SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES
(1 Corinthians 3:11) "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."
(Proverbs 23:24) "The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him."
(Isaiah 57:1) "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come."
(Psalms 12:1) "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men."
(Micah 7:2) "The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net."
(Proverbs 20:5-7) (5) "Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out." (6) "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?" (7) "The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him."
(Psalms 37:23-24) (23) "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way." (24) "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand."
PREFACE SUMMARY
(1 Corinthians 3:11) "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."
Dear reader, you may have been born a male, but it takes a lot of work and courage to be a real man and to find out what a real man is, we need to find out what one is not!
Beloved, let me inform you upfront and from experience that we cannot look at the evening news, watch a movie, or read a daily newspaper or magazine and discover what a real man is, for this is not what we will encounter in the real world.
Beloved, it is no secret that we live in a dominant society with males playing major roles in the film industry, such as James Bond, Rocky, Clint Eastwood, Bronson, Chuck Norris, and others who seem to be the ones defeating the bad guys and saving the day.
Dear ones, let’s get real; we live in a world that is self-centered and self-motivated, whose primary goal is to be one step ahead of someone else, and with that in mind, we are living in a world that is confused, mixed up, and do not know what or who they are my question would be, "where do we look to find what we are looking for in our search for a real man, especially a man of God?"
Saints, let me step up here and say from experience that a real man, especially a godly man, is not born with the characteristics needed to fulfill that role. Still, like Generals who become generals through the experiences learned in war, real men, especially men of God, have braved everything hell has thrown at them and realized that if it had not been for the Lord who was on their side, they would not be where they are today.
WILL THE REAL MAN PLEASE STAND?
Dear reader, did you know that we must go further than today’s society in our search for a real man because males commit most of the Crimes, Rapes, and DUIs?
Beloved, I am here to ease your mind and boldly say,” We will never find a man worthy of measuring up to what our society today would call a real man, especially with the increased pressures of life that we face every day.”
Beloved, a real man is not one who tends to lose his temper and place selfish demands on others, forcing them to adjust to his way or no way at all, which would tend to drive people away instead of bringing them in.
Beloved reader, did you know that our character and courage can not be found in our temper tantrums or heard in the volume of our voices, but they are revealed in how we handle adversity and change?
Beloved, a real man, does not refuse to do what he thinks is sissy stuff by helping his wife out in the kitchen, and God help him not be seen opening the car door for her, which in his mind would be a sign of weakness.
Dear reader, the truth is that a real man is the opposite of one who must always be in complete control of everything around him and refuses to accept help from others.
Beloved, a real man, is the opposite of one who must stand tall and aggressive at times to make things happen or one who would raise his voice to be heard to make a point or must get it even if he feels he has been wronged.
Beloved reader, a real man is the direct opposite of one who would spew out hurtful words and stomp out of a discussion to a secluded place to whimper like a little child, which shows nothing but a weak, immature male who has never grown up and accepted the responsibilities in being a man.
Dear reader, a real man is found in the words of Jesus when he pointed to John and said, "There has never been one greater that is born of a woman than John the Baptist."
Dear Saints, my prayer is that after reading this message, you will take an inventory of your life and see how many of these traits you show to others and how many you need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you acquire that you might be all you can be to help steer others in the right direction who are looking for4 answers and a reason to live.
THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
Beloved, what did John have that caused the Lord to speak to us from the volume of his book that if you are looking for a real man, then look at John?
Dear reader, John was a man of understanding and was known to be a sincere man who caused people to want to hear what he had to say while living a disciplined lifestyle that was not concerned about the dress code of the day and was given to a life of prayer and fasting.
Beloved, he was a man of conviction who believed in keeping his heart pure. And a man of courage who confronted the Pharisees, calling them vipers and warning them of the coming judgment.
Beloved, John was a man of integrity who was not swayed by the popular vote.
John was a man of great courage who allowed his convictions to govern his actions and was not afraid to point out evil-doers ruling in high places in government, even to the expense of his own life.
Beloved, now that we have examined the characteristics of a real man, my question would be, how does this relate to us?
Dear reader, I will attempt to answer this question by asking some questions.
1. How do we, as men, relate and respond to life’s challenges?
2. Are we willing to sacrifice for those we love?
3. Are we willing to change by adjusting and giving a little to keep the peace and maybe even go the extra mile to save a relationship?
4. Are we willing to admit when we are wrong and when we need help?
5. Are we willing to admit we cannot solve everything and are human?
6. Are we willing to admit to our spouse that we need help and face the fact that we are human and sometimes fearful of a situation?
Beloved in closing, the Apostle John's greatest strength was his faithful commitment to the call of God on his life, which he took seriously, realizing what it meant to be set apart for God, and his life proved that he was a man living a life of abstinence and self-control.
Beloved reader, the Apostle John was predestined by the Lord to live a whole life because he was born to fulfill a specific purpose and set time in history for us to read about today, especially what characteristics need to be displayed in a man of God.
Dear reader, did the scriptures not say that the Apostle John received the Spirit of God while he was yet in his mother's womb, and was he, not the one that was chosen by God to not only be the forerunner of Jesus but to baptize him declaring him to be the lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world?
WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU WANT AND PRAY THEM IN
Dear reader, God stated in his word that it was not good for man to be alone. I get asked often, where can I find a man like you, for you treat Tin like she is the best thing that ever happened to you? I reply with a big smile that Tin is the best thing that ever happened to me besides salvation because God placed her in my life when I had given up on finding true love.
Beloved, the truth is that men like me are not born but made in life's complex trials. Men like me have been abused and stripped of their dignity by members of the opposite sex till they, like the woman at the well, have developed low self-esteem and really do not know nor have they ever known true love for the only love they have ever known his hard love with strings attached.
Dear reader, men like me have two choices in life, which are either give up and lay in the filth or stand firm in God with a made-up mind that, like Jabez, who refused to allow his past to define him, caused God to declare that he received his prayer declaring him to be more honorable than the others.
Beloved, one of the Angels God sent to me while suffering through a nervous condition, informed me that God does not ordain all marriages, and there comes a point where he does not expect you to put up with what you are in yours.
Dear reader, those of you who are lonely need to believe God for who he wants in your life and start writing down what you want them to look like, how tall you wish them to be, and the kind of character traits that you would like in their life then beloved, place that pad where you can see it when you get up and when you go to bed then make it a point to pray for them as if they are already alive somewhere in the world believing God that in his perfect timing, he will bring them in your life.
Beloved, now that I look back at the times that I was crying, wondering why I was being treated worse than an animal, spreading my bible out before the Lord, quoting to him the scripture found in (Romans 9:20) "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?'
Dear Saints, the world is a whole of people who pledge their love to you, but it is in their bloodline that they have to have somebody else, and at the same time, they do not want to lose you.
Beloved, who would ever guess that when I am approaching God this way that he had a young girl growing up in the Philippines that he was going to bring into my life at a later date that would treat me better than any King could be treated and catch my vision to do ministry to reach others?
In closing, beloved, God has a plan for our life that was planned before the world's creation. He knows that plan, but sometimes, for us to fulfill that plan, we must go through years of fiery trials and tests that are not only designed to break us but shape us to be the man or woman others dream of having in their life.
Beloved, we have lived most of our lives not knowing what real love is, for all we have known is hard love that abuses, lies, and accusations, but usually, the ones making the accusations are the ones doing what you are being accused of. They do it to bring you down in their eyes, fearing that you will do what they are doing one day.
Dear reader, our God is an excellent matchmaker. He knows what you like, but before he can trust you with his best, he must get you to a place where you will know how to treat a real man or woman like you would, for you have no room in your mind or heart. Still, they and only them; therefore, there can be no room for jealousy in your relationship, for you have known the bad, which causes you to thank God daily for allowing you to experience true love with heaven's best.
MY CLONCLUSION
Dear reader, the first thing a real man will do is not give in to temptation, especially when challenged or criticized, for he has developed a fear of sin and what it can do to his life and marriage.
Beloved, a real man, has learned from his mistakes and will never place himself in a situation where he might be tempted because he knows there are women in the world with seducing spirits who are selfish and love to destroy a happy marriage.
Beloved reader, a real man will fear God instead of what man can do to them because they will always make it a point to do the right thing before God, who sees and knows everything.
Beloved, a real man will live according to his God-given convictions in an unstable world and be determined to live a life characterized by integrity as he strives with all his heart to be connected with God’s purposes for his life and set goals to transfer what he has learned to others around him.
Beloved, I do not know about you. Still, I strive daily to be a man of God committed to my calling and the well-being of my beautiful wife, appreciating the life that God has blessed me with and determined to live that life with integrity, honesty, and balance.
Dear readers, the bottom line to this entire message on the characteristics that can be found in a Godly man to look for would be that a real man will live according to his God-given convictions and be determined to live a life characterized by integrity.
A Godly man strives with all his heart to be connected with God’s purposes for his life and sets goals to transfer what he has learned to others around him. As for me, I strive daily to be a man of God committed to my calling and the well-being of my beautiful wife. I appreciate the life God has blessed me with and am determined to live that life with integrity, honesty, and balance
Be Blessed and be a Blessing!
International Evangelist
Jerry W. Hulse Ph.D.
Miracle Life Church International
MY CLOSING PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I ask that you move to bless each who has taken time to read this message and has humbly surrendered their life more to your purpose, and I ask that you intensify the work that you have begun in their life and ministry in Jesus mighty name.
Father, I ask that you bless them spiritually, financially, physically, relationally, and emotionally so that their life may be blessed to enrich the lives of others.
Dear Lord, I ask that your will, purpose, word, and Spirit have a free course in their life and everyone they meet.
Father, I pray that all curses and words spoken against them will be broken, and I ask that you stand up for them in these last days and make their lives count.
Dear Lord, I ask you to awaken the gifts and talents placed in them at birth so they may become unified in the faith with other believers, realizing the need to work together in harmony like a fine-tuned orchestra in the master's hands.
Father, I pray that anyone reading this prayer should need deliverance from some oppressing spirit, including some illnesses that may be attacking their body; Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit would raise a standard against these attacks and set these people free.
Lord, I pray that the power of your written and spoken word be activated through the authority made available unto us in the name of Jesus, and we apply the following scriptures to our prayer.
(John 16:23) "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you."
(Psalms 34:15) "The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry."
Father, we close our prayer believing that you have heard and answered us according to your divine will and purpose, for it is in Jesus' mighty name we pray and ask these favors. A-Men
