What does a Godly man look like?

God designed men to be dangerous.

Simply look at the dreams and desires written in the heart of every boy:
To be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men abandon those dreams and desires--being told that what we were made to do is this, "be a nice guy".

And the reason that most men "live lives of quiet desperation" (Thoreau) is because men have been told that the reason God put them on earth is to be a good boy. To be nice. It is no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and bored to death.

Now, in all your boyhood dreams growing up, did you ever dream of becoming a nice guy? Ladies, was the Prince of your dreams dashing... or merely nice? " We've taken away the dreams of a man's heart and told him to play the man."
Reference to the book: "Wild at Heart" -John Eldredge

They never taught us in sunday school, that a Christ-filled man has....courage. That a Christ-filled man looks to God for courage, and receives it. Courage from God's word. Courage from a intimate relationship with Him. The kind of courage that reminds you of fire. The brotherly courage and sacrifice of the men in "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers", the courage of Maximus in "Gladiator", the courage William Wallace in "Braveheart."

What good is the armor of God,...if there's no WARRIOR inside? ___________________________________________________- _____________________________________________________

Being a Father

I received this email several days ago:
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Dear Friends,

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to visit with Evan, a seven year old boy who is being mentored through the Belmont Foundation. Kurt, Evan’s mentor, and I pulled up to the apartment building where Evan lives and took Evan’s bike out of the trunk of the car. Evan’s bike had broken a few weeks prior to our visit and Kurt took it to get it fixed. Evan greeted us, grabbed his bike, gave it a once over and said, “Kurt, it’s fixed; you fixed my bike.” Evan looked at Kurt like he was God.

Then, Evan showed us to his room where a soccer ball and shiny new uniform laid in the corner. “This is my new soccer ball and I’ll try on the uniform if you want to see it”, he said. He came out of his room wearing his uniform and kicking the ball, showing off the new moves he learned at practice. Kurt pulled some strings to get Evan on the soccer team even though registration had closed weeks before. It was a dream come true for Evan.

Later, we shared lunch at a fast-food restaurant. We sat with Evan and his mom and talked about God and church and life, then headed out to the sporting goods store to pick up some cleats for Evan. On the way there, it occured to me that maybe Evan’s excitement about getting his bike back wasn’t so much about it being fixed. It seemed that he was more excited that a man said he would do something and he actually followed through.

A year ago, Evan’s dad died from the effects of long years of drinking. Kurt stepped in, not to be a replacement dad, but to be a signpost that points to God the Father. And along the way, Kurt fixes things that are broken, makes small dreams come true and makes his presence known to this little boy. It sounds a lot like the way God fathers his children.

Peace,

Wade Trimmer

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billy graham - value

We value our bodies and our minds. We spend a great deal of time and money caring for them, educating them. And God values our bodies, too. But God values our soul the most. The only way we can ever see the true worth of our soul is to see it from His perspective.



Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man, if he...gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” How do you stand before God with your soul?


-billy graham

Give us Hill Country!

Joshua chapter 14..... its a great great scene: Joshua has just led the Israelites (God's chosen people) into the promised land and have defeated the major enemy stronghold, Jericho, by the hand of God.

And now they gone in and have settled and taken out the other major enemy strongholds in the land. And now its come time that they get to divvy up the loot,...they get to carve up the lands and divide it among the Israelites.

So that day arrives, and of course the young guys,...the tired warriors,..they want it easy now. They've been fighting, its been kind of hard, and they want some nice….loamy...calm...complacent......pastureland. Land that hardly requires work to live on. They’re in there, pleading with Joshua, trying to get their piece of the best land.

Then Caleb shows up.

Listen to this....starting at verse 6:

And Caleb says to Joshua,... "You know what the LORD said to Moses, about you and me? Way back, when I was 40 years old, when Moses sent me to explore the Promised Land,...I brought him back a report according to my convictions. But my cowardly brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear,...I, however followed the LORD my God whole-heartedly.
So on that day, Moses swore to me, the land on which your feet walk will be your inheritance, and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. Now then, just as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive for 45 years since the time He said this to Moses.

So here I am today…...85 years old, I’m still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out, I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now, as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourselves heard that the Annakites were there, and their cities are large and fortified….but the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as He said.”

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I come back to you now with this conviction: there are still giants out there. There’s still dangerous territory out there. And lets leave the dull pastureland to those who want pastureland.

But you and I,….I think we’re called to something greater than that. More and more, God is raising up people, people who really want to serve God through their lives, wholeheartedly and extravagantly,.. and God is using those people to accomplish great things.

LORD give the easy pastureland to somebody else,….but give us Hill Country. Give us hill country because there’s still some giants out there, and with your strength, we will drive them out, and live out the courageous life that God put is here to do in the first place!

I’m more vigorous now than the day I started.

....the wonders and miracles that God could use you for......if only you would let Him. If only you would be obedient to Him.

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____________________________- Pastor M. Buchanan

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