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.