The Vision of a man

We are men created in the image of God, yet we are happy with the corner of the fields when we could have the whole field. In other words, why are you happy with want you are told you can have or do, when you have everything that God promised you? Our sons and daughters are missing the mark because we have missed it. Many of us believe we have everything but in our hearts we know this isn’t true. Our wives want more out of life but don’t want to make you feel bad. Our children exist in a world we don’t understand. These are but a few things that are out of place because we are out of place. We are the visionaries with no vision. We have eyes but can only see what is in front of us physically. However, there is more.

In Genesis 1:26 God said "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." ²⁸ God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

This is what God Himself has given us and what are we doing with it? Yes, this is the Old Testament but when did it stop working? God has not removed His word from us but He has re-enforced it through His son Jesus. We were saved in order to complete the tasking God placed on us. Through the completion of this mandate we will learn just who we are on this earth. Yet, we have a problem before us deterring us from walking in our rightful place. Flesh, this is the problem we face daily and it is power by our desires to be someone God did not call us to be. Just as Adam and Eve we are trying to answer the question, I’m I like God?

We have become men living out the purpose of someone other than ourselves. As you read Genesis 1, you see that we were to work together. We were to rule our space, our environment. That environment is our kingdom. God gave us a list of what we were to rule over. Man was not on it. That in itself says we should work together. The word also tells us that we can do anything if we are one. (Genesis 11:6 (NASB) The LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. ) In order for us to be one we must first become one within ourselves. Being one within ourselves is not a job we can do on our own. We need God in our life through Jesus.

Man doesn’t like change that is not introduced by his own hands. We must learn to understand that the best change is that which comes from God. The change that comes from God may not feel the best but it is the best for you. Until we walk through the process that God has laid before us we will not see the greatest part of our blessing. Many of us are waiting on God to bless us. We must understand that God has blessed us. We must also understand that God doesn’t have many blessings for us, but a great blessing that keeps on giving.

Brothers, we must understand that God is waiting on us to trust Him. He’s not waiting to bless you, He has already blessed you. We see ourselves as kings and masters of our homes but what good is it if we don’t have the power behind it? Stop dreaming if you are not going to go for it. The dreamer brings forth his vision into purpose; through his purpose he brings forth his vision. What do we believe in? Do we believe that we are created in God’s image, His likeness? If we do, why do we waste our lives trying to be like Him? When you walked in the world you didn’t need anyone to tell who you were you knew it and walked it. It takes the same level of belief, only in someone other than you. We are the biggest problem in our life. We wait for others to tell us we are ready without knowing what is best for us. God has provided all the information we need to discover our identification. He wants us to find ourselves in Him, so we can step into who we are and what we are to do. If we are to rule with Him, shouldn’t we discover what it is we are to rule here and now? Don’t just unpack your suitcase burn it and keep carrying the stuff around with you. Get up and follow your heart, the one God gave you. See your vision with the spiritual eyes God gave you. Walk in who you are!

Genesis 1:29-31
²⁹ Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;
³⁰ and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.
³¹ God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Recap from previous classes

Men we suffer from what is called the Wounded Heart. I know your heart is intact and you are just find. Well what are you hiding inside? Many of us think we are the best thing going. This makes it harder to see the real you inside. Most of us think we were born sin free and we developed our sin traits. (Romans 3:9-10 (HCSB) ⁹ What then? Are we any better? Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin,
¹⁰ as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one.)

We as men are drawn to what is not good. It is our nature. Jesus said we must be born again. In the process of being born again, it is impossible for man to convert himself and clean up his life. If this is true how can we consider someone before our self? We cannot unless we have truly allowed God to move within our hearts.

Romans 7:7-12 (HCSB)
⁷ What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.
⁸ And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.
⁹ Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life
¹⁰ and I died. The commandment that was meant for life resulted in death for me.
¹¹ For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
¹² So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.

Did you know that in the process of Salvation there are 60 steps or phases? If you believe you the man than why did Jesus need to come as a man to save you? Stop for a minute, before you say you gave your life to Christ and you have been baptized. Think about your life since that moment. Have you given all of you life to Christ? No one can hear but God and Jesus, so be true to yourself. We all have held back from Christ a part of ourselves that we like. You know that part that still hold on to being human. (Romans 7:19-20 (NASB)
¹⁹ For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
²⁰ But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me). I didn’t mean to do, I don’t know what came over me.

We must admit that we do not spend the time we need to with God and Jesus. We must allow the Holy Spirit to correct when we are wrong and repent. We can only take the lead when we let Jesus be the Lead in our life. Then we can stand and deal the dark heart we were born into.

Knowing mother wound (Authentic Manhood)

1. The influence of the mother is one of the strongest a son will ever feel.

a. Mothers normally want the best for their sons.

b. Jesus had to deal with His mother.

c. Mary would have stop Jesus from getting on the cross.

2. Mother wound was not meant to harm but to show caring and loving affection.

a. Our mothers would never intentionally harm her children.

b. Mothers have a strong bond to her children.

c. Mother’s bond can hold on too tight.

3. Mothers wound their son by holding on too tightly to her sons. This leads to unhealthy relationship between the mother and the son.

a. This can often be seen in marriages when the mother wants give unwanted input into her son’s home.

b. Another example is when mom asks a question in the form of control.

c. This has a negative impact on the son’s relationship with his wife.

4. We must understand that mothers love their sons and would in no way hurt their son. Often mother is trying to fill-in the missing pieces. Moms just want her son to be safe and protected.

a. When the father is not around or involved in the son’s life, mom trys to fill in.

b. This is the case with many of our young men today.

c. The female – man, this looks all the part of a man but wait on the female to make the decision. Feminized man! Thinks in ways as a woman would do. Defers to the woman!

5. This is a wound of too much involvement, we as men must learn to see the wound before it destroys our lives.

a. These wounds are because men are absent. The teachers are women, the mentors are women.

b. The ignorant mom by default treats her son as a boy.

c. She wakes him in the morning, washes his clothes, and prepares his meals.

d. Needy hurting mom, dad has left so mom makes her son her husband.

e. Unwilling to release, this mom needs to control everything. She pain to a wife because the husband is still bonded to his mom.

f. Fill in the gap mom, dad isn’t around for whatever the reason. Jim Tipton.

Repair the wound:

1. Jesus is the example!

Mentoring Relationships

Authentic Manhood (Session 10)

Mentors: Paul and Timothy, Moses and Jethro, Jesus and the Twelve.

1. A Mentor is a man that has what you need. Identify your objectives in teams of needs. What are you looking to improve; knowledge, attitudes, habits, behaviors or skills. Whatever these are only the person that has developed these can help you achieve your milestones.

2. A Mentor cultivate relationship, an effective mentor must capable of giving himself to another human being. They must be capable of establishing and maintaining a relationship. Otherwise, he will have difficulty attracting anyone, despite the considerable value of what he may have to offer

3. A mentor is willing to take a chance on you. A mentor is going to make an investment in you. A mentor is going to make an investment of time, energy, emotion, trust, and resources. He may even invest cash.

4. He is respected by other men. That is important because to be the real deal others must respect you.

5. He has a network of resources. You will need to resources to help you grow.

6. He is consulted by others for guidance.

7. He both talks and listens.

8. He is consistent in his life style. All his life areas!

9. He able to see your real needs. He can see inside of you and connect.

10. He is concern with you interest.

This must be something you must want in your life not something you do to fill a box. You must what to improve your life.

You have to give back to others. We cannot live a full life until we give back. If you lived all your life taking and not giving back you are not complete. Life is a cycle and you are part of it. What is it that helped you make it in your life thus for? Is there someone you can help get to where you are?

Exodus 18:17-18 (NASB)
¹⁷ Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good.
¹⁸ "You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

This will help you in your marriage as well if you have a mentor that knows what it takes.

Ref: Authentic Manhood