The Waiting Room

Hebrews 6:13-20

Waiting might well be the hardest single thing we ever have to do. We wait in traffic. We

wait in the doctor’s office (in the waiting room!). We wait to hear news—good or bad.

We’re not patient people. Most of us resemble a child at Christmastime, eagerly anticipating the time to open presents. Each hour seems like an eternity. When the designated time arrives, we can’t move fast enough to get to the Christmas tree and tear open all those tantalizingly wrapped gifts.

But try as we might, we can’t make time go any faster. Waiting is a part of our modern life. No matter how fast-paced and hectic our daily schedules may be, we still run up against times and places where we have no choice but to stop and sit or stand in line.

The Bible often connects waiting with faith. Sometimes Scripture even uses the two words interchangeably. While we might not like it, waiting serves an important role in our Christian life. The work God does within us while we wait is just as important as whatever it is we’re waiting for. Of course, none of us finds waiting easy. In fact, it might bring pain and will almost certainly try us and test us. Waiting demands patience and exacts a price. It’s the toll on the road that each of us must pay.

God promised Abraham a blessing: “I will . . . give you many descendants” (Hebrews 6:14). But to receive his blessing, Abraham had to wait—day after day, year after year. In time God did fulfill His promise. And Abraham’s waiting turned out to have been his greatest blessing; he was to become the father of the Jewish nation.

We also hear the promises of God and long for God to fulfill them. Yet we often wait. If Abraham’s story teaches us anything, it’s that God proves Himself faithful again and again. As guys, we want something to do—some action to take. But sometimes our part is simply to wait, with a confident, disciplined and patient assurance that God will keep His promises. He will come through. While such times aren’t easy, in the end we can honestly reflect that “it was worth the wait.” Indeed, waiting can result in our greatest blessing.

For what are you waiting on God right now?

Detours

Gal.5:1-15

Drivers in colder regions of the country proclaim that their states have just two seasons: winter and road construction. If you travel in these areas during the summer when road work is taking place, you’ll be convinced that the main route actually consists of a long detour with occasional stretches of the original highway. You know you’re in trouble when the detour has detours!

These side trips off the beaten path often leave motorists disoriented, and those of us who loathe asking for directions might arrive at a destination we never planned to reach. Detours test our confidence that we know where we’re headed. Detours get us off track. Sometimes we end up completely lost.

The apostle Paul advised the Galatian believers to ignore detours that false teachers wanted them to take. These “teachers” wrongly emphasized that while it was crucial to know Christ, God’s grace also required certain actions and qualifications. These included meeting specific Jewish requirements, like circumcision and other aspects of tradition. These false persuaders incorrectly taught that the only way to get to God involved a detour through Judaism.

Distressed over the wandering of the Galatian Christians, Paul urged them to ignore the detours and get back on the main trail. Rather bluntly, Paul observed, “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:7). Paul knew from his own background that the law was like a maze. God offers His followers, instead, a straight road of life in Christ. Trying to equate a relationship with God to keeping rules results in losing the way. Detours of any kind that try to “add to Christ” actually result in losing Christ.

Jesus left no doubt about the road that believers must travel. No detour can take us to the place where Jesus takes us. “I am the way,” He proclaimed. “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

What spiritual detours have you been tempted to take lately? Which ones did you choose to follow? Which ones did you resist?

Standing Tall

Acts 4:1-22

At a well-known company’s national sales convention, a heralded speaker delivered a stirring motivational talk. However, he punctuated his speech with profanity and frequently used God’s name in vain. Finally, a Christian salesman in the audience couldn’t stand it any longer. He rose from his seat, stood on his chair and shouted, “Please leave God out of it.” With that he sat down. The embarrassed speaker cleaned up the rest of his speech. But after the session more people waited in line to shake the hand of the Christian man than that of the speaker.

In your own experience, don’t you find this to be true? In the face of an uncomfortable situation, many people are thinking the same thing. It’s a safe bet that dozens of people in the crowd that day listening to the speaker were squirming in their seats as the profanity rained down. But it took one man to make the stand and speak up, leaving others to wish they would have done the same.

The leaders of the infant church displayed even greater courage than this outspoken salesman. In the face of powerful, influential and educated men, these “ordinary” men stood toe to toe with political and religious forces that sought to silence them. They didn’t cower, give in or give up. Instead, they stood bold and heroic, astonishing their adversaries, who knew only that these men had been with Jesus.

Living a life that pleases God isn’t always easy or popular. Speaking valiantly for Christ and courageously living a righteous life require living out our convictions and commitments as faithful men. Standing tall for what’s right, despite the foe or odds, exacts a high price. In fact, we face war. We can prepare for the battle only by spending time with Jesus—the unshakeable source of courage.

In your life there will be opportunities to speak up and defend what you know to be true. When the next challenge arises, remember that salesman standing on his chair. Resolve today that you will not be like one of those who were content to sit squirming in their seats.

Who do you know that courageously lives a righteous life?

Multitasking

Luke 8:40-56

Do you have a classic, one-track male mind? Many guys not only pay attention to just one task at a time but often focus on the wrong thing! While we can take some comfort in knowing that great power comes from concentrated effort, most of us also realize that when we zero in, we tune out the rest of the world. Our family members know they have to climb over the newspaper or step directly into our line of vision in front of the television set before they can get our attention. The question is, when the most important people in our lives interrupt us, is it really an interruption?

Jesus continually faced competing calls for His attention. When a man of influence approached Him with urgency and humility to request help for his sick child, Jesus set out to offer assistance. The ever-present crowd made progress difficult. Suddenly, in the midst of a throng of people, Jesus stopped and asked, “Who touched me?” (Luke 8:45). Of course, many people had bumped and brushed against Him. But Jesus sensed a different kind of touch. Someone had reached out in faith.

But why did Jesus stop? The woman’s healing had already occurred. Jesus stopped to draw attention to her plight and relief because she needed to realize that she wasn’t an interruption or unimportant to Jesus; she mattered. She needed to hear someone call her “Daughter,” affirm her faith and send her home in real peace. (Luke 8:48). With His compassionate words, Jesus expanded and deepened her healing.

The world often devalues good things by calling them unnecessary interruptions. But Jesus invites us to come to Him like this woman did. He assures us that we’ll never be an interruption. He reminds us to trust in Him. The timing of His response might seem odd, but we’re not God. His timing is perfect. We can simply rest and live in His perfect compassion. And we can pass along that compassion by treating others as Jesus treats us.

In what ways do you communicate to those around you that they’re important?

Alone Ranger

Mark 6:30 -56

What do you do to stay in shape? Hit the gym every morning? Train for a road race?

Bike to work?

Interestingly, we live in a world that encourages men to make their bodies strong but neglects their spirits. As a result, we too often work to build up our biceps but completely ignore our souls. We typically think of masculine strength as physical, but what if true strength comes from inside—from your soul and its connection to God? When was the last time you worked out to strengthen that part of your being?

Most of us know the stories of Jesus walking on water and feeding thousands. But we easily gloss over the way Jesus sought solitude to build up His spiritual strength. Yes, even Jesus needed to rest and renew. In fact, Jesus established a rhythm: He engaged and then disengaged; He served and then withdrew. In those quiet times Jesus took care of His soul by connecting with God and drawing life from Him.

If Jesus demonstrated the importance of withdrawing into solitude, how much more do we need to set aside times of respite in our lives? Of course, our culture doesn’t help. Life moves so quickly that we can forget to tend our souls. But if you ignore your soul or pretend that you don’t have one, you’ll face problems. Just as your body sends you all kinds of uncomfortable signals when you neglect it physically, so will your soul. Obsessions, irritations, addictions, broken relationships—often these troubles point to a neglected soul.

Take time to be alone and make yourself utterly available only to yourself and to God. Connect with Him—and in doing so take care of your soul.

What signals does your soul send you when you neglect its care?

A Man's World

Jer.38:14-28

After all the ill-advised moves he had made in earlier situations, in this passage King Zedekiah did a few things right. First, the king went to Jeremiah, God’s representative, for needed advice. He was in a desperate situation, with the armies of Babylon on their way, and his advisers were anxious to know the king’s next move.

They were furious when Jeremiah advised the king to give up and abandon their homeland without a fight. In these days of brutal warfare, no nation trained its leaders to simply relinquish ground to the enemy without raising a hand against them. And the officials in this ancient government weren’t inclined to do so either. But God had spoken to Jeremiah and reassured him that His people would be safe and protected if they went quietly into exile. God had even promised them that He would restore them to their land after a certain period of time. So that’s what this prophet advised.

The next thing that Zedekiah did right in this passage was to stick to his word. Despite having abused the prophet in the recent past, he promised Jeremiah protection and pledged to keep their conversation secret. Even though Jeremiah told him exactly what he didn’t want to hear, the king stayed true to his word. Jeremiah turned out to be a man of his word as well. He returned the king’s favor, honoring his request that he speak not a word about their conversation to the other officials.

A man’s word is vital. If you’re with a group of guys, say from your neighborhood, church group or place of employment, it’s important that you can rely on your friends and trust them to be men of their word. If one of the guys gets caught in a lie or divulges information given in confidence, it takes a long time for that person to rebuild a level of trust with the group. If you’re the offended party, you’ll be careful what you say around that person for a long time, until you’re sure you can trust him again.

Follow the example of Jeremiah and Zedekiah who, despite their differences, despite the difficult circumstances in which they found themselves, acted with honor and integrity.

Can you think of any other aspect of a man’s character that’s more important than honor and integrity?

Called before birth

Jer.1:1-8

A student of architecture entered a national contest for building design. When a panel of renowned architects awarded the student’s design “Honorable Mention,” she felt utterly depressed and defeated. She was, after all, at the top of her class. She had worked long hours on an innovative and beautiful design. She should have placed better.

At lunch on the last day of the convention, she sat looking at her model over an uneaten sandwich. She noticed an old man looking at her creation too. Not knowing who had designed the building, the man remarked, “This one, I think, is the best of the lot.” Hearing those words, the student went home elated.

Why? Although the competition’s judges had deemed her work the runner-up, one old man liked it. And that one old man was Frank Lloyd Wright, probably the greatest architect of the time.

Jeremiah felt like a loser at first, too. As a self-assessed second-rate prophet from a small country, he didn’t think he could measure up to his assignment as God’s spokesman. But God reminded Jeremiah that he possessed a divine formation, a distinctive calling, a chosen vocation. Even before Jeremiah’s birth, God had prepared him to be God’s voice to God’s people.

God wants us to hear a similar message. He calls each one of us. Even before we’re born, the Creator sets us apart for a special purpose. In fact, the apostle Paul claims that God’s plan for us started long before we were born: “He chose us in Him before the creation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

God’s calling means that we never need to feel inferior or insecure. No matter how tough life becomes, how difficult work gets, how many doubts we have—or even how far we fall—God promises, “I chose you for this, and I’ll never fail you.”

Do you recognize God’s plans—what He wants you to do for Him?

The Wrong Crowd

Nehemiah 13:1-9

Remember when you were a kid and your parents warned you about the dangers of hanging out with the wrong crowd at school? With their years of wisdom, your parents knew that you are who your friends are. And if you’re now the parent saying this same thing to your kids, you know from experience the reality of this adage.

Several times in the Old Testament God specifically warned the Israelites not to associate too closely with foreigners. Yet elsewhere in Scripture God encourages us to love everyone—other Christians, difficult neighbors, even our enemies. So how do these two commands fit together?

Go back to a parent’s perspective. God didn’t want His people forming alliances with people who held value systems that were the complete opposite of His character. The foreign nations surrounding Israel worshiped many gods, and their religious ceremonies included immoral rituals. God knew how easily influenced humans are, and He clearly didn’t want His people involved in these practices.

Just as a parent guides an adolescent through the stormy waters of peer relationships, God reminded Israel to stay focused on Him. The same holds true for us. God wants us to love everyone around us. But He wants us to form our closest friendships with people who hold values that are in line with God’s character. People who are headed in the same direction in life. People who love God and who help us love Him better.

If the phrase “you are who your friends are” reflects the truth, what do your friends say about who you are? If you’ve hung onto a friend who drags you down spiritually or one who leads you to act or think in ways that aren’t healthy, maybe you need to set some new boundaries. Make it your goal to change that relationship, either by making a new effort to influence this friend for Christ or by cutting down on your association with Him.

Perhaps you simply need to invest in new friends who share your core beliefs. Initiating deeper friendships with other men who love Christ is never easy. We’re guys, after all. But if you’re persistent your efforts will pay rich dividends.

Do you have friends who pull you down spiritually? How can you limit or reshape these friendships to change how they affect you?

Mighty Warriors

1 Chron.11:22-25

The list of David’s mighty warriors in 1 Chronicles 11:22 introduces us to Benaiah, whose exploits included overcoming two of Moab’s best men. He also killed a lion in a snowy, slippery pit. Perhaps most amazingly, he took on an Egyptian tall enough to be a starting center for the Chicago Bulls. This seven-and-a-half-foot giant wielded a spear with a shaft as sturdy as a lead pipe while Benaiah had only a wooden club.

Even so . . . Benaiah “snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada . . . He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty” (1 Chronicles 11:23–25).

It was not a Ph.D. degree that brought honor to a person in those days. Honor did not necessarily flow to the person with money or leverage or media access. Honor came as a result of doing exploits for the king.

Who is doing exploits for God today? Where is the enemy being driven back? That is the great yearning of all spiritually-minded people. They are not enchanted with polished sermons and slick organizational technique. Where are the mighty men and women anointed by God to truly make a difference?

What is it really that stops us from becoming mighty warriors in the Lord? God has not changed. He is still superior to anything the enemy can throw against us.

No personal or church situation is too hopeless for the all-sufficient power of the Holy Spirit. God will be no more eager to act tomorrow than He is right now. He is waiting for us to take His promises seriously and go boldly to the throne of grace. He wants us to meet the enemy at the very point of attack, standing against him in the name of Christ. When we do so, God will back us up with all the resources of heaven.

—Jim Cymbala

What would it take for you to trust God’s promises more fully and thereby become a “mighty warrior in the Lord”?

Superhero

Deut .31:1-8

One of the hallmarks of American culture in the 20th century was its fascination with the superhero. From comic-book sales to blockbuster movies to the graphic novel genre, entire industries have played into the attraction we have to individuals who are somehow possessed of powers not enjoyed by mere mortals. Superman, Spiderman, Batman, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and other fictional characters capture our collective imaginations as they battle the super-villains their creators dream up to fight them. The urge of a boy to wear his underpants on the outside of his pajamas and tear around the house fighting phantom bad guys is an inherited character trait passed down proudly from father to son.

So what is it about a superhero that’s so appealing? Bravery. Power. Strength. Ingenuity. The ability to fly. The fact that they usually get the girl. The fact that they can seemingly get out of any jam they find themselves in. Who wouldn’t want that kind of existence?

Thinking of that context, reread today’s passage. Joshua is, in effect, getting his superhero’s license from Moses. Now, it’s unlikely that this involved a cape and a mask, but Moses here tells Joshua that, with God’s power behind him, he will be able to deal with adversity and conquer his foes.

Moses tells the people that their new leader, Joshua, will take them forward into Canaan. Their old leader, Moses, encourages Joshua in front of the people, “Be strong and courageous . . . The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you . . . Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:6,8). With that reinforcement as a backdrop, Joshua moved forward. Fear couldn’t hold him back. He believed God.

If you knew that you couldn’t fail, what would you do differently? Pursue a promotion at work? Further your education? Ask someone to marry you? Risk repairing a broken relationship?

The fact is that, when God goes before you, you can’t fail. If you’re living within God’s will you don’t need to be afraid. You may endure a few shots along the way, but with the world’s only real Superpower behind you, you can’t ultimately fail. Take the risk. Live with passion. Listen to His assurance: “Be strong and courageous . . . Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

How has fear kept you from reaching your dreams?

The Full Eight Seconds

Gen.32:22-32

“What’s the secret to being a good bull rider?”

When a newspaper reporter asked a Montana cowboy that question, he pushed back his hat and grinned: “You’ve just gotta want to hang on worse than the bull wants to throw you off.”

Jacob might have preferred eight seconds on the back of a bull to the situation he faced. As he traveled to Canaan—a journey that would reunite him with Esau, his brother—Jacob carried not only his possessions but also a heart full of guilt and sin. He’d taken his brother’s birthright and blessing and had lived ever since in constant fear that Esau would seek revenge. Feeling desperate and overwhelmed, Jacob spent a night alone to take advantage of a little peace and quiet.

Instead, he got the fight of his life—a wrestling match with God!

Have you experienced something similar? Maybe you’re troubled with a stressful situation at work, a dispute at church, a disagreement with a friend or a struggle within your family. So you seek a place that will give you a moment or two of peace or stability, only to find that the emotional and spiritual load you’ve been carrying has settled firmly on your shoulders. And rather than clinging to the One who can provide real relief, you find yourself making the situation worse by dwelling on the burden and letting worry get the best of you.

Sometimes you have to put everything else aside, reach out to God and hold on with everything you’ve got. The only way you can really escape the burden of sin and guilt is by embracing the One who defeated these burdens—along with death. Make no mistake—the God who created the world, who holds the stars in check and who knows the most minute issues that you struggle with, cares. He loves you and is waiting for you to trust Him with your cares and concerns—present, past and future.

To paraphrase that wise Montana cowboy, “You’ve just gotta hang on to God more than sin and guilt want to pull you away.”

In what situations are you tempted to let go of God? Why?

The Blind Side

Joshua 16:22-31

Prov.24:16

1Cor.15:31

Men like to be liked, but it’s not everything for us. Most of our value doesn’t come from relationships. It comes from accomplishments: How do I measure up? Did I do well? Did I WIN?

Most men don’t want to fail…even once. We want to measure up and be successful at anything we try. That’s why we don’t like to play if we don’t think we can win. It’s typically when we don’t live up to our expectations—or to someone else’s—that regret sets in: I WISH I had ___. I SHOULD have done ___. Why didn’t I ___?

Samson was the poster boy for the Wish You Would Have, Could Have, Should Have Foundation. Samson’s tragedy was that he failed to be all that he might have been, if he had just been willing to learn from his mistakes the first time. (Can you imagine?) Here’s what we’ll see as we read about Samson’s end today:

A man’s greatest fear is failure, and his greatest pain is regret.

Have you ever failed? If you answered yes, cheer up! You’re in good company. Failure is an event, never a person. Don’t internalize a failure until it starts to ferment into regret. Own it. Learn from it. Pain can be a great teacher.

No matter how badly you’ve messed up in your life, there’s no way you’ve failed more than Samson did. Did Samson bring shame on himself? No doubt. But he did something much worse: he let down an entire nation. (Have you done that? It seems like I would have seen it on the news if so.) Samson betrayed his vows…and his Lord. He let his pride and his selfish desires derail him again and again, until finally, he lost everything. But even then, God still wasn’t done with him:

“…but the hair on his head began to grow again…"

Just because you’re down doesn’t mean you’re out. Not by a long shot. Even in our failures, God can still accomplish his purpose. It’s through our weaknesses that he shows himself strong.

Want different results? Then you’re going to have to do something different. In the end of Samson’s story, as you’ll see, he finally used his strength for God’s purposes instead of his own.

If you’re a Christian, you have resurrection power within you. Tap into it. Don’t try just to “be a stronger man.” Satan loves making strong men weak. God loves making weak men strong. Don’t try just to “be a better man.” Be God’s man. Stop trying to tell your story. Start telling his. It’s not about you. It’s about him. Push those pillars down. Die to yourself so you can live for him.

Pick a fight

Deut.20:3-4

Rom.8:37-39

Phil.4;13

Rev.12:11

How did a man with so much God-given potential end up in such an awful place? Like we saw a couple of days ago, he didn’t do it all at once. He did it:

One. Step. At. A. Time.

In Samson’s story, it seems like he kept taking three steps away from God, and then just one step back toward Him.

What about you? Where are you stepping away from God? Really take some time to think about this. Take a long, hard look at all the different areas of your life. Are you strong enough to be brutally honest with yourself?

Are you stepping away from God in any way? What step are you on? Step number one? Or step number 56,249? Somewhere in between? No matter how many steps you’ve already taken, I have a simple and profound solution for you. Are you ready?

Turn around.

That’s it. Turn around. Go the other way! It’s not too late. It really is that simple. Fight the momentum of moving toward sin, and start going the other direction. When you turn around, guess who will be right there waiting for you? Your God. And He’s ready to train you, to fight with you. When you fight for the cause God gives you, you never fight without his strength.

It’s time to pick a fight. What battle are you facing? Give it a name.

Unleash the warrior’s heart inside of you. Fight. If you’re in Christ, you’re more than a conqueror. The way you overcome your enemy is by the blood of the Lamb (Christ) and the word of your testimony. Start changing your story. Make it about him. Our strength is not our own; it’s in him.

You have the heart of a warrior. If you choose: Nothing can distract you. People cannot disillusion you. Critics cannot derail you. Demons cannot stop you.

You are a man. God gave you a cause to inspire you. Honor it. God gave you weapons to fight for it. Face your fear. Tell the truth. Fight, and fight to win. You’re ready. You have permission, and you’re not alone. It’s time to quit walking blindly through your life, falling into your enemy’s traps.

Turn around. Turn around and fight for your life.

Recommended Next Steps: Don’t stop here. Start here. Sign up for a new Bible plan. Join a small group. Ask God what he wants for your family. Take your wife on a date and share that vision with her. Then lead the way.

The Stupid Shuffle

Judges 16:1-21

Prov.26:11

1 Cor.10:12

Today we’ll see Samson hit rock bottom. But you need to understand: Samson didn’t ruin his life all at once. He ruined it one step at a time. In fact, when we begin to wander away from God, we all seem to start with the same three small steps:

Step 1: Taunting our enemy. Samson enters into enemy territory (again) to visit a “user friendly” woman (a prostitute). When he leaves the city, he takes the city gate with him (their symbol of security). Why? Just to taunt them.

Step 2: Rationalizing our sins. Some guys justify their sin based on how “clean” the rest of their life is: This is my ONE vice. Other men justify it as something private: It’s MY business, not yours. Some write their own rulebook: I can look at the menu, as long as I don’t order anything. And some guys blame others: If she would do THAT, then I wouldn’t have to do THIS.

Step 3: Assuming our disobedience won’t cost us. Just like Samson, we keep thinking, I’ll just do the same thing I did last time. I’ll shake myself free. But our sins always overtake us eventually and overpower us. Your sin will find you out. Today you’ll see what that looked like for Samson.

Samson was a warrior strong enough to kill a thousand men. He was strong enough to rip a lion apart with his bare hands. He was strong enough to pull 700-hundred-pound doors from their posts and carry them off. But in the end, he wasn’t strong enough to lead the people he should have been leading.

Don’t settle for being strong in your career. Don’t settle for being strong in your hobbies or at some sport. Don’t settle for being strong physically. Instead, focus your strength on leading those around you toward righteousness. Men can be strong in all kinds of ways, but most leave leadership to others.

A lot of guys seem to think they can keep getting away with doing the same things over and over. They let their emotions and their impulses dictate their actions. Samson kept going to places he shouldn’t, chasing forbidden women, antagonizing his enemies, and then justifying his bad behavior (through lust, anger, or revenge). He suffered a few emotional consequences, but nothing that ever cost him the one thing he seemed to care about most, that thing he relied on: his strength. Until it did.

Don’t let that be you. Don’t settle for being strong at things that don’t last and weak at things that do. Tap into the warrior within. Don’t fight meaningless battles. Fight for what matters most. Fight for your faith. Fight for your family. Fight for your life.