HOW DO I BECOME THE MAN GOD WANTS ME TO BE?
Part I
Have you ever wondered what kind of man God wants you to be and how he intends you to get there?
Life in the 21st century seems confusing with so many opportunities and activities. I want to live a worthwhile life–one with purpose. But how do I do that? How do I go to bed at night pleased with my progress today, confident I contributed. In short, so I can say it was a GOOD DAY?
I believe the foundation to answering these questions is believing in and following Jesus.
I grew up in a nominally Christian home. When I left home, I left any idea of becoming a Christian. By the time I was 25, I had most of the measures of secular success–a beautiful wife, two exciting young children, a great job, a four-bedroom house on a wooded lot and two cars–but there was something missing–sense of purpose or meaning to life.
Over dinner with a colleague who had been a part of Campus Crusade of Christ, I got answers to my questions. A few days later I placed my trust in Jesus for my salvation and promised to follow him. I’ve never looked back. The joy, purpose and challenges of being a Christian has brought me a most satisfying life.
In this series of blogs, I want to answer the question, “How do I become the man God wants me to be?” In today’s message I’ll answer broadly. Then we’ll work through in more detail.
At BaseCamp USA we take textbook answers into the field and turn them into reality. We build survival huts, run adventure races, rappel cliff faces, climb rock formations, and do team building exercises. We let each man lead.
All these activities build confidence and self-esteem. And teach us how a team working together toward a common goal can work wonders.
We live in tents, cook over an open fire, and lie out looking at the stars. We build skills we didn’t think we’d ever have. We talk about important topics of life around the campfire–dating, marriage, education, faith, finding a career.
Our whole camp experience is built around answering” ” How do I become the man God wants me to be?”
So let’s get started.
GOD EXISTS
Hudson Taylor, the 19th century missionary to China, told us if we have faith in these three things, all else will follow–
- There is a God.
- He spoke to us in the Bible.
- He means what He says.
Answering our “How do I become…” question is based on your belief God exists or your desire to learn about God.
If you believe He exists, then you give life to Him by placing your trust in Jesus Christ.
WHAT HAPPENS THE MOMENT YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS?
When you give your life to Christ, what happens?
- Your sins are forgiven.
- You become a part of the Kingdom of God.
- You have eternal life with Jesus.
- You are a child of God.
- You are a citizen of Heaven.
- The Holy Spirit dwells within you.
THEN WHAT’S EXPECTED OF YOU?
To become the man or woman God wants you to be.
To start the path to spiritual maturity.
HOW DOES THE BIBLE DEFINE WHAT A MAN SHOULD BE?
In Lt.Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin and Kenyn Cureton’s book Strong & Courageous, man is defined through 5 roles:
- Provider
- Instructor
- Defender
- Battle buddy
- Chaplain
We’ll look at each of these in more depth in later messages.
Building young men into these roles is what we do at BaseCamp USA.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY “A PATH TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY?”
From the point you become a Christian, you can move in one of these ways–
- Be an on-again, off-again Christian.
- Be a regular attender and work on some church programs.
- Grow spiritually and do great things for the Lord.
No doubt He wants you to be #3. Spiritual maturity is the underpinning for being the man God wants you to be. In other words, A REAL MAN!
WHAT IS THE PATH TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY?
Dale Linebaugh, our founding pastor, suggests 12 steps to spiritual maturity–
- Salvation experience.
- Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
- Baptism.
- Motivational gifts.
- Spiritual disciplines.
- Assurance of salvation.
- Witnessing for the Lord.
- Bearing fruit for God.
- There is an enemy.
- Spending time with God.
- Making disciples.
- Rewards-crowns.
WHAT IS THE BENEFITS TO ME TO BE THE MAN GOD WANTS ME TO BE?
I’m assuming you’ve given your life to Christ or you’re seeking Him. Once you give your life to Christ, then your goal is to be the man God wants you to be–as much like Jesus as possible.
If you do, you’re likely to lead a richly rewarding life. You’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re doing the right thing.
And, in the end, you’ll enjoy eternity with Jesus.
You’ll have an anchor point in life–the Bible–to refer to. It will give you the principles to live by and solutions to your problems.
And you will have the Holy Spirit to give you guidance, wisdom and power.
WHAT’S NEXT?
We’ll get into more detail about what we’ve discussed.
Along the way we’ll cover building your self-confidence, overcoming any lack of self-esteem, building on your strengths and skills.
But the best thing would be for you to come visit us at BaseCamp USA!
Submitted by: Jim Kackley
