Category: Men of Steel

Cultivating Courage

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Men are supposed to be brave. We are supposed to be like Jack Bauer (on the TV show 24), willing to step up when the need arises, no matter what the cost, no matter what the pain, just because the mission is more important than any personal comfort or safety. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it is essential.

Courage makes a good theory, but sometimes we need help to practice it. We have many opportunities each day to step out of our comfort zone to serve God. When we don’t have courage, we need to be reminded of God’s promise in 2 Timothy, and we need others’ encouragement to take the leap of faith.

Perhaps you need someone to tell you: Volunteer for that job at church because they need you. Teach that class. Have lunch with your co-worker to discuss matters of faith. Maybe you should join that small group, or the Men of Steel. Remember the mission that Christ gave to us, to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). First we seek the lost (Luke 19:10), because God is seeking true worshipers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23).

We recently read the book of Esther, which tells a story of love, sacrifice, and God’s timing. Mordecai, a Jew in exile, refused to bow to Haman, second in command to King Ahasuerus. Haman became furious and plotted to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews. So Haman deceived the king and persuaded him to issue an edict condemning the Jews to death. When Mordecai told his cousin Queen Esther about the edict, he urged her to intervene. “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” he said (4:14). Approaching the king uninvited was punishable by death. But Esther seized the moment to save her people!

When we are able to rescue others, we should do so at all costs. Ask God for His direction and act! He may have placed you here “for such a time as this.”

Be courageous for Jesus. Be obedient to the point of risk. Sometimes it takes just that first step of courage to serve our wonderful Savior.

Erwin McManus has something to say about courage.

Try these steps for size:

  1. Identify your calling.
  2. Identify your fears.
  3. Consider how your fears will thwart your calling.
  4. Consider the authority of Christ over your fears.
  5. Trust God’s ability rather than your limitations.
  6. Decide whether you want a life of compliance or rebellion.
  7. Always choose obedience in the face of fear.
  8. Join forces with others of similar calling.
  9. Remind yourself that God’s side wins.
  10. Embrace the adventure of a life of significance.

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Teaching Values to Our Kids

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Did you know that parents are the most valuable tool when it comes to teaching values to children? I used to think that the way you taught values was to sit your kids down and talk to them about values. But I was wrong. Our children constantly see us living out our values and they learn their values from us whether we want them to or not!

As missionaries in Zambia, Kim, Stephen and I took a trip to Harare, Zimbabwe for a little holiday. It used to be a great place to enjoy a nicer restaurant, catch a movie, visit a game park, stuff like that. It was good to get away together as a family. One day we saw that a sequel to a movie we enjoyed in the States came to a downtown theatre. It was Disney’s White Fang 2, and we saw the rating was PG-13, for some unreasonable African reason. In a moment of weakness and selfishness, we lied about Stephen’s age (he was 11 at the time). Our rationalization was that it was a Disney film and we knew better. You know what? I taught more about values in that single action than in all of our father-son chats through the years. I grieved the situation later that day, and even today called Stephen to apologize for that poor example of integrity.

As parents we must get our own values right and then live by those values, because our children will quickly learn our values in action. How does it happen? They learn the value of prayer when they see you kneeling in prayer instead of coming apart at the seams when you face a crisis. They learn the value of fidelity when they see their parents remain faithful to each other even in tough times. They learn the value of honesty by seeing their parents remain honest even in the tough times. Parents are the tools of God to teach values to children. So live wisely – you’re being watched!

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Outsourcing Our Faith

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Brian Mosley, president of BluefishTV, had an interesting article about our living in the age of outsourcing. We pay someone to change our oil, cook our food, care for our yard, clean our clothes and anything else we don’t want to do. And of course we’ve all read the news reports of companies outsourcing business needs to countries around the world. So, he asks, “Is it possible that we are outsourcing our faith?”

We live in a consumer-driven culture that tells us that the customer is number one. The customer is always right. I can have it my way. I deserve the best. Consumerism has also crept into the church and turned church members into customers. The church exists to serve me and my family. To meet my needs. To feed me spiritually. To provide relationships for me. I dare say, to entertain me?

Brian goes on to ask, how many people put their money into an offering plate with the thought that “I have done my part, now it’s up to the church staff (professional Christians) to take care of the rest.” I pay them to tell me what the Bible means, to organize programs for my kids, to run evangelism and outreach projects to reach non-believers … to ______________ (fill in the blank with whatever product or service you think the church should provide).

Mosley also gives five reasons a business outsources and how the church might be doing the same with our faith:

1. Cost Savings
It’s costs me time and energy to study the Bible, serve others and be a disciple. If the pastor will do the heavy lifting, then I can save some of this time and energy for other things I enjoy doing.

2. Focus on Core Business
The pastor’s core thing is ministry. Mine is work and caring for my family. It will work best if we both stick to our core business.

3. Improve Quality
I am not really qualified to do ministry. I haven’t been to seminary or Bible college and my knowledge of the Bible isn’t great. I should leave real ministry to the professionals.

4. Risk Management
Ministry is messy. To really get engaged in ministry could lead to rejection, heartache and additional work to my already busy life. I’d rather not risk it.

5. Tax Benefit
The most measurable way for me to minister is to give money. It’s trackable and the more I give, the more I can claim as a deductible to the IRS.

Have you ever felt like this? How can we turn this around? How can we challenge people toward higher levels of commitment to Christ and His church? As Rick Warren wrote in his Purpose-Driven Life, “It’s not about you.” So, how can we help church members understand that the church exists for those who are not yet a part of the church? We are here to serve, and not to be served (Mark 10:45). We are not to be conformed to this world, but must be transformed (Romans 12:2). Don’t be normal, stand out.

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When Rebellion is a Good Thing

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Rebellion occurs when oppression reaches a level that we can no longer tolerate in good conscience. It occurs when our vision for extraordinary living is more compelling than our urge for comfort and status quo. Materialism, toys and pleasure numb us while distraction and apathy work on us from the inside. Complacency will not help us to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 1:18, 6:12).

It’s tough to live in America. With all the comforts, conveniences and choices, you may think I’ve lost my mind, but stay with me for a little bit. Those of use who have made a commitment to Christ, who have voluntarily chosen to follow Jesus as one of his disciples, who have chosen the narrow path over the lure of the wide and broad way (Matthew 7:13-14), we understand that our walk with Christ and our mission in the world are much more important than anything on this planet. We exist for a different purpose than the world around us. In everything we do, we seek to bring honor and glory to the God of our salvation (1 Corinthians 10:13, Colossians 3:17). The world desires to squeeze us into its mold, but we are to be transformed by the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:1), and this can happen only through the power of God.

We need to be rebellious enough to go against the current culture in America. Culture expects us to be sex-crazed, power-hungry, domineering, lovers of money, success, women, fortune and fame. Our culture tells us, “If it feels good, do it,” and to climb the ladder of success one rung at a time, no matter what the cost. Men all across the country have sacrificed their marriages, children and souls for temporal success, pleasure, comfort, fame or fortune. The one who has come to Christ has a new desire, mainly to be set free from the slavery of sin, its power and its consequences. Success must be redefined as faithfulness and integrity, rather than by the neighborhood in which we live, the club to which we belong, or the BMW in the driveway.

Are you someone who is disillusioned with pop culture and half-hearted Christianity? Would you consider partnering with God to change His world? The rebellion of which I speak is for those who are intensely passionate about Jesus and are determined to live a life of purpose. We must have a nothing-is-impossible mindset. Jesus is not meek and mild, but mighty and wild!

Consider these top 10 reasons to join me in this rebellion:

  1. You are intensely passionate for Jesus and His kingdom.
  2. You really want to live a life of eternal significance.
  3. You resent the apathy that derails many of Jesus’ followers.
  4. You’re willing to swim against today’s social currents.
  5. You know God is already stirring your heart for action.
  6. You’re looking for tools to empower your purpose.
  7. You want to live out God’s ancient wisdom in a relevant way.
  8. You desire to experience God and invite others into that experience.
  9. You’re absolutely dedicated to Christ’s lordship in your life.
  10. You’re ready to move in the power and authority of God.

Is this the anthem for the Men of Steel? Can we be radical and rebellious for the cause of Christ, changing the world, one man at a time?

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Real Men Show Up in the Snow

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Churches have made the tough call on whether to hold services these past two weekends, due to the unusual snow storms in our area. While far from what the rest of the country may be going through, six inches of snow at the beach is unusual… good thing that the area is pretty flat! Our concern was for our people who could get involved in a car accident or even slip in our parking lot. So, we also made adjustments to our meeting schedule.

But real men can make it through the snow and do what needs to be done! Check out this story of Benaiah, one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:20).

There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. Once, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. — 2 Samuel 23:20-21

This was a tough guy. Notice that he not only was a valiant warrior on the battlefield, but he went down into a pit to kill a lion… on a snowy day. Snow does not stop real men from doing what needs to be done.

Isn’t it funny how some people will call in to work and say they can’t come in due to the snow, but it always seems that people can leave work in the snow and make it home?

As men, you understand the need to do whatever it takes to provide for your family (1 Timothy 5:8), but do not neglect the need to feed your spirit, and grow in Christ (Ephesians 4:13, 14, 15). You are not the man that God intends for you to be if you are not leading your family in becoming fully devoted followers of Christ (Matthew 22:36-40). Think about ways you personally lead your family in “knowing Christ and making Him known?”

Speaking of snow and the weather (and perhaps chasing a rabbit), it’s been a crazy winter weather these past two weekends, especially when you hear the global warming alarmists still making the case how the planet is doomed because mankind is causing the earth to heat up. I believe that we are to be good stewards of the planet and its resources, that we should not pollute our water and air, but if we really believe that God is the sustainer of life and the universe (Colossians 1:17), we should not be alarmists with a political agenda. We should simply promote good conservation and environmental awareness. But what is a Christian to do in this age of political activism?

There is a difference between the biblical view of the environment and the political movement known as “environmentalism” (I wrote something on Earth Day a couple of years ago). Understanding this difference will shape our view of global warming. The Bible is clear that the earth and everything in it was given by God to man to rule over and subdue (Genesis 1:28). Because we are created in God’s image, He gave men and women a privileged place among all creatures and commanded them to exercise stewardship over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:6-8). Stewardship implies caretaking, not abusing. We are to intelligently manage the resources God has given us, using all diligent care to preserve and protect them.

In my recent Bible in 90 Days reading, I see this in the Old Testament where God commanded that the fields and vineyards would be sown and harvested for six years, then left fallow for the seventh year in order to replenish the soil’s nutrients, both to rest the land and to ensure continued provision for His people in the future (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:1-7).

But are too many people on the earth causing a problem, resulting in polar ice caps to melt and coastal areas to be wiped out? Perhaps it is more of a management problem. God has placed on this planet everything needed to feed, clothe, and house the billions of people who have lived on it since the Garden of Eden. Most all the resources God has provided for our needs are renewable, and He continues to provide the sun and rain necessary to sustain and replenish those resources.

At the same time, the earth we inhabit is not a permanent planet, nor was it ever intended to be. The environmental movement is consumed with trying to preserve the planet forever, and we know this is not God’s plan. He tells us in 2 Peter 3:10 that at the end of the age, the earth and all He has created will be destroyed. The physical, natural earth in its present form, with its entire universe will be consumed and God will create a “new heaven and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1).

Seems to me that rather than trying to preserve the earth for thousands or even millions of years, we should be good stewards of it for as long as it lasts, which will be as long as it serves God’s sovereign plan and purpose.

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When Things Go Wrong

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Life is hard. We are not guaranteed a life of ease just because we have died to self and followed Christ. We expect his hedge of protection and we often find hardship and pain in everyday life: we are involved in an auto accident, our job is lost, our health declines, our promotion falls through, our expenses exceed our income, our teenagers rebel and make poor choices that will affect the rest of their lives… It’s a burden, yes, and God wants us to cast our cares on him because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). We complain to God and let him know that we think this life is unfair and it stinks. Remember this, he is big enough to take all of our complaints, the Bible is full of people who questioned what God was doing in their lives (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Job). There’s no sin in speaking out to God, but we need to get an eternal perspective.

I found this awesome message in a song called “Held” by Christian music artist Natalie Grant:

Two months is too little. They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would take a child from his mother while she prays, is appalling.

Who told us we’d be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We’re asking why this happens to us who have died to live?
It’s unfair.

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life and you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was when everything fell we’d be held.

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred know our sorrow.
The wise hand opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

Bridge:
If hope is born of suffering.
If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

When Bethany crashed on her bike years ago, she did not sit there on the driveway and complain that I did not care about her, that it was a bit casual of me to allow this to happen to her, or worse, that I sent this accident to teach her some sort of a lesson. She wanted daddy to run to her and hold her and reassure her that she was not alone and everything was going to be alright. Does not God do the same for us? Faith sustains us during the hard times of life, especially that this life is not all that there is.

I recently received this interesting story that puts hardships into perspective:

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, “God! How could you do this to me?”

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.

So, the moral of this story? It’s easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn’t lose heart, because God is still at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

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Integrity in the Workplace

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Men, we spend a lot of our time at work. This news is not all that alarming, because I read that 10 out of 10 men are trying to discover ways to balance home and work responsibilities. I’m not too sure that many men come to the end of this life and confess that they wish they had spent more time at the office. Check out these haunting lyrics from a band called 33 Miles:

He never thought he cared so much about the minute hand until he started praying for a second chance.
If he could only do it all again he’d trade the long nights that he spent behind his desk for all he missed.
He tells his wife “I wish that this moment in this room was not me dying, but just spending a little time with you.”

Chorus:
You only get just one time around.
You only get one shot at this.
One chance, to find out
The one thing that you don’t wanna miss.
One day when it’s all said and done
I hope you see that it was enough, this
One ride, one try, one life to love….

She never thought she cared so much about those little hands that held on tight the day she left, ’til she was scared to death.
Sitting all alone on a hotel bed, the end of the road, the sun had set on her big plans to feel young again,
She picks up the phone, dials the number, hears that little voice that’s haunted every single mile since she made that choice.

We all want to be right with God and others, so take a look at this verse from Psalm 15:

“LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?” (Ps 15:1).

What is it like in the marketplace of America? I discovered that in February 2001 Sales and Marketing magazine did a survey and found that among those surveyed:

  • 58% cheat on expense reports
  • 50% work a second job on company time
  • 36% rush closed deals through accounting before they were really closed
  • 22% list a “strip bar” as a restaurant on an expense report
  • 19% give a kickback to a customer

If Psalm 15 were the core value of every business plan and purpose statement and reviewed with every employee before hiring, the workplace would be a very different place. What type of person can live in the presence of God? Take a look at what each verse of Psalm 15:1, 2, 3, 4, 5 has to tell us.

David will bless God with heart-felt worship (Psalm 15:1). He recognizes that worship is not just good for others, but even for the king. As the man of your house, what sort of example are you setting for your wife and children? Do they see that entrance into God’s presence each week (corporately) and each day (privately or with family) is the ultimate priority in your life?

I like to use the phrase, “a holy walk” when it comes to this man’s integrity. As a man goes through life, his actions (the way he lives) are different, or set apart, from those in the world around him (Psalm 15:2). He keeps his promises (Psalm 15:4)

This man also uses honest words, and speaks the truth, which come from his heart, rather than using flattering or even slanderous speech (Psalm 15:2, 3). We see in this psalm that the man after God’s own heart speaks the truth in his heart, I see this as honesty with his secret words (Psalm 15:2b). He also is full of integrity with his spoken words (Psalm 15:3a).

We also see this man is involved in hard work for the Kingdom of God; the psalmist gets specific in that he “works righteousness.” This guy does what is right, even when it’s unpopular and all others around him are compromising (Psalm 15:2).

And David will bless God with his honoring ways (Psalm 15:5). He lends differently than the oppressors in town, he doesn’t make decisions based on what he can get out of it but on the criteria of whether is it right. He makes the tough call that honors God and builds up people. This man does not take a bribe nor does he look for the short cut.

The promise in this psalm is well worth it, “He who does these things will never be shaken” (Psalm 15:5).

So, ask yourself:

  • Are you blameless in your approach to your work life?
  • Are you truthful in all your dealings?
  • Do you treat customers, vendors and fellow employees as your neighbor?
  • Do you say what you do truthfully and do what you say?
  • Do you follow through even if the outcome may not be positive?
  • Will you lend money without interest to a friend and refuse to take a bribe?
  • Are you passionate about the Kingdom of God and seeking His righteousness (Matthew 6:33)?

If you can say “yes” to these questions, then you are a “Psalm 15 Man” and can live with and abide in God.

Pray that God makes this psalm a part of your life and begin to ask God to show you how to live out this psalm in all you do.

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Forgive Those Who Judge You

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Forgiveness is something that is at the heart of the Christian experience. If it were not for the forgiveness of sin that God offers through the sacrifice of his one and only Son, I’m not all that sure people would be lining up to become followers of Christ. There is a deep need inside every man to be forgiven for the wrong he has done — to others, to himself and ultimately to God.

I find people from my childhood and youth and the first thing in my heart is, “I’m sorry.” I remember who I was back then and the things I have done. I’ve changed, and express how sorry I am for my former actions and words. The experience brings peace. If we desire authentic and lasting peace, it comes only through a right relationship with God and others.

Paul writes to the Ephesians that Christ himself is our peace; He has broken down every wall that divides and separates (Ephesians 2:14). Think about how the lack of forgiveness divides and separates, and the end result is a lack of peace in our hearts and lives. Forgiveness does not condone what the other person has done to us, but it allows us to get past it and start fresh. When we are the one who messed up, and others look on in judgment, it is their responsibility to search deep within to find the compassion of God to forgive and allow the relationship to be renewed.

Job lost everything and suffered greatly; he’s the classic example of a man who suffered greatly for no other reason than he was a faithful servant of the living God. His so-called friends came by and proceeded to discuss the theology of why this evil was happening to Job. He must be a great sinner, more than anyone else, for such bad stuff to be happening to him (Job 4:8 for example). What a statement of judgment and condemnation. Job is getting what he deserves. So, if anyone had a reason to hold a grudge, it was Job. He could have held a grudge against his friends for the way they treated him, and even a grudge against God for treating him the way he did. But catch what happens in this verse:

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).

Job’s friends did not understand how a godly person could ever go through his degree of suffering unless God was judging him for his sin. But his friends were wrong and God intervened. God says, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:7).

Not much has really changed after thousands of years. Those in the church often wrongly equate trouble and hardship with sin (what have I done to deserve this?). Sometimes this can be true since actions have consequences, but often trouble is simply a consequence of the fall of mankind, or a call on one’s life (like Joseph in Egypt or Paul’s hardships – 2 Corinthians 11:24-26).

Joseph was required to forgive his brothers. Jesus was required to forgive Judas and the disciples for betrayal. You and I are required to forgive those who wrongfully judge us. This forgiveness is often THE most important step in gaining restoration in our own lives.

Job 42:10 reveals that it was not until Job prayed for his friends that he was restored in the things he had lost. Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? It may be the missing piece of your puzzle for restoration.

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Labor Alone Will Not Satisfy

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Work is a noble thing for a man to do. Some feel that working is a part of the curse that God pronounced after the first couple sinned in the Garden of Eden, but it is clear that man was to work the garden long before Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 2:15). So when did work actually become laborious?

“All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied” (Ecclesiastes 6:7 NKJV).

We work to support our families, to eat, to enjoy life, yet the Bible says that these things will not satisfy the soul of a man. Think about how often men will identify themselves, and measure their worth, by what they do. Remember those weird introductions at parties? So, how would you feel about yourself if your job was removed from you tomorrow? Let’s imagine that your income wouldn’t change, just what you did everyday. How long will it take for life to become laborious and unsatisfactory?

One of the schemes that our enemy uses is to get men to view their value solely based on the type of work they do and how well they do it. This is performance-based acceptance. It says “As long as I have a good job and I do it well, I have self-esteem and people will think I’m valuable.”

This is a “slippery slope” and can be used by Satan to keep our focus on our performance rather than having a focus on Christ and his mission in the world. We are a part of that mission. We are never to find our value in our livelihood. Instead, our value is solely based on who we are in Christ. Paul wrestled with this after he came to faith in Christ. He had made it to the top of his field as a Jewish leader.

If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith (Phil 3:4-9).

You’ll never really know how much your self-esteem is rooted in your work until your work is taken away. Unemployment, illness, or a financial crisis can lead to job loss, but our self-esteem is based on our faith in Christ; it is more valuable to know whose we are than who we are. Work will never satisfy the deep longings of our heart.

Why not evaluate where you are in this area of your life. Affirm with God your desire to be known by Who you know rather than what you do.

We are not meeting this Saturday due to the Youth Evangelism Conference, but will get together next week on Saturday January 23 at 7:30 am.

Avoiding Conflict

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Not too many men enjoy conflict, especially with their wives. Women are on a different level of thinking, emotion and we give up too soon when we need to get things straightened out. My Bible study class just finished a series on the life of David, and this is a story that may hit us where we live.

Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king (2 Samuel 14:23-24).

Taking a path that avoids conflict will only lead to later hardship. Such was the case for Absalom and his father King David. For a little background, remember this:

Amnon, also a son of David, raped his half-sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13:4, 11, 14), who was Absalom’s full sister. When this happened, David was furious but he did not punish Amnon for his actions (2 Samuel 13:21). Absalom saw this as a terrible injustice for his sister and assured her that he would take care of it (2 Samuel 13:20, 22). So, Absalom plotted to kill Amnon at the right time. He patiently waited for two years before he set up a situation to have him killed (2 Samuel 13:23, 28).

David was heartbroken over the death of Amnon and held Absalom responsible. At the same time, David still wanted to have a relationship with Absalom, but because he failed to address the situation with Amnon, when it happened, it led to more serious consequences in the family (2 Samuel 14:23-24, 28). Absalom was banished for three years because of David’s anger towards him which allowed seeds of resentment to grown in his heart (2 Samuel 15:1-23). Absalom then conspired to overthrow David’s kingdom.

It is tremendously important to confront problems when they arise no matter how uncomfortable it might be. Believers are called to speak the truth in love. “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15-16). Failure to confront in love allows the enemy to sow greater seeds of conflict. Peace in the home will only come as we confront one another in love.

Is there someone else in your life that you need to confront in love, or resolve a conflict? Make plans now to get with this person and work through the issues that divide you.