January 25 Bible Reading Plan

Be on guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

Paul the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 16:13, (NLT)

I love Paul. He says the hard stuff out loud and doesn't pull his punches. These words in 1 Corinthians 16:13 are as true today as they were when he initially said them.

Our world is trying to knock men out. They want to feminize us, demonize us, and bring us under the modernistic view of manhood. I work every day encouraging men to block the world's roundhouses that are trying to lay them out on the mat.

The world needs men who follow Paul's words. This quote contains four commands. Let's examine each individually.

1. Be on your guard.

Yesterday, I was watching Rocky 2. In one scene, Rocky tells Mick he wants to fight again. Mick tells him that while Rocky has heart, he physically can't do it. His depth of vision was shot from the beating he took in his first fight with Apollo Creed. Mick basically says he wouldn't be able to see Apollo's punches coming at him. He wouldn't be able to guard against them, and he'd get knocked out or killed. (1)

A fighter must always be alert and aware of the coming attacks. We cannot have a blind spot in our lives, or the enemy will exploit it and knock us out. Men, know your weaknesses, be aware of your struggles, know where you are vulnerable, and be ready to defend yourself at all times.

2. Stand Firm in the Faith

It is essential today to know what you believe and why you believe it and then stand firm for your beliefs. The world wants you to compromise. Progressive Christians are rewriting the Bible to fit their whims and desires. We must stand firm on the Word of God and refuse to bend. Every whim of society cannot sway us. Instead, we must know the truth of God's Word and live it daily.

The enemy wants to knock you down; you must stand firm as an unbreakable man!

3. Be courageous.

An unbreakable man is a courageous man. He doesn't back down; he doesn't surrender.

The ESV uses the phrase "act like a man" in its translation in place of the words "be courageous." I find this fascinating. It is as if they see being courageous as an indelible characteristic of a man.

Webster's dictionary defines courage as "the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty." (2)

Men of God need to withstand fears that stop them in their tracks. We do this through the power of God.

2 Timothy 1:7 says: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (NKJV)

Fear is the opposite of what we are called to do: be courageous men. When courage defines us, we stand as unbreakable men.

4. Be Strong

I despise the attempted feminization of manhood in our world. God created man and woman with distinct traits and characteristics. Both have unique strengths that complement each other, and both sets of strengths are needed and necessary.

The world wants to label male characteristics as "toxic." GOD DOESN'T MAKE TOXIC MEN!

Yes, men sometimes make bad decisions that lead to sin. But they weren't created to be toxic. No man is created to be an abuser, a liar, or a deceiver. No man is created to degrade women and put them down or abuse them. God didn't design anyone to ever to hurt a child. In their sin, men make decisions to act toxically, but they weren't created toxic.

God makes leaders—men who understand Biblical servant leadership. He made us the strong pillar, the support, and the foundation of stability for those in our lives.

It isn't toxic to be an unbreakable man! It is our calling.

The enduring words of Paul the Apostle resonate today as much as they did in the past. His call to vigilance, unwavering faith, courage, and strength remains powerful in a world that often seeks to undermine traditional masculinity. Men must remain vigilant, stand firm in their beliefs, embody courage in the face of challenges, and exemplify unyielding strength. It's how God designed us to be. When we embrace these four principles, men can become unshakeable pillars of stability and support, embracing their calling with unwavering commitment and resolve. Such a man is an unbreakable man!

Bibliography:

1. Rocky II. Directed by Sylvester Stallone , performances by Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson , United Artists, 1979.

2. “Courage, N. (1).” Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courage. Accessed 12 July 2024.