God is Searching
Jerry Watts
Ezekiel 22:30, 2 Chronicles 16:9
Hello Men. Think about that word, Man. What does it even mean?
We use that word for males who have reached a certain age. But I ask, how do we define a 'man?' We think we know what one is, can identify one on sight, and yet I suggest, for the average adult man both inside and outside of the church, if I were to ask for a 'definition' of a man most would stumble to say ''someone over 18'' or 'someone who is an athlete', or someone who killed the big buck, or something like that.
Defining a man or manhood is kind of like defining a church. The attitude is 'certainly I know what it is because I been going to one all of my adult life.' Several years ago, as a DOM, I put out an online survey asking people to define a church. Only between 8 and 9 dozen people responded - so this was not a true scientific survey - but it was enough to know that most people do not understand what our Lord's local church is to be, to be like, and/or to do. But the church is a discussion for another time.
Tonight, I want to challenge us about this thing of being a man and manhood because of the need for real men in our world. Perhaps you know and are this, but perhaps everyone is not.
Some of the difficulties today stem from our skewed view of God. It was about 15 or 20 years ago that I noticed something. Have you ever thought about the church concept of a 'godly man?' Here's what I noticed - when I hear people say, ''He's a godly man,'' without meeting that man, I can close my eyes and visualize what type of man he is. He is a good man, generally passive, always hesitant to push back, and kind goes along man. When I compared that man to God of the Bible, it doesn't compute.
Jehovah God is anything but passive, never hesitant to push back, and certain doesn't just go along. This comparison caused me to think and pray.
It was 10 years ago that John Eldridge released his book ''Wild at Heart'' which is a b ...
Jerry Watts
Ezekiel 22:30, 2 Chronicles 16:9
Hello Men. Think about that word, Man. What does it even mean?
We use that word for males who have reached a certain age. But I ask, how do we define a 'man?' We think we know what one is, can identify one on sight, and yet I suggest, for the average adult man both inside and outside of the church, if I were to ask for a 'definition' of a man most would stumble to say ''someone over 18'' or 'someone who is an athlete', or someone who killed the big buck, or something like that.
Defining a man or manhood is kind of like defining a church. The attitude is 'certainly I know what it is because I been going to one all of my adult life.' Several years ago, as a DOM, I put out an online survey asking people to define a church. Only between 8 and 9 dozen people responded - so this was not a true scientific survey - but it was enough to know that most people do not understand what our Lord's local church is to be, to be like, and/or to do. But the church is a discussion for another time.
Tonight, I want to challenge us about this thing of being a man and manhood because of the need for real men in our world. Perhaps you know and are this, but perhaps everyone is not.
Some of the difficulties today stem from our skewed view of God. It was about 15 or 20 years ago that I noticed something. Have you ever thought about the church concept of a 'godly man?' Here's what I noticed - when I hear people say, ''He's a godly man,'' without meeting that man, I can close my eyes and visualize what type of man he is. He is a good man, generally passive, always hesitant to push back, and kind goes along man. When I compared that man to God of the Bible, it doesn't compute.
Jehovah God is anything but passive, never hesitant to push back, and certain doesn't just go along. This comparison caused me to think and pray.
It was 10 years ago that John Eldridge released his book ''Wild at Heart'' which is a b ...
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