There is a reason that the Boyscout motto is “Be Prepared”. Even the Boyscouts of America have always recognized that good men are prepared men.
I bet you will agree with me when I tell you that the average Christian man is NOT prepared, and is not preparing others.
1 Corinthians 14:8 “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”
- Are you a prepared biblical man?
- Are you prepared for life?
- Are you prepared for the future?
- Are you preparing your family and others?
As a biblical man, it is part of our role to be ready for life, ready for the future, and to prepare those whom we lead.
The authentic biblical man is prepared eternally through personal salvation in Christ and is reconciled with God the Father through Jesus as his Savior, and he is diligently preparing his family in the same way.
He is prepared to provide for his family, and he is prepared mentally, emotionally, and physically to take on whatever life brings his way.
It is also his duty to prepare his children to follow Christ, no matter what may come in life.
This world is unpredictable, but God is not, He is our anchor.
With all that is happening in the world today, it is important for us to be prepared. The times we live in are tumultuous and unpredictable.
As biblical men, we need to be prepared both spiritually and physically for the unexpected.
Prepare Yourself To Be A Godly Man
Theodore Roosevelt said “We do not admire the man of timid peace. We admire the man who embodies victorious effort; the men who never wrongs his neighbor, who is prompt to help a friend, but who has those virile qualities necessary to win in the stern strife of actual life.”
The biblical man always must be ready to handle anything that comes his way.
He must be strong yet gentle, confident yet humble, capable yet teachable, durable yet tender, and firm yet gracious.
Biblical men must rise above pettiness, gossip, and childish squabbles, to provide a fatherly example of leadership and godliness, and while sincerely concerned for his family, not get caught up in the occasional drama of their women and children.
He must be a good provider, a strong protector, and a constant promoter of biblical virtues.
Godly men must exhibit the Heavenly Father in their lives, to their families, and to others. He can only do that by knowing our Heavenly Father deeply, loving Him sincerely, and following Him fully.
Therefore we must be disciplined, and force ourselves to deny the spiritual laziness of our flesh, and exercise masculine godliness by committing to read His Word daily and pray daily for what really matters – not just saying it, but DOING it!!!
With fixed physical infirmities being the only exception, I believe the Biblical Man must be SPIRITUALLY SOLID, MENTALLY SHARP, PHYSICALLY STRONG, and EMOTIONALLY STABLE.
This is our aim, our goal, our mission, and our mantra.
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” ~ Mark 12:30
Every Christian man must start from where he is right now, and move daily towards becoming that man!
Even with all our shortcomings, our failures, our weaknesses, and our faults, we must begin to take man-sized steps towards becoming all that God the Father has called us to be.
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:11
It is time for Christian men to put away childish things, and to start speaking, thinking, and acting like biblical men.
We do not follow women, we do not act like children, we do not seek self-gratification, no, we follow Christ!
We see the need and take the lead, we proclaim the truth, stand on the rock of ages, and gather our strength and resolve from being on our knees in prayer to the King of Kings!
1. Prepare Yourself By Preparing Your Family
The scriptures clearly instruct us to teach our children about the Lord; His ways, laws, principles. values and virtues.
It is in our job description to help our children learn the importance of being obedient to Christ, and the value of honoring God our Creator.
As a father, it is your God-given duty to prepare your children to follow Christ, no matter what may come in life.
The best way to guide your children to follow God is through your personal example.
If your children can see that you follow the Lord in all seasons, and are not a fair-weather Christian, then they will in all likelihood, follow your example.
Teach them how to pray from the time they are young, so they will grow up in communion with Christ.
Then, they learn to go to God themselves, that they can depend on Him as a steady anchor in their lives.
Take time to pray with each individual child, for their particular needs or concerns, and make prayer a big part of their lives.
Pray with your children at mealtimes, bedtime, before tests, sports tryouts, trips, and any event they are involved with.
By making prayer part of your daily life, it shows them how important it is in the life of a Christian.
Lead your children, as they grow up, to love and revere God, and know that God has a vision and purpose in their lives.
2. Prepare Yourself Through Leadership
Preparing your children for the future requires your spiritual leadership. It is more than teaching them the Bible, it is bringing it to life with our daily application of the Bible to our lives.
Lead them through life, and talk often about everything that God has done and continues to do in your life.
Highlight how God continues to show Himself in their lives, and discuss His qualities that are apparent all around us.
Talk of how God continues to provide for your needs, and the numerous miraculous ways that the Lord always comes through for you.
It is important for your children to know that God has a plan for their lives, and as we are told in the book of Jeremiah, those plans are for a hopeful future.
3. Prepare Yourself Through Faithfulness
Your faithfulness to God, and to the things that matter to God, are the platform on which you lead and prepare your family. If you are double-minded about this, your family will not only notice, but they will suffer because of your lack.
You may readily admit your lack, but remember what it says in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Excuses don’t cut it with God!
Your children may not always want to go to church, go anyway. They may not want to have family devotions, have them anyway. It is your role as a Christian father to teach them what faithfulness looks like.
Help them understand that they can enjoy their lives, and have plenty of fun, and still be faithful to God.
Point out to them the special future that waits for them, both in this life, and in Heaven, and how vital having God’s involvement in their lives is today.
4. Prepare Yourself Through Hardship
It’s important for your children to understand that the Christian life is not going to be easy. It is just as hard for the Christian as for anyone else.
Matthew 5:45 “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Prepare your children for the trials and tribulations they are bound to encounter in the course of their Christian journey, and teach them the value and purpose that those hardships serve in their lives.
James 1:2-4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Prepare them to understand that God sometimes allows trials, but this does not mean that He does not love us.
Trials are meant to train us to depend on him and cast our burdens upon Him; because although the world is unpredictable, God is not, He is our anchor.
The trials are meant to correct and refine our character, and strengthen our Christian faith, drawing us closer to God.
Choosing God’s way may not always be popular, but with faith and patience, we will have great joy, purpose, and happiness in life.
By helping your children become aware of this in a real and practical way, they will be better prepared, and their spiritual faith and confidence in Christ will increase.
Although the world may seem bleak and full of suffering, make it a point to show them that even despite this, life can be fulfilling and greatly rewarding.
5. Prepare Yourself Through Charity
Charity, as they say, begins at home. Make it a family activity and encourage every member of your family to participate in volunteer activities, and plant in them, the seeds of generosity, empathy, and compassion.
Encourage them to donate their toys, time, or money, and explain to them the importance of giving, and how rewarding charity is.
Praise them whenever they do something generous or are empathetic to others, this will prepare them to make their world, a better place, and give them a better testimony for Christ.
Charity work will help teach your children, that they are part of a larger community, and it brings home the lesson of authentic biblical love.
1 Peter 4:8 “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
Preparing yourself, and your family through charity, will instill humility and compassion in your family, and give them a feeling of empowerment in a world full of tragedy and uncertainties. BE A PREPARED BIBLICAL MAN!