts-paid, Kingdom son of the heavenly Father. Our condition, of course, is as a flawed creature living in a fallen world. The mistake we make—and that Satan loves to trick us with—is when we fixate on condition (a sinner) rather than our position (a saved and set-free child of God).

After David tells us about how God casts our sins away, he proceeds to remind us of both our condition and position: though we are as transient as a flower in a field (condition), the mercy of the Lord goes on and on—it’s everlasting for those who love and fear Him (position).

It’s much easier to get back on track after we fail when we remember that our identity is not based on conditional or transient factors, but on the unending love of a Father who offered up His beloved Son so that we may be with Him “from everlasting to everlasting.” The next time you feel guilty or embarrassed about your sin, remember that the price has already been paid for it. Take it lightly? No. But keep it in perspective—confess, amend, and then re-engage with His everlasting grace.

Father, my life is a snap of Your fingers, over in an instant. Let me come back to You quickly each time I fail myself, others, or You. 

Every Man Ministries

Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”  ––John 11:35-36

That’s what made Jesus the man, Jesus—His love and His compassion. And it’s what makes God’s man, God’s man. And in the process of seeing a need and responding in the character of Christ, God’s man can send a message more powerful than any deed, and one that towers over lesser accomplishments. Compassion becomes its own law, delivering with overpowering strength from a higher authority, from a signature God.

The messages of Jesus were loud and clear. He possessed the freedom to touch the untouchable, which came from an identity free of the opinions of man, free of the compulsions of culture, and free of the pressures of politics. This is what we study, observe, and mimic. When you actively practice compassion, it lets the world know you are free to be God’s man. You act for an audience of One. This is a rare thing. It is attractive. It is Christ-like.

Here’s our textbook play: “When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” (Matthew 8:1-3) Jesus saw the man, His heart responded, and His identity in the Father released Him to reach out, not cop out to politics of what was clean or unclean.

God’s dream for you is that you would be equally strong and secure in Him so that the compassion of Christ can flow freely to the ones who need your touch. Compassion established Jesus as a God pleaser versus a man pleaser. Our freedom and willingness to touch is always a reflection of our identity.

The compassionate responses of Christ are not possible without our willingness to visually and emotionally connect with reality. In stark contrast to most of the spiritual leaders of His time, Jesus’ visual awareness of need caused Him to respond with compassion, versus allowing His rational mind to excuse Him from action. We see, our heart is moved, and we act. That’s compassion in the Jesus style.

Father, You have made my heart tender because of Your compassion. Thank You.

Every Man Ministries

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.  ––Romans 14:17

The Holy Spirit’s constant message to every believer is to find satisfaction in God. Joy and peace are the by-products of contentment and thanksgiving for the life God has assigned to you. When I daily accept my situation in life, good days and bad, the possibilities of joy and peace become realities. There is no such thing as a joyful and peacefully discontented man. But when I learn how to be content, possess it, and fight to preserve its power in my life, all of the fruit of the Spirit is mine.

One of the highest forms of spiritual warfare is also the simplest: stay grateful and content. When you are content in who you are and what you have, Satan has no handholds upon which to gain traction in your life. Here’s how. Contentment is a way of thinking and doing, and when we have an intimate relationship with God, contentment is a big byproduct. Conversely, when we are not walking closely with the Father, we begin to lust for things: power, money, sex, position, etc. It’s the proverbial God-shaped hole inside every person—it’s going to get filled with something!

So how do you achieve a state of contentment? Stay in a place of awe and wonder over God’s presence, purpose, and plans unfolding in your life by the discipline of gratitude. Paul tells the Hebrews, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe … “ (Hebrews 12:28). Notice the language: be thankful. It doesn’t say “do thankful,” which tells us that the mission of the Holy Spirit in your life is to develop a spirit of thankfulness as a way to be. This means having an awareness of your indebtedness, acknowledging that God is good in all He does, and affirming His goodness with a life of gratitude. I’d encourage you to do a “gratitude list” during your morning sit, at least in your head. Then, about once a month or so, actually write it out and keep it handy. When you’re having an especially tough day, pull it up as a reminder of all God’s given you.

In Christ there is always plenty to be thankful for. If you find yourself struggling to come up with stuff, it is a sure sign that the dark voices of the flesh and the devil are plotting some disobedience options for you. Being aware of your discontentment is a great way to battle it. In other words, if you feel stuck or bored, why? If you are worrying about the future, what is it you are afraid of? I’d suggest you make an inventory of the things that are causing you discontent. Then ask God to reveal the reasons behind each item. Talk it through with someone; just getting it into the light can take away a lot of its negative power over you.

Father, Your goodness in my life is immeasurable. Thank you!

Every Man Ministries

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.  ––Psalm 9:9-10, NKJV

Pete and Julia (not their real names) adopted a six-year-old boy to add to their growing family, which included three biological daughters. They adopted their son—let’s call him Ivan—from Eastern Europe, and the whole family traveled to meet the newest member of the family.

A few years after returning home, Ivan starting sneaking into his sisters’ rooms at night and touching them inappropriately. Pete and Julia did all they could to address the crisis—therapy for everyone (personal and family), prayer, pastoral counsel, and home safety precautions to ensure that the incidents did not occur again. When the girls had to sleep behind dead-bolted doors—those cheap indoor locks that just need a paper clip to pick weren’t cutting it—their son starting sneaking outside, picking the lock to the window, cutting a hole in the screen, and reaching in to touch one of his sisters.

The couple knew that the solution for Ivan went way beyond double-locked windows and deadbolted bedroom doors. Eventually they were able to place their son in a fulltime residential treatment center catering to sexually abused boys. Amazingly, the $12,000-per-month cost was covered by their school district. This was a huge answered prayer. Three years later, Ivan and his sisters reconciled and he was able to ask their forgiveness and write an amends letter to each one. Ivan now lives in a group home with other men, and while the path ahead will be hard, the daughters are doing well and the family has made it through the worst of the crisis.

What’s your unimaginable? As God’s man, you need to think of these scenarios ahead of time. Not dwell on them, but think and pray about them. Though I pray you never experience anything as terrible as what Pete and his family went through, I do encourage you to ask God the tough questions about crisis. “If I die first, will my wife and children be taken care of?” “If my spouse dies first, how will I care for my children?” God wants only the best for you, but this is a dark world and God’s men need to face it head on.

Father, I pray that You prepare my heart and head for life’s crises. Help me turn to You immediately in such times.

Every Man Ministries

You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.  ––Revelation 3:17-18

Any time you’re coming up with good reasons to do evil things (especially religious-sounding ones), look over your shoulder. Rationalization is Satan’s most productive way of encouraging self–deception. This evil-inspired logic provides safe cover for Satan to hide himself in your thinking. With his encouragement, a little lawyer in your head will come out to strongly defend an attitude or action that is inconsistent with your faith, the Bible, and Christ’s example.

The deceptive voice offers intellectual, rational, logical, and persuasive justifications for immoral behavior. And worse, the little lawyer sounds like you. In fact, he is you, but he’s being encouraged by Satan with plenty of logical ammunition. We don’t have to wonder why men can be so smart and so dumb at the same time. We can all justify our wrong behavior and grow stupid enough to believe our own logic. Satan figures if we are dumb enough to hang ourselves by the noose of self-deception, the least he can do is provide the rope of rationalization.

A good example presented in the Bible is Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). God’s people were doing some pretty radical things at the time, like selling goods and homes and giving the money to the church.  “A&S” take this action to a lower level. They are pimped by Satan to sell some property (which is fine), but then keep some of the profit and let on like they are giving it all to the Lord (not fine). Seemed logical and reasonable; after all, it was “all their money.” How cunning. But then God struck them dead. (No joke.) And the grievous act wasn’t the withholding of the money, it was the deception.

Father, You have taught me: To my own self, be true. Even more, Lord, may I be true to You.

Every Man Ministries

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  ––Colossians 3:12

Compassion is the simple difference between denying reality and embracing it. “He saw” is the headline of compassion in the life of Christ––eyes wide open. Wherever He went, He was willing to do what He could in the moment. Jesus would see people without food, empathize with their plight, and make provision to feed them. He would see grieving people, experience an internal reaction, and weep with them. He would see directionless people, react with compassion, and start teaching them.

By the life of Jesus we see that compassion means being responsible with the fragile realities around us. “Not my problem” was not in the vocabulary of Jesus, because the people around Him were a part of His reality. He commands us to follow the same path: ^“Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’” (Luke 14:12-14).

Compassion comes from seeing reality and not running from, denying, or hiding from it. Far from self-absorbed, Jesus was free to see reality and act. Some people and situations He could fix in the moment. Others would take a while. And still others would have to wait for His return. But that did not stop Him from acting.

If you are afraid of truth and reality, you will have a distant relationship with—and tepid expression of—compassion. We must ask ourselves, “Do I embrace reality and work with it, or do I rationalize and run from it?” In the answer to that question you will see a direct connection in your ability to act compassionately.

Father, may I see the needs around me; open my eyes to those who are hurting and give me the courage to act.

Every Man Ministries

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  ––Philippians 2:5-7

Remember the ShamWow Guy plugging the chamois towel that was (allegedly) used by Olympic divers to towel off? Back in 2007, the ShamWow took late-night infomercial audiences by storm, selling millions of units. For a while the ad seemed to run on every channel after 11pm. It was hard to avoid. But today you can’t just turn off your TV—similar schlocky offers stalk us on social media and wherever we go with our smart phones.

Everywhere you look there are new “miracle products” that will allegedly change your life. A master class that will help you earn $10K per month on Amazon without having to sell (or do) anything? Done! Bitcoin strategies that will turn you into a crypto-millionaire in a flash? Done!

But in reality, God’s not into hype. One obscure biblical character who received almost zero hype, despite his incredible deeds, was Shamgar. He’s only mentioned twice—and briefly—in the whole Bible. In Judges 3 there’s a list of rulers who led Israel through an 80-year period of prosperity: ^“After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel” (Judges 3:31). Wait, what? So, this guy single-handedly killed 600 enemies with a cattle prod (i.e., an ox goad is a long wooden pole with a sharp point on the end)? And then that’s it. No more mention of Shamgar.

In contrast, hype is so common in our culture that we barely notice it anymore. In the book world, it seems everyone is a “bestselling author,” while on TV, the “critics are raving” about every show. But what does Jesus model for us as God’s men? Paul says, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8) Ditch the hype and press into the hope. More Shamgar, less ShamWow.

Father, don’t let me get pulled into the world’s hype, but instead guide me by Your hand and press me deeply into the mold of Jesus.

Every Man Ministries

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  ––1 Corinthians 12:12

Body Politic: in Western political thought, an ancient metaphor by which a state, society, or church and its institutions are conceived of as a biological (usually human) body.

Let’s talk politics.

Did you just get triggered? Think back 20—or even 10—years to the political landscape in the US. Things have become progressively more divided and contentious. No matter what side of the political fence you sit on—Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, etc.—it’s become increasingly difficult to talk politics in mixed company. Heck, it’s become increasingly difficult at the dinner table.

For God’s man, we approach politics as we do everything else: from Jesus’ perspective. To understand His approach, we need context. Jesus was constantly correcting those who thought He had come to liberate the Jews from the political rule of the Romans. He wasn’t a politician—He was much greater than that.

In Mark 12 Jesus’ enemies try to trip Him up by asking whether or not the Jews should pay Roman taxes. Seeing the trap, Jesus asks for a denarius and says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). Notice the two parts of His response? In this one sentence Jesus gives us what we need to know about political involvement: respect the governing authorities, but respect God’s authority even more.

God’s men are citizens of an eternal Kingdom. That is where our first loyalties lie. But anyone who tells you that Jesus wasn’t political, or that politics has no place in the Church, doesn’t understand the meaning of the word. From God’s perspective, and as the definition above tells us, the “body politic” is an institution “conceived of as a biological body.” We are the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). That’s why Paul talks about the various parts of the body—the hands, the feet—and how we all have a role to play (using our unique and varied gifts) in God’s body. We are the body of Christ—we are a body politic, just not one made with human hands. Jesus wants us to see our earthly political landscape through an eternal Kingdom lens. When we do that, we can act and vote with the right priorities in mind.

Father, help me see politics through Your eyes and not my own. 

Every Man Ministries