Father's Day

We need strong, Godly men.

Before we start this blog, I just want to wish every Father out there a "Happy Father’s Day!" Today’s message was an encouraging one for all fathers and men in general to be Godly in all they do. Pastor Eli Nelson started his sermon by opening up the Bible to 1 Kings 18:42-46 (NIV). He made a few important points from this verse between Elijah and Ahab. Elijah climbed to the top of mount Carmel, bent down and put his face between his knees to humble himself and pray to God. In a simple comparison, Elijah sought God and Ahab went after food and drinks. One was a spiritual man and the other a carnal man. Elijah sought after what was important, as God clearly says in the book of Matthew and 2 Timothy 3:16 the importance of seeking God.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

A godly man is a man of prayer.

As men, we are to be encouraged by Elijah. The spiritual man must read his Bible, pray, and seek God daily. He must not be found passive. Elijah did not only just seek after God in the book of 1 Kings 18:42-46, he was the only man to take action among his people to fight the evil Baal worshippers and prophets. There comes a time for godly men to rise up, especially today as evil is spreading through our nation affecting us and our families. There comes a time for men to stand up for justice. We must not confuse a tempered man for a passive man either. Righteous men can be quiet because of their self control, but once they have to stand up against injustice, they will rise.

A godly man stands for truth.

A godly strong man never behaves like a weak man that hits women, for a man should never hit a woman. A Godly man never tears down his own children. He never uses his strengths against the weak and innocent, rather a godly man is a good man, a man that stands up for those who are weak and innocent. A man that builds his family up. A Godly man protects his wife and children. A Godly man walks a lady to her car at night, even if she can handle herself. A Godly man shows chivalry and does not look at women as objects. A godly man does not seek women out of lust, rather out of love and marriage.

A godly man fears the Lord more than he loves a woman.

A godly man who loves God will have a great foundation for his marriage. Any man that focuses on his partner much more than God will lead his relationship astray. So every woman is recommended to seek a Godly man that loves God more than they. For if their men love God, they will fear God, obey God, and be filled with God’s love and wisdom and overflow those blessings to his family. But if you are unequally yoked, where one believes and the other does not, where one chases God and the other is stagnant, the relationship won't last. It is highly recommended by God for both husbands and wives to be, to be believers and followers of Jesus Christ if they want to get married.

There is only once exception in the Bible where in the case of ALREADY married couples can remain together if they are unequally yoked. For God says that it would best they stay together for the sake of the unsaved person becoming sanctified. But if the unbelieving partner desires to leave, do not fight it with them, let them go. Don’t be doing "missionary marriages," where you the believer enter into a relationship thinking you can make them a Christian. That’s not guaranteed, and it is not your job. It is the job of Holy Spirit to convict them first and train them in the way they should go, not you. This leads to the next subject, about focusing to please people more than God.

"As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
¹¹ I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin." 1 Galatians 1:9-11

Men should not be people pleasers, rather pleasers of God.

As I have recapped about men needing to strive to be after God from Pastor Eli’s message, he also had a message for the women who have a man. He said that women should encourage their men, because the world is trying to tear them down. Now more than ever men are under attack. Men are being castrated physically and symbolically of their manhood. When a woman encourages a man, a man is inspired and motivated to show her more of what he can do. Some women don't truly know how much weight their words carry to a man’s heart.

For the enemy knows that if the man of the family is destroyed, then like dominos the rest of the family falls. Targeting the wife and then the children. God created the family unit in order for it to be strong, to have a respected husband a very loved wife and children who are raised healthy, strong and highly loved. Finally, Pastor Eli left us with a message from 1 Kings 19:11-13, saying that we may think God is somewhere else, when along, He was just there with us. You only need to tune your ears to God’s voice and His promises. Whether you're a man or woman, what can you apply from this message today? I highly encourage you to listen to the full podcast as it is rich in detail and content.

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