Title
Prove Yourself a Man
Scripture
I go the way of all the earth; be strong therefore, And prove yourself a man, and keep the charges of the Lord your God.
(1 Kings 2:2-3)
Devotional
David, a man after God’s own heart, spoke these words to his son Solomon, the wisest man ever. Therefore, we would have to consider this to be wise counsel. And if it were wise counsel for Solomon, surely it would be wise counsel for us. We are to be strong. To do so, we must know our source of strength. Zechariah said it this way, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts”. (1) We are likewise called to, “Prove yourself a man.” This we do by being Christ-like. The apostle Paul said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”(2) The third exhortation is to, “Keep the charges of the Lord your God.” Therefore, obey the commandments, be a man of the Book, God’s Word, the Bible. Read it, study it, and above all, live it. In so doing, you will “Prove yourself a man.”
(1) Zechariah 4:6; (2) 1 Corinthians 11:1.
Text For The Day
1 Kings 2:2, 3: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God.”
Thought For The Day
“Men who are possessed by a powerful God can never themselves be impotent. But have we not robbed the Almighty of much of His lawful glory, and to that extent are we not ourselves despoiled? We have contemplated the beauties of the rainbow, but we have overlooked the dim severities of the throne. We have toyed with the light, but we have forgotten the lightning. We have rejoiced in the fatherhood of our God, but too frequently the fatherhood we have proclaimed has been throneless and effeminate. We have picked and chosen according to the weakness of our own tastes, and not according to the full-orbed revelation of the truth...” John Henry Jowett in Listening to the Giants
Questions To Ponder
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Why do you think that the Word of God is not written gender neutral? Why do you think that many new translations are paraphrased such?
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Is there to be the modern version of equality between the sexes?
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As a woman are you offended by being a helpmate? Or if a man, are you puffed up by being a leader?
Morning Study Guide
Defining: “Prove yourself a man” is not machismo, compassionless, or hardhearted, but holding to the character and nature of the Son of God.
Referencing: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ,” 1 Corinthians 11:1.
Applying: Find a model, a mentor, someone to imitate, and likewise endeavor to be that person.