Prayer For Christian Men To Be Godly Men

10 Disciplines of a Godly Man

Prayer For Christian Men To Be Godly Men

For many people, the word discipline evokes a sense of resistance–but Kent Hughes points out that the heart of spiritual discipline is a relationship with God. This tract gives 10 practical areas for a man to grow in spiritual discipline.

Men, we will never get anywhere in life without discipline, and doubly so in spiritual matters.

None of us is inherently righteous, so Paul’s instructions regarding spiritual discipline in 1 Timothy 4:7-8 take on personal urgency: “Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

That word “train” comes from the Greek word from which we derive gymnasium. So, I invite you into God’s Gym—to some pain and great gain!

Discipline of Purity

Sensuality is the biggest obstacle to godliness among Christian men. The fall of King David should not only instruct us but scare the sensuality right us! Fill yourself with God’s Word—memorize passages 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, Job 31:1, Proverbs 6:27, Ephesians 5:3-7, and 2 Timothy 2:22. Find someone who will help you keep your soul faithful to God.

A pure mind is impossible if you mindlessly watch TV and movies or visit pornographic web sites (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). Develop the divine awareness that sustained Joseph: “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9).

Discipline of Relationships

To be all God wants you to be, put some holy sweat into your relationships! If you’re married, you need to live out Ephesians 5:25-31: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (v. 25). For those who are fathers, God provides a workout in one pungent sentence: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

Relationships are not optional (Hebrews 10:25); they enable us to develop into what God wants us to be and most effectively learn and live God’s truth.

Discipline of Mind

The potential of possessing the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) introduces the scandal of today’s church—Christians who do not think Christianly, leaving our minds undisciplined.

The Apostle Paul understood this well: “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). Each ingredient is a matter of personal choice.

You can never have a Christian mind without reading the Scriptures regularly because you cannot be influenced by that which you do not know.

Discipline of Devotion

Reading God’s Word is essential, but meditation internalizes the Word and responds, “I desire to do your will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8).

Beyond instructions Ephesians 6:18-20, there are two great reasons to pray. The more we expose our lives to the white-hot sun of Christ’s righteous life, the more his image will be burned into our character.

The second reason is that prayer bends our wills to God’s will.

Many men never have an effective devotional life because they never plan for it; they never expose their lives to his pure light.

Discipline of Integrity

We can hardly overstate the importance of integrity to a generation of believers so much the world in ethical conduct. But integrity’s benefits—character, a clear conscience, deep intimacy with God—argue its importance.

We must let God’s Word draw our lines of conduct. Our speech and actions must be intentionally true (Proverbs 12:22; Ephesians 4:15), backed by the courage to keep our word and stand up for our convictions (Psalm 15:4). An old saying sums it up: “Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.”(1)

Discipline of Tongue

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless” (James 1:26). The true test of a man’s spirituality is not his ability to speak, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue!

Offered to God on the altar, the tongue has awesome power for good. There must be an ongoing prayerfulness and resolve to discipline ourselves: “Who keeps the tongue doth keep his soul.”(2)

Discipline of Work

We meet God, the Creator, as a worker in Genesis 1:1–2:2. Since “God created man in his own image” (1:27), the way we work will reveal how much we allow the image of God to develop in us.

There is no secular/sacred distinction; all honest work ought to be done to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). We must recover the biblical truth that our vocation is a divine calling and thus be liberated to do it for the glory of God.

Discipline of Perseverance

Hebrews 12:1-3 presents a picture of perseverance in four commands.

Divest! “Lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely” (v. 1a). That includes besetting sin, and anything else that hinders.

Run! “…with endurance the race that is set before us” (v. 1b). Each of us can finish our race (see also 2 Timothy 4:7).

Focus! “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (v. 2). There never was a millisecond that he did not trust the Father.

Consider! Our life is to be spent considering how Jesus lived (v. 3).

Discipline of Church

You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian; you don’t have to go home to be married. But in both cases if you do not, you will have a very poor relationship!

You will never attain your full spiritual manhood, nor will your family reach its spiritual maturity without commitment to the church. Find a good church, join it, and commit yourself to it wholeheartedly. Your participation should include financial support, but it should also include giving your time, talents, expertise, and creativity to the glory of God.

Discipline of Giving

How can we escape the power of materialism? By giving from a heart overflowing with God’s grace, the believers in Macedonia who “gave themselves first to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:5): this is where grace giving must begin.

Giving disarms the power of money. Though giving should be regular, it should also be spontaneous and responsive to needs. And it should be joyous—“God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). And Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

As we sweat out the disciplines of a godly man, remember, with Paul, what energizes us to live them out—“not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

  1. The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Second Edition, (London: Oxford UP, 1959), p. 405.
  2. James S. Hewitt, ed., Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1988), p. 475.

Specifications:

Case Quantity:120
Page Count:8
ISBN-13:978-1-68216-000-8
ISBN-UPC:1682160009
Bible Version:ESV
Trim Size:3.5 in x 5.38 in
Weight:4.52 ounces
Published:March 31, 2007

Источник: //www.crossway.org/tracts/10-disciplines-of-a-godly-man-2717/

5 Traits Women Should Look for in a Godly Man

Prayer For Christian Men To Be Godly Men

Today most stores employ surveillance cameras. It’s common to see a camera mounted in the corner or the ominous black half-spheres embedded in the ceiling.

Whether or not the cameras are on and recording, they are designed to make the general public a little more careful, knowing someone may be watching.

But, of course, security cameras still often catch people doing all sorts of illegal things.

These cameras reveal something we know already: People’s character is revealed by what they do when they think no one’s looking. That’s not a new concept. Thomas Macaulay (1800-1859) once wrote, “The measure of man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.”

If you are a single woman and are looking for a godly man to date and possibly marry, what should you look for? How do you measure a godly man’s character?

If you are a man who desires to faithfully follow God, what aspects of your character should you work to develop?

Let’s look at five basic character traits of a godly man.

1. Whom does he follow?

An important consideration is to look at those who have influenced his life.

Is Jesus Christ the primary influencer in his life? A godly man will make it his highest priority to follow the example of Christ (John 10:27; 1 Corinthians 11:1).

Whether he does so will become evident as you observe his daily conduct. No matter his cultural background, his level of education or his depth of experiences—if he follows Jesus Christ first, you will recognize it.

What about the people who have influenced him? This may include his father or grandfather, a mentor at school or work or even his buddies. Any of those influences can be positive or negative.

But once you understand who those influences are, evaluate the character of these people and how they have rubbed off on him.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

2. Is he humble?

Sometimes, humility is (incorrectly) viewed as a mind-set of weakness and self-loathing. But that is neither a biblical nor a healthy frame of mind. True humility is a strength, not a weakness (Philippians 2:3-4).

Proper humility is an important element in the heart of a man who will build and nurture strong and positive relationships.

Proper humility is an important element in the heart of a man who will build and nurture strong and positive relationships. It means he’s willing to listen and not arrogantly step on the feelings of others.

Peter admonishes us to “be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5).

You see, a humble man will be a good husband because he will forgive more easily, will be more patient and will work toward being a peacemaker.

3. What does his communication say about his character?

Is he careful with the type of language he uses? Profanity and taking God’s name in vain are all too common today. Rather than allow dirty language to infiltrate his own speech, a godly man will be careful with his words and follow the biblical advice to “let no corrupt word proceed your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29).

A rather easy measure of a man’s words is to take note of how he speaks to his mother, to children or to someone he doesn’t even know ( a waiter or waitress at a restaurant).

Solomon noted that a soft answer can turn away wrath (Proverbs 15:1), and also that the right words at the right time are valuable artwork of silver and gold (Proverbs 25:11).

Does he show appreciation, or is he sharp and critical, viewing other people as existing only to serve him?

Or does he have no words for them at all, simply ignoring them? Walt Bettinger, the CEO of Charles Schwab, related one of the most stinging experiences in his life. He had maintained a 4.

0 GPA in college and wanted to graduate with a perfect GPA. The final exam for a business strategy course was a blank piece of paper.

The professor said he had taught them everything he could about business, so he only had one more question: What is the name of the lady who cleans this building?

Mr. Bettinger said that was the only test he ever failed. He had seen her, but never taken the time to speak to her or find out who she was. He learned the lesson to always get to know the people who can seem insignificant to us.

4. Is he generous?

Generosity is not necessarily tied to how wealthy someone is. Some of the most generous people I’ve known have been those who have the least, but who willingly share what they have with others. I once knew a widow who didn’t have a great deal, but she always told visitors if there was anything she had that they needed, just say so and it was theirs. Her offer was genuine!

But generosity is far more than just money and possessions. A godly man needs to be generous with his time as well as with his praise and encouragement. Is he willing to give the time and effort to help where there is a need?

5. Does he get angry easily and frequently?

Another thing to watch for is how he handles frustration or difficult situations. Does he have a temper? It is difficult to overestimate the damage caused when we lose our temper. Feelings can be hurt, relationships destroyed, property damaged—all due to uncontrolled temper. Solomon warned, “Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go” (Proverbs 22:24).

A godly man works to maintain control of his emotions and applies the wisdom written by James: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19).

Of course, a woman who wants to marry a godly man must be developing godly character herself—becoming a Proverbs 31 woman.

And if a man wants to marry such a woman, then he needs to become a Proverbs 31 man. These five aspects of godly character are a good start and are essential ingredients of a Christian man of character.

To learn more characteristics a godly man will exhibit, read “3 Characteristics That Define a Real Man” and “Jesus Christ: The True Model for Manhood.”

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Источник: //lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/marriage/5-traits-women-should-look-for-in-a-godly-man/

6 Prayers For Finding A Godly Spouse

Prayer For Christian Men To Be Godly Men

Being single can be hard, especially around Christmas and Valentine’s Day.  It can be lonely watching other men and women embracing one another, holding hands and flirting.

  It is a natural feeling to want those kinds of things, and when we are single it can get lonely.  You can go to many different people and get many suggestions on how to find a spouse, but the only opinion that matters is God’s.

  This is why it is crucial that we take marriage to God in prayer before and during our time searching for a mate.

Here are 6 prayers that you can pray when you are single and searching for that special someone!

It is crucial that we take marriage to God in prayer before and during our time searching for a mate.

I Am Lonely (For The Men)

Father,

I am lonely. I feel everyone I know has found a wife and I desperately long to have one of my own.  Lord, You declared in Genesis that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18).  That is why you made a helper for Adam.

  Father, I long for the affection of a spouse.  I long for intimacy, Lord.  I long for an intimacy that will allow me to love my wife Christ loves His church, that I may give of myself to her so she will have her needs met.

  Father, I long for that sexual, physical, emotional, and intellectual connection that can be had with a woman.  I pray that You lead me to a woman that will love me for me, Father.  Lead me to a woman who fears You, Lord.

  Lead me to a woman who absolutely is in love with You, Father!  I thank You for Jesus, Lord!  I love You, Father!  Amen

I Am Lonely (For The Women)

O Lord,

Where are the men of courage?  Where are the men who aren’t afraid to say “no” to others so they can say “yes” to me?  Father, I so desperately want to have a husband.  Lord, I trust in You and I know that You have my interests in mind.

  Lord, my delight is in You; please grant this desire that is in my heart! (Psalm 37:4)  Father, I am lonely and I yearn for the man who will cherish me.  Father, lead me with strong hands to the man who will walk with me through the good and the bad.

  Father, prepare his heart and my own so that when we find each other we will know that this is only from You!  I love You, Lord!  Amen

Patience/Perseverance

Heavenly Father,

You understand my desires of the flesh.  Being single is tough, Father, and I pray that you will help me as I battle sexual temptation.  Lord, I want to save myself for my wife/husband.

  I don’t want to give away such a personal part of me to some woman/man that I won’t spend my life with.  Father, You want me to stay pure until the wedding day, so please give me strength when I am weak.  Give me a way out when sexual feelings bombard me.

  Lord, I need You to walk with me!  Thank You for life, Father!  May my life reflect Your love to others this day.  Amen

Don’t Settle

Dear Lord,

I long for the companionship of a mate, and it is getting so difficult.  I don’t want to settle for someone who You don’t want me with.

  I want a physical connection so bad!  I want to hold hands, kiss and cuddle!  I want hour long conversations at night!  But, I don’t want to settle just to have these things.  Father, please hear my prayer to You!  Guide me to a person who is right for me.

  Guide me to someone who loves You above all things.  Lord, give me strength for today as I continue searching for a spouse.  I love You!  Amen

Be An Example

Holy God,

Being single is a gift.  There is nothing wrong with being single, but I still long for a partner in this life.  Father, while I am waiting, give me strength to endure each day.  Lord, I am Your child.

  I pray that my life can reflect Christ to those around me always.

  Father, I will praise You in this time of singleness and I pray that You will be glorified in all I do this day!  May everyone I meet see You in me today!  And if possible, may my future spouse see me as well!  I love You!  Amen

Keep Dreaming

Blessed Lord,

I am ready to find a mate.  Lord, until the day comes where we meet, I will keep hoping and dreaming.

  I can imagine what our first kiss will feel !  I can imagine how wonderful holding hands will be!  I can imagine how emotionally connected we will be through long conversations!  I can imagine how attractive they will be and outshine all of the rest around me!  Father, I absolutely love You and I want to show that love to a mate!  Guide me to someone who will be good for me.  I love You!  Amen

Conclusion

I hope you have found these prayers helpful.  Stay strong in your singleness!  God has a plan for your life.  Give all of your dreams, hopes and plans to the Lord and let Him lead You.  He wants the best for you and that may require more waiting, but better to wait for a shining gem than to grab a tarnished jewel.  God bless you all as you continue to live a life worthy of the calling!

Related Reading:  True Love: How Do You Know When You Find It

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Источник: //www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/6-prayers-for-finding-a-godly-spouse/

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