What Does it Mean to Be a Man?
Living a Life of Celebration–part 5
Father’s Day is this coming Sunday. For the last thirty years in American culture, there has been an assault on manhood. Manhood is cheapened and dumb-downed on most evening network shows. More and more men have little idea what it means to be a man, a husband, or a father. If you are a woman doing these devotions, never fear! This week’s material, though most pertinent to men, is also applicable to you! Let’s dive in!
DAY 1: ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end
1. King Solomon gives us two big pictures of God and an insightful picture of human nature! What two things does Solomon say are true of God?
2. Solomon tells us God puts something in every human heart. What is it? What do you think that means?
3. You and I have a yearning in the heart to know that our life matters! More than that, we yearn to know that our life will matter long after we leave planet Earth! One of the ramifications of this is that there will always be an “empty place” in our hearts until this yearning is filled! Ponder THAT!
4. This also means we were made for more that what this life can satisfy us. No amount of houses, cars, successes, or a plethora of counterfeit manhood pursuits will do the trick!
We were made to honor God. This is a purpose worth building our life on!
In the following verses write down insights about honoring God:
1 Samuel 2:30 “Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me– for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.”
Psalm 50:15 “And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me. “
Pro. 3:9 Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce;
Isa. 29:13 The Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote.”
Mal. 2:2 “If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.”
5. What strikes you most about honoring God?
DAY 2: COUNTERFEIT MANHOOD
Part of what it means to be a sinner “by nature” is that we “naturally” turn away from honoring God. We’re much more drawn to honoring ourselves. When we do, we make the hole in our heart far bigger, and then are more driven to seek immediate relief. Usually that means, “I want to feel good or look good, now!”
1. In the following verses, write down how men seek to fill inner needs in counterfeit ways:
Psalm 4:2 O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?
Matt. 23:6 “And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues…”
Luke 20:46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets…”
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.
2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?”
3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.
6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.
7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the children of man.
9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.
11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
2. The drive to fill our hearts, ourselves, is a strong one, and gets stronger when we won’t honor God as God. What was the result of King Solomon’s pursuits? (Eccl. 2:11)
3. Men face a decision. Will we seek to honor ourselves first or God first? Will your central purpose be to enjoy heaven later by living for God now, or (2) to try and make heaven “here,” “now,” through your own pleasures?
4. Pray about what struck you the most from today’s devotions.
DAY 3: MOVING TOWARD RELATIONSHIPS
A real man moves with purpose, and he moves with purpose toward what is most important—honoring God with his life. A real man also pursues relationships. A counterfeit man is passive, waiting for others to take the initiative with him, waiting for others to say the first word, to offer the invitation.
1. How is this true of God? How have you seen God pursue you?
2. How does Paul describe God’s pursuit of relationship with us?
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
3. What is Paul’s frame of mind about relationships? Is he passive, or is he on the move?
2 Corinthians 1:15 And in this confidence I intended at first to come to you, that you might twice receive a blessing;
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
3. Being a real man means taking responsibility for your relationships, determining that you are going to do everything you can to be a blessing, and then acting, regardless of the response!
How is this seen in Matthew 5:38-48:
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
4. Is there someone with whom you need to take more initiative? Is there someone with whom you must try to be a blessing?
DAY 4: STRENGTH TO MOVE TOWARD RESPONSIBILITIES
1 Kings 2:1-3
1 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, show yourself a man,
3 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…
1. What does King David equate with manhood? (v. 2)
2. What does David assume Solomon will need strength for? (v. 3)
3. What does David promise God will do if Solomon moves with strength toward the things of God?
4. Strength that moves toward God’s purposes, responsibilities and relationships doesn’t come easy. What does come “easy” is the passion to be do it myself, play it safe, and procrastinate.
Consider Gideon. The nation of Israel was downtrodden, beaten down every year by the Midianites. God’s purpose was to raise up a leader–Gideon, to free the people.
Judges 6:11-16
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”
13 “But sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
15 “But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
16 The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”
5. Gideon was hiding in v. 11, out of fear. What strikes you about the angel’s words in v. 12? Does Gideon look like a mighty warrior in this passage?!
6. What is the essence of Gideon’s response in v. 13? Does he sound like a strong man or a weak man to you?
7. God gives Gideon a direct command in v. 14. What is Gideon’s response in v. 15? Is Gideon a strong man or weak man?
8. God wants Gideon to act in strength. Look back at how God thinks Gideon could act in strength. Look particularly at vv. 12, 14, 16.
9. How does God’s responses in these verses encourage you to move strongly into your world?
DAY 5: REFUSES COUNTERFEIT MANHOOD
One of the most common ways men move with sheer weakness is in the moral realm, with other women. The drive to be respected and to feel better about ourselves can so cloud our judgment that we are easily deceived into thinking another woman can fill that spot in our heart.
Read Proverbs 7:6-27
1. In these verses, list all the ways this woman “appears” to the unsuspecting fellow. Look for at least 10.
2. List every mistake you can see the man made in this passage. Look for at least 10.
3. In the following section, who was the hunter and who was the hunted? Is that how we usually see things?
Proverbs 7:21-22
21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose
4. What do you think he “thought” would happen when this saga began?
5. Solomon details the aftermath to just this kind of behavior in the following verses;
Proverbs 7:23-27
23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
6. Generation after generation, man after man makes the same mistakes! You don’t have to be one of these men! What do you want to remember from this passage?
7. Summary of manhood: A real man moves strongly toward honoring God in his life. He moves strongly toward his responsibilities and relationships. He refuses to take, what others perceive, as “shortcuts” to filling his needs. He refuses to trust his “eyes” and his “feelings.” He rests on God’s solid word.