Morning Meditations: What It Means To Be A Man

1 Kings 2:1-3 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, 2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; 3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

This world has everything messed up. The world judges a man by the 3Bs: Ball Court, Bank Account & Bedroom. Most churches today aren't any better. How many missionaries have risen up from your church? What's your church's attendance like on Super Bowl Sunday?

But we're not under the law anymore (Romans 6:14) right? Let's examine that:

Matthew 5:17-20 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

As long as the current heaven and earth exist, the law will still be in effect, that's why we need a new one (Revelation 21:1). What are we to do then? Study the law and try to keep it to the letter?

Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

also:

Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

and:

Jeremiah 44:10 They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.

In the end we are to realize that we could never obey the law. What the law was there to do is to drive us to our knees. To understand that we can never be good enough to deserve to make it to heaven.

So what does it look like to be a man? Study the Bible, apply it to your life through: trying to keep the law, prayer, showing good judgment, being merciful, having faith in God, loving your neighbor, being reverent to God, & being humble instead of proud.

Lord, forgive me. I have failed you. I have not kept your commands. I have been proud. I have not loved others as I should. Grant me your grace that I might do your will. In Jesus name, Amen.