Hello, friend. Welcome to Authorized Sword Ministries.

We're so glad you're here.

Today we're talking to the men. Young or old, single or married, new in the faith or walking with the Lord for years, this lesson is for you.

The world has a lot of ideas about what makes a man. Money. Muscles. Being tough. But what does God say? Let's open the Bible and see.

Our Key Verses

King David was near the end of his life. He called his son Solomon and gave him this charge:

"I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:" — 1 Kings 2:2-3 (KJV)

"Shew thyself a man." And how does a man do that? By keeping the charge of the Lord and walking in His ways. In God's eyes, a real man is a man who walks with God.

A Man Starts Under Authority

Before a man can lead, he has to learn to follow.

"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." — 1 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)

"The head of every man is Christ." Every man answers to Someone. A man of God lives under Jesus Christ, not by his own rules.

That's where real strength begins. A man who bows before God can stand before anybody.

What God Asks of a Man

So what does God want from a man? The prophet Micah put it simply:

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" — Micah 6:8 (KJV)

Do justly. Do what is right, even when nobody is watching. Love mercy. Be kind, and be quick to forgive. And walk humbly with your God. Stay close to Him every day.

Grow by the Word of God

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." — Psalm 1:1-3 (KJV)

This man delights in God's Word. He thinks on it "day and night," and he grows like a tree by the water.

In Joshua 1:8, God told Joshua the same thing: meditate in His Word "day and night." Then He said:

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." — Joshua 1:9 (KJV)

So if you want to grow as a man, start here. Open your Bible every day, even for ten minutes. Read it, think on it, and do what it says.

Flee and Follow

Every man faces temptation. The Bible doesn't tell us to stand there and argue with it. It tells us to run.

"Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." — 2 Timothy 2:22 (KJV)

Notice the two parts. Flee, and follow. It's not enough just to run from sin. A man of God runs toward something better. And Paul says to do it "with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Don't run alone.

As a Single Man

You don't need a wife or a title to be a man of God. Paul wrote this to a young man:

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." — 1 Timothy 4:12 (KJV)

The word "conversation" here means your whole way of life. A single man who keeps himself pure and serves the Lord with his whole heart is already a man of God. Use this season well.

As a Husband

If God gives you a wife, your calling grows. In our Fathers Who Lead course, we looked at Ephesians 5:25, where husbands are told to love their wives "even as Christ also loved the church." Paul goes on:

"So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself." — Ephesians 5:28 (KJV)

And Peter adds:

"Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." — 1 Peter 3:7 (KJV)

Take the time to understand her. Give her honour. She is not beneath you. She is an heir "together" with you "of the grace of life." And notice the end of that verse. How a man treats his wife can affect his prayers.

As a Leader

God also calls men to lead. When Paul lists what a church leader must be, almost all of it is about character. He must be "blameless," "sober," "patient, not a brawler." And then he says:

"One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)" — 1 Timothy 3:4-5 (KJV)

Leadership starts at home. It starts with a decision, like Joshua made: "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Iron Sharpens Iron

Men were never meant to walk with God alone.

"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." — Proverbs 27:17 (KJV)

Find a godly man a few steps ahead of you. Pray together. Let him ask you the hard questions. Then be that man for somebody else.

It Starts with a New Heart

Friend, here is the most important part. You can't become the man God called you to be just by trying harder. It starts with a new heart that only Jesus can give.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." — 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

Jesus died for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. Turn to Him and trust Him, and He will make you new.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." — Romans 10:9 (KJV)

A Prayer

Before we go, let's pray together.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this friend who is listening right now.

Lord, make us men of Your Word. Help us to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You. Help us to flee what is wrong and follow what is right.

Give the single man a pure heart. Help the husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church. Make every man who leads a servant first.

And if anyone listening doesn't know Jesus as Saviour, open his heart today.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Thank you for spending this time with us.

From all of us at Authorized Sword Ministries, God bless you.