“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

God expects much of men, and from what I can observe, many men have shirked their duties. Many men don’t even want marriage. They don’t mind living with a woman but don’t want the responsibility of being a husband and don’t respect the woman enough to make a commitment to her. Shame on a woman who accepts this arrangement. It’s bad enough in the secular world, but it has no place in the Christian world.

“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).. 

Scripture shows us that God has given men the responsibility of leadership in life. From Adam, who was created first and given God’s instructions to not eat the forbidden fruit, and throughout the New Testament, we see that men fight the battles and lead the people. Women are also used to further God’s purposes.

We can look at Deborah and see that God used her in a great way, but she didn’t act on her own. She was a prophetess and a judge in Israel. When it was time for battle, it was Barak who led the battle, but he would only go if Deborah was with him. The battle was won, and Deborah sang a song of praise to the Lord. Deborah was happy to have served the Lord, but she never forgot she was a mother.

“The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7). 

Also, we can see that Esther was the only person who could approach the king, at great risk to her own life, and save the Jewish people from being killed. We need women who are willing to stand strong for God, but we also need more men like Joshua, who led the Israelites in the battle to conquer the Promised Land and know that their strength is in God. His words to Israel should be heeded by men today.

“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:14-15). 

Joshua is a good example of a man who rose to the task God set before him. Men of God, arise! Put away secular pursuits and all false gods and idols. Serve the King of kings.

RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD! By William P. Merrill

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things;
Give heart and soul and mind and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Sir, do you claim to be a Christian? Are you a man of God? By that, I’m asking, is there anything in your life that you put equal to or above God?

Jesus said, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30). 

There are many things in everyday life that can stop you from putting Christ first. Sports is usually something men enjoy. That’s not a sin, but if watching sports becomes more important than serving God, then you need to remember that you are a man of God, not a man of the NFL or the MLB or any other sports league that can take over your time. What about clubs and lodges? Is it easier for you to try to get others to join the Lion’s Club than to give their life to Christ? That’s a problem. If it’s more important to memorize the rules of your club than it is to memorize and share Scripture, then you need to reevaluate your priorities.

My father was a member of lodges, clubs, and civic organizations. He never missed a meeting. I don’t remember ever seeing him open the Bible, but he knew everything about the organizations of which he was a member. Yet, he claimed to be a Christian. When I was a child, I didn’t think twice about that, but looking back, it bothers me. My husband was also concerned about this. Ron had a long talk with my father about Jesus and came away with the feeling that my dad did know Jesus. It’s too bad the evidence of a Christ-filled life didn’t shine in my father.

Man of God, don’t leave doubt in anyone’s mind as to your faith in God. Don’t leave any doubt in your own mind about your faith in God. Serve the King of kings openly and with your whole heart, soul, and strength. Have done with lesser things.

Rise up, O men of God!
His kingdom tarries long;
As faithful workmen, watch and pray
And light the night of wrong.

It has been 2,000 years since Jesus walked this earth. He said that the Kingdom of God was at hand.

“And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). 

One day soon, everyone will know it. It only seems to human understanding that it’s taking a long time for Scripture to be fulfilled.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). 

Men of God, rise up! Rise up and stand firm upon God’s truth. Because of your silence, public schools are a festering boil in society. Children can’t read or speak proper English or learn cursive handwriting but are taught that it’s acceptable to be a cat or a dog. Because of your silence, children are taught the lie of evolution instead of God’s truth. Because of your silence, your children are taught to accept that in spite of biology, if a boy thinks he’s a girl, then he’s a girl, and that it’s OK for there to be two mothers in the household.

What a wicked world! God won’t put up with it much longer, and His judgment will be devastating. Read about the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, and read Romans chapter 1 to understand how God feels about homosexuality. It’s time for men of God to start praying and stop this madness.

“But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). 

The darkness of this world has no place in a Christian’s life. Jesus is the Light of the World, but Christians are allowing the dark light of Satan to lead. Men of God, arise!

Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait –
Your strength unequal to the task,
But Christ in you is great!

Men of God, arise! Take up your rightful place in leadership. Women have an important place in God’s creation, but it’s the men whom God has given the task of leadership. This is seen throughout Scripture. You are the leaders in your family. You are the leaders in congregations. It is by Christ’s strength that you lead your children to a firm faith in Christ. It is by Christ’s strength that you can lead your wife to be a Godly woman who doesn’t feel the need to usurp authority. Your marriage is a picture of Christ and His church.

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25). 

You need to be a man of God who honors Christ in all you do. In that way, your wife will submit to your authority. That doesn’t mean that you rule with an iron fist but that you love her as Christ loves His church.

Lift high the cross of Christ;
Tread where His feet have trod;
As brothers of the Son of man,
Rise up, O men of God!

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour” (John 12:26). 

Keep your eyes and heart on the cross of Christ. Remember, Christ is no longer on the cross. All sin was nailed to the cross, and only His love held Jesus there.

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:14). 

Jesus was crucified. He bled and died on the cross. He was taken off the cross and sealed in a tomb. On the third day, He arose! The cross is empty, and the tomb is empty! Sin was forgiven, and death was conquered. Repent now and accept His sacrifice for sin. Rise up, O men of God! Let this truth guide your life, and let His truth always be upon your lips. Praise Him with all your heart, soul, and spirit. Have done with lesser things.

Men of God, arise! Don’t let the world and the sin found there hinder your walk with the Lord. Fight the spiritual battle by taking your place in the army of God.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

We all make choices, and ultimately, we are responsible for the results of our choices. God has given us Scripture to help us to know the difference between a good choice and a bad one, but Satan doesn’t like us to make good choices. He is doing everything he can to make evil look good so our choices will be poor. The Bible is the word of God, and that is our guide in life. It’s been said that BIBLE stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. As Christians, we need to use it as a guide to our way of life.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). 

What is doctrine? It’s teachings. So, if you attend a Christian church, but the doctrine found there doesn’t align with Scripture, then you need to leave that fellowship. Reproof means conviction. You may hold some idea as to what is right behavior, but when you check that behavior with Scripture, your life choices may be wrong. Scripture is always correct. Correction means that you check your way of living with Scripture, and if your choices don’t line up with God’s word, then you need to change. Instruction in righteousness means that Scripture is our teacher in life. Scripture needs to be our guide in moral decisions and life choices.

What a lovely world this would be if everybody followed God’s instructions. Although God is clear about how we should live, being a “good” person will not bring eternal life. Even the most moral people we know are sinners who need salvation through Christ.

Consider this: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Maybe we should work harder to come up to God’s standards. You know, do good works and earn our way to salvation. The truth is that none of our “good works” will bring salvation.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

God has made salvation very easy, yet many people reject it. We are all sinners, and it is only the grace and love of God that can bring salvation. That doesn’t mean that everybody is saved no matter what they believe or how they act. Faith must be real, and that faith should result in a change in the way you live.

Faith in Jesus is the only means of salvation. Jesus explained this to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who was searching for truth and the way to gain eternal life. Jesus told him that he had to be born again.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). 

Born again? Even Nicodemus was confused about this, so he asked how he could reenter his mother’s womb. Jesus wasn’t talking about becoming an infant again, but He was talking about experiencing a life change.

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6). 

In these verses, Jesus speaks of two births. The first one is the one we all experience. We grow in our mother’s womb, protected by water. That water breaks, and we are born of the flesh, and our choices are based on selfishness. When we are born again – born of the Spirit – we gain eternal life. Water baptism does not bring salvation but is a symbol of our choice of a new life in Christ. If you were baptized as a baby and think that brought you salvation, think again. You have to make your own choice, and nobody can make it for you. When you were a few days old, did you understand that you are a sinner and need salvation through Jesus? Did you even know what sin is, and could you confess Jesus with your mouth?

Scripture says, “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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

Once you realize that you are a sinner, you must repent of your sin and place your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Then you are born again. Salvation is a reality when you confess Christ and believe.

Once you’ve made that decision, it’s time to grow in your faith… that is, start walking the walk. Look to Scripture for “…doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

Instead of looking to worldly sources for the standard of living, look to Scripture.

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). 

When you earnestly confess Christ for salvation and truly mean it, things happen that we aren’t fully aware of. Things on a spiritual level. We are born again and need to live life in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is sealed within us, and He will lead us along the path of righteousness. We need to put our own selfish lusts and desires away and seek the things of God.

“For ye are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them” (Colossians 3:3-7). 

Sometimes the King James’ words are confusing, but this means that we need to live our life in obedience to Christ. Our actions need to reflect our new life in Him. Children grow and usually reflect the attitudes of their parents. As a born-again believer in Christ, you need to grow and reflect Him in your life.

We are to put to death old ways of living, along with our sinful thoughts, and seek a closer walk with our Lord.

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind: and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). 

Today we think of a conversation as people speaking with each other. That’s not what this means. It’s important to study Scripture to find the real meaning by looking up the original words in the original language. The Greek word “anastrophe” is translated in the King James as “conversation,” but it means “the manner of life, conduct, behavior, deportment.” In other words, your way of life. When you’re born again, you need to begin each day as a new person in Christ. Reflect Christ in your conversation – both in speaking with others and in the way you conduct your life. Examine your attitudes and see if they reflect your faith. Are you always upset because you don’t feel you get the respect you deserve? Maybe you’re looking in the wrong place for respect. Be humble and let God work through you.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). 

It can be hard to learn humility, but when we look at Jesus, He never tried to bring glory to Himself. He did display anger, but it was a righteous anger. His anger happened when God was disrespected. Practice humility.

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27). 

That’s not always easy, but it is important.

I struggle with all of this, too, so I’m not just pointing fingers at others. We are all in a spiritual battle and must choose which side we serve. I yearn to serve Christ better and to be a stronger soldier in His army.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds:) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). 

We need to keep our eyes on Jesus and follow His lead.

Brothers and sisters, we all need to share our faith with others, but if our attitudes and actions don’t reflect our faith, how can we be a good witness for Christ? There are many signs that the end of days is near. Before the final seven years, all believers in Christ will be called Home. Christians are not appointed to face the wrath of God. Live your faith openly and share with friends, family, and even strangers. In all things, be obedient to Christ.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).