Men’s Fall Fellowship Message

 

“Moving Upward as men with the Word of God”

Theme:  “Keeping the devil out of your garden”

 

My Greatest accomplishment:  a healthy Christian family of three boys and a wife

Mention my prayer to God when praying for Cynthia in Germany

 

What is important to God:  a man’s relationship with his God, his spouse, his children, that man, his work.

 

Men, look at you before looking at your spouse, friends, family members, etc.

 

Talk about bike trail with the boys-we leave the “game-boys” at home.  Today we do the game-man plan!

 

The world taught us and we became confused, bound and destroyed.  Now we have the teaching of the New Testament and can have the life (John 10:10, Psalm 107:20) that God wants for us (Jeremiah 29:11).  The world is weak and confused and full of darkness.  This was us before.  Now we are a people with a purpose and a God in a family of love (I Peter 2:5-10)

 

Purpose-what were you created to be?  Genesis 2:21-25, I Corinth. 16:13

 

Courage-Joshua 1:5-9, Numbers 13:6-26, Joshua 14:7-15, I Corinth. 16:13 (Caleb was an example of leadership-no compromise-the 12 spies were leaders of tribes-families).  This has nothing to do with feelings or being liked.  John Wayne coined the phrase “a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do”.  Please God first then your family.

 

Lot was a compromiser-as a result he lost his entire family except his two daughters who were now full of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Don’t give your children to the devil.  Don’t let them go the path of the world of sex, sin and godlessness. (Genesis 19:1-38)

 

Leadership-lead your family in devotions even if it is only 10 or 15 minutes-being the spiritual head involves prayer and devotions to God.  Your children need to see and hear you pray.  Leadership comes from the head. (Ephesians 5:22-33).  Be an example.  Your family needs to see a healthy example of manhood and spirituality, loving your wife and being a blessing to her.  They need to see you kissing, touching and hugging your wife not other types of negative looks, touches or mannerism (Genesis 18:12-15, Genesis 26:6-11).  You need God’s help to succeed in these examples and examples in leadership.

 

Priesthood-Adam was to give to his wife what he had received from God-information concerning satan (Hebrews 5:1, 4) -position and office of spiritual mediator, intercessor, advocate and one who offers sacrifices for sin and wrong-doing between God and someone else (man, family, etc).  Abraham-Genesis 15:1-21

 

Vision-it is vital to have a vision for your family; even if they don’t see where they are being taken.  Write it down.  Give it to them on paper.  Answer these questions: where are we going honey?  What are we doing? (Proverbs 29:18, Habakkuk 2:1-4)

 

Notes:  I Timothy 3:4-5-

The key to peace in your home is not compromising the value systems that will keep the family together.  Don’t be deceived into thinking that compromising for one moment will give a life of success in your family and with God. Compromise eventually shows up in the members of the family (remember Lot-Genesis 19th chapter).

 

Where are you looking for your manhood?  You will not find it in a woman (including your wife).  You will not find it in a woman’s praise, approval or rejection (she may be endorsing values that do not coincide with the values of the Bible).  You will not find it in sex with another woman (including your spouse).  Only a healthy example of a man can show you what true manhood is-a man living the Bible and being a great blessing to his family.

 

Ask the men this question:  what would you like to see in your lives, families, work and home life?

Write it on paper.  Pray for them to involve God.

 

Lay hands on the men for impartation