Did you know that the list of approved activities for the Boy Scouts of America makes it clear that water gun fights are not allowed because “pointing a firearm” at someone – even a “simulated” firearm is not “kind.” The BSA shooting manual clarifies, “For water balloons, use small, biodegradable balloons and fill them no larger than a ping pong ball … water guns and rubber guns must only be used to shoot at targets, and eye protection must be worn”.   By these standards, I have to confess that I must be guilty of misbehaving, because I have had both water gun fights and water balloon fights (with much larger balloons) with two of my grandsons.  But I must also admit that we had great fun!

For me, this BSA policy is example of the feminizing of the male culture. Christina Goff-Sommers in her 2001 book The War Against Boys argues that our public schools are organized to obliterate all that is masculine and establish femininity as the norm.  Boys are a “frowned-upon presence” in schools that have forgotten a simple truth: “the energy, competitiveness, and corporal daring of normal, decent males is responsible for much of what is right in the world.”  Yes, boys need guidance in their testosterone-driven activity, but they need the freedom to be boys.  Sommers observes that boys are “routinely regarded as protosexists, potential harassers and perpetrators of gender inequity, boys live under a cloud of censure.”  Young boys are being taught to disrespect masculinity and suppress it in themselves.  Today is not a good day to be a boy in America.

I, for one, grieve this. I agree that boys need to be taught the more feminine traits of kindness, sensitivity, gentleness and nurture, but they also need to learn to express genuine male instincts in a constructive manner so that they can grow to be both sensitive and strong in their God-given male energy. This is a task primarily for fathers, grandfathers, and other male models.  Personally, I have traveled down a long, winding road in a sincere attempt to integrate my masculine soul with the complementary balance of the feminine.   I am still a “broken” man seeking further healing for my soul in a culture that offers little support.  So, I have committed the last  part of my journey here below to help younger men find, nurture, and live out of their true masculine soul.

As I write this I weep, knowing the many struggles men face in our culture.  As I grew up, I had an absentee father and a dominating mother as my role models.  I had very little nurture in the ways of God as a teenager. As a feeling, intuitive young man, I always felt like a square peg that could never fit into the round masculine hole.  I have battled with deep insecurities, doubts, failures, and disappointments.  Today as I look back at how God has integrated my masculine soul, I am full of praise and thanksgiving for his grace and mercy to me.

My advice for nurturing your male soul:  First, reject the false narrative of our culture regarding maleness, and embrace your unique masculinity as a man created in the image of God. Second, study, reflect on, and incorporate the character of Jesus as your model for maleness. Third, allow Scripture to form your worldview. I must warn you again, the gender wars will intensify. Fourth, open your soul to receive healing for your wounds, especially the father wounds. Fifth, find and relate to men of godly character.  Breathe in their life.  And meet regularly with a male spiritual mentor.

In Isaiah 50:10-11 we read,”Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.  But now, all of you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze.  This is what you shall receive from my hand: you will lie down in torment.”  I reference this passage because in the days to come godly men will be found building their own fires, providing them torches, to navigate through the spiritual confusion and uncertainty that is descending on our culture. But it will not be enough.

We are experiencing in our culture not just a moral decline, but what Rod Dreher calls a “cosmological shift.”  – “the idea that people are the sum of their desires and that marriage has no intrinsic purpose or definition – amount to a total shift in the way our culture looks at human persons.”  I do not see the “gay marriage issue” as a hot bottom issue to argue about, but rather see it as part of a culminating slide of our society into moral and spiritual uncertainty.  We have lost the cultural battle. Now we need to “prepare a culture of resistance for the church.” Some call it the beginning of a new “dark age.”  Isaiah 59:10 describes it well. “Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes.  At midnight we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead.”

Men will be tempted to build their own fires, by embracing the  familiar and comfortable, especially in times of uncertainty and confusion.  Men will fearfully avoid giving up their ego strength, investing in their particular spiritual improvement projects.  This kind of cultural spirituality will not prevail.  Remember we are moving into a Post-Christian Era in our nation.  Men of God we will have to learn to act and behave differently.  “The Male narrative” in the past (patriarchy) has been that men need to be strong and in control.  But not today.  Generally speaking, men are descending from their privileged position in culture, while women are ascending.

Men, I exhort you not to “build” a fire but rather “tend” the fire that is already within you.  John promised that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire.  Jesus, “will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.  He’s going to clean house – make a clean sweep of your lives.  He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned” (Luke 3:17-18  – Message).  God’s fire brings a “spiritual house cleaning.” So don’t dampen “the fire of the Spirit” (I Thess. 5:19) but rather “fan into flame the gift of God” (II Tim 1:6). Tend the fire within you and let God do his work.

Here’s some advise on tending the fire.  First and foremost, cultivate the awareness of the presence of the Spirit within you.  Do this by gazing upon the Lord Jesus.  Keep your focus on him.   Second, trust the fire  of the Spirit within you, irregardless of what you experience or your circumstances.  It will not die out. Thirdly, be vigilant with your soul.  Confess and repent of that which would dampen the fire.  Fourthly, commit to walk with other men whose hearts are ignited by the fire. Fifthly, embrace the light given you for each step of the journey. You will be an overcomer, since “God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29).

In our men’s Bible study at church we were recently studying the foot washing incident (John 13:1-17) in the life of Jesus with his disciples. Since this was their last night together, Jesus wanted to make a lasting impact on his disciples, so he washes their feet.  He was able to do such a lowly act  because we read  in verses 3-4, “Jesus knew that the Father, had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.”  He was secure in who he was.  Also the implication of verse 1 is that in washing feet he was showing love for his disciples.  Men, the more secure we are in Christ, the more likely we have the heart of a servant.  Servanthood will be the mark of a man of God in the days to come.

Peter strongly objects to having his master do the work of a lowly slave, “You’re not going to wash my feet – ever” (v 8 – Message).  While honoring Jesus, Peter was lacking the humility needed to be a  follower of Jesus. Peter expresses a willfulness found in pride – not being able to receive. Can you imagine how humbling it was for Peter to have the Son of God wash his feet.  How would you have responded? He had to learn to humbly receive from God.  Men, we all have to come to the place where we can humbly receive from God in all of our brokenness. Our effort in trying to make ourselves presentable is to no avail.  It is all grace.  Just sit there and receive like Peter.  It is hard. But it will change you as a man.  It takes a humble spirit to receive God’s unconditional love.

Peter had to learn this lesson before he could lead.  Jesus tells his disciples, “I’ve laid a pattern for you.” (v 14 – Message).  If Jesus, who is their teacher and Lord  washes their feet, then the disciples ought to humbly do the same.  Jesus is helping them see the vital aspect of servanthood; not just in word but also in deed.   Jesus reminds Peter, “A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer.  If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it – and live a blessed life” (v 16-7 – Message).  Later in his First Letter, Peter was probably reflecting on this incident when he tells us, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud, but give grace to the humble'” ( I Peter 5:5).  Then we are told to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that we might be lifted up.

Peter was learning what humble submission meant.  It would help him to return to Jesus after his miserable failure in denying his Lord.  I too, fail my Lord.  I have to admit with Paul,”For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing” (Rom 7:19).  I am a spiritual work in progress.  But like Peter I also am learning to trust the love of Jesus for me.  Jesus has not literally washed my feet, but I have learned to receive God’s love for me in all my shame and vulnerability.  Men, my testimony to you is this – real freedom from my sinful self, comes when I learn to humbly submit to Jesus and receive his love for me.

I was alerted to the word “microaggresion” by Eric Metaxas over at “Breakpoint.”  He writes, “If you’ve never heard the term “mircoaggresion” consider yourself fortunate.  But you’re going to need to be familiar with the concept because it lies at the heart of the explosion of political correctness in the public square.”  In the 70’s the term was used mostly  in race relations.  But now it has cross over into the larger culture, referring to perceived slights by any “socially marginalized group,”  which has grown to include women and sexual minorities as well. Microaggresion is being used to silent Christians in matters of sexual ethics.  Much as been made of New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, who wrote that it is not enough that gays and lesbians are legally protected from actual discrimination, but that we need to eliminate any form of disapproval.

Men, we all need to be fully aware of how rapidly our religious freedom and liberty is be eroded.  The ultimate goal would be to silence the voice of  committed Christians, who believe the very foundations of our culture are at stake, if gay marriage becomes the norm in our nation.  Honest dialogue or descent is being called into question.  I write with a passion to reach younger men.   Your simple witness as a committed husband and father can be a vital witness.  Richard Rohr said it well: “A man who is secure  in his gender identity, will have a healthy masculine gender identity as well as the balance of the complementary feminine.”  So, as Charles Colson, so famously asked, “How Shall We Then Live?”

Here are a few suggestions.  First, come to a clear, firm and confident interpretation of Scripture on the “gay” issue.  For me, it starts with Scripture.  I cannot justify the gay lifestyle with Scripture.  So come to your own conviction.  There are a variety of view among Christian folks.  Secondly, do what you need to do, to become secure in your own sexuality.  That might mean a journey inward to receive inner healing for your masculine soul.  Many men cannot think clearly on this issue, while responding in  love towards  opponents because of their own sexual insecurities.  Thirdly, determine in your heart to act lovingly to all who do not agree with you.  There is no greater “black mark” in the gender wars for Christians, then when we act without compassion towards those in the gay lifestyle.

Fourthly, as “the Gender Wars” descend upon us, I beg you, don’t flee into some supposedly safe place, emotionally and spiritually. This will only produce a  man who is passive, silent, and dulled into become a sickly, weak man.  We desperately need examples of  healthy maleness.  What is needed more then ever are men who live ordinary lives with their families, in their community and churches, and at work, modeling the life style of a man who in his heart is both a “lion” and  a “lamb.”  We read in Revelation 5 that John saw Jesus as “lamb, looking as if it has been slain” (6).  He was also told to look at, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David (who) has triumphed” (5).  What is needed are men who can be both “the lion” and “the lamb.”  This comes as men surrender to the Lordship of Jesus.

One final thought.  We read of the lamb again in  Rev. 12:11, “They triumphed over him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”  Men let us see ourselves of followers of the lamb, embracing the “crucified life.”

“Man up” to me means taking responsibility for my actions, words and attitude. But at times I want to run from my responsibility in my most important relationship, that is, with my wife. Recently, I had to admit to myself that I was “pushing my wife away” emotionally.  I did not want to “man up.” I realize that part of  becoming one flesh with my wife, means I carry the awareness of her  in the deepest part of my inner life.  Scripture exhorts husbands, “to love their wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his wife loves himself” (Eph 6:28).   Since I am an “embodied soul” my wife’s presence resides within me.   But there are times when I want to push her out of that inner space.  Can any men relate to this “pushing away.”  So what did I do?

Well, if I am to love my wife as my own body, I have to admit, embrace and deal with what is going on emotionally regarding my wife. It was harmful. I am reminded, “”No one abuses his own body, does he? No, he feeds and pampers it” (Eph. 5:29 – Message). My wife is a wonderful helpmate. But there are times I just want to push her away.  I know it is wrong, but I still do it.  Why?  Obviously it is because I am reacting to her. So I had to “man up” and tell my wife what was going on in my heart, in that  inner space where she abides, since we are “one flesh.” Jesus tells me, “they are no longer two, but one flesh” (Matt 19:6).  No being honest, while pushing her away puts real strain on that “oneness.”

My pushing her away, confuses my wife.  She wonders what she has done wrong.  “Why is he seem so distant and out of reach.” she wonders .  My withdrawal cause her to act in kind.  Soon there is an emotional gap between us.  A wife can become insecure, causing her to respond inappropriately. The gap grows, becoming deeper and wider, if it is not repaired.  This is when I have to “man up.”  I need to reach out across the gap, by humbling myself and telling my wife what going on in my soul.

I am to love my wife the way Jesus loved the church, Listen to how the Message puts it (Eph 5:25-28). “Husbands, go all out in your love for our wives, exactly as Christ did for the church – a love marked by giving, not getting.  Christ’s love makes the church whole.  His words evoke her beauty.  Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk radiant with holiness.  And that is how husbands ought to love their wives.  They’re really doing themselves a favor – since they’re already ‘one’ in marriage.”  Wow!  These words are convicting to me.  Words like “go all out” and “giving.”  My words should invoke the beauty I see in my wife.  This includes more than physical beauty.  All I do and say should be done with the intent of bringing the best out of my wife.  My love is meant to promote wholeness and holiness in “my bride.”

This is a tall order that husbands can never fullfill.  It is meant to keep us humble and totally dependent on the Lord. Remember  we do ourselves a favor in loving our wives since we are “one” in marriage.  We are told, “Husbands provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing” (Eph 5:27 – Message).  I am learning to “cherish” my wife, by caring for her.

Michael Card was in our church recently. Michael’s  music has a spiritual depth that causes the listener to  reflect on the spiritual journey.  Card is also a very good bible teacher.  While in our church in Hackensack, Mn., he conducted a bible conference on the  gospel of John.  But what impressed me most about Michael Card was his character.  He is a genuine humble man, who is able personally to connect with ordinary people. A phrase he used as stuck with me.  For a deeply held conviction, he would say, “for that I can take a bullet.”  For what would you take a bullet?  I would for the following.

First and foremost is a high view of Scripture.  Simply put –  Scripture is God’s inspired Word to us, our final authority in matters of  faith and practice.  I have never wavered in this commitment. Early in my walk with God I memorized II Tim. 3: 16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  Men, I encourage you to call into question any teaching in the church that does see Scripture as the final authority.  Let Scripture be your guide, light and compass as you navigate “the spiritual minefields” of our culture.

Secondly, the Triune  God of grace.  God has chosen to reveal himself as three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, living in perfect harmony and love.  I like to visualize the activity of the Trinity as coming from the Father, through the Son, by the presence of the Holy Spirit.  God is One God, yet has expressed himself in a community of three equal persons.  C.S. Lewis calls it “The Great Dance.”  Men, we are invited to participate in this dance.  For me this makes the Trinity not a doctrine but a relational reality.  I have always told folks, “don’t mess with the Trinity and you will be OK in your view of God.”  Remember you are invited into the great dance.

Thirdly, the message of the cross.  Early in my ministry I took to heart the word of Paul, “For the message of the cross, is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (I Cor 1:18).  There is power in the message of the cross.  I have never tired of pointing people to the foot of the cross.  At the cross our sins are forgiven and we find deliverance and healing for our souls. Men, I simply say, “Bring your burdens to the cross and leave them there.”  I often quote I Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.'”

Finally, the beautiful summary of our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.  As a former Lutheran Pastor, I would lead the people weekly  in confessing  our faith by reciting the Apostles’ Creed.  We would alternate with the Nicene Creed. Yes, it could become rote. But I would often remind the congregation that in the creed we have expressed in three articles relating to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a concise expression of our faith.  You can’t go wrong if this is what you really believe about the revelation of God.  I encourage you to memorize the Apostles’ Creed.  I would take a bullet for the Apostles’ Creed – yes, every word.  The early church fought for those words.

Camille Paglia has been called an “anti-feminist feminist.”  “Anyone who has been following the body count of the cultural wars over the past decades,” one observer noted, “knows Paglia.”  In a recent interview she was critical of the feminist movement. “”I don’t feel that gender is sufficient to explain all of human life.  This gender myopia has become a disease, a substitute for a religion….It’s impossible that the feminist agenda can ever be the total explanation for human life.  Our problem now is that this monomania….sees everything through the lens of race, gender, or class – this is an absolute madness…gender identity has become really almost fascist.”  I agree.  The days to come, in my opinion, will see an intensification of “the gender wars.”

Remember God, the creator, has the first and final word on gender.  “When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.  Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and called them man when they were created” (Genesis 5:2).   Listen to the words of philosopher Peter Kreeft: “The masculine and the feminine are cosmological.  They are not limited to humans, or even just animals.  Every language that I know of, except English, has masculine or feminine nouns….the sun and moon, the day and night, the water and the rocks….but most today think this is a projection of our sexuality into the universe.  That makes us strangers to the universe.   The God who invented human sexuality also invented the universe; the two fit.  It’s a much happier philosophy: we fit the nature of things.”

So how do men practice this happier philosophy, which our culture has lost?  First, Don’t let the blind rage of the extreme feminist movement and the gender wars blind you to the wonder of God ‘s design  for male and female.  Celebrate your uniqueness as masculine, created in God’s image. Learn from your elders to embrace your authentic masculine energy.  Don’t  apologize or deny who you are.  Secondly, come an honest recognition of your need to receive affirmation of your masculinity, by coming to the Father, through the Son by the Holy Spirit.  Allow yourself to be “drenched” in the love of the Father.  It is vitally important that every male follower of Jesus become secure in his masculine soul.  Thirdly, out of this sense of inner assurance embrace the feminine side of your personality. “A man who is secure in his gender identity will have a healthy masculine gender identity as well as the balance of the complementary feminine.” (Richard Rohr) Without this balance we lose the good of the masculine.  As a result many women have suffered.  Fourthly, learn to live with this balance in your life, while discerning the balance in women as well.   It is dangerous for either a man or woman to be out of balance.

A short testimony –   I have lived with an understanding of this balance in my life for over 25 years.  I have come to a healthy affirmation regarding my masculine side, while also embracing my feminine compliment.  My blend or balance is unique to me as created in the image of God.  I celebrate this uniqueness while rejoicing in how other men are different from me.  It has also helped me understand the healthy feminine, while seeing the distortions of the feminine out of balance in  women.  I close with these words from Leanne Payne who has been such a help to me.  “A culture will never become decadent in the face of a healthy, balanced masculinity.  When a nation or an entire Western culture backslides, it is the masculine which is first to decline.”

I have to write a blog about the epic song, “American Pie” which reached the No. 1 spot on the charts back in 1972.  It is in the news recently because the lyrics were sold at auction for $1.2 million.  Don McLean has now begun to explain some of the meaning behind his song.  I was a youth director in a large suburban church in the Twin Cities in 1972.  Like so many others, in those days, I shared my  interpretation to the song as I worked with teenagers, seeking answers to their troubled lives through scripture and a relationship with Jesus,  Those were the days of the “Jesus Movement,” when we had a revival among the youth our Lutheran church

For me the most important lyrics were near the end of the song: “I went down to the sacred store/Where I’d heard the music years before/But the man there said the music wouldn’t play –  And in the streets, the children screamed/The lovers cried and the poets dreamed/But not a word was spoken/The church bells all were broken –  And the three men I admire most/The Father, Son and Holy Ghost/They caught the last train for the coast/the day the music died.”

Men, in my humble opinion these were indeed prophetic words. McLean wants people in 2015 to know that his song was not a “parlor game.”  “Basically in ‘American Pie’ things are heading in the wrong direction,” McLean wants us to know.  “It is becoming less idyllic.  I don’t know whether you consider that wrong or right, but it is a morality song in a sense.”   At almost 70, McLean believes, “There is no poetry and very little romance in anything anymore, so it is really like the last phase of  ‘American Pie,'” which ends with “This’ll be the day that I die.”  I interpret this to mean, a quiet desperation is settling into the  soul of America.

I remember well quoting II Tim 4:3-4 to those kids during our revival time.  I was a young 30 year old pastor in my first church.  I wanted them to be anchored in the word of God not popular culture.  Sadly some of those young people, who were part of the  “Jesus Movement” are no longer following Jesus. “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead , to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears wants to hear.”  The Message says, “…people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food – catchy opinions that tickle their fancy.”

It could be some of  men reading this blog were part of the “Jesus Movement” back in the 70’s.  I know the song brings back a lot of memories for me.  I was blessed to be a part of a genuine revival among youth in Edina, Mn.  I will never forget those days of the sovereign move of God’s Spirit.  I also am thankful in retrospect that I believed, taught and pleaded with the kids to stay true to God’s Word.  Over forty years later, I say again, “keep your heart open to Jesus and the truth of his Word. Scripture is your anchor, compass and light during these times.  I often quoted Is 55:11 as a promise to which we can cling. “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  Thank you Jesus, for helping me to cling to your word all these years.  Amen

I am preaching for my pastor next Sunday ( first Sunday after Easter).  The text is  20:19-23.  Working with the text, I sensed I should write a blog about men and our “closed doors.”  Jesus appears to his disciples on the evening of the resurrection.  “The doors (were) locked for fear of the Jewish leaders.”   But in spite of the locked doors, “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!'”  The disciples are confused, disappointed, and  fearful that they would be taking away by the Roman authorities. But here Jesus is standing right in their midst.  After showing them his hands and side the disciples were “overjoyed.”  His small band of followers went from being afraid to being overjoyed.  Realizing Jesus was present, the disciples began to change in their attitude.

We all develop “closed doors” to our inner life when we are afraid.  It’s natural to protect ourselves from hurt and misunderstanding, by barricading ourselves in what we imagine to be a “safe and secure” space.  Fear prompt us to behave in way that hinder healthy relationships with God and others.  We form restrictive boundaries as we become more cautious and suspicious.  We limit our interactions by avoidance or compulsion.  Other notice we are more vigilant and guarded.  In the process we become more controlling in our relationships.  Our fear can come from within, rather then from outside circumstances. We don’t realize that Jesus is actually present even behind our “closed doors.”

An observation made by David Benner has been of  great help to me .  “(1)  fear occurs when the human spirit is afraid of itself, (2) fear is often a substitute for guilt, and (3) guilt always results in an inhibition to love.”  I was afraid of myself.  I feared the “anger” in my heart.  My anger self was an enemy because I could not admit the angry stored in my heart.  I inflicted on my family and congregation with a kind of “floating bitterness.  My spiritual friend at the time, asked me how I felt when I was anger.  My immediate response was “guilty.”  He helped reassure me that my anger was a natural response to life.  It was what I did with that anger that mattered. Because I was harboring unresolved anger  I could not believe God loved me. I felt guilty. Therefore, I was on a “treadmill” of trying to win God’s approval, while feeling a guilt deserving of punishment.  What emotions are do you harbor that make you fearful of yourself?

I could accept that I was an “angry” man.  I did not have to pretend to be a synthetic, caring person.  I slowly was able to stop “performing” for the Lord, while becoming more authentic and honest.  The realization that I was afraid of my own emotions, broke a “log-jam” of other hidden emotions that I could not accept.  It was liberating to understand at the heart level, that God loved me in all my vulnerability and shame.  His unconditional love for someone such as me has become the “spiritual mantra” of my journey ever since.

Men, don’t allow yourself to get barricaded  behind closed doors. Like me, when you allow yourself to admit those emotions inside that make you fearful of yourself, you will feel like a child who needing to be held in reassurance and love.  That is exactly what Jesus does for you.  He will receive you in your fearful, wounded, broken condition and bring you to the Father.  There, as a frightened child,  you can rest in the father’s love.  Remember Jesus words, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:4).

The Michigan State Spartans is going to the final four!!!. Many of you know I am a Michigan State fan, since Tom Izzo, like me, is a native UPer (native to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan).  State was not expected to get this far in the tournament, especially after the Wisconsin loss.   Izzo said the Louiville win was one of his most satisfying victories.  After the game, I was quite emotional.  I wondered way.  I went for a pray walk.  This is what I sensed the Lord telling me to say.  You be the judge regarding my discernment.

Could the Spartan victory be a spiritual metaphor for the readers of this blog.  March Madness is a yearly sports event the captures the male imagination. Not only do we enjoy watching the furious competition, but we love to predict who will be winners.  Based on strengths, weaknesses, and sheer hunches men fill out their brackets.  I believe God is calling men to harness their competitive nature into the great spiritual battle that is being waged in our nation.  God wants to capture the imagination of  “tough and tender” warriors to become involved.  Where are the strong, courageous, loving men?  “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it lingers, wait for it will certainly come and will not delay” (Hab 2 2-3).  Here is an application of the metaphor

“How much do you want it?’  The teams that win, “let’s it all out on the floor.”  There is no second chance. Teams work through the adversity.  Men get caught up in the intensity of the games. But what about spiritual adversity?  This is not a time to pamper male egos with a “soft message” of enculturation to a society becoming ever hostile to the message of Jesus.  How many men have fallen asleep?   God is calling out  committed men to band together in small ‘”teams”  to make a difference right where they live. Ordinary men concerned for their families and communities. My advise: find or form your team.  But be warned, there will be adversity.  The days ahead will not be for the men who “sits on the bench.”   Jesus warned, “Because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold” (Matt 24:12).  But victory is ahead.  He promised, ” Everyone will hate you because of me.  But not a hair of your head will perish.  Stand firm, and you will win life” Luke 21: 18-19).

How about coach Izzo?  After the loss to Wisconsin, he had this to say to his critics.  “I’m going to coach my team for now – not for the media, not for recruiting.  I’m going to coach it for what’s right and what’s wrong.”  I admire coach Izzo.  He know how to motivate his team.  He connects with his players.  He get the best out of them at the right time (March madness).  Men, Jesus know what time it is and how get the best out of us.  He will see us through  as we follow his lead. We are to give  our very hearts to him. Are you willing to trust Jesus with you life or are you asleep at the end of the bench?   Jesus warned us: “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed.  Such things must happen, but the end is still to come” (Mark 13:7).  “Everyone will hate you because of me,” Jesus tells us, “but the one who stand firm to the end will be saved” (Mk 13:13).