July 13, 2009

“Be A Man!”

Blessings Folk!!

It is time for the Body of Christ to “man-up” (thanks for the phrase Flipper!!)

What do I mean by that?
Hear the Word of the Lord…

1 Cor 13:11
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
KJV

Children speak as children.
Children understand as a child does.
Children think as children.

But, when we become men (yes!! and women Happy ) we are called to “put away childish things.”

This is speaking of maturity in the Lord, maturity in the faith, maturity in the walk of trust in God.

The context in which this verse is found is important.

1 Corinthians 13 is the great love passage…read the pertinent portion…

1 Cor 13:8-13
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues; they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known.
13 But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Think on this a moment.

We are to put away childish things.

What are these?

I believe that they are the things that are often seen in children, things which are “driven out” by the “rod”…

  • self-centeredness
  • grumbling
  • complaining
  • greed
  • anger
  • envy
  • fighting
  • jealousy
  • unforgiveness
  • etc. etc.

Most of the things with which we struggle arise from our not “putting away childish things.”

I continue to be amazed at how easily the enemy deceives professing believers. We so readily stumble into childish behavior because we do not know the commandment of the Lord.

Now, there is a distinction.

We are to be “child-like.”
We are not to be childish.

It is time to “be a man.”

How is that done?

  1. Put away childish things. The Lord will reveal to each of us that which is “childish” in our lives. Seek Him. Listen. Be obedient. There is a conscious role to be played in continually “putting away” the childish. The Lord reveals and empowers us to do so.

  1. Love. The true manifestation of living “as a Man” is that we walk in love. We are the very Presence of the Most High God...His love being evident with every breath.

The Body of Christ in Corinth had all they needed…

1 Cor 1:4-7
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,
6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Yet, there was strife and struggle among them. They were living as men, not “being a man.” They were exalting personalities and “individual worship”, allowing sin, they were suing one another in civil court, they were arguing over “spirituals” (spiritual gifts), they were confused over some issues… hummm… sounds familiar...

1 Cor 3:1-3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
NASU

Therefore,

1 Cor 3:4
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
NASU

Man-up!!
Do it!!
Put aside childish things.
Put on love.
Do not be children in your thinking.
As related to evil, have nothing to do with it.
Be mature in your thinking.

Blessings!!

Remember, our CD has been released...you can listen to it online here…
http://www.victoryparkmusic.com

You can download if from there also…or here…
http://www.digstation.com/ArtistAlbums.aspx?albumid=ALB000031285