“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners. But his delight is in the law of the Lord.” Psalm 1: 1,2
I believe there is no greater opportunity to share Christ than in the marketplace,. I also believe there is no greater need for Christ than in todays home. A few years ago, Jeanie and I met a young lady who had come to work for a ministry for men. When asked why she wanted to work for the ministry, she told us when she was 9 years old her dad had left home and she had not seen him since. She stated she wanted to make a difference in the lives of other men.
Latest statics state that 40% of the baby buster generation was raised by divorced or separated parents. Tonight 33 % of Americas 72 million children will go to bed in a home without a biological father, 66% of them are not expected to live with both biological parents to the age of 18.(US Census Bureau: Wade F. Horn and Tom Sylvester,Father facts 4th ed.) We are living in a world today where there is a screaming need for Godly men as never before; men who know God in a real and personal way, who believe God, who walk with Him each day, and who stand up for Him when things get tough, or when all the rest of the world seems to be going in a different direction. Our families, businesses, and our entire culture is at risk. In fact, our heritage is at stake.
Our present culture believes about God but does not really know God. It is said that for every 10 people in the church, only one professes to have a Biblical world view.(George Barna, THINKING LIKE JESUS) Our worldview comes from either the Bible or from what the world offers us through it’s many mediums. We are bombarded every day with ideas that seem so rational, but are part of a world system that does not relate to God. Barna states, ” American Christianity has largely failed since the middle of the twentieth century because Jesus’ modern day disciples do not act like Jesus. They fail to represent Him well. not because they are incapable of Christlike behavior out of an absence of good intentions, but because they do not think like Him. You and I may profess to be followers, but remember, the most significant evidence of our loyalty is not what we say, but what we do.”
Every day millions of men are struggling for what they want out of life. We have believed the idea that business is where success and happiness in life is achieved. We believe if we work hard and devote our lives to the office, we will be happy and the family will be thankful for all the “things” we provide. Some of us don’t even know what we believe anymore. What we thought we believed, when tested, we find ourselves compromising and going in a different direction, asking ourselves, “what do I believe?” Men are searching for a life of convictions, but find themselves bouncing wherever, whatever, and whoever seems to have the answers at the time.
We crave significance, we want to make a difference, we want our lives to stand for something. We claim to be Christians, and many of us are, but a great many of us only know enough about God that when we check our bearings, we find our attitude about God is one of frustration, doubt, and disappointment. We have accepted the fact of Jesus, but we do not believe in Jesus. We fail to realize that even if we get all out of life we desire, we still will not be happy without a true relationship with God. We look back and think, maybe i have missed something in my relationship with God. We begin to ask all over again -“what does a Godly man look like?”
Questions for thought:
Why do you thing most men live frustrated lives?
What do you think is necessary for men to find significance?
What is the difference in believing about Jesus and believing in Jesus?