1. You’re going to be faced with trials.

2. You’re going to recognize those trials.

3. You’re going to be tempted to act/react to those trials.

4. You’re going to act/react to those trials.

5. You can’t do anything about 1 – 3; but we have all the latitude we need with 4.

TEMPTATION is the foundation of Satan’s arsenal.  NO ONE is immune or exempt from it.  NOT EVEN JESUS!

TEMPTATION chips away constantly at our spiritual integrity.  But TEMPTATION is a “thing” that cannot succeed on its own.  Ironically, when we give life to TEMPTATION, the product of our actions is DEATH.

Our external lives may be in order; but there are storms of unprocessed conflict, loss, and fear that constantly erode our resolve to maintain our integrity.

Sadly, men, both Christian and “non-” are flocking to unhealthy avenues of relief instead of turning to GOD’s Word and to one another.

Here’s my external life – great house in the burbs, great job, beautiful wife, two best kids on the planet, full head of hair, body fat percentage dropping like a rock, everyone in my family has a car, my yard is manicured, TV in every room.

These were my storms of unprocessed conflict, loss, and fear, that eroded my resolve to maintain integrity…money, living beyond my means, spiritual apathy, preferential treatment, disunity (anger), materialism, not being able to say no, drugs, sex, cheating, lying.

These became the unhealthy avenues I flocked to in the face of trials instead of turning to God’s word; and forget about relationships with other men that I could turn to.  I was successful at surrounding myself with people like me.  OR I had relationships with men who “could” help me; but I couldn’t dare afford to blow my cover with them.  So they didn’t “really” know me; and therefore couldn’t “really” help me.

I went so far as to make all of this other people’s fault.  I was actually running FROM the safe, right places in my life, places full of integrity and genuine love, TO unhealthy escapes.  All the while, I believed in Jesus.  Shoot, I had given my life to Christ as a young man.

In his letter to some 12 tribes of Hebrew Christians with all the same issues (external and internal) as me, James basically said:

“HEY!  BELIEVERS!  JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT’S  NOT ENOUGH TO JUST BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.  YOU HAVE TO APPLY YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST TO YOUR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS!  WHEN YOU REFUSE TO CHANGE PERSONAL CHARACTER AND CONDUCT THAT IS SYMPTOMATIC OF A DEAD FAITH, GUESS WHAT,  YOUR DEAD!!!

WHAT YOU BELIEVE (ON THE OUTSIDE) IS NOTHING MORE THAN A SUIT OF CLOTHES…AND THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE THAT SUIT IS DIRTY…”

MEN, know this:

1.  God allows trials in our lives to build our character.  ”…you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:3-4).  And  while we don’t get to choose our trials; we DO get to choose our responses to them.

2.  Understand that God’s word provides all that it takes to stand strong and courageous in the face of every single trial you will ever face.  First, it isn’t the trial that gets us in trouble, it’s the temptation.  Second, make sure you understand the root of every trial  you face.  The Bible says that “…no one should say “God is tempting me”.  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone:  but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:13-15)

3.  Please hear me…IT IS NEVER TOO LATE.  I don’t care what you did 10 years ago, yesterday, or 5 minutes ago.  Give your whole body, your life, as a living sacrifice to God now.  Make the decision that from here forward, you’re going to stay focused on doing the next right thing.  Then, and this is really important…GO DO IT! JUST GO DO IT!  Stop being a punk.  Stop being selfish.  Stop making excuses.  Flush “oh woe is me” down the toilet, and be a man.

4.  Cultivate an eternal perspective.  “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12).  Don’t merely listen to the Word of God.  Apply it to your life.  Live it.  Faith without deeds is dead.

5.  Stop complaining.  Start praying.  Enough said.

FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.  If it is, then your objective in front of you is still your own, it’s self-motivated, and your Christian acts that you promote to be all about are symptomatic of a dead faith.

How far are you willing to go with your faith.  Don’t you want ALL that God created you to have?

Then go get it.

How can Satan be pulling me back, reminding me now more than ever of who I was before giving my life to the Lord?  Why now?  My tank is full!  I’ve never felt better.  And yet, I can’t take my eyes off the rearview mirror.  Now I’m feeling more and more like I shouldn’t feel the way I’m feeling.

Why didn’t God’s people “win” the Promised Land the first time with Moses? They took their eye off the ball.  They kept their eyes IN the rearview mirror.

They overanalyzed the obstacles.

Numbers 13:27-28:  They gave Moses this account:  “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!  Here is its fruit.  But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.  We even saw descendants of Anak there.

They underestimated God’s power.

Numbers 14:3:  Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?

So how do we lead like Joshua to the Promised Land?  How do we keep our eye ON the prize; and OFF of the rearview mirror? 

1.  You become a strong and courageous leader.

Joshua 1:6:  Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

2.  You believe what God has said.

Joshua 1:7-8:  Be strong and very courageous.  Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.

3.  You trust in what God can do.

Joshua 1:10-11:  So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:  Go through the camp and tell the people, “Get your supplies ready.  Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.

4.  You know that God will be with you.

Joshua 1:9:  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Are there any areas in your life where you’re focusing too much on the obstacles and not enough on God’s ability? 

Who can be a spiritual leader in your life to help you overcome your obstacles? 

Are you spending regular time learning what God has said in His word and applying it to your life? 

When you face impossible situations, when you can’t take your eye off the rearview mirror, who do you depend on more – you or God? 

I pray that you will continue, until the day you die in this life, expanding your freedom, God-given freedom, on a foundation of unshakable obedience to God’s clear promises.  OBEY, OBEY, OBEY…and keep your eyes on road.

Contact me here throught he webstie if I can ever do anything for you.  Don’t just be a man; be a great man.

In Ephesians, the apostle Paul says the fourth thing to do in spiritual warfare is to hold up a shield of faith. The full armor of God includes integrity, purity, serenity and certainty.

How effective is a shield? One of the most famous battles in history is the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, when 300 Spartans stood their ground against perhaps 100,000 Persians. At one point in the battle, the Persians shot volley after volley of arrows at the 300 Spartans. The Spartans knelt together and held up their shields, creating a wall of protection from the arrows.

Have you ever had a day you felt like that? When life is coming at you from every angle and thousands of fiery arrows are aimed at you? That’s when you need what Paul calls “the shield of faith.” Paul says, “Hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil” (Ephesians 6:16).

What are the devil’s fiery arrows?
Doubt
Depression
Discouragement
Delay
Dead ends
Despair

Satan has been casting doubt on mankind since the Garden of Eden, when he asked Eve, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). The moment you open your door to doubt — even just a little bit — Satan will charge in and create doubts, despair and depression. What do you need when you’re facing those kinds of “burning arrows”? You need faith — and certainty.

Certainty comes from trusting the promises of God when everything is going wrong in your life. You’ve got to put on your shield of faith, and doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. Most people do the exact opposite. That’s just foolish. It is the doubts we should doubt and beliefs we should believe. If you don’t have faith, you will stumble when Satan attacks you.

The Bible says, “Because of your faith, it will happen” (Matthew 9:29). What does that mean? You’ve got to believe in God’s promises, even if they don’t appear to be true at the time.

Lean on God’s promises and lift up the shield of faith when Satan sends his fiery darts of doubt.

You know those days, weeks, months, sometimes even years when nothing “goes your way” right? Physically you don’t feel your best. Visually you don’t look your best. You and the wife don’t see eye to eye. Business could be better. Cars need repairs you can’t afford. The dog has flees. Gas bill is through the roof. Computer has a virus. Spilled your coffee getting in the car this morning. Traffic’s horrible…and all these things fuel that constant buzzing of stress moving around in your brain right? You know the one, it gets louder the more coffee you drink. I’m convinced others can actually hear this coming from “my” head.

And yet you can find yourself basking in the most perfect freedom and peace because God is most perfect. He never changes. He NEVER changes! He has as an entire universe to run; and yet He keeps up with every hair on your head, and doesn’t care if you lose them all. He loves you in an immeasurable, inpenetrable, unchanging way.

I do more all the time to deserve it less than I already do; but there it is. There HE is. Unchanged, unwavering in His love for me and you.

Trials…joy…man I get it; and I love it (James).

I am so thankful for a God that doesn’t change.