A Cry to Men

What type of man are you becoming - or more so, what type of impact are you making in the lives of others? While on Facebook today I saw many people posting a YouTube video of rapper Lil Wayne's new song... only this song had a VERY bad message. I am not a fan of Lil Wayne in any way, and I refuse to listen to the majority of rappers now days because of the degrading, unChristian messages they send out. This specific one entitled "Love Me" not only talks about sex, drugs, and loose women that he has no respect for, but says "ho*s love me like satan". WHY would anyone want to listen to this man or support his music, especially if they call them self a Christian? Jay-Z has said "life starts when the church ends" in one of his songs, and several other artists have blasphemed the Bible in numerous ways through their songs. While the beat may be good - the message behind it leaks into the crevasses of the minds listening and influences us without us even realizing it. The more we listen the more we begin to push everything aside and become lukewarm - thinking nothing is wrong and he did not "mean to say that". 

He means every word in his lyrics, otherwise he would not put them out. If you did not believe in something, would you make it your entire reputation or identity? I am disgusted by men like him and pray that my generation will be courageous in standing up against these type of influences. Especially the men - men have such a great impact in this world and have the power to change so much. Men have the opportunity to either use women or respect them, share the gospel or live a life against what the Bible stands for, be a family man or a party animal, act as a disciple of Christ or work against what Jesus died for. 

I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 

-Revelations 3:15-17

One of my favorite movies, Courageous, has a great ending speech that applies to men and their children. Please read the manuscript below from the movie regarding men's roles in their children (only please apply that to their family, friends, loved ones, and those they encounter in daily lives). We depend on the men of our generation to be the example for our children and those we will live with. A cry from every Christian woman - please be the courageous man that God made you to be. You are capable of so much, loved so much, and the women of the world look up to you. Please, be courageous for the Lord - we believe in you!

I now believe that God desires for EVERY father to courageously step up and do whatever it takes to be involved in the lives of his children. But more than just being there providing for them, he is to walk with them through their young lives and be a visual representation of the character of God, their father in heaven. A father should love his children, and seek to win their hearts. He should protect them, discipline them, and teach them about God. He should model how to walk with integrity and treat others with respect, and should call out his children to become responsible men and women, who live their lives for what matters in eternity. Some men will hear this, and mock it. Or ignore it. But I tell you that as a father, you are accountable to God for the position of influence he has given you. You can't fall asleep at the wheel, only to wake up one day and realize that your job or your hobbies have no eternal value, but the souls of your children do. Some men will hear this and agree with it, but have no resolve to live it out. Instead, they will live for themselves, and waste the opportunity to leave a godly legacy for the next generation. But there are some men, who regardless of the mistakes we've made in the past, regardless of what our fathers did NOT do for us, will give the strength of our arms and the rest of our days to loving God with all that we are and to teach our children to do the same. And whenever possible to love and mentor others who have no father in their lives, but who desperately need help and direction. And we are inviting any man whose heart is willing and courageous, to join us in this resolution. In my home, the decision has already been made. You don't have to ask who will guide my family, because by God's grace, I will. You don't have to ask who will teach my son to follow Christ, because I will. Who will accept the responsibility of providing and protecting my family? I will. Who will ask God to break the chain of destructive patterns in my family's history? I will. Who will pray for, and bless my children to boldly pursue whatever God calls them to do? I am their father. I will. I accept this responsibility and it is my privilege to embrace it. I want the favor of God and his blessing on my home. Any good man does. So where are you men of courage? Where are you, fathers who fear the Lord? It's time to rise up and answer the call that God has given to you and to say I will.

Truly, Nothing is Impossible.

   Some parts of life simply suck. We all have bad days, bad weeks, bad years, and bad seasons. When we are in these bad periods of time it makes it so difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel or how any of our pain could possibly be a good thing. A great deal of people often ask ourselves why bad things happen to good people, why good people have to hurt, and why God would allow those he loves to be in pain. One of the greatest explanations comes from a fantastic preacher, Francis Chan. Francis holds a long rope with one end of it dipped in a red wax of some sort that is just a few inches long on the rope. He explains how the small red sections is our time on earth and that the rest of the rope is our eternity. He then begins going into how God saw us before we were born, our short time on earth, and our eternity - what will happen after we leave earth. If we could all see the bigger picture and look at our own lives through God's eyes we could have a better understanding of why certain things happen. Sometimes we bring pain upon ourself or on those we love by not following God and going against His plan for us which causes bad things to happen while others may not be understood until we have the opportunity to ask Him. Have you ever been in a place where you felt as if something was impossible? A time where you ran away from a situation because you had no faith in what God could do if you had only asked?

   God can do anything - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams. He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us. That is the amazing thing about God - you can't find a job? God can provide one. You and your husband aren't happy? God can bring the two of you back together, and fall in love more than ever before. You are dealing with depression or anger? God can take those negative feelings away and replace them with joy. You have done too many bad things? God forgives all sins, and so do those who love God. You cannot have children? If God wants you to have one, by God you will - Sarah waited 80 years to have a son but God answered her prayer. If a person asks God with Godly intentions and lets Him know what they truly want - it will not only be heard but answered. There will be doors open, sins forgiven, pain taken away, and feelings of love and joy. If one continues on the wrong path or ignores the doors opened from God they can not expect certain prayers to be answered fully. God will reach out half way but we all must meet Him the other half. He is not going to give everything to us on a silver platter while we disobey Him and leads other away from Him. There will always be a struggle between obeying and disobeying God, living for the world or living for Him, choosing His plan for us or choosing our own. The mental battle is overwhelming at times - we want to be "normal" but we also have the Holy Spirit as a couscous giving us peace in our mind when something is correct and thinking twice if it is not. 

In the past 5 years the most important lessons I have learned are:

• Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” -1 Corinthians 15:33
• Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! -Matthew 18:21-22
• “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. -Matthew 7:12
• But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.' -Matthew 7:23

1) Yes, if you hang around bad company YOU will become bad company to others. While the people may not be "bad", unpleasant, or rude people if they take you further from God through words and actions then they are not encouraging and uplifting you in a Godly way.

2) People make mistakes, every single one of them. Every single person will make both small and large mistakes, but so will you. God forgave you for all of your sins before you were even born. If you cannot learn to forgive, you will continue being disappointed by every person you become close with. Always forgive.

3) If you would not want something to happen to you, don't do it to someone else. 

4) You may think you are going to live until your 80, die in bed, and have a happy life. The truth is, most people don't - even though that is hard to think about at a younger age. Cancer, illness, accidents, suicide, murder, overdoses, and tragedies are all more common than we think. The older we get the more we will begin to see this. If you were to die today, would you be ready to meet God? No one wants to hear those words, "I never knew you" after neglecting to love God and focus only on our own happiness.

   What is in the way of keeping you from believing that nothing is impossible with God? 

In order to begin going back to a Godly lifestyle (it will never be perfect, I will fail, but trying) I followed these steps that I would recommend:

1) Leave the bad influences behind you - they may be fun, but losing your soul just to hang on to those that do not bring you closer to God will not benefit yourself or them in the long run. No one needs those closest to them to be these kind of people - if you love them than bring them OUT of the ungodly situations, but do not put yourself in the same situations as them.

2) Believe in yourself and know your value. God created just as you are for a purpose and He wants you do come to Him to fulfill that purpose. You are amazing, cherished, smart, capable, and loved. There is always someone who thinks about you before they go to bed and would do anything for you.

3) Pray. Pray often. Pray when your happy. Pray when your sad. Pray when your angry. Pray when your heartbroken. Pray when your addicted. Pray when your tired. Pray when you are lost. Pray when you are unhappy with where you are. Pray when you fail. Pray when you make mistakes. Pray when you are hurting. Pray for others. Pray for your family. Pray for your country. Pray for the leaders. Pray for the church. Pray for wisdom. Pray for a pure heart. Pray to be the Godly man/woman that God created you to be. Prayer makes all the difference and is the only thing that will change your life.

4) Make the changes necessary to meet God half way so that he may bless you. As pastor TD Jakes says... "Do you have the mind to be blessed?". We all must have the mindset that we WILL be blessed. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice in it!

I encourage you all to think about things you have thought were impossible. People you thought were impossible, goals you thought were impossible, changes to yourself you thought were impossible... and know that they ARE possible if you ask God with Godly intentions! No one should leave this earth without seeing what all God is capable of doing for them... all He wants is for you to let Him!

Much Love,

    Lauren

P.S. When I get back from England & Scotland I will share stories about "impossible" things God has made 100% possible for me! I will also give an update on who is coming to visit me here in Texas! :)