A Few Good Men
Ezekiel 22:30 Intro: We will soon be celebrating Father’s Day and honoring the good men in our families and in our lives. I know that the Marines have used this title as a slogan for recruiting, and I know I’m not a candidate for the Marines for their definition of a good man majors on physical condition and ability. God told Ezekiel that he was Seeking for a man who would make up the hedge and stand in the gap. Clearly, there’s more here than God just looking for any man; any male member of the human race, for there were men all over the nation of Israel but God was looking for a Good Man; for Good Men; for men who loved God and would stand up for truth. So, what is a Good Man? I. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Lean. Pro. 3:5 tells us to Trust in the Lord and warns us NOT to lean on our understanding, but in all our ways we are to acknowledge God and he will direct our paths. Any man who has not learned to Lean on the Lord is not a Good man and as a matter of fact, he will be good for nothing. A. We Must Learn to Lean on the Lord for Salvation. A Good man must be a Saved man. Looks are not near enough. Abilities are not near enough. Good qualities are not near enough to qualify you as a good man. You need to be Saved from sin; turned from darkness to light; from an eternity in hell to an eternity in heaven. For by Grace are ye saved, Through Faith, and that not of yourselves it is the Gift of God. You must Lean on the Lord for salvation. B. We Must Lean on the Lord for Strength. Is. 40 said that even youths and young men would be weary and would faint and would fall down, BUT those that would Wait upon the Lord would Renew their strength and would mount up with wings like eagles. There is no Do it Yourself way to strength in life; the gym won’t do it for building muscles alone does not build real strength. We need strength of Character; strength of Convictions; strength in our Heart, in our Mind, in our Soul. II. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Lead. Not only are we called to Lean- to be dependant on the Lord; We are also called to Lead. A. We are to Lead our Homes. Whether we like it or not, God has ordained that the man is the Head of the Home; the wife is not; the children are not. You may abdicate the throne of your home here on the earth but you will answer to God for it on judgment day. The Husband and Father is commanded to Provide Physically and Materially for his family. The husband and Father is commanded to Protect his family. We are to protect them physically; protect them socially; protect them mentally; protect them emotionally; protect them spiritually. The husband and father is commanded to Prepare his Family Spiritually. We are to train our children in the ways of the Lord and discipline their behavior according to the Word and Will of God. B. We are to Lead our Church. God has ordained that men take the leadership in the local church. Yes, I believe that God sometimes calls women to preach or to teach and to fulfill roles in the local church, But God calls for the men to take the Lead in the church. Ever wonder if all the women were removed from your local church what the church would be able to accomplish or if it could even survive? A Good Man as Learned to Lean and to Lead. III. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Love. A. We are to Love God Supremely. Jesus stated the first and greatest commandment was this: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength. Our love for God must be supreme; above all other loves in our life; above all other affections; above all other desires; above all other loyalties. B. We are to Love our Families Unconditionally. Every time the husband is addressed in the New Testament, he is commanded to Love his wife. The love commanded is agape in the Greek which is sacrificing love, committed love. We are to love our children the same way; with sacrificing love and committed love. C. We are to Love Others Sincerely. After the first and great commandment came the second great commandment: love thy neighbor as thyself. The truly Good Man will love others and not just himself. Selfishness will not be part of the good man’s character. May God help us all to love not only our precious Lord and our wonderful family but all those that God has created in his image. The Good Man has learned to Lean, to Lead, and to Love. God’s still seeking for a Few Good Men! Will you be one?
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Bro. Dwain GaliherPastor of JHPC Archives
November 2024
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