When I left the last post, I mentioned I would bring up the term “Adolescence.” This term is largely a creation of our society. It has to do with growth from child to adult and the emotional and physical experiences to adulthood. Culture plays an important role in influencing childhood development, and what is considered “normal” varies greatly from one culture to the next. Actually, most of what develops in people comes from the parenting skills of those that are charged with training up the youth. Encyclopedia Britannica published that American psychoanalyst Erik H. Erikson described adolescence in modern Western societies as a “moratorium,” a period of freedom from responsibilities that allows young people to experiment with a number of options before settling on a lifelong career. Without clear roles, adolescents may establish their own pecking order and spend their time pursuing irresponsible or deviant activities. This has become a huge problem for us with the fatherlessness I mentioned earlier. Adolescence is usually a period when the youngster has an adult body after puberty but it still immature. It is a time when the person would be involved in much foolishness. This so-called adolescence period is accepted in our society, a time of fun for young males, a time that encourages visionless men that are only looking for the next piece of entertainment or a chance to put another notch on their belt. This adolescence thing does not exist in the Bible and it contradicts manhood.
We have all the thousands of abortions and baby killings going on around us and our men do not care. All they care about is the escape and the entertainment choices they have. Even within the modern church today some men are not living a life devoted to Christ and are living the ME-FIRST kind of life and not caring about the women and children of the church. They are not preparing themselves for leadership roles in church and not ministering in a devoted and meaningful way. It’s all about ME_FIRST!
Jesus did not go through a period of Adolescence. Growing from childhood into a young man then into manhood. That should be the model. THERE SHOULD BE NO SEASON OF FOOLISHNESS. Raise young men to be “MIGHTY MEN OF GOD.”
Today young men and boys are playing games (literally playing games on their smartphones) while Rome burns!
They just don’t care!! They just don’t care!
And speaking of adolescence, I just got a little distraction I can’t go without mentioning. Surprisingly I bumped into an article on my browser this morning that was written by one Mark Manson and was titled “What’s the problem with Masculinity.” I saw that he had a number of sources cited none of which was the Word of God. He used a bunch of pretty crass swearwords (most of the media today think that is cute to do) and early on asked the question, “Why are men such dicks?” Reading his article had me pretty much dis-believing this was a male writing. He pretty much slammed the young male species as being cruel and used an example of a boy picking on a girl. Well, I am here to tell you there are probably more cruel young girls than boys as I have seen it. The girls mature faster and usually are larger than the boys and there has been no lack of girls picking on boys. My wife tells me stories about how she used to feed her little brother actual mud pies. Oh my… I don’t know where this guy is coming from. He wants to know why us? Why men? He asks if its biology or evolution or some other cultural issue. Well Mr. Manson could follow these posts and also read the stuff on the Masculine Journey for some answers. He actually claims the answer is both biology and culture. I agree about the cultural thing which is evident in my writings but there is nothing inherently wrong with males that is biological. God made man in His own image. Plain and simple.
Mark Manson says that masculinity evolved for socially-beneficial reasons that are not applicable to today. Again, I believe he is dead wrong. He says violence has declined. I say where? He says and I quote, “Male advantages in strength and expendability are no longer necessary for a healthy society.” Again, I vehemently disagree with that statement. History has shown us that the decline of masculinity and the loss of the warrior in the males of society will lead to that society being destroyed. History is there for the benefit of knowledge for today. Lastly, he says we are more conscious of women’s rights and equality with masculine aggression presenting economic and liability damages. To that I say how could we not be more conscious of equality and women’ s rights with it being shoved down our throats daily for the last 100 years. And the women are becoming the aggression group now. Little girls are fighting in the schools not only with other girls but boys, like has never been seen in history. Maybe Mark has not been paying attention to these issues or the female’s massive male bashing in our society today either.
Another quote from him is, “The male body is becoming outdated tech” is he off his rocker or what? And he says we need to evolve our definition of masculinity and bring new worth like honesty, integrity, emotional openness etc. You are out of touch, Mark, those qualities have always been important. But along with those qualities it’s ok to be man and it is ok for us to have friends that are a man’s man. Keep your sissy’s they need not apply here.
Oh, one last thing on his article, he said this, “Men are so emotionally incompetent without women, getting married is literally the healthiest thing a man can do.” Women are the most emotional beings on earth! And guess what? It is supposed to be that way. Are you married Mr. Manson? Women are historically the most emotional side of the equation. At the risk of making the weaker vessel upset I will simply say that your comment is pure hogwash and those female emotions are probably why the Bible says its good for man to remain alone if he can.
Well although it provided some entertainment for me that is enough on Mark Manson’s article.
I need to explain the “Five Imperatives of Christian Manhood.”
Remember the key verses: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.” (1 Cor 16: 13-14) Men this is an exhortation to you.
The five imperatives of Christian Manhood.
- Be watchful and aware of the dangers in the world. Protect!
- Stand fast in the faith- know what you believe and be courageous men willing to stand regardless of the cost.
- Quit you like men… Or in other words, ACT LIKE A MAN. Conduct yourself like a man should.
- Be strong- carry your responsibility and exercise manly strength.
- All things are to be done with charity. All the above things need to be done in the spirit of love.
“And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.” (Daniel 10:19)
Men, God will provide our strength. I will say more about this in the next post. Satan’s work is all around you/us and the devil wants you to fail so call upon the Lord for your strength and the devil will flee.
“Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.” (1 Chronicles 19:13)
“Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.” (2 Samuel 10;12)
Be of good courage, and let us be strong: Courage and strength are not matters of feeling and circumstance. They are matters of choice, especially when God makes His strength available to us. We can be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10).
“Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1: 6-9)
Men, God is saying, “Keep the law and don’t deviate from it for this is the way to prosperity and success. Observe it day and night and meditate upon it. As we turn to the first Psalm, we read, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law does he meditate both day and night, he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”(Psalm 1:1-3). Are you looking for prosperity, are you looking for success? God has given you the rules. Meditate in it, observe it, and thus shalt thou make thy way prosperous, for these are the rules to prosperity. These are the rules to success. So, the conditions upon which he can know the power, the presence, the victory.
Be in a partnership with God and victory will be yours!
We continue to ask what did the men on the Titanic know that men today do not.
Please come back for the next post as we continue this quest for Titanic Men,
God bless you all,
The Tubthumper