As promised in the last Post, this complete Man of Covenant series is now available in a single downloadable Word file, Free!
Just go to my website - www.faithprinciples.net - and in the drop down menu in the upper right click on Product Store, where you will see the free download.
I encourage you to get this series, study it, and become the man of covenant God already sees you as and wants you to be! Also, please share this series with others (men and women), so they can be blessed as well.
Not sure when the next series will start or what the topic will be, but stay tuned for an announcement on that. Until then, continue to walk in His Name.
Elder Russ
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
#99 - Man of Covenant #18
So let's wrap this series up with a short recap.
Being a male is a matter of birth, while being a man is a matter of choice.
A covenant relationship cannot be broken without penalty, injury or death, But Jesus has already paid the price for any brokenness in our covenant relationship with God. It's up to us though to choose to claim and walk in what Jesus has done for us.
A Man of Covenant is a man of Commitment, Integrity & Accountability (CIA), the pillars of biblical manhood, and strives to demonstrate these pillars in his live through the following principles.
A Man of Covenant:
1. Is a learned disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a student of the Word of God;
2. Lives by the Word of God as the final authority and absolute rule of conduct for his life;
3. Strives to live righteously, not
deliberately or intentionally
disobeying the Word of God
(sinning);
4. Repents when he does sin;
5. Puts the needs of his family and others above his own;
6. Honors and respects his parents, loves his wife like
Jesus does the church, and
raises his children up
according to the Word of God;
7. Walks by Faith and not by
Sight;
8. Has a devotional life and
prays daily;
9. Stands in the gap for his
Brothets & Sisters;
10. Honors his temple;
11. Says what he means, and
means what he says; and
12. Models his life after Jesus.
I pray you have been blessed by this series, and make the choice to strive to live as a man (or woman) of covenant. In the near future, I'll be putting all of these Posts together as a single prouct, and making it available as a free download on my web site. (You can also review each Post in the series (#80-99) by going to the home page for this Blog).
Until then, be blessed!
Being a male is a matter of birth, while being a man is a matter of choice.
A covenant relationship cannot be broken without penalty, injury or death, But Jesus has already paid the price for any brokenness in our covenant relationship with God. It's up to us though to choose to claim and walk in what Jesus has done for us.
A Man of Covenant is a man of Commitment, Integrity & Accountability (CIA), the pillars of biblical manhood, and strives to demonstrate these pillars in his live through the following principles.
A Man of Covenant:
1. Is a learned disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a student of the Word of God;
2. Lives by the Word of God as the final authority and absolute rule of conduct for his life;
3. Strives to live righteously, not
deliberately or intentionally
disobeying the Word of God
(sinning);
4. Repents when he does sin;
5. Puts the needs of his family and others above his own;
6. Honors and respects his parents, loves his wife like
Jesus does the church, and
raises his children up
according to the Word of God;
7. Walks by Faith and not by
Sight;
8. Has a devotional life and
prays daily;
9. Stands in the gap for his
Brothets & Sisters;
10. Honors his temple;
11. Says what he means, and
means what he says; and
12. Models his life after Jesus.
I pray you have been blessed by this series, and make the choice to strive to live as a man (or woman) of covenant. In the near future, I'll be putting all of these Posts together as a single prouct, and making it available as a free download on my web site. (You can also review each Post in the series (#80-99) by going to the home page for this Blog).
Until then, be blessed!
Saturday, January 23, 2016
#98 - Man of Covenant #17
The last principle of biblical manhood I want share is that a man of covenant models his life after Jesus.
Our Savior, Lord, Master and Ruler showed us how to live as godly men when He walked on the earth as a man. Although He was God, He came down to our level and became flesh just like us, subject to all of the temptations, trials and attacks from the enemy that we are. Yet, he overcame them all through complete submission to God (willingly coming under God's authority and willingly being obedient to God's Word).
While modeling our lives after Jesus starts with complete submission to God, there so many other traits to modeling our life after Jesus than can be covered in this short Post. So I encourage you to read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and learn the charecter of Jesus, how He lived His life, compare it to how you're living your life, identify those areas where you need to be more like Jesus, and then work on them one area or trait at a time.
However, there are four traits of Jesus' lifestyle or charecter in addition to submission I want to leave with you that I recently read about in a newsletter from the Christian Roundtable Group, which I believe all men of covenant (and women) should strive to emulate: 1) Jesus resisted passivity (being unresponsive to actions taken against you - His response was always based on the Word of God); 2) Jesus was courageous (He didn't back down from whatever was before Him, but took it on with boldness and confidence knowing it was the Will of God); 3) Jesus was responsible (He was accountable and fulfilled the purpose God had given Him on the earth, to seek and save the lost by dying for the sins of all mankind); and 4) Jesus looked to the greater eternal rewards of Heaven ( knowing He would go back to the Father who would be well pleased with Him for what He had done on earth).
So keep your eyes on Jesus, man of covenant, and strive to model your life after that of the King!
Our Savior, Lord, Master and Ruler showed us how to live as godly men when He walked on the earth as a man. Although He was God, He came down to our level and became flesh just like us, subject to all of the temptations, trials and attacks from the enemy that we are. Yet, he overcame them all through complete submission to God (willingly coming under God's authority and willingly being obedient to God's Word).
While modeling our lives after Jesus starts with complete submission to God, there so many other traits to modeling our life after Jesus than can be covered in this short Post. So I encourage you to read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and learn the charecter of Jesus, how He lived His life, compare it to how you're living your life, identify those areas where you need to be more like Jesus, and then work on them one area or trait at a time.
However, there are four traits of Jesus' lifestyle or charecter in addition to submission I want to leave with you that I recently read about in a newsletter from the Christian Roundtable Group, which I believe all men of covenant (and women) should strive to emulate: 1) Jesus resisted passivity (being unresponsive to actions taken against you - His response was always based on the Word of God); 2) Jesus was courageous (He didn't back down from whatever was before Him, but took it on with boldness and confidence knowing it was the Will of God); 3) Jesus was responsible (He was accountable and fulfilled the purpose God had given Him on the earth, to seek and save the lost by dying for the sins of all mankind); and 4) Jesus looked to the greater eternal rewards of Heaven ( knowing He would go back to the Father who would be well pleased with Him for what He had done on earth).
So keep your eyes on Jesus, man of covenant, and strive to model your life after that of the King!
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
#97 - Man of Covenent #16
Some people have told me they didn't receive the email on this Post, so I am reposting it.
Principle #11 of biblical manhood is that a man of covenant says what he means and means what he says.
This principle goes back to the "I" of the CIA of being a man of covenant, Integrity. Yes, integrity means being honest and open, but this principle focuses on another thing Integrity means - being a man of your word. As one of my former Pastors who is now with the Lord used to teach the men in the church I attended at the time, a man is only as good as his word. Your word should be your bond, something that can be relied upon without question, something that those dependent on what you say can count on you to do.
How many times though people, including most if not all in the church as well, say they will do something but then don't? They say "Yes, I will attend this meeting or that event", and then don't. "You can count on me to do this or that", and then don't. "I got your back on that", but then don't. Better off that they hadn't committed to doing anything at all.
But a man of covenant honors his word at almost any cost, saying what he means and meaning what he says. I say at almost any cost, as they may be extenuating circumstances that arise from time to time that prevent him from doing what he says. But when that happens, a man of covenant lets the person(s) he has committed to know well in advance or as soon as possible that he can't keep his commitment, not at the last minute or not at all, and does all he can to get another to fulfill the commitment he has made.
Proverbs 11:3 tells us the integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity (a determination to do the opposite of what is expected) of the unfaithful will destroy them; and we learn from Proverbs 20:7 that if a righteous man walks in integrity, his children are blessed after him.
So men of covenent, say what you mean and mean what you say!
Principle #11 of biblical manhood is that a man of covenant says what he means and means what he says.
This principle goes back to the "I" of the CIA of being a man of covenant, Integrity. Yes, integrity means being honest and open, but this principle focuses on another thing Integrity means - being a man of your word. As one of my former Pastors who is now with the Lord used to teach the men in the church I attended at the time, a man is only as good as his word. Your word should be your bond, something that can be relied upon without question, something that those dependent on what you say can count on you to do.
How many times though people, including most if not all in the church as well, say they will do something but then don't? They say "Yes, I will attend this meeting or that event", and then don't. "You can count on me to do this or that", and then don't. "I got your back on that", but then don't. Better off that they hadn't committed to doing anything at all.
But a man of covenant honors his word at almost any cost, saying what he means and meaning what he says. I say at almost any cost, as they may be extenuating circumstances that arise from time to time that prevent him from doing what he says. But when that happens, a man of covenant lets the person(s) he has committed to know well in advance or as soon as possible that he can't keep his commitment, not at the last minute or not at all, and does all he can to get another to fulfill the commitment he has made.
Proverbs 11:3 tells us the integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity (a determination to do the opposite of what is expected) of the unfaithful will destroy them; and we learn from Proverbs 20:7 that if a righteous man walks in integrity, his children are blessed after him.
So men of covenent, say what you mean and mean what you say!
Monday, January 18, 2016
#96 - Man of Covenant #15
The 10th principle of biblical manhood is that a man of covenant honors his temple.
Romans 12:1 tells us that we should present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 tells us we should flee sexual immorality which is a sin against our own body, that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, that we were bought at a price so we now belong to God not ourselves anymore, and that we should glorify God with our bodies. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 tells us we should possess our bodies in sanctification and honor.
Now these scriptures don't refer to physical fitness only, but speak to keeping our bodies (temples) fit spiritually as well as physically. The world is possessed with staying physically fit, but pays little or no attention to keeping the body spiritually fit. God is telling us to do both, as our bodies no longer belong to us but to God through Christ. We're just Stewards over our bodies with an obligation to keep them worthy for God to reside in through the Holy Spirit and use to do the work of the Kingdom.
We do this by eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep and not abusing our bodies with things such as sexual immorality, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc. And when we do, we not only please God, but are able to be used by Him to go where He wants us to go, say what He wants us to say and do what He wants us to do, all for the furthering of His Kingdom on the Earth, none of which God is able to do through us if our bodies are broken down, sick or defiled and ravaged by sin. In addition, we feel good about ourselves and can live the long abundant life God wants us to have.
So we need to examine yourselves men of covenant, and let God show each of us, if we don't already know, in what areas we have not been honoring and being good Stewards over our temples. Then repent, and submit to God's will in that area, and commit to doing something about it, and be a man of covenant who honors his temple in every area.
Romans 12:1 tells us that we should present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 tells us we should flee sexual immorality which is a sin against our own body, that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, that we were bought at a price so we now belong to God not ourselves anymore, and that we should glorify God with our bodies. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 tells us we should possess our bodies in sanctification and honor.
Now these scriptures don't refer to physical fitness only, but speak to keeping our bodies (temples) fit spiritually as well as physically. The world is possessed with staying physically fit, but pays little or no attention to keeping the body spiritually fit. God is telling us to do both, as our bodies no longer belong to us but to God through Christ. We're just Stewards over our bodies with an obligation to keep them worthy for God to reside in through the Holy Spirit and use to do the work of the Kingdom.
We do this by eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep and not abusing our bodies with things such as sexual immorality, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc. And when we do, we not only please God, but are able to be used by Him to go where He wants us to go, say what He wants us to say and do what He wants us to do, all for the furthering of His Kingdom on the Earth, none of which God is able to do through us if our bodies are broken down, sick or defiled and ravaged by sin. In addition, we feel good about ourselves and can live the long abundant life God wants us to have.
So we need to examine yourselves men of covenant, and let God show each of us, if we don't already know, in what areas we have not been honoring and being good Stewards over our temples. Then repent, and submit to God's will in that area, and commit to doing something about it, and be a man of covenant who honors his temple in every area.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
#95 - Man of Covenant #14
The ninth principle of biblical manhood is that a man of covenant stands in the gap for his brothers & sisters.
Ezekial 22:30 lets us know that God is looking for men to stand in the gap between Hm and the land so He won't destroy it (the land). But what does this mean?
Simply stated, to stand in the gap for someone or some thing is to stand up for, defend and speak and/or act on behalf of someone or some thing. As it relates to this principle it means stand up for, defend and speak and/or act on behalf of your family, loved ones and brothers and sisters in Christ.
You do this by intervening and interceding for them before God, praying for them, asking God to have mercy upon them, commiting to help them in their christian walk, helping them to repent and turn back to God if need be. You support and encourage them, cover them and/or have their back as it were. All of these actions are just as we see that many of the old testament profits did, and even as Jesus did when He prayed for all mankind (John 17).
Do you stand in the Gap for your wife, children, family members, chuch, Pastor and brothers & sisters in Christ? Do you want them to stand in the gap for you when need be (and we all need others standing in the gap for us from time to time)? Then stand in the gap for them! Not only or even primarily so they will stand in the gap for you, but rather to be able to answer God's call for a man to stand in the gap so you will be able to say "here I am Lord".
Ezekial 22:30 lets us know that God is looking for men to stand in the gap between Hm and the land so He won't destroy it (the land). But what does this mean?
Simply stated, to stand in the gap for someone or some thing is to stand up for, defend and speak and/or act on behalf of someone or some thing. As it relates to this principle it means stand up for, defend and speak and/or act on behalf of your family, loved ones and brothers and sisters in Christ.
You do this by intervening and interceding for them before God, praying for them, asking God to have mercy upon them, commiting to help them in their christian walk, helping them to repent and turn back to God if need be. You support and encourage them, cover them and/or have their back as it were. All of these actions are just as we see that many of the old testament profits did, and even as Jesus did when He prayed for all mankind (John 17).
Do you stand in the Gap for your wife, children, family members, chuch, Pastor and brothers & sisters in Christ? Do you want them to stand in the gap for you when need be (and we all need others standing in the gap for us from time to time)? Then stand in the gap for them! Not only or even primarily so they will stand in the gap for you, but rather to be able to answer God's call for a man to stand in the gap so you will be able to say "here I am Lord".
Thursday, January 14, 2016
#94 - Man of Covenant - #13
Principle #8 of the CIA of biblical manhood is that a man of covenant has a devotional life and prays daily. Jesus had a devotional life and prayed daily, so we should too! And our devotional life among other things should be an expression of our total love of God (Deuteronomy 6:5), and submission to His authority and commandments in our life (Joshua 22:5).
Yes, we should worship and praise God corporately, pray together with our families and brothers and sisters in Christ, and not forsake the assembling together with one another. But that doesn't constitute a devotional life.
Yes, we should worship and praise God corporately, pray together with our families and brothers and sisters in Christ, and not forsake the assembling together with one another. But that doesn't constitute a devotional life.
Having a devotional life means being in the presence of God, one on one, your private time with God. It's a time to pray, have a two way dialogue with your heavenly Father, and where we should do more listening than talking. A time to let God know what's on your mind, what your dealing with, and what you need Him to do in your life. Conversely, it's a time to let God deal with you about the things He wants to address in your life, which if we let Him usually helps us with what we are concerned about.
Our devotional life is also a time to worship and praise the Lord with no one else around, to express to Him how much we love Him and need Him in our lives, cathching a deeper revelation of who He really is. It's also a time to not just read but dig in and study His Word, asking God to open it up for us so we understand what it means and how to apply it in our lives.
While we should spend time throughout the day communicating with God, our devotional life should be how we start our day, in the same place and at the same time each to the extent possible, just like miss Clara did in the movie "War Room". Where is your War Room?
So if you don't have a devotional life man of covenant, start one right where you are. If you already have a devotional life, let God see examine it and show you how you can go deeper in your personal relationship with Him because that's what our devotional life should really be all about, continually developing and going deeper in our personal relationship with God.
Our devotional life is also a time to worship and praise the Lord with no one else around, to express to Him how much we love Him and need Him in our lives, cathching a deeper revelation of who He really is. It's also a time to not just read but dig in and study His Word, asking God to open it up for us so we understand what it means and how to apply it in our lives.
While we should spend time throughout the day communicating with God, our devotional life should be how we start our day, in the same place and at the same time each to the extent possible, just like miss Clara did in the movie "War Room". Where is your War Room?
So if you don't have a devotional life man of covenant, start one right where you are. If you already have a devotional life, let God see examine it and show you how you can go deeper in your personal relationship with Him because that's what our devotional life should really be all about, continually developing and going deeper in our personal relationship with God.
Monday, January 11, 2016
#93 - Man of Covenant #12
Principle #7 of the CIA of biblical manhood is that a man of covenant walks by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
All too often we say we have faith in God, but let our lives be dictated by our emotions, feelings and circumstances instead of the Word of God. 2 Corinthians 4:18 tells that while all of the things around us (our circumstances) are seen (what we see with our natural eyes), we shouldn't look at them or let them dictate our lives (how we think, act & react), because they are temporary, while what we can''t see (with our natural eyes), the Word of God, is eternal or everlasting.
Therefore, we should live our lives based on the Word of God and not our circumstances or what we see (walking by faith not by sight). This is what faith really is, seeing and claiming what God has promised us in His Word with our spiritual eyes and in our heart (spirit). Then believing what the Word of God says about our situation without any doubt in our hearts, instead of believing how we feel or what our circumstances would say, and confessing this Word of God over our situation, and then moving, acting, living our life based on our belief of God's Word in our heart and the confession of that Word over our life.
Our circumstances are real, and they are the facts, but they are not the truth, the Word of God is the truth. And the truth of God's Word will set you free (John 8:32), and always change the facts and reality of our circumstances, if we are exercising our faith.
So walk by faith man of covenant, and not by sight!
All too often we say we have faith in God, but let our lives be dictated by our emotions, feelings and circumstances instead of the Word of God. 2 Corinthians 4:18 tells that while all of the things around us (our circumstances) are seen (what we see with our natural eyes), we shouldn't look at them or let them dictate our lives (how we think, act & react), because they are temporary, while what we can''t see (with our natural eyes), the Word of God, is eternal or everlasting.
Therefore, we should live our lives based on the Word of God and not our circumstances or what we see (walking by faith not by sight). This is what faith really is, seeing and claiming what God has promised us in His Word with our spiritual eyes and in our heart (spirit). Then believing what the Word of God says about our situation without any doubt in our hearts, instead of believing how we feel or what our circumstances would say, and confessing this Word of God over our situation, and then moving, acting, living our life based on our belief of God's Word in our heart and the confession of that Word over our life.
Our circumstances are real, and they are the facts, but they are not the truth, the Word of God is the truth. And the truth of God's Word will set you free (John 8:32), and always change the facts and reality of our circumstances, if we are exercising our faith.
So walk by faith man of covenant, and not by sight!
Saturday, January 9, 2016
#92 - Man of Covenant #11, Part 3
The third part of principle #6 of the CIA of being a man of covenant is that a man of covenant raises his children according to the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:4 tells that as husbands we shouldn't provoke our children to wrath, but rather bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. What does this really mean? What it doesn't mean is that we shouldn't discipline our children or let them do whatever they want to do.
What it does mean is that we should raise our children based kon the Word of God, help them to develop godly and righteous habits in areas such as prayer, giving, honor/respect, good behavior, regular church attendance, etc. And, we should this out of and with love, supporting and encouraging them, letting them know there isn't anything that can't achieve, confessing the blessings and promises of God over there lives.
And when we do have to discipline them, we do so appropriately and out of love, so they understand why they are being disciplined, explaining right from wrong (even if they don't understand it at first); rather than just coming down on them hard all the time, putting them down and never seeming to have a good word or words of encouragement for them (provoking them to wrath).
So man of covenant, raise and train your children in the admonition (reprimand, scold, advise and council) of the Lord (not of the world)!
Ephesians 6:4 tells that as husbands we shouldn't provoke our children to wrath, but rather bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. What does this really mean? What it doesn't mean is that we shouldn't discipline our children or let them do whatever they want to do.
What it does mean is that we should raise our children based kon the Word of God, help them to develop godly and righteous habits in areas such as prayer, giving, honor/respect, good behavior, regular church attendance, etc. And, we should this out of and with love, supporting and encouraging them, letting them know there isn't anything that can't achieve, confessing the blessings and promises of God over there lives.
And when we do have to discipline them, we do so appropriately and out of love, so they understand why they are being disciplined, explaining right from wrong (even if they don't understand it at first); rather than just coming down on them hard all the time, putting them down and never seeming to have a good word or words of encouragement for them (provoking them to wrath).
So man of covenant, raise and train your children in the admonition (reprimand, scold, advise and council) of the Lord (not of the world)!
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
#91 - Man of Covenant #11, Part 2
The second part of principle #6 of the CIA of being a man of covenant is that he loves his wife as Christ loves the church.
Ephesians 5:25-33 tells us how Christ loved the church, and since the covenant of marriage is a mirror of the relationship of Christ to the church, men of covenant should love their wives likewise - building her up, treating her as your queen, encouraging her, supporting her, making her spotless and without blemish or wrinkle, treating like the gift from God she is, loving her as you love yourself; while at the same time instructing her and leading her in the things of God. When we lead our wives by serving and supporting them in this way, they will want to submit to us, just as the church does with Christ.
Men, we need to trade in the "king of the castle" attitude of worldy husbands for the "servant-leader" attitude Christ has for the church. When we do, we can experience the depth of spiritual intimacy God desires for us to have with our wives, which leads to greater intimacy in all other areas of marriage.
Love your wife as Christ does the church!
Ephesians 5:25-33 tells us how Christ loved the church, and since the covenant of marriage is a mirror of the relationship of Christ to the church, men of covenant should love their wives likewise - building her up, treating her as your queen, encouraging her, supporting her, making her spotless and without blemish or wrinkle, treating like the gift from God she is, loving her as you love yourself; while at the same time instructing her and leading her in the things of God. When we lead our wives by serving and supporting them in this way, they will want to submit to us, just as the church does with Christ.
Men, we need to trade in the "king of the castle" attitude of worldy husbands for the "servant-leader" attitude Christ has for the church. When we do, we can experience the depth of spiritual intimacy God desires for us to have with our wives, which leads to greater intimacy in all other areas of marriage.
Love your wife as Christ does the church!
Sunday, January 3, 2016
#90 - Man of Covenant #11, Part 1
Principle #6 of the CIA of being a man of covenant has a three-fold family focus and is that a man of covenant honors and respects his parents, loves his wife like Jesus loves the church, and raises his children according to the word of God.
The biblical basis for this principle can be found in Ephesians 5 and 6. There is so much revelation in these scriptures, therefore we will tackle each of the three parts of this principle in separate Posts.
Verses 1-3 in chapter 6 of Ephesians tells us it is right to obey our parents in the Lord, and that we should honor our parents with the promise that if we do, it will go well with us and we will have a long life on the earth.
That's so powerfull, I have to wonder why all people then do not just honor and respect their parents? Some say I never knew my father or my mother, others say my father or mother walked out on the family when I was very young, while still others say my father or mother wasn't a good parent. All potentially valid excuses, but none valid reasons for not honoring and respecting the earthly vessels God used to bring you into the world.
Even if you can only pray for your parents from afar or pray for them if they have passed from this world, do so, and honor them. Learn from how they raised you some things to do and not to do with your own children, but still honor them. Why? Because God commands us to, and from an earlier principle we learned that the Word of God should be the final authority and absolute rule of conduct for our lives.
Therefore, as men of covenant, let us submit to God's will and honor and respect our parents whenever and however we can. Not just because God says to, but also to express our love and gratitude for the love and sacrifices our parents gave to and made for us even though we may not have realized at the time.
The biblical basis for this principle can be found in Ephesians 5 and 6. There is so much revelation in these scriptures, therefore we will tackle each of the three parts of this principle in separate Posts.
Verses 1-3 in chapter 6 of Ephesians tells us it is right to obey our parents in the Lord, and that we should honor our parents with the promise that if we do, it will go well with us and we will have a long life on the earth.
That's so powerfull, I have to wonder why all people then do not just honor and respect their parents? Some say I never knew my father or my mother, others say my father or mother walked out on the family when I was very young, while still others say my father or mother wasn't a good parent. All potentially valid excuses, but none valid reasons for not honoring and respecting the earthly vessels God used to bring you into the world.
Even if you can only pray for your parents from afar or pray for them if they have passed from this world, do so, and honor them. Learn from how they raised you some things to do and not to do with your own children, but still honor them. Why? Because God commands us to, and from an earlier principle we learned that the Word of God should be the final authority and absolute rule of conduct for our lives.
Therefore, as men of covenant, let us submit to God's will and honor and respect our parents whenever and however we can. Not just because God says to, but also to express our love and gratitude for the love and sacrifices our parents gave to and made for us even though we may not have realized at the time.
Friday, January 1, 2016
#89 - Man of Covenant #10
Principle 5 of the CIA of being a man covenant is that a man of covenant places the needs of his family and others above his own.
This is really an expression of God's love which He has placed in every Believer as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, with emphasis on the five words in v5 that say love "does not seek its own". This means putting the well being and best interests of others above your own, and giving of yourself to the fullest for the benefit of others without expecting anything in return.
The covenent of marriage is a model of how the church is to function, with Ephesians 5:25 telling men that as husbands we should love our wives just as Christ loved the church and (this next part is what I really want us to get as men of covenant) "gave Himself for her". Ephesians 6:4 tells us as fathers we shouldn't provoke our children but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. These scriptures exemplify putting the needs of others above our own.
Mark 12:28-31 tells us that the two greatest commandments are to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength; and (this is what I want us to get) love our neighbors (other people, all other people) as we love ourself.
Do you put the needs of your family and others above your own as an expression of God's love in you? Are there times when you act a little selfish and put yourself first when you should have/could have put the needs of your family or others first? Most of us in all honesty probably have to respond "sometimes" to both of these questions.
Now there are times when you should put yourself first, such as, in your personal relationship with God and in obedience to a Word/instruction from God (which is many times though for the benefit of someone other than you). But if we are obedient to Matthew 6:33 and seek God's Kingdom first, we should for the most part as men of covenant find ourselves putting the needs of our family and others ahead of our own.
This is really an expression of God's love which He has placed in every Believer as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, with emphasis on the five words in v5 that say love "does not seek its own". This means putting the well being and best interests of others above your own, and giving of yourself to the fullest for the benefit of others without expecting anything in return.
The covenent of marriage is a model of how the church is to function, with Ephesians 5:25 telling men that as husbands we should love our wives just as Christ loved the church and (this next part is what I really want us to get as men of covenant) "gave Himself for her". Ephesians 6:4 tells us as fathers we shouldn't provoke our children but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. These scriptures exemplify putting the needs of others above our own.
Mark 12:28-31 tells us that the two greatest commandments are to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength; and (this is what I want us to get) love our neighbors (other people, all other people) as we love ourself.
Do you put the needs of your family and others above your own as an expression of God's love in you? Are there times when you act a little selfish and put yourself first when you should have/could have put the needs of your family or others first? Most of us in all honesty probably have to respond "sometimes" to both of these questions.
Now there are times when you should put yourself first, such as, in your personal relationship with God and in obedience to a Word/instruction from God (which is many times though for the benefit of someone other than you). But if we are obedient to Matthew 6:33 and seek God's Kingdom first, we should for the most part as men of covenant find ourselves putting the needs of our family and others ahead of our own.
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