I'm going to talk to you this morning
about acting like men.
Act like men.
And that actually comes from 1 Corinthians 16,
13 in the English Standard Version of the
Bible.
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act
like men, and be strong.
And if you weren't here last week, I
would encourage you to listen to last week's
message.
It was on anguish, a call to anguish.
And I think as men, we need to
start being in a little bit more anguish
and concern and allowing that to drive us
to the cross.
Leonard Ravenhill said that if the church had
as many agonizers as we have advisors, the
church would experience revival.
And believe it or not, that's true.
If we had as many people agonizing and
praying as they are advising us what to
do, we would experience revival.
Because that agonizing heart, really what an agonizing
heart is, it's the heart of God.
It's the heart that cries for the people.
And because when you cry for the condition
of your community, you'll pray, you'll worship.
It'll change the way you live.
You'll be Christ-centered and Christ-focused.
And before I get to the message, I
want to offer five points of encouragement.
I actually added this yesterday morning.
I believe it got put on my heart
for a reason because many times we can
kind of be challenged by the Word and
we miss the encouragement part.
Because the Word of God is always meant
to challenge for change.
It challenges us, it convicts us, so we
change.
And by changing you're encouraged.
But as I'm talking about men this morning,
and women you can listen in because you
will benefit.
Kids, if you're not yet old enough to
have children, you'll need this.
This applies to all of us.
But let me give you the encouragement because
I've seen many parents spiral downwards quickly because
of guilt and regret.
Regretting that they could have done a better
job and feeling guilty for that.
And let me just, one point of encouragement,
I struggle with that, even as a pastor
and preaching.
I mean, it's easy to preach it.
Try living it.
I mean, I can come up here for
an hour and tell everybody what to do,
but that's not where the rubber meets the
road.
That's just the starting point.
And I look back and I wish the
years would slow down a little bit.
Where did that, where did my little two
year old, my son, now he's nine here,
and where did that, that seemed like a
year ago, not five years or six years
or seven years ago.
And regretting, I wish I would have spent
more, I wish I would.
So be careful not to get caught in
that trap though because the enemy will use
that against you and beat you down.
But the first point of encouragement on this
issue of parenting and being a father is
even God's children rebel.
Because a lot of times we wonder why
are kids rebelling?
Even the perfect father had kids that rebelled.
Now in giving these points, I'm not encouraging
rebellion.
I hope that all of our kids are
raised in the fear and admonition of the
Lord.
They leave it to beaver household, right?
And they just grow up loving the Lord.
But that's not always the case.
They rebel and it hurts.
I see it at a young age, even
when my little kids rebel it hurts.
But you have to remember that even God's
children rebelled.
Number two, you're not God, you're just a
steward.
There's a lot of peace in that, knowing
that God, I don't know where these kids
are going to go.
I mean, another point of transparency, looking at
the news, looking at where our nation is
going, it will drive you crazy if you
don't get into the Word of God.
Raising kids in this culture, are you kidding
me?
I mean, it's alarming.
Can you imagine 10 years from now or
20, what your grandkids, your little baby, your
grandkids that aren't born yet?
But that's why we have to remember, you're
not God, I'm not God, we're just the
steward.
We just steward these wonderful gifts of God.
And as we stay focused on His sovereignty,
that's the next point, trust in His sovereignty,
not your skills.
Trust in God's sovereignty, not your parenting skills.
Now, another disclaimer, please have good parenting skills.
That's important, it's wisdom, it's wise to raise
our children to have good parenting skills.
But I'm not going to trust in how
I treat little Johnny and how I do
this, I'm trusting in God's sovereignty and ultimately
giving them up to God and God allowing
them to shape and direct them.
Here's why, I have seen, I can name
them but I'm not going to, luckily they
don't go to this church.
I've seen terrible parents produce wonderful kids and
I've seen good parents produce rebellious ones.
And I don't, I mean, just the couples
I'm thinking of, they won't listen to this,
don't worry, they don't, but they are just,
their life is a mess.
And you look at their kids like, how
is, I mean, straight A's, good to bed
early, don't complain about that, just wonderful kids
and it might be God's grace because they
couldn't handle a rebellious child because they're already
in a state of rebellion in their houses.
So you see wonderful parents and then what
happened to these kids?
Perfect example, Jim Cimbala, you ever listen to
his video?
I would encourage you to listen to his,
the Brooklyn Tabernacle out of New York, 3
,000 people on their Tuesday night prayer meeting,
that church has got it going in the
right direction, do they not?
And that's, and he talked about his own
daughter, I believe her name was Christie, and
getting hooked in that lifestyle in New York
and praying and it was just breaking his
heart.
Godly man, what about, have you ever heard
of a man named Billy Graham?
His son Franklin wrote a book on a
rebellious child and many pastors, many leaders have
had kids that go sideways and sometimes we
often blame ourselves.
But again, we don't want that, we don't
desire that, but sometimes you can be the
best parent, Dr. Dobson, I remember hearing him
talk about his son, we can do everything
we do and they still rebel just like
God's children still rebel.
I'm gonna get you out of Egypt, I'm
gonna open the Red Sea, I'm gonna bring
food from heaven, water from rocks, clearly God's,
and they rebel.
So don't beat yourself up, you do everything
you can do, you pray and you fast.
Number four, your kids are fighting the flesh
just like you are.
We forget that, right?
We think, well at 18 they'll start fighting
the flesh, no they're starting at eight months.
More, more, more, more, right?
They're fighting the flesh just like we are.
Sometimes they need love and grace and not
another lecture.
And I'm preaching to myself this morning in
case you haven't noticed.
Number five, those who have been forgiven much,
love much.
And I want to be very careful on
this point because I'm not encouraging rebellion, I
encourage young adults to live for Christ.
You don't want a testimony, well I already
hear my testimony, you know you don't want
to have to give a testimony if you
don't have to.
Your testimony should be, I've been walking with
Christ since early as I can remember, he's
held me, he's been everything to me, and
that's your testimony.
You don't have to say, well listen to
me, I fell back into this lifestyle, you
don't want that necessarily.
But I've noticed that when God pulls out
the prodigal and he looks back on his
life and he says, I should have died
then and then and then, I shouldn't be
here.
God you've saved me from all that because
of that life that you've pulled me out
of, living with the pigs, eating with the
swine.
God I love you more than many others
do.
I've noticed that.
Those who have been forgiven much tend to
love much.
So be careful, pray for your prodigal.
But watch, when God starts to work, that
will be your next preacher.
That will be your next worship leader.
Because God has broke them to such a
point by the time they come back that
they're ready to fully surrender their life and
be used by God.
Remember Paul of Tarsus?
Killed the church, persecuted the church.
So those are the five points of encouragement.
So let's get to the message, act like
men.
We left off last week, I started to
think about this topic last week when we
read, strike the shepherd and the sheep of
the flock will be scattered.
You go after the head and the sheep
will scatter.
You go after the shepherd and the sheep
will scatter.
That's the enemy's plan.
That's why he goes after leadership.
He goes after different areas because you strike
that person, they all fall like a domino.
Here's interesting about fathers.
A dad's leadership at home should be a
model of strength and authority.
They should model strength and authority.
But always temper that by love and compassion.
Harsh discipline tends to close down a sensitive
feminine spirit.
Talking about women.
This is from Dr. Dobson.
A dad's leadership at home should be a
model of strength and authority but always temper
by love and compassion.
Harsh discipline tends to close down a sensitive
feminine spirit.
So we have this image here of yes,
being authoritative, leading the home, but if we're
too harsh we can break that spirit and
crush that spirit instead of building them up.
The father dictates more than I think you
realize.
Do you know why many young women are
promiscuous?
Because they didn't get that attention from their
father.
Do you know why we see the spike
in girls 10 to 14 in suicide?
Because of an absentee father.
People say, well, I'm not an absentee father.
I'm at home.
And I want to remind you that you
don't have to be home to be absent.
You can still be at home and be
absent.
Mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
Now I know we enjoy the TV but
that's probably one of the worst things ever
designed to zap time.
Because the little boys, little girls need us
and we're too busy doing this.
I mean, can you imagine giving them two
or three hours a day?
Or your grandkids?
Can you imagine refocusing that time?
So be careful because how the men act
will set the temperature of their home, their
spiritual temperature, many different areas.
A dad must remember that he's being watched
closely, again talking about girls, by that little
girl around his knees.
The way he treats her mother will teach
her volumes about what men and women should
relate to or relate to one another.
Blatant disrespect towards his wife will not be
missed by the child, will it?
You show me a man that disrespects his
wife in front of the kids, puts her
down, you will see that carried into the
next marriage.
Unless that kid repents and lets God completely
change his life.
Because that same thing is passed down often.
It's called model behavior.
People are like, you shouldn't quote psychologists.
Well, if the psychologist is biblically based, psychology
is the study of the mind.
The Bible has a lot to say about
studying the mind.
For as a man thinketh in his heart,
so is he.
What we put in is what we get
out.
And a lot of Christian therapists are realizing
that the powers in scripture, not in psychology,
not in building self-esteem, not in your
inner child and your inner self, back to
the scriptures, back to the scriptures of also
men leading.
A man should always look for ways to
build self-confidence in his girls.
If she believes that she's pretty and special,
she will be inclined to see herself that
way.
He holds the key to her acceptance.
And I wanted to read how a father
affects boys, and the list is just too
long.
But I just summed it up in this
one sentence.
A father shapes his son's life more than
any other influence on the planet.
That's it.
How's that?
Now, of course, God comes in there, Christ
shapes.
But the man, the father, will shape and
mold his character more than anyone else.
That's why crime is rampant.
That's why you have the jails are full.
I mean, go and interview the inmates, and
look at the studies.
I've read them.
How many of those came from fatherless homes?
Eighty, ninety percent?
Where the men were disengaged, the men are
absent, and they just allow the children to
do whatever they want.
So I believe that strike the shepherd and
the sheep will scatter.
Contextually, that verse is referencing Zachariah, when Zachariah
prophesied that they would strike the shepherd, being
Christ, and all his disciples would flee.
The context, but the overlapping principle still applies,
that you go after that leadership.
See, man, we need to stop blaming everything
from God to the government and look in
the mirror.
I mean, I wish that could go out
to a hundred million men in America.
Wake up!
That's the issue.
We need to look in the mirror.
We need to take that ground back and
act like men.
A man affects his wife spiritually and emotionally
more than any other influence.
I'm going to read that again.
A man affects his wife spiritually and emotionally
more than any other influence.
We can either build them up or pull
them down.
Strike the shepherd and they will scatter.
Men, you're not called to be a passive,
weak, indecisive partner.
You're called to protect, lead, and guard your
family.
You're to initiate prayer.
You're to defend your wife, shepherd your children,
and make your home a holy sanctuary, not
a breeding ground for Satan.
You're called to fight the enemy, not flee
from him.
Everything starts, everything starts with your own spiritual
character.
Your spiritual life is what's going to flow
out into everything else.
So let's talk about that verse, 1 Corinthians
16, 13.
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act
like men, and be strong.
Number one, be watchful.
Be watchful.
And my point in this type of sermon
is to shake you and to rattle your
cage so that when you leave those doors,
something changes.
Because as I've said many times before, I'm
tired of playing church where everybody comes in
and they know what to say.
Hey brother, how's it going?
Good.
And you're struggling with the same thing that
you have five years ago.
You still punch holes in the wall.
You still scream at the top of your
lungs.
When's it going to end?
You still talk about getting back in the
Bible.
Ten years ago, when's that going to start?
You start, yeah, I got to be that
man in the house.
I got to worship again.
I got to get, yeah, okay, you told
me that six years ago.
When's it going to start?
Because I'm getting tired of preaching and we
don't change.
That's the whole point.
This isn't for me to just come up
for an hour, did my thing, and go
home.
It's to stir and it's to convict, so
we have to be watchful.
This is the first point.
What does watchful mean?
Be alert, be cautious, be vigilant, be on
guard, be prepared, and be ready.
So are you?
Are you alert?
Are you cautious?
Basically, it's a man, what this means, alert,
cautious, vigilant, you're on guard, everything.
Everything that comes into your home, there's a
filter.
It's called being watchful.
When your 12-year-old wants to bring
somebody over to the house that might be
a very negative influence, you can't say, no,
I don't think so.
When they want to watch certain things, you
can say, I don't think so.
Certain influences, friends, relationships, you're watching.
Financially, you're watching.
Relationally, you're not.
What's the opposite of watchful?
Careless, lazily, rash, you're lazy, rash, meaning quick
decisions without thinking, and negligent.
That's what happens when we're not watchful.
We're lazy.
That's what the enemy comes in.
He just comes in.
Let me just come in.
Those are the three areas.
If you just want me to break it
down for you, media, influences, and I wrote
something else, the third one down.
Oh, choices.
The choices we allow our families to make.
Getting them into financial difficulties, making bad spiritual
decisions.
One thing that saddened me about sports is
now everybody's gone on weekends for sports.
When I was playing sports, Sundays, you didn't
play sports.
But now you have travel ball.
You have soccer and baseball, and everybody's gone.
Everybody's gone on weekends.
So we're putting that above God.
We can try to fit church in whenever
it works, but sports is our priority, or
you name it.
There's a lot of different things.
I mean, I've seen it.
You've seen it, too.
It went from every Sunday.
Now attendance is like once a month, and
we're proud of ourself.
When did that slip in?
Be watchful, men.
Alert, cautious, vigilant.
And we're going to do something a little
bit different this morning.
I'm going to have the ushers pass the
plate and collect your cell phones.
We're going to check your web history and
your YouTube history, and I'll tell you what
you love and what you worship.
False alarm, because I know some of you
wouldn't be putting the phone in there.
But that's a test to show you.
That's what's influencing you.
Are you being watchful?
Are you being cautious?
Because that shows you where your heart's at.
That shows you it's all news and all
sports and all God knows what, and you
come to church, you're not being watchful.
You're not being vigilant.
You're not being alert.
You're being led to sleep by the enemy.
So watchful is so important.
What we read last week, and he came
and he found them sleeping again.
Jesus said, are you still sleeping and resting?
Rise, let us be going.
See, my betrayer is at hand.
Your betrayer is at hand.
Okay, here's a little wake-up call.
Your enemy does not sleep.
He does not slumber.
He's sent to kill, to steal, and to
destroy.
See, it's interesting.
We hear that on the news.
ISIS, right?
The gun sales are up.
Everybody's ordering AR-15s and all this stuff.
Why?
Because there's an enemy that is sent to
kill, steal, and to destroy.
Do you know there's an enemy already here?
He's already here.
He's in your house.
He's probably in church sometimes.
Maybe not this church.
After hearing that worship, hopefully he flees.
But that enemy is here.
He's sent to kill.
He's just looking for a stronghold.
And when you say, well, that's not a
big deal, and that's not a big deal,
and 10 years of not a big deal,
and you wonder what happened because you weren't
watchful.
It's okay for the Father to say, no,
we're not going to allow that into our
homes.
Oh, Dad, come on.
Have you heard that before?
Good.
That was a close call.
We can be very cautious about our income,
about our reputation and our bank statements, but
lazy in regard to the spiritual climate of
our home.
Listen, it took me a while to figure
this out, but the most important thing you
can focus on is the spiritual climate of
your home.
Because how much is in your bank account
right now?
Where's your stock?
Where's your retirement?
You know, to the dollar.
Where's the spiritual climate of your home?
I'm not sure.
I hope we're doing okay.
It doesn't work that way.
We have to be watchful.
I remember just six months ago, a man
said to me, at least my kids smoke
marijuana at home so I can watch them.
Last night I wanted to say more, and
this morning I want to say more too,
but I'm not going to.
I mean, that preaches itself.
At least they're smoking marijuana at home so
I can keep an eye on them.
Now, on the flip side, and I have
to talk about the flip side, there's a
danger of being too cautious.
There's a danger in being too cautious.
And people probably think, Shane, can you really
be too cautious in this area?
Well, there are areas you can be too
cautious in.
For example, I know this might surprise a
lot of people, but do you know the
main reason why we die is because of
what we put in here?
Very unhealthy food.
I think the top three killers, heart, cardiovascular,
it's all tied to health.
A lot of it's tied to health.
So, too cautious, I'm just not going to
eat.
Instead of dying in 40 years, I'm going
to die in 40 days.
Too cautious.
Have you seen the recent statistics on driving
and how much results in accidents and deaths
from driving?
Well, then we never drive again.
What about flying an airplane?
We're never going to fly.
So, you can be too cautious.
And in this area, you can, what I
call, you put too much of a hold
on and you squeeze the life out of
everybody.
Because God calls us to resemble His Son,
Jesus, to be that loving shepherd, not just
a dictator.
And we have to be careful here.
Too many rules without a loving relationship with
your kids leads to a critical spirit.
Again, if you're convicted, that's okay, me too.
Too many rules without a loving relationship with
your kids leads to a critical spirit.
If you have a judgmental attitude, you will
not be able to lead your family effectively.
You will not.
It's impossible.
If I have a judgmental, arrogant attitude, I
cannot lead them effectively.
And the dictator is almost as dangerous as
the derelict who neglects his home.
Because on this side, I have the derelict
who's, oh, whatever you want to do, and
kids do whatever they want to do, and
that doesn't turn out good.
And then on this side, I have the
dictator who just stifles and kills.
And the kids say, as soon as I'm
18, I'm out of there.
Get me away from here.
You didn't resemble Christ.
You resembled Sudan Hussein.
You resembled, what are those guys in Cuba?
And all these, I don't watch the news
as much as you guys, so I don't
remember their names.
But is it a dictator or derelict?
No, you got to be right in the
middle.
You got to be firm but loving.
You've got to allow things but not too
much.
You've got to let them grow and make
choices on their own as well.
Ironically, I've noticed that those educated in biblical
doctrine can often be the most critical, cynical,
and negative.
We must avoid being a divisive person who
is proud, unteachable, and eager to dispute.
Paul said that.
As we learn the scriptures, here's what happens.
Personal testimony.
We can become filled with pride.
We easily see the flaws in others, but
we overlook our own.
Blinded by pride and convinced that God has
called us to critique others, we might think
that we're more knowledgeable, holy, and in tune
with the Spirit, and that God has obviously
given me the gift of criticism.
But no such gift exists.
Do you know you will not find anywhere
the gift of criticism?
It's not a gift.
It's actually a flaw.
It's a character flaw.
Be careful here.
It can be a critical attitude and not
God that is leading you.
And if you're not sure, if you don't
know, if you have this, ask me.
I'll tell you the truth.
Or ask your spouse.
Stand firm in the faith.
Number two, stand firm in the faith.
The Bible says, having done all, stand.
Stand firm in the faith.
Ephesians 6.10. Finally my brethren, be strong
in the Lord, and in the power of
His might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that
you may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil, and having done all,
stand.
This is interesting.
That word, wiles, in the King James, I
believe it is.
Do you know what it actually is?
It's the devil's trickery.
It's the devil's deceit.
He comes in tricking and deceiving.
So Paul says, having done all, stand.
All you do, see men, you're in a
defensive position.
You don't have to always fight, fight, fight
offensive.
You're defending.
You're defending the home.
You're defending the marriage.
You're in a defensive position.
He told Moses, having done all, stand.
Joshua, having done all, stand.
Paul says, having done all, you stand there
and you hold the ground.
It's this picture here of holding the ground.
And that's why the church has lost so
much ground.
That's why the nation has lost so much
ground, because we haven't done this, and said,
no, not on our watch.
No, that's not biblical.
That's not correct.
Instead we do this.
And what does a coward do?
That's what a coward does.
The definition of a coward, you all know,
they backtrack, they hide, they excuse.
So men, well this could be a whole
other sermon, but we have to stop the
excuses.
When it says, a person who stands doesn't
have excuses.
They're standing, they're holding the ground.
It's a defensive position.
So those are the first two that Paul
talks about.
Being watchful.
So what we're doing, it's watching.
And it's like, you ever take a walk
in the desert around April or May?
Are you watching for something called a rattlesnake?
Hopefully.
Are you watching, or are you just watching?
Of course not.
You're watching the decisions the family makes.
Where they go, you're watchful, and you're standing
firm in the faith.
And the faith is the key there.
Because many guys play tough guy, but they're
not standing firm in the faith, guarding the
family.
Number three, act like men.
Act like men.
This is a good reminder also that acting
is not talking.
Because we can talk a good game, right?
We get in the car, we leave here,
that's right, I'm glad he said that, here's
what we need to do, blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah.
And that's why you'll see in the article
I wrote that our families would rather see
a sermon than hear one.
Edward Guess said, the lectures, talking probably mainly
to people in general, but I want to
apply it to dads, saying, dads, the lectures
that you give me may be very wise
and true, but I'd rather get my lesson
by observing what you do.
For I may misunderstand you and the high
advice you give, but there's no misunderstanding how
you act and how you live.
And that really speaks volumes.
The things you tell me may be very
wise and very true.
I hear that sounds very wise and true,
but I'm going to get, the best lesson
I can ever get is by observing how
you act and how you live.
That's what speaks volumes as to if God
has really changed us.
I mean, can we go to church and
we act like this, but then when we
get home, really that's where the true colors
come out.
That's where the true man or woman of
God really comes out in our homes.
Now, you're not going to conquer this perfectly.
I know that.
We struggle in our homes.
Who doesn't?
But we've got to get back to these
biblical principles, standing firm, acting like men.
Zechariah 11, 17, woe to the worthless shepherd
who deserts the flock.
Jeremiah 10, the shepherds of my people have
lost their senses.
They no longer seek wisdom from the Lord.
Therefore, they shall fail completely and their flocks
are scattered.
So what's a worthless shepherd?
A shepherd is one who departs from the
sheep.
They depart and they say, wolves, go ahead
and attack the sheep.
But what happens here in our homes, we
basically say, I'm not going to take a
stand.
I'm not going to take a spiritual ground
in my home.
Devil, just come in and do what you
want.
And I hate to be the bearer of
bad news, but going to church one day
on Sunday is not going to cut it.
That's not going to cut it.
Try eating one time a week.
What's the difference?
We understand that physically coming to church one
day a week is not going to cut
it.
You need to be men in your homes
in the word of God, praying and even
fasting, something else we don't want to talk
about.
And I might want to talk about that
someday and finally get it out of my
system.
Prayer, fasting, guarding, praying with your kids.
What about when your kids go through, praying
with your kids?
And you know what?
I think we need a good illustration right
now.
Here's how this should represent you in your
home.
You didn't see this sitting here, did you?
Biggest sledgehammer they make.
25 pound sledgehammer.
What's the purpose of this?
Am I going to write a book with
this?
Am I going to take out the, am
I just going to fix a glass bowl
with this?
Get some super glue.
This has one purpose and one purpose only.
What is the purpose of this?
It's to do damage.
So when Paul says, pulling down strongholds, when
the strongholds comes in against your home, pulling
down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high
thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
Christ.
This is what you do.
You walk through your home like this.
No, I'm, that's not acceptable.
That's not acceptable.
And you, you guard your family, you shelter
your family.
But here's what we like to use.
I mean, I would never even put pink
on a hammer.
And we think, well, well this, no, this
isn't going to work.
If I tell you to demolish a wall,
what's, what are you going to choose?
But that's what we do.
We go to, we went to church and
I read my little devotional this morning for
five minutes and I'm good.
No, you're not good.
You need this.
That's what the man does.
It's not, why, why are there women at
the prayer meetings and not the men?
Why do we have tons of helpers, mainly
women?
Why do we have women encouraging prayer?
Would you just pray with us?
Would you just lead us?
Would you read the word?
They're starving.
They're starving for yes, affection, but they're also
starving for leadership because you're not supposed to
go hide in the corner and work 30
years so you can retire.
You're supposed to come out of the corner
and do business until he returns and you
guard and you break down and you crush.
That's the imagery that Paul gives us.
When the enemy comes in like a flood,
you pull down strongholds.
You cast down those arguments.
That is getting heavy.
But on that note, there is a burden
to bear.
This isn't easy.
This is heavy.
It hurts.
I'm tired.
And I think that's one of the, one
of the schemes of the enemy is to
look for when you're tired.
Do you lash out when you're in a
good mood or when you're tired?
Do you pray when you're tired or when
you feel like it?
So yes, there's a burden to carry.
You're called to carry a burden and you
will have to reorganize your entire life.
You will have to remove those things that
are pulling you down and your family down.
You know what they are?
I know what they are.
Those relationships, those ungodly activities, those time zappers
where your kids two and then four and
then six and then 16 and you know
more about your favorite athlete than you do
your children.
That's what you're, this is the weapons of
our warfare are not carnal, but they're mighty
through God for the pulling down of strongholds.
And the stronghold isn't just once a month
or once a year.
He's constantly trying to get in there.
And you might say, Oh Shane, I'm worried
now.
Actually, you don't have to be worried if
you're praying, if you're fasting, if you're worshiping,
if you're in the Word, because he's going
to go before you.
That's the victory.
See, the victory has already been won.
The victory has already been won.
I'm actually in a position of victory, not
defeat.
So I just, having done all, stand.
Stand therefore with your loins girt about with
truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of
salvation.
All these things are defensive position.
So the victory's been won.
I just stand and I hold the ground.
Yes, it's difficult.
Yes, it's time consuming.
Yes, your flesh will fight it every inch
of the way, but I don't want to
get to the end of my life and
regret not being a better father.
I don't know about you, but I saw
there was a question there asking men for
Father's Day.
If you could go back and change one
significant experience in your life, what would it
be and why?
And most Christian men would say, I would
have followed Christ sooner.
I would have ran back to the altar
at 15 or 22.
I would have ran back to Christ.
I would have.
If I could get my 20s back again,
I would run to the altar, run to
Christ.
But that's why we don't want to get
to the end of our life.
Or some of your kids are gone and
you might be living with guilt and regret.
Well, you don't have to because you've got
grandkids.
Well, I don't have grandkids.
Well, you could be an intercessor, a prayer
warrior.
That's a true biblical term to intercede for
the people.
All the way from Ezekiel, Joshua.
What about Moses interceding for the people when
they were battling?
We see it consistently that if I was
just Ezekiel, I was looking for a man.
God said, I was looking for a man.
My eyes are going to and fro throughout
the whole earth to find a heart that
is loyal to me.
I was looking for a man who would
stand in the gap to build a wall
between me and the people so I might
not destroy that land, but I found no
one.
And that's interesting.
Throughout the Old Testament, God was doing this
often.
He was just going, hello, I just need
a few people.
I just need a few people to come
back to me.
I can work through the remnant.
I can work through somebody who would just
be intercessed because God would spare the land
for 50 righteous.
Would you spare it for 45?
Yes.
Abraham, would you spare it for 35?
Yes.
And he got down to where there was
almost no righteous left.
So God is looking for intercessors, men to
stand in the gap and act like men.
We are in desperate need of broke and
humble men, men who are not afraid to
admit that they need God.
It's an excerpt from the article you have.
I'll just go ahead and read it.
I'm tired of weak, passive men who never
contend, stand, or fight for anything worth dying
for.
Our nation is looking for character.
Our wives are looking for leaders, and our
kids are looking for fathers.
Act like men.
And you might be going, okay, I got
it, but what does that look like?
Acting like men, basically you obey what you
read.
We obey what we read.
And I just read a few verses in
Proverbs this morning that really stood out that
I wanted to share with you.
Such is the fate of all who are
greedy for gain.
It ends up robbing them of life.
Men are very greedy for gain.
I don't know if you've realized that, have
you?
We're very greedy for gain.
Retirement, focus on income, it's all about reputation,
and I've got to be this.
The Proverbs says it robs you of life.
Why don't you pursue Christ the same as
you pursue riches?
Because when you pursue Christ, I think I
read somewhere that those who seek ye first
the kingdom of God, everything else will be
added to them.
Also, men, trust in the Lord with all
your heart, and lean not on your own
understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
will direct your path.
I know so many men who they will
not trust in the Lord with all their
heart.
They'll try this angle and that angle and
this charge and this contact and this, and
finally when it all doesn't work out, hey
God, come here, I have a problem now,
I'm into this way deep, can you help
me?
And He just says if you would have
just trusted in me with all of your
heart from the get go and not lean
on your own understanding, but in all your
ways acknowledge me, I would have directed your
path.
But fortunately He'll say yes, I can get
you out of this mess.
But there will be consequences.
There will be delays.
There will be setbacks.
What about in Proverbs also, the Lord hates
a proud look.
In case you're curious what God thinks of
pride in any of us, this is it.
I hate a proud look.
And when God says He hates something, you
might want to sit up straight and kind
of take that to note.
I hate a proud look.
He says I hate a lying tongue.
I hate hands that shed innocent blood.
I hate feet that are swift to running
to evil.
I hate a wicked heart that devise wicked
plans.
And I hate one who sows discord among
the brethren.
That last one's an ouch verse, isn't it?
Do our conversations build each other up or
are we sowing discord?
Right?
What is sowing discord?
Have you heard?
We're sowing discord.
God hates it.
He doesn't say I would prefer you not
do this.
He says I hate a proud look.
I hate sowing discord among the brethren.
I hate it.
So when acting like men, we begin to
follow these things.
The integrity of the upright will guide you.
Let integrity guide you.
Commit your works to the Lord and your
thoughts will be established.
And the final one, death and life are
in the power of the tongue.
Dad, you can build people up with your
words or you can destroy them.
It's possible to murder with your mouth by
constantly badgering, constantly belittling, beating them up with
our words.
Then the final point, be strong.
Be strong.
Aren't you glad there's not 10 points?
Be strong.
You can't be watchful and weak.
The world's definition of strong.
You know the world's definition, right?
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
There you go.
He's got the money.
He's got the look, everything he used to.
Now it's getting older.
These things happen.
But that's the world's definition, right?
Bling bling, it's a kid's say.
The bling bling, the muscles, all this stuff,
that's the world's definition of strong.
And you have a strong personality, but you
can still be weak.
Because Paul said, when I am weak, I
am strong.
See, this whole issue of being strong is
we are weak in the things of the
world.
We are not allowing our flesh to control
us.
And by being weak and saying, God, I
need you and relying on God, we become
strong in the things of God.
You know, there's a lot more to say
on this issue of being strong.
But I think real strength comes from men
who worship God.
And I know this is a hard area
for men.
It's been a hard area for me in
the past.
It's not as much anymore.
But we sometimes, we have this image that
worship is for women, when that's really not
the truth.
I can actually take you back to more
male worshipers, if you want to start in
Genesis and work our way through, than women
worshipers.
Men would worship God.
Paul says, I wish that every man everywhere
would lift up holy hands and worship God.
That's what a worshiper looks like.
And actually, it's not just that.
You want to know the Old Testament image
of a worshiper is this.
That's it.
Lord, I surrender all.
It's submitting and surrendering.
It's a position of surrender and submission.
God, I surrender all.
I'm submitting to you.
That's a worshiper.
See, that's where your battles are won.
They're on your knees.
The battle's won on your knees, worshiping.
That's what a worshiper is.
So it drives me, how are we born
in worship?
Please explain that to me.
How can we be born in worship?
And that's where real strength is going to
come from.
If you say, I want to stand firm
in the faith, I'm going to act like
a man.
And I'm going to be watchful and be
strong.
It won't happen apart from worship.
Because here's what happens.
Worship breaks the heart.
Worship humbles us.
We can have a worship night.
We'd like to have it once a month
when possible.
You just want to take a guess if
there's more men there or women.
Just throw out a guess.
Why is that?
Paul says, all men everywhere should raise holy
hands and worship God.
I surrender all.
Because men don't want to surrender.
We want to put God in our back
pocket.
I'll pull him out when I need him.
I got this.
No, you don't got this.
You don't got this.
And you will not change.
And that's my heart.
You won't change until worship becomes a part
of your life.
Would you be embarrassed if your kids walked
in on you and saw you on your
knees praying?
Nothing, nothing.
But you have no problem with them watching
NASCAR for three hours.
I mean, I just don't understand.
I just don't understand.
When you start praising God, your spirit is
lifted.
Loneliness, isolation, anger and frustration, they must leave.
And men deal with these issues.
Loneliness, isolation and anger and frustration.
It has to flee when you worship God.
And then as your day goes on, it
comes back in.
As you worship God, it leaves.
And as the day goes by, it comes
back in.
It's this process of daily cleansing and renewal
through worship.
Worship heals the inner man who is sick
and dying.
Your kids can paint on the wall.
Your wife disrespects you.
And the dog just got into the trash.
And you're not going to throw a fit
after coming out of worship.
This happens to people.
Right?
I won't say me, because...
But no, Morgan doesn't disrespect you.
I'm very blessed in that area.
But I have walked out of worship with
Sharpie markers on the wall.
Dog's got in the trash.
And when you come out of worship, you
say, hey, it's no problem.
We'll get to it in a little bit.
But if I have a venti coffee and
just watch CNN News, I'm going to explode.
Why is that?
Because it's feeding the flesh, not the spirit.
You have an anger problem?
You better worship.
And I don't know too many men who
don't, just so you know.
Anger, lashing out.
Respect me.
If you ever have to say, I'm the
man of this house, well, then there's a
problem there.
That would be like me coming up here
and saying, I'm the pastor here.
You better start listening.
It should just flow.
It should just flow from what God is
doing.
So if you have a problem with anger,
you have a problem with an addiction, you
have a problem with pride, worship.
That's why you don't want to, because there's
something that doesn't want...
That's why people don't fast.
It's difficult.
Try going all day without food.
It's nearly impossible, unless you set your mind
to do it, because the flesh wants it
so bad.
Same thing with worship.
God says, I want your worship.
The enemy says, so do I.
And the way you worship the enemy is
by not worshiping God.
Shane, come on.
You cannot serve two masters.
You'll either love the one and hate the
other, or be loyal to one and despise
the other.
You cannot serve both.
Now, I don't think we're bowing down to
Satan and all these things, but God wants
our worship.
And when we don't give him the worship,
when we just...
I don't want to do that.
I'll read my Bible.
See, the safe place is here.
Safe place.
But when it comes to worshiping, that's where
the heart is bared.
That's where the ugliness comes out, because you're
submitting.
It's surrender.
It's surrendering to God.
It's a very healthy thing.
The final point, angry men are weak, and
they're not worshipers.
If you're hurting, unhappy, hopeless, and tired, run
to worship.
Humble yourself and lift up holy hands.
Listen, guys, that's the key right there.
That's where it all starts.
That's why...
Why do you think I like a long
time of prayer and worship?
Because that's where it starts.
This sermon won't accomplish anything without prayer and
worship.
It won't accomplish anything without prayer and worship.
I'm pretty sure the devil's listening in.
He just heard my whole sermon.
Did it do anything for him?
Is he going to repent?
No, not at all.
So we can hear something.
What happens, I think, I heard it, I
heard it, and I'm convicted.
But that's just rationalization.
That's just rationalizing.
Okay, I feel convicted.
I know what I need to do, and
then we think that's good enough.
But that's not.