Training4Manhood

Qualities of a Young David: How Do You Compare? (Part 2 of 2)

This is the description of David recorded in 1 Samuel 16:18:

 

Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.

 

Part 2 examines the first three qualities:

 

• Prudent in speech - do you use your words well, do you weigh them before you speak, do you consider how your words are being received by others?
• Man of good presence - how do people feel when you walk into a room - glad that you’re there, or not so much?!
• The Lord is with him - do you know that as a child of God, the Lord is with you and goes wherever you go, watches whatever you watch - is the Lord pleased to be in your presence?

 

These are great character qualities to develop in your own life - as Thomas Watson reminds us, you can judge a flower by its buds, you can judge a man by his youth!

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Qualities of a Young David: How Do You Compare? (Part 1 of 2)

This is the description of David recorded in 1 Samuel 16:18:

 

Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.

 

Part 1 examines the first three qualities:

 

• Skillful in playing - David practiced, worked hard, didn’t quit when things were difficult…
• Man of valor - David was a man of integrity, the same man when no one was watching…or everyone was watching…
• Man of war - David was willing to fight for what he believed in, to protect the name of His God, to protect the weak or innocent…even if it cost him

 

These are great character qualities to develop in your own life - as Thomas Watson reminds us, you can judge a flower by its buds, you can judge a man by his youth!

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

 

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

 

Men Serve Others (2024 repost)

Guest: Gabe Boyd

 

This is a throwback episode looking at one of the episodes that Gabe and I recorded talking about some important elements of what it means to be a man - this is the statement that we created to summarize those elements:

 

Men speak truth, serve others, love deeply, endure joyfully, and humbly walk with the Lord.

 

The concept of serving others embodies the idea that you see others and desire meet their needs even if that comes at a cost to yourself - this requires humility and an other-centeredness that is rare today - but so important for the maturity and development of a boy into a man!

 

The action steps that we included in those episode notes three years ago are still so good - so here they are:

 

Action Step

1. Take notice of those who serve you! Show appreciation to those who serve you… (special note - waiter at restaurant...tip well)
2. Take one person and find a way to serve them…

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

 

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Game Plan for Voting - Know Before You Go!

Primary vs. General Election

• The Primary Election is your opportunity to select the best candidate within your party to represent your party in the General Election
• The General Election is your opportunity to select the best candidate over the other party’s candidate to put those particular principles into action

 

What if you don’t want to “align” with a particular party?

• Example - you like Shohei Ohtani as a player and you want him to win - he’s currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series - for Ohtani to win, you are saying that you want the Dodgers to win. If the New York Yankees win the Series, Ohtani does not. Period. So, it doesn’t matter if you like the Dodgers or not - it doesn’t matter if you like party politics or not, if you want particular views and values to be advanced, you will need to align with the party that advances those views and values and vote accordingly.

 

What if you don’t like the Electoral College and how the President is selected?

• Again, the Electoral College is about winning a majority of the votes from the majority of the states - like winning 4 out of the 7 games in the World Series - it’s not about how many runs (or votes) that you get, it’s about getting the majority of the runs (votes) in the majority of the games (states).

 

Finally, what if you think that your vote doesn’t “count?”

• Doesn’t matter - it’s your vote - and you have both a responsibility and opportunity to cast a ballot - take it.
• Also, voting for candidates “down ballot” is tremendously important - not just voting for the President in this election.

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Dealing with Disappointment

Perspective

• God’s at work, you can’t see everything…
• Stop comparing yourself to others
• We are too often the heroes of our own story…

 

Prayer

• Ongoing conversation with God - help me see what you want me to see…and learn…

 

People

• Have a proper perspective of others - use the word “friend” sparingly!
• Take the focus off yourself - be a blessing to others…and you’ll be blessed!

 

Here’s what I’m not saying…

• You don’t get to write your own story in life - you are not the master of your own fate, captain of your own soul - sorry William Ernest Henley
  • But, regardless of what happens to you, you can control your attitude
  • I’ve seen hardships make a person better…and bitter. Choose better.

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

You Were Made for Something GREAT!

 

Jeremiah 12:5

“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

 

The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The Path to True Christian Joy - Tim Keller

• Learn to celebrate the victories of others - their victory isn’t your defeat…

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Your BODY is a BILLBOARD for God!

Everything physical is a picture of something spiritual…

 

Genesis 1:26-27

Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

 

In the creation of physical life, there is one who initiates, gives…and one who receives…

 

In the creation of spiritual life, there is one who gives (grace)...and one who receives (new life)...

 

Our physical bodies point to God’s design for relationship and redemption!

 

When sin corrupts God’s design, our physical bodies point to the coming Redeemer - God institutes physical circumcision, the cutting away of the male flesh to point to the Messiah, who is the Good Seed (semen)

 

The spiritual reality that corresponds to this physical picture is the idea that as the receivers of God’s grace, our hearts are circumcised and new life is created.

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

What's Your Spiritual Diet - Resolve to be Better!

Guest: Parker Panetti

 

Daniel 1:8 - Daniel resolved not to defile himself.

 

What areas of your life do you need to resolve to do and NOT do to be the man that God has called you to be?

 

Find some godly men and ask to spend time with them, ask them what things they would recommend you do to improve your position in life.

 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - The Cost of Discipleship - the way that I read Bonhoeffer is that the mediocre faith that so many have simply isn’t even an option for those children of God who have been bought with the blood of Jesus!

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Preparing for Critical Conversations

What is the goal of the conversation - to win the argument or engage with the person?

 

Biggest suggestion - learn to ask more questions instead of presenting more information

 

Matt 10 - be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves

 

1 Chronicles 12:32 - “understand the times” like the men of Issachar

 

Psalm 119:130 - The unfolding of your words give light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

 

2 Cor. 10:5-6 - tear down arguments set up against the knowledge of God…taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ…

 

Colossians 2:8 - See to it that no one takes you captive by vain philosophies and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ…

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

The Value of Work (Labor Day 2024)

 

Lessons from my own experience and God’s Word:

 

1. You don’t work for the pleasure of man, but for the will of God - Colossians 3:23
2. Don’t miss what God wants to do with your work - 1 Samuel 16
3. Hard work is a blessing when done to advance the kingdom - Joshua 14 (story of Caleb).
4. Leadership matters - Phil. 2:3-4 (Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others).

 

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.