Be Strong In The Lord

Ephesians 6:11-19

Bear withe me this morning, I want to try and explain something that overwhelmed me this week.

I listened to an interview with a guy that was a sort-of motivational speaker or I think they call them a social media influencer. Not sure if that is the right title, but he makes videos encouraging young men to be masculine.

A big issue amongst our country is a lack of masculinity in young men. He encourages these young men to go to the gym, work hard, endure tough things. He speaks of himself as having beautiful girlfriends, cool cars, and he is strong. He tells them to get off the couch and stop playing the video games and be a man.

All the social media platforms that this man is on has blocked because, he is talking about this and possibly teaching this stuff. That was the reason for his interview.

That got me to thinking about his message verses the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I get the idea of masculinity being lost among our young men, but the masculinity he deems as great for men, is not what the Bible teaches!

God created the family unit.....He also created the uniqueness and distinctions between a man and a woman.

The man to be the leader and the woman to be the nurturer.

I realize that because of the hardness of hearts that some men and women have had to take on both roles......but if we are speaking of how things should be, that is the idea

The man to be a leader because he is designed to handle tough decisions and also for discernment.

The woman a nurturer because she is designed to be a mother, the one setup to care for the physical needs of the children.

The bodies of both are designed that way, as well as the psyche.

I agree that masculinity/manhood has lost it’s way in this world and I believe the world has went to it’s own so much that the latter part Romans chapter 1 is coming to life right before our eyes......

God’s judgement/wrath is revealed upon the world because it has indulged in this insanity...

Romans 1:18-30..............This is what is happening in the world, everything is opposite of Who God is and it is because gave them up to their own insanity!

Reprobate means a debased or unclean mind.....some describe as God gave them over to their own insanity.....this is how you want to live?????? Here it is and removes any kind of protections that God would give them and their exposed to all the principalities and powers, spiritual wickedness in high places, darkness!

This is God’s wrath upon those that seek their own way instead of serving and worshipping their True Creator Who is blessed forever…AMEN!!

Back to this man, that is encouraging young men and boys to be masculine....it seems right but the direction that he is pulling them in is destructive because it has no heart for God in it at all, it is for self and we know what going our own way is, right? Sin!!!!!

Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

So, I got to thinking........Everything that man has encouraged young men to do and the benefits that he attributed to those things, is not if God!

I said at the revival the other night, that everything done out from God is empty and has no value! Because it is temporary!

However, the message I preach, the message that I read from God’s Word is self-deprecating......Belittling my own self.........

There are 3 verses that prove that to me and Jesus spoke all 3 of them....

John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

How can we compete against a world the encourages all of these earthly riches if you do this or that?

I get that masculinity has went down the toilet along with femininity, as well!

There are so many trying to pull folks back and they begin to teach, even in the church, folks the way to be a man and a woman........hold major conferences to try and teach men to be men and women to be women!

How does the Gospel compete with all of this.....Remember this is all about Christ and Him crucified and if we focus on making the world right rather than coming to Jesus then we have lost our way!

Jesus is the determining factor of all living!

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

How do we get things right in God’s way? Come unto Jesus…deny yourself......learn of Him!

We don’t compete with anybody...........Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

1 John 5:5 “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

So how we do we get there Ephesians 6:10-19........

Each piece put on with prayer and then continue still in prayer........As Barth (AB) puts it, ‘Nothing less is suggested than that the life and strife of the saints be one great prayer to God, that this prayer be offered in ever new forms however good or bad the circumstances, and that this prayer not be self-centred but express the need and hope of all the saints.

Two things Paul craved for the task: wisdom and boldness, clarity and courage in proclaiming the message.