Courageous Manhood - Be Watchful
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Introduction To the Weekend
Introduction To the Weekend
Intro of who I am
What I see going on the the world
How I’ve seen Satan and his minions working, mostly in Men, husbands
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
As many hopefully all of us know, there is an invisible battle going on all around us. What I think happens all too often is that we get distracted from what God really has for us. I could assume that because you’re here this weekend that you’ve got it all figured out and don’t have any issues following Jesus but given my own life experience, I know that’s not true.
With that said, I wanted to simply put out a challenge and call to all men, because the evil day is here. We are in the midst of a battle that seems to be ramping up. This weekend we are not going to talk so much about why what we believe is true. We are going to be looking at what we need to be actively doing as men of God, in these paroles times, as we love and lead our families.
The content of the weekend is going to be based on one verse. If you’ve been around men’s ministry much at all you may be familiar with this verse, but I intend to break it down for us so we can understand it and apply it!
I don’t know about you, but I have always hated it when I had a job to do, but didn’t have the function of the job spelled out with clear expectations. Can anyone relate?
Lets read the verse we are going to be focusing on this weekend and then we will take the first part of it and dig into it.
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Be Watchful
Be Watchful
We are going to talk tonight about what it means to be watchful.
We have so many things that bide for our attention in life. We have our work, our hobbies, wives if we have them, or children, grandchildren if we have them, our church and all the ups and downs of life. All of that on top of the fact that we have this thing called our flesh that just wants what it wants, when it wants it! Compile the flesh distracting us from God’s will with the spiritual attack that we all are under, even if it is unnoticed, and we can be ripe for the picking some times.
Now, look at all of that through the lens of our family of origin, how we are a product of the environment we grew up in, and things are really stacked against us! It really does take a great and awesome God to get us through any of this stuff, let alone enable us to be successful.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
So, what are you setting your mind on? Is it the flesh, or it is the Spirit? How do you know? The bottom line is, we have blind spots! We need other men in our lives that can see what we are doing, and be able to speak to whether THEY see us setting our mind on things of the flesh or the Spirit. If you are not willing to let someone else into that space in your life, then I’d be willing to bet that you are setting your mind on the things of the flesh, or, you are living in the fear of being fully known!
If our goal is to please God, truly, then we will be living according to the Spirit and setting our minds on the things of the Spirit.
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Sober Minded
Sober Minded
Sober Minded - calm and collected in the Spirit. Sober, means not intoxicated or impaired.
Impaired - Noah Webster’s 1828 definition. Diminished; injured; weakened.
Don’t let your mind be injured or weakened by the things you take part in, or take in, or even entertain in you mind and heart.
Be Watchful
Be Watchful
This phrase, “be watchful” speaks more to being on guard. Standing up on a watch tower scanning the horizon for danger.
Noah Webster’s definition - WATCHFUL, adjective Vigilant; attentive; careful to observe; observant; cautious. It has of before the thing to be regulated, as to be watchful of ones behavior; and against, before the thing to be avoided, as to be watchful against the growth of vicious habits.
The hard part about this idea is that we can be very watchful of somethings and not others. We can be 110% up on the current events, politics, world affairs, even things concerning Israel and end times. All of that we need to be mindful of. Be watchful for.
I think one of the hardest things about being a Godly man is realizing that we have SO many fronts that we have to be watching and aware of.
Do Not Fear the Enemy
Do Not Fear the Enemy
21 You shall not be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God.
Marriage - one of the most critical fronts we must be aware of what’s going on and not afraid to “check in on” and be mindful of. It is the relationship that effects every aspect of our lives and that’s going to be a good thing or a bad thing. A thing that brings life and peace or one that brings death and destruction, because we aren’t just talking about your own happiness, or sticking it out to the end. We don’t want to stick it out, we want to thrive don’t we? Some of us may have not idea how to reach the point of thriving but it is a thing that is attainable with the power of God active in you! But, we must be mindful of it.
Children - This one changes over time doesn’t it.
17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
DISCIPLINE, noun [Latin , to learn.]
1. Education; instruction; cultivation and improvement, comprehending instruction in arts, sciences, correct sentiments, morals and manners, and due subordination to authority.
little guys/gals
teenagers
young adults
adult children with kids
Involvement with Jesus’ Church
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
Testimony to the lost
32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.