Actor or Authentic?

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Autheticity, Believers, Change, Christ, Christianity, Christians, church, Empowerment, Exposing, faith, Family

Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are actors/actresses that can convince you they are the character they are portraying, because they have mastered the art of acting. But as soon as they step out of character, who they really are is seen by those who are behind the scenes. Some of these people have track records off set that make them even more respectable, while others have some personal issues that have discounted their character.

Religion is a master at teaching people how to say the right thing, act the right way and make people believe you are doing better than you really are. Some people put on golden globe performances when in church, talking to other Christians, or even when praying, but not even a golden globe performance can fool the God of heaven and earth.

King David was called a man after God’s own heart, not because he mastered the act of religion and right living, but because he allowed the authenticity of his heart to be seen by God and others. Listen to something he said in Psalm 22:2-3, “O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. Yet, You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” David allowed his true feelings to be spoken, so what he believed about God could rise above his circumstances.

When we shut people down by not letting them share what they are really thinking and feeling, there is no way for them to tap the into the well of salvation that gushes with living water. Religion wants to silence your voice, but God wants to hear your voice. Your pain, your struggle, your trial, your authenticity is someone else’s victory.

If we are going to reap the harvest, we have to be willing to listen to people’s pain, so the promise is real to them not just the right words. This has to start in the chuch and from there it will flow to the nations. Authenticity builds trust and when someone trusts you, they will be authentic around you.

Are you an actor or authentic? Others know, but do you?

What Does It Mean To Be A Man?

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Christ, church, God, maturity, men, passion, spiritual growth, women, work

I Kings 2:1- 3 “When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.”

Men have so much pressure put on them to provide, protect, pamper and not be proud. The world’s idea of what a man is can be related to the title on his door, the car he drives, the way his wife looks, how his body looks, and the list goes on and on. Just look at GQ magazine and you will begin to see the pressure men are under to be what people define as a man. So, often we talk about how hard it is to be a woman and as a woman, I know it is tough, but men struggle with image issues, work pressure, responsibilities as a husband and father, so their load is no lighter than that of a woman as it pertains to trying to measure up. Many feel like they have to be a half human and half spiderman. Then they read in their bible about what God says a godly husband and man looks like and it can become too much to bear.

I am not a man, so I am only speaking based on observations, but what I have found is that men quit trying to be anything because they can’t be everything they are expected to be. We have men that turn to alcohol because they feel like they will never measure up; others turn to pornography in order to get that feeling of self-worth; while yet others turn to apathy, become emotionless, passionless and powerless. My dad has always said, the devil likes to keep us in the ditch, so if he cannot get you in the ditch of arrogance, he will throw you in the ditch of self-pity, but the last place he wants you is on the road of redemption, confidence and contentment. So, men either throw themselves into work and their family suffers or they decide to do nothing and that is exactly what they get, nothing.

I am so thankful the Lord knew what He was doing when He created men. Genesis 1 says that men were created to work the land, so it is a God-given desire that is put within men to work. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, it is He (Yahweh) that gives you the power to produce wealth; men need to work, it is healthy for them to do and in doing so they will prosper in more than just money. However, this is not all they are to do, they are to love their wives and lay their lives down for her as Christ did for the church (Ephesians 5), this is another aspect of his prosperity. Men that love Jesus, who find their worth in the Lord can both work and cherish their wife. Then we add the children into the mix, they need daddy’s time, energy and passion, they need to know daddy works hard as a provider, and loves mommy as a husband. I know the job sounds daunting, but I believe men would come fully alive if they would seek first the kingdom of God, then they would cherish their wife and produce at work in order to prosper in every way.

Staying out of the ditch is the key to prosperity. Too much work is not healthy, too much food is not healthy, too much entertainment is not healthy and men, too much of the evening news or daily newspaper is not healthy. God wants you to prosper in every area of life, so seek Him until you find Him. He longs to meet your need for significance in Him, so you can go out and be significant, not be working to find it. I know as a woman, our greatest desire is a husband that has his worth come from the Lord, because out of this intimate, personal and passionate relationship with God, you will be able to do all that God requires of you. You will come alive in ways you did not know you could. Just keep your priorities right, God (personal relationship with Him though his word and worship) – Family (wife, kids and others) – Work/Ministry (corporate or church) – Everyone else. This is God’s order of things and when we do it HIs way, we succeed in everything we put our hands to do.

Our world needs men of God who know how to find God in the secret place and order their lives according to his commandments. We will see so many challenges disappear, so many marriages revive, and so many children secure, if only men learn from The Man what does it mean to be a man!