Graceful Truth

WHAT IS MY FIRST JOB AS A MAN?

July 12, 2023

WHAT IS MY FIRST JOB AS A MAN?


Of all the conversations I've had with hundreds of men across the years, the number one question is: "What am I supposed to do with my life?" We want to know our purpose, and we must. As always, God is not silent. Look at Paul's instructions to the young man, Timothy, in 1 Timothy 2.

3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.
7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.

 

GOD'S INSATIABLE DESIRE

(God desires) all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (Vs. 4)

GOD'S INCREDIBLE PROVISION

For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who Himself is a ransom for all. (Vs. 4-6)

One translation reads, "God is on one side and all the people on the side and Jesus Christ, Himself man, is between them, bringing them together." This is our message … and it works. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.

GOD'S UNENDING PURPOSE FOR MEN

For this I was appointed a preacher, apostle, teacher to the Gentiles. (Vs. 7)

The word appointed means "put." Like Paul, God has “put me” somewhere as a man. My job is to share the truth with everyone around me in "faith and truth." Regardless of my AVOCATION (how I make my living), my VOCATION (my main task) is to share Christ with others.

GOD'S INEXHAUSTABLE POWER FOR MEN

Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. (Vs. 8)

  • It should start with the men. We think prayer is a woman's work. It is a man's primary task to pray! This is not a command given to exclude women. But it is a call to men (who more often do not pray) to rise up to their foundational task.
  • In every place. No environment should be off-limits for prayer. We should pray in our homes, in our cars, at work, at the church, by ourselves, with other men. We must learn as men to pray without ceasing.
  • Lifting up holy hands. We must cleanse ourselves, through Christ, in prayer so every obstruction to our intercession is gone. Lifting our hands is practical but it also is a metaphor, a picture of dependency upon God. It indicates, as men, that we realize we are helpless, like a child lifting their hands to their father. It's the right posture to pray.
  • Without wrath or dissension. We must lay aside (against our leaders is the context here in this chapter) any wrath or dissension. I tend to get angry with our governmental leaders and not pray for them. God says they are God's instruments, and the "heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord and like rivers of water He turns them wherever He wills." Sometimes they're instruments of peace, sometimes God's judgment. I need to replace my anger with pray and go to the only One who can control them!
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: And one of the main places we must lay aside wrong relationships for the purpose of prayer is with our wives. Look at Peter’s instructions:

You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7)

We may feel good about some things we are doing as a man. But if we are not praying, we’ve missed the foundational thing---the one thing we can do to bring the God of the universe into our life and the lives of those for whom we’re responsible.



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