Stand Courageous To Be the Man God Has Called You To Be!

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Welcome to A Word in Season with Doug Stringer and Friends.

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We share good news and godly wisdom to empower you to be salt in light in every season of

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life.

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What is Biblical Masculinity and how does it differ from the portrait or cancel culture

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paints of men?

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In today's world of challenges and complexities, there are many things that try to undermine

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manhood.

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More than ever, there is a need for godly and courageous men and fathers.

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Doug shares how through Christ we have been given an inheritance by our Heavenly Father

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so we can confidently steward what He has entrusted to us.

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Listen as Doug encourages us to take courage and change the world around us.

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After the episode, consider leaving a review and follow us on your favorite streaming service.

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If you've cleaned anything from this podcast, consider paying it forward with a gift at

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SomebodyCares.org.

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Now let's join our host, Doug Stringer.

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Recently as I was preparing to speak at a couple of different men's events, I was going

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over various scriptures including Luke chapter 21.

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Now I know that Luke 21 starting in verse 25 is actually talking about the Second Coming.

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But also in context to the men's ministry that I would be sharing at, I thought there

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were some significant correlations here.

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In today's world of challenges and complexities, there are so many things that try to undermine

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true Biblical manhood.

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It's sometimes difficult for men to be men and the men that they need to be, the fathers,

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the husbands, the examples, the heroes, the champions that God has called them to be.

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Yet more than ever there is a need for godly and courageous men and fathers.

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Luke 21 verse 25 begins, And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the

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stars, and on the earth the stress of nations, with perplexity the sea and the waves roaring,

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men's hearts failing them from fear and expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.

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For the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

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Verse 27 goes on to say, Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power

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and great glory.

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Now when those things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption

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draws near.

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Some emphasize where it says that fear and distress of nations with perplexity, men's

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hearts will fail them from fear.

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But in contrast we see Psalm 107 verse 28 and 29 and it says, They cried out to the

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Lord in their distress, He delivered them from their troubles, He calmed the storm,

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and the waves grew silent.

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There is definitely contrast here.

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The reality of where we are in society, in the world today, men's hearts failing them,

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the fear and distress of nations with perplexity, men's hearts are failing them from fear.

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Yet in contrast to that, the Lord is reminding us that we can call upon Him in our distress

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and He will deliver us from all our troubles.

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He will calm the storm and He will cause the waves to grow silent.

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In other words, impact to be lessened.

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You see, it takes courage and godly men, biblical manhood today, if we are going to change the

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world around us.

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I've shared in the past that one of the names given to God is El Gabor.

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El Gabor is a name of God that means mighty God in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 for example.

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It also in the Hebrew has a meaning called God is our hero or is a hero.

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For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon

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his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the

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everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9 verse 6.

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The name is also given in context to men, meaning Gabor.

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So in other words, Gabor's are men who serve the El Gabor, the God of the champion for

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example.

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It can also mean hero, champion, mighty man of valor, strong, brave, valiant.

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So God is the God of champions, the God of heroes, the God of valor, the God that brings

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strength and bravery and valiancy and courage.

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Quoting Paul Cole, the president of the Christian Men's Network, he says, the fate of every

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society is determined by the character of its heroes and the strength of its warriors.

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Henry Varley once wrote to D.L.

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Moody, Moody, the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to

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him.

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I also love this other quote from D.L.

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Moody.

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There are no limitations to those who have been in the presence of the Lord.

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So what is biblical masculinity?

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How is it different from the portrait that our current culture paints of men?

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I remember this quote by the late Dr. Evan Lewis Cole and Ben Kinshlo.

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Being a male is a matter of birth, but being a man is a matter of choice.

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You see, Dr. Evan Lewis Cole also said, maturity is not based on your age, but on your willingness

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to accept responsibility.

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You see, I believe that true, godly manhood, biblical manhood, or champions of the El Gabor,

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God of the Champions, are not hindered by obstacles that they may be confronted with,

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but determined to overcome them.

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You see, being a man for Jesus because he became a man for us is at the very core of

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biblical manhood.

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Back in the 1980s, I remember ministering to a homeless shelter, and I had been talking

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to a man named James.

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He hadn't bathed for a couple of weeks.

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He had been homeless.

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He was really going through a lot of things.

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In fact, he was very confrontational with me.

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In our conversation, I said, James, if you really want to get help and you have the courage

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enough as a man, I challenge you to call me tomorrow morning on Sunday, and I'll pick

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you up and take you to church.

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I didn't feel like he was going to call me.

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That was just being very kind.

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But sure enough, the next morning, early in the morning, I get a phone call.

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It was James.

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He said to me, Doug, you said if I'd call you that you would pick me up and take me

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to church.

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Well, of course, I was committed to what I confess.

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I didn't feel like going.

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It was early in the morning.

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I'd been up all night.

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I was exhausted, and I sure didn't want to go, but I was committed to what I confess.

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So I went to pick him up, brought him back to the apartment that we were living in, gave

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him an opportunity to get showered and ready, and got him some clothes so we can go to church.

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In a beautiful encounter, a wonderful encounter that morning in church, James gave his life

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to the Lord.

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When we finished and went to lunch, I said, James, would you like me to take you to a

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shelter?

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Where would you like to go?

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He said, no, take me to the streets because I need to tell some people what happened to

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me.

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He told me he would meet up with me that Sunday night because he knew I was actually a volunteer

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counselor for a large Christian event at the Coliseum in downtown Houston at the time.

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Early that evening, some counselors came up to me and said, Doug, there's a group of

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homeless people here looking for you.

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And we said, well, can we help you?

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And they said, no, we have to find Doug Stringer.

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In fact, James said, I've got to find Doug Stringer because I want to be a man for him

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because he became a man for me.

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When I began to hear those words and as I talked to James, it so resonated in me that

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he wanted to be a man to show himself that he was obligated to what he confessed, that

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he was going to meet with me that night, introduce me to some other people that needed the message

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of the gospel.

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And yet when he said those words, I want to be a man for Doug because he became a man

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for me.

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And I truly got a revelation that I want to be a man for Jesus because Jesus became a

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man for me.

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While I was still yet in my sin, in the Wally Mongle of my life, in the murkiness of my

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life, Jesus, the exalted one, left his highest place to pursue me, to pursue you.

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So every day I want to be a man for Jesus because he became a man for me.

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And just like Ben Kinchelow and Dr. Ewan Lewis Cole used to say, being a man is a matter

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of choice.

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Being a male is a matter of birth.

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I want to make the choice every day to be godly, to be Christ-like so that others can

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see what a true man, a true biblical masculine champion, hero for God can be.

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Not in the ways that the world talks about manhood, but in the way in which God establishes

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his character, nature, and spirit in us so that we can be the men God's called us to

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be.

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To be the fathers, the husbands, the ambassadors, the heroes, the champions, the examples.

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As Paul said, follow me as I follow Christ.

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We don't want to follow the examples of the world, but we need to reflect Christ and let

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people follow Christ in us.

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Now getting back to my preparation for speaking at the various men's events, I decided to

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go to the gym and get a double-upped workout since I wasn't going to work out for a couple

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of days.

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So I decided to do a back and biceps routine.

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I also finished it up with quite a few sets, chest exercises.

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Usually when I do my chest sets, I finish off with 225 on the flat bench, which I can

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usually do without a spotter.

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But I decided to do a little bit more weights and rep out a little bit more, so I needed

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to get a spotter to help me.

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While I was getting ready, I got this anecdote.

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There are times in life that men, we all go through heavy lifting.

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That there are things that we are confronted with, obstacles and challenges that are very

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overwhelming and we can sometimes do things alone, but there are times in life we cannot

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go it alone.

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We need a spotter.

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We need buddies.

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We need helpers.

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We need those to help us stay accountable.

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We need those who help to encourage us and motivate us.

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So the point being, I can rep out a few reps at 225, finishing off my chest exercises on

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the flat bench.

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But if I'm going to add more weight, I need to get a spotter, somebody to be a buddy,

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someone there to kind of guide me and watch me just in case.

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There are times in life every one of us are confronted with challenges.

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We feel like our backs are up against the wall.

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The wind gets knocked out of us.

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We feel the pressure and the fears and the anxieties and the streaks and the perplexity

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of life.

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We need those who can stand with us, those who can help spot us, those who can help us

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be accountable, those who can help motivate and encourage us to be the godly men we're

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supposed to be.

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But most and foremost, we need to keep our eyes fixed, our gaze on the Lord Himself.

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We see in Hebrews chapter 12, it says that we should fix our eyes on Jesus, the author

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and finisher of our faith.

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Jesus was a man's man.

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What a great example of what true manhood is.

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If that Christ-likeness and manhood are synonymous, is what Ben Kinchelow and Dr. Evan Lewis

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Cole used to say, Christ-likeness and manhood are synonymous.

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If we're going to truly reflect Christ in a world that is so mixed up and so divisive

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and so confused, with so much identity issues today, we as godly men and women need to reflect

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Christ in a way that the world can see that the living Christ in us is the hope, the hope

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for a world in desperate need right now.

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Second Corinthians chapter 4 verse 1 through 6 says about the light and the glory of Christ,

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the gospel in and through us.

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Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

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For we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness and not handling

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the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every

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man's conscience in the sight of God.

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But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the

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God of this age have blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory

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of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

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For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bond-servants

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for Jesus' sake.

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For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts

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to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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And verse 7 concludes, but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of

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the power may be of God and not of us.

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St. Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 says, but we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in

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a mirror the glory of the Lord, and being transformed into the same image from glory

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to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

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I know that we live in challenging times.

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I know that the nations are perplexed and people's hearts are failing them.

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But I want to encourage you, Joel 3, 9 says, wake up the mighty men.

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James chapter 1 verse 12, and I'll read out of the English Standard Version says, blessed

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is the man who remains steadfast under trial or difficulty.

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For when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to

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those who love him.

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In Christ there is no limits, no fear, no shame, no excuses, and no looking back or

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turning back.

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As D.L.

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Moody said again, there are no limitations to those who've been in the presence of the

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Lord.

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As John Wesley was quoted saying, give me 100 men who fear nothing but God and hate

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nothing but sin and we can change the world.

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A.W.

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Tozier said, self is the opaque veil that hides the face of God from us.

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Courageous manhood is to live for a cause greater than ourselves.

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Men who desire to be a man for Jesus because he became a man for us.

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By the grace of God alongside many others, I want to be able to say, I am that man.

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There are times and moments when men need to man up and take opportunity and responsibility

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of the moment.

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In fact, I like what the late Dr. Edwin Lewis Cole used to say, that maturity is not based

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on age but on the willingness to accept responsibility.

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I believe we are living in one of those times.

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Fostering and focusing on our disappointments can lead to disillusionments that distract

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us from a greater destination and purpose that God has for each and every one of us.

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Remember, God's love never disappoints.

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The most priceless commodities are not found in earthly treasures but in how we steward

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our time, friendships and relationships.

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Our true legacy doesn't come from the sermons we preach or how many follow us on social

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media.

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It's not the size of our church or organizations or ministries or businesses.

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It's the lives we live before we enter the portals of eternity that will determine the

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influence we have and will leave for the next generation.

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I want to be a man of God.

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I want to be a man for Jesus because He became a man for me.

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I serve the El Gabor, the mighty one, the hero, the champion, and through Him, the God

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of the champion, God of the hero, the God of the strong and the mighty men of valor

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and the valiant, He empowers us to be examples to others of Christ-likeness and manhood that

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is synonymous.

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One of the warnings for the coming of the Lord is in Luke 21 verse 34, but take heed

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to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing drunkenness and cares

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of this life and that day come on you unexpectedly.

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For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

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Watch therefore, this is Jesus' words, watch therefore and pray always that you may be

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counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before

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the Son of Man.

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I want to be a man of God.

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I want to be a man for Jesus because He became a man for me.

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As my wrestling sensei used to say, gumbateo Dougson, gumbateo.

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In other words, you've got this, you can do this, go for it.

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In Christ Jesus, we got this, we can do this.

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We are part of a kingdom greater than ourselves.

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Our strength is not in ourselves, but it's the grace of God bestowed upon us.

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If we say yes to God, make ourselves available to God, He can do a work in and through us.

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It's the mercy seat of God and the throne of grace by which His rivers flow.

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It comes working in us and through us that we can make a difference in the world around

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us.

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Riddled through scripture is the encouragement of the Lord Himself saying, be of good courage.

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In other words, stand courageous.

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And throughout scripture we see the importance that we can't do this alone.

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We need one another.

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It's time to buddy up, to spot one another, to encourage one another, to motivate one

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another, to make each other accountable so we can be the godly men that God has called

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us to be.

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That we can be those who serve the El Gabor, the God of the champion, the God of the hero,

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the God of the brave, the God of the valiant one, the God who is bigger than all our circumstances,

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the God that's bigger than every giant, obstacle, circumstance, that through Him and by His

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grace He can lead us in the paths of righteousness for His namesake, that we can buddy up, we

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can stand courageous, we can link arm in arm in a world that desperately needs to see the

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living God in and through us.

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Be a man for Jesus because He became a man for you.

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We hope you enjoyed this episode of A Word in Season with Doug Stringer and friends,

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and ask you to prayerfully consider supporting the ministry at SomebodyCares.org or by texting

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your donation amount to 805-422-7348.

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Please join us again for A Word in Season with Doug Stringer and friends.