Sermon Central
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A Few Good Men
Contributed by Carl Allen on Jun 22, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: In order to be a good father, you first must be a good man. The Scriptures help to point us in the right direction of achieving that today.
A Few Good Men
Ezekiel 22:30 "I searched for a man among them who would build up, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one."
Introduction
You know there are some prerequisites to being a Good Father. You need to be a man for one, you need to be functioning as a man, taking responsibility as a man, acting like a man, and working like a man. All of these are prerequisites to being a good Father!
You will not be a good Father until you are a good Man. It’s a dying art today…there are not many in our nation anymore. Thank God we DO have a few good men here…we can always use a few more though.
Now Ladies, I know that men don’t always say what they mean, so please allow me to translate some things for your future benefit:
When a man says “IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN”
He means: "I have no idea how it works"
When a man says: "IT’S A GUY THING"
He means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with this, and you have no
chance at all of making it logical"
When a man says "CAN I HELP WITH DINNER"
He means: "Are we ordering Pizza?"
When a man says "UH HUH, SURE HONEY,” or “YES, DEAR"
He means: Absolutely nothing – It’s a conditioned response.
When a man says ’I CAN’T FIND IT.’’
He means: "It didn’t fall right in front of me, so I’m completely clueless"
When a man says “I HEARD YOU.”
He means: "I haven’t the foggiest clue what you just said and I am hoping desperately
that I can fake it well enough so that you’ll not spend the next 3 days yelling at me."
When a man says, “THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT.”
He means: “If something I said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes
you sad or angry, I meant the other one.
If your husband says, “HONEY, WHAT COLOR IS THIS?”
He means: ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for
example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. I have no idea what “fusca” is.
Thank God today for the good men He’s sent us here. Amen. Well let’s get serious now and I want us to take a look at what the scriptures characterize a good man as:
Good Men are:
I. Men Who Have Learned to Lean on the Lord:
Proverbs 3:5, Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and do not lean on your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
A. For Salvation (Eph. 2:8, 9)
• Eph. 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not as a result of works, so that no one may boost.”
o We men are bad about trying to be “in control”…to “make things happen.”
• Often ladies find it easier to “rest in the Lord” and lean on Him for salvation.
o It’s a part of a woman’s nature to place themselves in someone else’s hands.
o It’s not that way for men.
o Is that fair?
o Jesus solves this dilemma:
o Matthew 18:3, And said, Truly I say unto you, Unless you are converted, and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
o Children have that attitude of trust, even male children…but something happens to us once when we begin to feel even the slightest amount of thickness in our facial hair.
• I thank God for a few good men we have here at Fairview…they have learned to lean on the Lord for their salvation…
B. For Strength (Isaiah 40:30, 31)
• Isaiah 40:30-31, Though youths grow weary and tired, and the vigorous young men stumble badly: Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not get tired; they will walk, and not become weary.
• Psalm 147:10, He does not delight in the strength of the horse: he does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.
C. For Supply (Phil. 4:19)
• Phil. 4:19, And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
• We all want to be the breadwinner/mighty hunter, but ultimately we need to see even our own selves as being in God’s hands.
D. For Soundness (Reasoning/Wisdom)
• James 1:5, But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously, and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
