God's Plan for the Man
“And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15).
If there is any man in your life by way of father, husband, son, brother, uncle, grandfather, friend, nephew, cousin, or co-worker, then you might want to read this and pass it on. This may be the life key to set them on the right path. As a growing young man, called of God into leadership, I committed to taking on the responsibility of understanding the many challenges that men face today. I've had the opportunity of learning my role as a man through wisdom and revelation. Coming up in the church didn't always mean that everything in the home was perfect. I've spent a great deal of my childhood mostly reared by my mother and the church, although my father was present in the home.
I guess most people would say, "at least you had that privilege." And yes, for that I was grateful, but not satisfied. I always felt a stronger need to pursue something greater than was handed to me through my environment. I sensed God wanting to fulfill a greater purpose in my life. However, I also knew that to fulfill that purpose, I had to understand my role as a man, a God-man. Despite not getting that counsel from my biological dad, I can truly say God never allowed me to go in any direction that was opposite of His plan for my life. Today, by the grace of God, my brother and I are in the faith, along with our dad. But what happened through the process is that God fathered me. He taught me so many things I know today, and continues to do so in unprecedented ways. Yes, He has often used other men of God to help along the way, but ultimately it was His hand leading, guiding, and ordering my steps.
Despite the hideous statistics we constantly hear about men of our generation and the past, we are not to believe or live the lie. The facts may be true concerning absent fathers, unfaithful husbands, abusive boyfriends, or just plain 'barbaric testosterone' exemplified through so many men. The truth is, God has a greater plan in mind concerning the male-man. It is of the highest honor, the most compelling results, and a transforming conviction that is sure to cause each man that takes heed to command uncommon respect and love from those in his life. Stop trying to fill voids in your life through the things of this world. You were made in the image and likeness of Almighty God. You are the son of the King! Don't settle to live your life as a peasant. Today, that can change!
And although you might not have had that example in your life as a child, you must make it your point to find that example you can follow. I believe that God still has a few good men that have not bowed to Baal, nor have patterned their life after the world. You could be that man if you dare to be different. God has given each man a garden to dress, a home to bless, a child to raise, a woman to praise, a land to graze, and a path full of prosperous days. It's up to you to seek your Heavenly Father so that you can get the blueprint and live beyond the status quo. My friend, don't be another statistic. Raise the bar for what manhood and fatherhood should be according to God's design.
- Pastor John Barton