Category: Brother Al (Page 15 of 67)

In light of the dominant cultural narrative and yet another contentious election year, we need to be reminded that the Lord Jesus is holding all things together.  “Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth.  He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see – kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him.  He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together” (Col. 1:16-17).  Jesus will return and culminate all this by giving the kingdom back to His Father “who gave his Son authority over all things” and make him “utterly supreme over everything everywhere” (I Cor. 15:28).      

We need to remember often who really is in charge.  In Matt. 28, Jesus tells us, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.”  It is all too easy to think of ourselves as the potter rather than the clay.  In Jeremiah 18, the prophet is told to “go down to the shop where clay pots and jars are made.  I will speak to you while you are there” (v.2).  Jeremiah observed the potter rejecting a jar that did not turn out as the potter had hoped.  “So the potter squashed the jar into a lump of clay and started over” (v.4).  God reminded Judah (as He reminds us), “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter had done to his clay?  As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand” (v.5). 

God then declared, “If I announce that I will build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom, making it strong and great, but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless that nation as I said I would” (v.9-10).  Jeremiah was to go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem: “This is what the Lord says: I am planning disaster against you instead of good.  So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right” (v.11). 

Then we have this fateful reply from the people: “Don’t waste your breath.  We will continue to live as we want to, following our own evil desires” (v.12).  God was preparing disaster for his people. Only if there was repentance could that disaster be averted.  God knew their hearts; he knew their response would be, “Don’t waste your breath.”  This accurately describes much of our public mindset today.   

In Isaiah 29, the prophet accuses the people of hiding their plans from the Lord. “Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from them the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?'” (v.15).  Isaiah confronts this mindset: “How stupid can you be?  He is the potter, and he is certainly greater than you. You are only the jars he makes!  Should the thing that was created say to the one who made it, ‘He didn’t make us?’  Does a jar ever say, ‘The potter who made me is stupid'”? (v.16).   How true this is of our nation’s present mentality.

May our response be like Isaiah’s when he later acknowledges God as our creator: “…Yet, Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter.  We are all formed by your hand” (Is. 64:8).  He then cries out to God in prayer: “Oh, don’t be so angry with us, Lord.  Please don’t remember our sins forever.  Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people” (Is. 64:9).  

In an article in Mere Orthodoxy, Leah Libresco Sargeant points to the need for traditions in culture: “Traditions are tutorials in practical wisdom.  At their best, they are desired paths, wearing a clear trail to follow through the landscape, shaped by the experiences of many prior walkers.”  She quotes philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein on the danger of losing clear trails, walking rather on slippery ice: “We have got onto slippery ice where there is no friction and so in a certain sense the conditions are ideal, but also, just because of that, we are unable to walk: so we need friction. Back to the rough ground.”

We certainly seem to be slipping a great deal today.  With so many opinionated voices pontificating on the future, the impression is given of a group of children, sliding on the ice, indifferent to any possible collisions… simply enjoying their freedom without regard to any consequences. Growing up in northern Michigan, I have fond memories of playing on ice with my buddies, unaware of ensuing chaos.  The illusion of safely playing on ice was soon met with the reality of painful accidents.  I remember the bumps and bruises received from playing so carefree on the ice.  

This image of slippery ice reminds me of Jesus asking his generation if they were really listening to him.  Remember: John the Baptist portrayed Jesus as “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him'” (Matt. 3:3).  Jesus asked, “How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’ John came fasting and they called him crazy.  I came feasting and they called me a lush, a friend of the riffraff.  Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they?  The proof of the pudding is in the eating” (Matt. 11:16-19 – Message).  Are we listening to Jesus or are we more concerned about the opinions of our culture?

Slipping on ice is like having our finger in the air, paying more attention to opinion polls than to the potential consequences of slipping on the ice.  Without traction there is little hope of finding direction for the future.  We will continue to be like children, enjoying our freedom, with no sense of direction? How can one make sense of this carefree chaos, when this seems to be the dominant narrative?      

As followers of Jesus, we belong to the “Way” (Acts 9:2).  We walk on the ancient paths of pilgrims who have gone before us.  Jeremiah warns us of a crossroads: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths; ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls ” (Jer. 6:16).  It behooves us to get “back to the rough ground.”  It may not seem like freedom, but it helps us prepare for the collisions ahead.

Hebrews 12:1 reminds us that we are “surrounded by… a great cloud of witnesses.”  We embrace “the great tradition” – walking in the path of those who have gone before. We belong to the communion of saints. To maintain our focus on the great tradition and the well-traveled paths, we need community.  “The nature of tradition,” notes Sargeant, “is that it is too large to be contained in only one person’s life.”  We need to cultivate the work of living an alternative to the dominant culture.  This can be found in the body of Christ.  

 

 

 

As tensions increase around the world, the word “Armageddon” is being used to describe the coming days. Even President Biden used this term recently. But as followers of Jesus we need to be clear on what this term means. It comes from the book of Revelation: “Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon” (Rev. 16:16).

This verse appears after the sixth bowl containing God’s wrath was poured out on the earth: “Bowl six is the last punishment, bringing death to them [the unrepentant]. Satan’s purpose is to assert his power; God’s is to prosecute his justice. The result is the same: Armageddon (Rev. 16:16  Bible Speaks Today). When ‘the great day of God Almighty’ comes, the powers of this world will find themselves suddenly confronted by their rejected Lord. That battle will be the last” (16:14 BST).

We need to be sure we’re on the right side of that great, coming battle.  In Luke 10, Jesus is accused of driving out demons “by Beelzebub, the prince of demons” (Luke 10:14). Jesus had shown the power of the Spirit of God to be greater than the spirit of evil. The strong man (Satan) is the evil power who guards his own house. But Jesus is more powerful, being able to bring about a successful coup.  

The Message gives this description of Jesus, the Stronger Man: “When a strong man, armed to the teeth, stands guard in his front yard, his property is safe and sound. But what if a stronger man comes along with superior weapons?  Then he’s beaten at his own game, the arsenal that gave him such confidence hauled off, and his precious possessions plundered” (Luke 11:21-22 MSG).

We also have these fateful words: “This is war, and there is no neutral ground.  If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse” (Luke 11:23 MSG).  The challenge for each of us is to be continually evaluating our priorities as we try to follow Him in a day of intensifying conflict between good and evil. There is no neutral ground. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  However, Jesus clearly tells us, “…If I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you” (Luke 11: 20 NLT). 

In this same context Jesus warns about being alert and on guard: “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest.  But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’  So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and clean.  Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there.  And so that person is worse off than before” (Luke 11:24-26 NLT).  

Could it be that spiritually we are “worse off than before” as a nation?  Has the enemy of our souls tempted us to become negligent in our own spiritual lives?  I plead with the men reading this blog:  be fully aware of the fight we are in.  It is on the surface very complex and confusing.  But underneath it’s simply the continuing battle of the ages; between evil and good – the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God.

You might not like to be reminded of this battle.  If so, you have already become captive to the forces of darkness.  Remember: we are at war. We need to choose what is right – and then fight. 

I recently watched a video of protesters at UW-Madison demonstrating against the campus appearance of a conservative commentator. The video shows students surrounding and shouting down a young man reading aloud from the Scriptures. One protester used his teeth to shred ripped-out pages of the Bible, while spitting on pages on the ground.  It also showed a woman with red-dyed hair shoving pages from a torn-up Bible into her mouth. It was a vivid demonstration of contempt for the Word of God.  When I saw protesters eating pages of Scripture, I thought of the prophets. Both Ezekiel (2:9-3:3) and Jeremiah (15:16) were told to eat the word of God – and for both it was a much more positive experience.  Ezekiel said, “So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth” (3:3).  Jeremiah explained, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (15:16). Conversely, John was commanded in Revelation 10:9-11 to eat a little scroll provided by an angel. Unlike the prophets, the Word became sour for John. “It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.”  The Word can have both positive and negative effects on those who take it in.  For these protesters, it was definitely negative.  The distaste for God’s Word was demonstrated right before our eyes as protesters were literally eating the Bible with disdain.  What can we learn from all this? First, there is often contempt for the message of the Bible.  Satan, the father of lies, will do all he can to discredit, distort and falsify the teachings of Scripture.  These young protesters believed the lie. Jesus warned about the devil: “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies’ (John 8:44).  Scripture reveals Satan to be a contemptuous liar.   Secondly, the simple practice of reading Scripture aloud in public has power. Those who are so strongly opposed to its message were enraged at the public declaration of simple words of truth.  Jesus told Pilate, “…For this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37).  Paul warned, “The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars” (I Tim. 4:1 – Message).   Thirdly, proclaiming truth brings to light the untruths of the enemy.  Through the Word of truth, Satan is exposed as a deceiver.  The enemy traffics in half-truths in our nation’s popular narrative.  Just enough truth to be harmless is his preferred approach.  We are warned, “You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching but will fill up on spiritual junk food – catchy opinions that tickle their fancy” (II Tim. 4:3 – Message).  Fourthly, the enemy spreads his message very effectively through popular media.  I heard one commentator describe propaganda in two sentences:  “First, you are told what you want to hear.  Then you are told what to believe.”  Peter warned, “You must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires” (II Peter 3:3).  These impressionable students were scoffing at the Good News of Jesus.    Lord, help us to reach out with compassion to those who show contempt for you and your Word.

In an article found in Newsmax, Lynn Allison reported on a study that concluded: “The good life is built with good relationships.”  “A rare study that tracked the lives of 724 men for nearly 80 years revealed the most powerful indicator of success and happiness doesn’t lie in our genes, wealth, social class, or IQ.  The Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest study of adult behavior, found that strong social connections make people happier and physically healthier.” 

This study began in l938.  For the next 79 years, participants were asked “about their work, their lives, and their health. Results showed that flourishing in life is linked to having close ties with family, friends and community.”  Robert Waldinger (one of the study’s authors, as well as a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital) observed, “The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health…Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care, too. That, I think, is the revelation.”  

“The sad fact is that at any given time, more than one in five Americans will report that they’re lonely,” Dr. Waldinger noted.  In his opinion, rather than “focusing on the quantity of friendships, it is important to focus on the quality.” The author of the article noted, “the study found that conflict adversely affects our health so, for example, a bad marriage is less healthy than getting a divorce.  And having a warm, wholehearted relationship is protective.”  

Numerous reports speak to the epidemic of loneliness among men in our society. For example, David French noted, “Between 1990 and 2021, the percentage of men who reported having no close friends quintupled, from 3 percent to 15 percent.  The percentage who reported ten or more close friends shrank from 40 percent to 15 percent.”  In French’s opinion, the answer to our culture’s crisis in masculinity is found, “in distinct, virtuous masculine relationships.”

This leads to the question each man needs to ask: “Am I intentionally building soulful friendships with other men?”  Since moving to Baxter almost four years ago, I have prayed to be in a soul care group with other men.  I found Dan and Bruce in my church.  What have I learned from this experience?

First, be intentional.  I have waited for almost four years. I have gotten to know men both in my church and in the community who are followers of Jesus.  But I was looking for men with an “open spirit.”  Men, take it from me; you need to be with other men who want to go beyond the head stuff.

Second, know that you have a need to be known by other men.  Approach your encounters with a humble and contrite heart.  Let your needs be known, while seeking to invest in other men as well.

Third, start slowly.  Men are not used to sharing at the “heart” level. I find myself being careful and measured in my sharing. The soul is shy and needs a safe place to be known.

Fourth, confess that you may fear being known by other men. I must confess that I am still fearful of allowing others to know my real self.  “Will these two men still accept me for who I am?”  

Here is some counsel based on advice from Larry Crabb on building a soulful group: Try starting with: 1) We accept you, 2) We believe in you, 3) We see you and are glad to stay involved – and in your confidence, and 4) We give to you.    

 

The title of this blog is a rendition of Psalm 12:1 in the “God’s Word” translation. In the eight verses of this psalm, the Psalmist speaks to a community of believers living in a deceitful society filled with a prevalence of untruths and misinformation.  It seems as though the people of God were dominated by liars in positions of authority.  “The Psalmist asks the Lord to intervene, for society is overrun by deceitful, arrogant oppressors and godly individuals are a dying breed” (NET).   But “because of the Lord’s answer, the godly can face the future knowing that God protects them” (NLT Study Bible).  May this also be true of us today.  God is looking for “truth-tellers,” who will stand up and be heard. 

The Psalmist laments, “Help, Lord, for no faithful one remains; the loyal have disappeared from the human race” (v. 1). The godly and faithful are so rare it seems as if they have disappeared. “Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts” (v. 2).  This is a cultural snapshot of our dominating contemporary narrative.  Lies are being perpetuated as truths.  There is a lot of empty talk, including flattery in the guise of smooth talk.  We are asked, with a smile, to believe lies.  This kind of deception gives us a steady diet of “doubletalk.”  Many ask today, “Who are we to believe? What are their true motives?” 

The Psalmist prays for God to silence the flattering lips and boastful tongues. These individuals believe their power resides in their speech, convinced they can influence others with their words. “We speak persuasively; we know how to flatter and boast. Who is our master?” (v. 4). “Destructive gossip, undemocratic legislation, language devalued by political correctness, the media’s drowning of quality in quantity, are all examples” (Bible Speaks Today) of an arrogant attitude toward God in our day.  

But the Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor” (v. 5 ).  In response, God “will rise up to rescue them as they have longed for me to do” (v. 5).  It might seem like lies and deception are having their way, but God gives fair warning: “Even though the wicked strut about and evil is praised throughout the land,” He will “protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation” (v. 7).  In our day, the wicked certainly “strut about” having captured the imagination of contemporary media. Be careful – we are being asked to believe a lie (II Thess. 2:10-12).

In contrast to the deception found in society, we can depend on the trustworthiness of God’s Word.  “The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over” (v. 6).  God means what he says; his words are completely pure.  “When we feel as though sincerity and truth have nearly gone out of existence, we have one hope: the Word of God, which is pure and flawless as refined silver. So listen carefully when he speaks to you through his Word” (Application Bible). 

What is a man to do today in a decadent society? 

• Accept the authority of Scripture. Earnestly strive to let Scripture form your worldview, not the cultural narrative. Remember, “the word of the Lord stands forever” (I Peter 2:25). 
• Fellowship with other true believers.  Allow your assumptions and opinions to be exposed to biblical teaching.  You cannot endure this battle on your own.   
• Above all, don’t fall asleep. Keep alert to deception. You are being lied to daily. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This title above is how The Guardian described The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, a new book by British feminist Louise Perry.  A 30-year-old “proud Feminist,” Perry has spent her working career helping female victims of sexual abuse and exploitation.  She explains, “It’s precisely because I’m a feminist that I’ve changed my mind on sexual liberalism.” Notes the Daily Citizen, “She writes as a feminist because many things are changing in our current debate over sexuality and new voices are feeling emboldened to speak out.”  

From her work with victimized women, Perry concludes that the sexual revolution was, “an ideology premised on the false belief that the physical and psychological differences between men and women are trivial, and that any restrictions placed on sexual behavior must therefore have been motivated by malice, stupidity or ignorance… The problem is, the differences aren’t trivial. Sexual asymmetry is profoundly important.”   

Perry believes women lost much in the “advances” of the sexual revolution. She hopes her writing will spark a new and different feminist movement. “I think,” she writes, “young women have been utterly failed by liberal feminism and have the most to gain from swingback against its excesses.”  She is hopeful that her efforts will help accelerate this swing.  

The Guardian noted that Perry’s book “comes as something of a shock to see a feminist writer with any new ideas at all.”  However, The Daily Citizen is hopeful.  “Maybe that is because Louise Perry is not proposing new ideas, but instead, rediscovering some very old and wise ones. And it is very good that she is gaining such a wide hearing in articulating these views to a new generation of women…”

Of special interest to me was Perry’s comment regarding men: “If a man isn’t willing to stand up in front of everyone you and he knows and promise to cherish you forever, then how can you be sure he’s really committed to your shared life?” In this regard Perry has some very traditional views about marriage.  

Critical of marriage vows that are “tailored by individual whims and sentimentalities,” Perry maintains they are “not rugged enough to honor what marriage itself is and is supposed to be.”  She explains, “Every time my husband and I go to a traditional [high church] wedding, we hear again the words we spoke at our own wedding and are reminded that we’ve opted into an institution that every other married couple is part of.”  

Perry believes that women are unique in their femininity.  She sees female sexuality is fundamentally more civilized and can produce life. “It requires more protection, being respected and honored by all.”  Rather than advocating freedom, which ended up in Perry’s view “enslaving nearly everyone, women especially,” she prefers “the ideal of restraint by both men and women over freedom.”

Men, I hear in these words a cry for men to be “protectors.”  I am reminded of the song by Sanctus Real entitled “Lead Me” (2010).  It has always been convicting to me:  

“Lead me with strong hands/Stand up when I can’t/Don’t leave me hungry for love/Chasing dreams, but what about us/Show me you’re willing to fight/That I’m still the love of your life/I know we call this our home/But I still feel alone.”

Men, rejoice in your freedom to be the protector of your marriage, family, and home. Don’t give up the fight.  Take the lead by protecting and showing your wife the respect she deserves. “Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them” (I Peter 3:7 – Message).  In a confused world, you can bring some order and peace.  

 

  

 

 

 

 

Have you heard of the Servant Foundation’s “He Gets Us” campaign? Because Christianity has received a lot of negative press lately, the campaign is “designed to create cultural change in the way people think about Jesus and his relevance in our lives,” seeking to start conversations about the authentic Jesus.

A booklet I received through Christianity Today states, “American culture is at a tipping point as younger generations are finding Jesus less relevant.”  The hope is to “help people meet the radical Jesus of the Bible who loves the unlovable and understands human frailties because he experienced them.  Simply put, He gets us.” 

What I find refreshing is the willingness to face squarely current skepticism regarding Jesus. “He Gets Us wants people to understand that Jesus experienced real human challenges during his time of earth.”  The church has not always been a safe place for people with doubts to ask questions about Jesus. Research by He Gets Us found “an overwhelming majority believe in God, and two-thirds believe Jesus existed.”  But they also found those with questions had, “no desire to be in conversation with Christians because they see Christianity as a religion of judgment and hypocrisy.”  

“The church has a unique opportunity to address these spiritual needs while people are open to enriching their lives through the gospel message.”  The campaign challenges the church, “to create safe places for people to explore faith and doubts based on mutual respect, vulnerability, and trust.”  Seekers need to be able to explore, ask questions and challenge perceived norms. Many live with fear. “At the root of fear is a belief that the world cannot be trusted.” Therefore, churches need to “create a safe place to explore their most challenging questions and biggest fears.”  

“Instead of viewing skeptics as the ‘other’, the church has the opportunity to embrace them as fully loved children of God…God does not call the church to operate from this spirit of fear, but he has given freely the gifts of power and love.”  The campaign believes, “people who are skeptical about faith can positively influence the work of the church based on Scripture, historical precedence, and evidence in the present moment.  From revising harmful doctrines to advocating for the vulnerable, healthy skepticism both within and outside of the church have catalyzed Christians to live as more faithful disciples.”  

The booklet concludes with this challenge: “In a world where cultural changes seem to take place at the speed of light, affiliation with Christianity is no exception. Seventy-five percent of Americans self-identified as Christians in 2011.  Just ten years later, that number…dropped to 63%.  America is hurling toward a tipping point – that is, if we haven’t already reached it.”

As a follower of Jesus, I am challenged by the He Gets Us campaign. First, in a day of political polarization and loud voices of dissent, I affirm the secure home provided by our Heavenly Father.  Jesus tells us, “My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). 

Second, I have absolute confidence in the truth of Scripture. In II Tim. 3:16, Paul says, “All scripture is inspired by God,” and Jesus himself declared, “My words will never pass away” Matt. 24:35).

Third, I belong to God’s Kingdom. I continue to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).  This is both revolutionary and counter cultural. 

Fourth, I need to avoid the “god box.” Lord, give me grace to see “outside the box” using Scripture and your Spirit to guide me.

 

 

 

 

Recently, David French shared a blog entitled, “Against the Extremism of the American Masculinity Debate.”  When it comes to maleness, I follow French.  On other subjects, I’m not so sure…

“Few debates,” observes French, “are more corrupted by extremism than the debate over sex, gender and masculinity.”  I agree.  I have been blogging on masculinity since 2009.  At that time masculinity was seldom mentioned in the national conversation.  Now it has become an intense topic of debate.

French quotes Derek Thompson on the crisis among younger men: “The statistics are stunning.  But education experts and historians aren’t remotely surprised.  Women in the United States have earned more bachelor’s degrees than men every year since the mid-1980s… This particular gender gap hasn’t been breaking news for about 40 years.  But the imbalance reveals a genuine shift in how men participate in education, the economy, and society.  The world has changed dramatically, but the ideology of masculinity isn’t changing fast enough to keep up.”

The result is confusion regarding the role of young men in our culture.  Men are caught between the extremes of traditional masculinity being either toxic or a cultural ideal.  French offers “five general truths” to help us deal with the extremes.  

First, “Men and women are different, and they’ll always be different.”  French rightly observes, “biology has consequences.” We cannot simply try to erase the differences.  Men are faced with an ever-present unisex cultural ideal.  You’ll, “…find yourself fighting against overwhelming biological currents.”  

Second, “The differences between men and women are value-neutral.”  We are not to suppress the expressions of traditional masculinity, but “shape and mold those manifestations towards virtuous ends.”  This can only be accomplished when younger men see masculinity lived out in older men. Women cannot do this. 

Third, “Each boy and [each] girl is still an individual.”  French cautions, “One of the challenges of recognizing general truths is that they tend to oppress or isolate those who don’t fit the mold.”   For example, I struggled for years as a young man, trying to fit into the macho stereotype – not knowing I was a “feeling, intuitive” male who happened to be left-handed.     

Fourth, “Core values are universal.”  The fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) are the same for men and women (Gal. 5:22-23).  The command to act justly, love kindness, and walk humbly before God (Micah 6:8) is the same for men and women.  “There is not one set of male virtues and one set of female virtues.”  

Fifth, “Because men and women are different, universal values will often manifest themselves differently.”  In French’s opinion, “This is how good men and good women – brought up in the same universal values – can still tend towards different temperaments and professions. ” Men, for example, will tend to be more courageous in danger because of their strength.  Women will be more nurturing because many bear children. 

The evolution of our economy and culture presents a challenge for men and boys.  “[But filtering] these changes through our polarized, extremist politics, and radical ideologies” makes matters worse.  French concludes by saying, “The goal isn’t to embrace or reject stereotypes, but rather to realize that no matter your son’s temperament, there is always a path to raising a boy to be his own version of a good man.” 

I must confess: In my early days I was more dogmatic about male gender and roles.  I have become more flexible in today’s cultural moment.  But God made men to be men. I am committed to stand with godly men in our day.

During a recent Sunday morning worship service, we sang “Turn Your Eyes.”  But as we sang, I began to weep.  I sensed God was speaking to me.  You may ask, “How does Al know it was God?”  I have walked with the Lord for over 60 years.  I have learned through trial and error how to discern the Lord’s voice.  Two factors were evident to me during the worship service:  First, I was in no way expecting to tear up. Second, when I shed tears unexpectedly, I have found it is of the Lord.  Your experience might be different from mine.  Remember: we all experience him uniquely.  

The words to the song start out with an old chorus: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus” and then move into a contemporary arrangement.  I was moved by the chorus: “Jesus, to You we lift our eyes/Jesus our glory and our prize/We adore you, behold You, our Savior ever true/Oh, Jesus we turn our eyes to You.”  It goes on to say, “Turn your eyes to the heavens/Our king will return for His own/Every knee will bow, every tongue will shout/All glory to Jesus alone.” 

I write this post as a confession, in the hope that it might stimulate other men to see God’s faithful hand in their journey.  God does not want us to abandon our post in the coming battle.   I’d like to share three reflections with you:

First, when we sang “Turn your eyes upon Jesus,” the song took me back to the early days after my conversion at the California Lutheran Bible School from 1960 to 1962.  Those were foundational years in my spiritual formation.  My confession is this: I have lost my first love…  “Yet I hold this against you.  You have forsaken the love you had at first.  Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first” (Rev 3:4-5). 

When the above scripture reads, “Do the things you did at first,” I confess that the enthusiasm and excitement of those early days has waned.  I now see that my life must be all for Jesus.  I have let spiritual practices, theology, and my spiritual improvement projects get in the way of my first love.  I just need to seek to know Jesus better (John 17:3).” 

Secondly, I have come back full circle to my roots, which are in the warm-hearted, evangelistic movement of the Lutheran church.  I belong to a church of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations.   We are part of the revival movements within the Lutheran tradition.  I have spent much time “tasting” the rich spiritual fruit of other movements and traditions.  But God has brought me back home to my roots.

Thirdly, I must be willing to speak the name of Jesus in a culture that is fast becoming an “antichrist” culture.  This has happened throughout history in cultures that have forsaken the Lord.  I John warns us, “Children, time is just about up.  You heard that Antichrist is coming.  Well, they’re all over the place, antichrists everywhere you look.  That’s how we know that we’re close to the end” (I John 2:18 MSG). 

I share this confession with you because the enemy wants you to become lukewarm or even deny the Lord, like Peter did.  But we need to sing, “Jesus, to You we lift up our eyes.”  With the Psalmist we make it our confession. “Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.  Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” (Psalm 131:2 NLT).