Wanted: A Few Good Men.

Valiant.   Brave.   Courageous. 


What comes to mind when you read these words?  Better yet, who comes to mind? 

Chances are you probably thought of a character in a book or maybe a movie.  Please don’t tell me you thought of a Twilight character. 

How many of you thought of your dad?  How many of you can think of a man in your life that carries those qualities listed above?

Unfortunately there are not many men in today’s world who deserve to be described as Valiant or Courageous. 

That begs the question: what does a real MAN OF GOD look like in today’s world?

I encourage you to spend some time in the Old Testament.  There is an amazing story about a guy named Benaiah found in 2 Samuel 23.  Check out verses 20-23 (NLT)

Benaiah did some pretty heroic & brave things:

* Killed 2 champions of Moab.
* Chased a lion into a pit & killed it (in the snow)
* Wrestled the spear from the hand of an Egyptian warrior & killed him with it

Don’t forget Eleazar, Shammah, and Abishai.  These are all soldiers considered to be among the elite of David’s mighty men.  These are men who fought for their God and their king.  They stood for something. These Men were were different.

A Man of God chooses to be different.

Men, Let me unpack this. 

It doesn’t matter your age, marital status, skin color. It's irrelevant what side of the tracks you live on, or how much $$ is in your account. God looks at our hearts (1 Sam. 16.7). Let’s not make this more difficult than it is. 

We have a responsibility to take care of our hearts.  What we put into our minds and hearts will eventually come out in our life.  

If you are looking at porn, run from responsibility, avoid commitment, and live only for yourself –are you really surprised when your relationships fall apart, no one takes you seriously, and dependable is not a word used to describe you? 

I know that you may have had a terrible past.  Your own father may have been nothing more than a sperm donor. 

ONLY GOD CAN TRANSFORM YOUR HEART. 

Chasing after our flesh will not get it done.

So we have to choose, right here – right now, to be different. 

And this starts with what we are putting into our hearts and minds. God will transform your mind if you give Him the room to move (Romans 12.2).  Every encounter we have will leave an impression.  We all choose a path.

Allowing God to transform our hearts OR chasing after our flesh because it feels good. 

What path are you on?

One thing is for certain. God is calling on YOU to be different.  We aren’t supposed to be spineless followers full of fear and anxiety. 

God has called us to be Spiritual Warriors who stand up for Jesus no matter the cost.

Guys, what qualities do you see God shaping in you? what lessons are you learning?
Women, what are ways a man can show that he not only loves you but respects you (guys, pay attention)? Also, how will you recognize a man of God when you see one?

[From Sammy: This was a guest post from my friend Craig Smith. If you've been around this blog for a while, chances are God has used Craigs words and wisdom to challenge and encourage you in the comments section. If my blog posts are like pizza dough, Craigs comments are the toppings, cheese and sauce. Honored to have him post. Please join the dialogue & show him some love]