What Real Men Know

Good afternoon, everyone. Good to see you all. Happy Sabbath to everyone. Those on the web visiting with us as well. It's good to be together and praise God. Thank you to the chorale. Really appreciate the choir and all the efforts that they put in. Some of them will even be here this afternoon and hear the sermon twice. So they deserve some extra credit.

Really like the beautiful music. It's a wonderful song, having a servant's heart. And so really appreciate all the work that went into making the chorale a beautiful experience. So thanks to the choir for all their efforts.

About a few years ago, my daughter began to learn a little bit about what it took to have a baby. She came to me one day and said, I'm not having any children because it's going to hurt too bad. Of course, my first thought was to tell her that if her mother felt that way, that she would have never been around and that her brothers wouldn't have been there. But then I thought, well, she'd probably like the fact that her brothers might not be around.

And so maybe that wasn't the way to deal with that. So I thought, well, I'll just tell her just the way that it really... I thought it is. I said, yeah, it's going to hurt to have children. But then the pain goes away and you're left with this beautiful, wonderful little baby. And then you'll decide that it was worth it. My daughter took one look at me and said, you're a man.

What do you know? My daughters were straight to the point. And she was right. That's true. I don't know what it's like to have a baby. Anything I've ever learned about it was by my wife's experience or through other women in my life or maybe reading something or watching a video or things like that. The point is well taken. You're a man. What do you know? And that brings up our subject for today. You're a man. What do you know? What do you know that you can really count on?

What do real men know? I thought it'd take some time today to talk about three things real men know. What do real men know? Well, first, who I am. A real man knows who he is. And it's an amazing thing to think about for just a moment. What if you don't know who you are? There are so many men in this world who are always trying to figure out who they are.

What is life all about? They're trying to find that out and prove themselves. And it seems a lot of time is spent trying to prove yourself a man. But the problem is, so oftentimes that means trying to do that in ways that aren't very healthy. Unspiritual ways that men try to do that. Do you know people like that?

Many try to spend their life proving themselves worthy. And when you try to do that, it taints everything that you see. And so what does that make of failures? When you don't measure up, then it's a sign you're worthless. You're no good. You're not good enough. And so when you try to prove yourself in that way, you see every failure as another indication you just aren't worth anything. And of course, it also taints success. Because then success is something I've got to clutch and grab onto so tightly.

Because if there were ever any question about whether I was a man or not, I would have this one thing that I have to show that, yes, I am really a man. And so where do you look for approval? You see, when you know who you are, you know where to look for approval.

Paul talked about this to those who lived in Galatia. If you want to turn over to Galatians 1, right near the very beginning of his letter to the Galatians, he nails down this concept of what real men know. Galatians 1, verse 10. In fact, if you're a woman, it's not that you can't get anything out of the sermon today. Hopefully, we'll take it as applicable to ladies as well.

But Galatians 1, verse 10 kind of points that very fact out. Paul writes, Am I now seeking the approval of men or of God? Am I striving to please men? All too often, that may be the case. Of course, he writes, if I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. And so it becomes so very critical to know whose approval are we seeking?

You know, who do we belong to? Do we recognize this very fact? Am I accountable to anyone? Do I recognize the fact that I belong? I belong to God. I am His. And when I recognize that fact, I don't need the approval of men.

I don't need someone else's opinion. I need God's perspective in my life. I need to recognize that I belong to Him. That's who I am. That's where I begin. And there's some amazing passages that, once we recognize that, that kind of jump out at you. One of them is over in the Psalms, Psalm 100, if you'll turn there with me. Here we have an interesting song that points out this very fact of who I am.

And as a real man, that becomes critical as we frame our life. Psalm 100, oftentimes David is given this credit. It's not necessarily written here in that regard as the Psalm of David. But it's a familiar one. Psalm 100 starts out, make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing. So we did that very thing today.

But notice the bigger picture. The bigger picture of things, it says, know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made us and not we ourselves.

I think that's kind of a different way of saying real men know who I am. I am God's. He is the Lord. He made us. I don't need the approval of men. It's not by my own hand that I came about.

I am His. In fact, He goes on at the end of verse 3. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. So that begins to frame my perspective of who I am. And that determines then my outlook in life. Verse 4, it says, enter into His gates with thanksgiving into His courts with praise. Do I need men's approval or am I God's? Do I see myself as a child of God or am I seeking the approval of men? Am I striving for everything that this world has to offer? It says, be thankful to Him and bless His name. The Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting. His truth endures to all generations. And so now we begin to frame our life as a relationship with God.

I belong to God. My relationship with God frames who I am. And so a real man knows he's a creation of Almighty God. A real man recognizes that. And because of that perspective, it changes who we are. We live a different kind of life than the rest of society lives.

And that's a challenge for, I think, all of us as men, because we're not into relationships, are we?

Not usually. Usually men, we leave that to the women for relationships, right? We're more into things, you know? So if it wasn't for the car I drive, I wouldn't have any identity.

Well, some think like that. Some have that perspective in life. If it wasn't for the title, that was on my business card, I wouldn't have any identity. Yes, I'm definitely focused on those things. If it weren't for the amount of money that I make, then I wouldn't have any identity at all.

Or if it wasn't for all those little toys that I store in my garage, my idol garage, then I wouldn't have an identity. Or maybe it's the people that I hang out with. Who do I hang with? That's where I find my identity. But over and over and over again, God says, man, that isn't your identity. That isn't the type of perspective that we should have at all.

And we do have to fight that. We have to fight the fact that our identity is not what I do for a living. That does not frame our life, does it? It shouldn't. God says over and over again, that is not how we define ourselves. God says you should be defined by who I am.

Who do you belong to? We belong to God. God says my value lies in Him and that He owns me.

He owns me. And so, as men, do we trust His direction? Do we lean on His guidance? Do we trust His grace and mercy and love? You see, those are kind of relational verbs, aren't they? Grace and mercy and love. But that's a tough one sometimes for us. We oftentimes see our value in things rather than in this relationship with God and recognizing the fact that I'm valuable because God loves me, because He is my Father, not because of what I do for Him, not because of my actions, not because of those things. You see, a real man knows that God is with Him and he recognizes His dependence on God. And he also recognizes His limitations apart from God.

And so that's the challenge that we face. We face that challenge. We're, as men, we're different than women and that can be a very good thing and it can be a very challenging thing as well. I mean, how many of you guys love to shop? Not my favorite thing. It seems, well, some of us maybe like to shop for certain things, usually tools, right? We like to shop for tools. Or if I go shopping with my wife, I have this habit of disappearing sometimes, right? Anybody have that kind of, yeah, I do. I disappear when I'm with my wife. Maybe one time, yeah, maybe one time it was like, where are you? I get a phone call from my wife, right? Where did you go? It's like, well, do you remember that jewelry store where you saw that beautiful diamond necklace that was so wonderful and you fell in love with it? And I didn't have any money for it, but I said, you know, one day it'll be yours. And of course, my wife would say, yes, I remember that, my sweet.

I said, well, I'm right next to the Home Depot next to that jewelry store.

Yeah, we're different, right? We're different than women. And yet, to recognize our strengths and that strength, instead of just being macho strong, I mean, I got to feel like a man this afternoon when Sierra asked me to open up her bottle for her. It's like, yeah, give me that thing. I can open that. I'll show my manhood, right? We have that tendency to think like that.

And so we put our trust in our strengths. And sometimes we don't want to recognize our limitations, but a real man knows who he is, who he belongs to. And that also means there's limitations, right? There are limitations. John 15.5 reminds us of that very fact.

Let's notice John chapter 15. Verse 5, a familiar section of Scripture oftentimes we'll read this around the Passover time, around all of this whole section of 15, 16, 17. It's just before the crucifixion. And as Christ is giving instructions, he talks about—look out, guys—relationships. He talks about a relationship with God. John 15.5, he says, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit.

For without me, you've got limitations. That's what he says. He says, you've got limitations. Without me, you can do nothing. Well, I can open that bottle, right? Can't I? Okay, we can do some stuff, but when it comes to doing the important things, when it comes to doing the spiritual things, what can we do without God? What can we do without God's Spirit in us? Spiritually speaking, he says, we've got to remain with Him. We've got to abide with Him. We've got to have a close relationship with Him, or we're not going to bear the kind of spiritual fruit that God wants us to bear. And so it's about a relationship, isn't it? In fact, we skip down just a little bit. If you look down to verse 9, he says, as the Father loved me, I have loved you. Abide in my love.

And so he points to this fact that a real man is identified by a relationship with God. We belong to God. And sometimes we forget, I think that part of that is that we're defined by God's love and by God's grace. And when we begin to really recognize where our real identity lies, that it's not dependent on whether we fail or whether we succeed or whether we resign or get fired or get promoted, those aren't the kinds of things that really define who we are.

When we see that it's different, that we are gods, we are children of Him, we are members of His family, that He unconditionally loves us. In fact, He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on our behalf. And it changes our perspective. It should change where we see our identity, and that it has to be found in God. And so we take those things to heart, and it changes our perspective. It should. There's a passage in 2 Corinthians that I think points to this very fact. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17.

I think this is one of those passages that points to who I am. As we each look at this, doesn't this define who we are? Doesn't this begin to show us a different perspective?

2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17. It says, therefore if anyone is in Christ, or if anyone is in His pasture, if anyone is a sheep in His fold, if anyone claims to be in the church, or in Christ, he says, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. A new creation, a new perspective, a new mentality, a new reality. You see, that defines who we are. And so it might be one of those things we can ask ourselves. Do we live with a new perspective, or is it just in our own mind, in our own will, our own emotions? Because if we do that, well, you know, all too often our own emotions are damaged. We're hurt. We have our own...

But when we recognize that God has put a claim on us, God's put a claim on us that it changes who we are, and it changes even right down to our core of the way we think, and the way we perceive things, the way we treat others, and it's reflected in our behavior. And so when it comes right down to what we know, what can we know for sure? What do we know about our relationship with God? You see, do we really abide in Him? Do we really recognize the way that God loves us so then it's reflected in the way we act, the way that we think? I was reminded about this a while back, because it seems like oftentimes as men, we have to prove to others that we care by doing things or fixing things. And oftentimes it kind of frames our mind that there's a condition to love. Well, if you do nice things, I'll be nice to you. And all too often, that seems to be the way that we often think of God. Well, if I do what's right, then God will love me. Well, He wants us to do what's right, no doubt about that. But does God love us conditionally? Are there conditions on God's love or not? I was reminded about this a while back, driving. Driving along, got stuck at a stoplight, just kind of waiting, waiting, waiting. And I noticed the bumper sticker on the car in front of me. And at first I thought, well, it's kind of dumb. I'm not into bumper stickers. I know it didn't say beyond today. It was a different sticker. Actually, this sticker, after I began to think about it, it really, really struck me. And, you know, as I thought about it, it didn't seem that striking to begin with. But as I considered a little bit more, it kind of came to mind when I was thinking about who I am and how God loves us and how that should frame our life that we belong to Him. And here's what it said. The bumper sticker said, there's nothing you can do to make God love you more.

There's nothing you can do to make God love you more. Let me think about that for a minute. First, I kind of blew it off. Didn't consider it very much, but it was a long light. So I had to think about it a little longer. There's nothing you can do to make God... Was that true?

Well, God is love. Yeah, is His love for me dependent on what I do? Or does He just love me? Well, He loves everybody. God is love. He loves people. He created us for that very purpose so that He can exhibit His love and His care and His concern. But oftentimes, as men, we think, you know, we have to earn that love. But there's nothing you can do to make God love you more. In fact, He loves people so much, He loves everyone, and He wishes all would come to repentance. He doesn't want anybody to perish. Right? Peter said that. But He wants all to come to repentance. God loves us, and there's nothing we can do to make Him love us more.

But that wasn't the end of the bumper sticker. There was also a second line.

It also said, there's nothing you can do to make God love you less.

There's nothing you can do to make God love you less. And as I thought about that, it was very powerful that God loves us perfectly. God loves us unconditionally. And that perfect love is not based on our perfection. It's not based on anything except God Himself, because He loves us. And real men know that God loves them. They see their identity. We belong to God.

We are in His hands, and real men understand that relationship. And they want a closer relationship, yeah, of love with God. And that is a very manly thing. And God sees us through His eyes of love.

One of the things that I often think about is how God sees things as though they are, even though they're not quite there yet. And so many times when He deals with people throughout the Bible, He gives people a lot of credit that we sometimes think, well, they don't deserve.

And one of those people is Gideon. If you've got some extra time today, you might study a little bit. Go back to the Judges. Judges 6 talks about Gideon. And when Gideon was first called, God says something interesting to him. He says to Gideon, Gideon, the Lord is with you, O you mighty man of God. You go, yeah, mighty man of God. That's odd. Well, you know what Gideon was doing? He was working with the grain. He's working with you, mighty man of God. Yes, he's threshing. Wow, what a mighty man. Wait a second. He wasn't a mighty man at that point. You know, what's so great about threshing grain? But see, that's the way that God works. God was already working with Gideon to move him to be that mighty man of God. And I think that's the way that God works. When we see our identity, and it took a little while for Gideon to understand who he belonged to, but when he did, God used him very powerfully. And I think it's no different with us when we recognize as real men, and we know this. We know who I am. It changes everything.

All right, a second thing. Real men know. A second thing that real men know is an important aspect, and that is, what is my purpose? Real men know their purpose. Now, I'm not talking about the big picture. I'm talking about a smaller picture here. A real man knows what his role in life is all about. Why did God put you here? What are you doing? What are you about? Well, it's not about your job, you know, because all too often people, you know, try to go about their life to express themselves or fulfill themselves. But is that what it's about?

Or is it about a higher calling? A nobler purpose? Something was interesting in the way it was said to Solomon. King David was near the end of his life. If you want to make your way over to 1 Kings 2, we'll notice the advice of a father. Here we are on Father's Day weekend, and fathers always want to give their children some advice that could help them along the way.

Now, especially that's true, I believe, when you get nearer to the end of your life. And here, David is right near the end. He's right near the end, and he's giving his son important advice that hopefully could help frame his life. So what would you say if you were at the end of your life to help your children frame their lives in the appropriate way? Well, let's notice what David says. 1 Kings 2, verse 2. 1 Kings 2, 2. David says, I'm going the way of all the earth.

Or in other words, I'm about to die. I'm at the end of my life. So what does he say?

He says to his son, Be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.

Be strong and prove yourself a man. If you read this in the message, it says, Show what you're made of. Or New Living says, Take courage and be a man.

The Holman Bible says, Be strong and be courageous like a man.

That's not saying we got to be buff and go to the gym and lift weights and all that sort of thing. Of course, yeah, a lot of men see their identity in that. When you get older, if you forget that, that's not going to be the thing, right? Now, I did hear about a guy who went to the gym, and that was all about for him. He was working out, and that was his identity. Well, as he worked out, he spotted this cute girl across the way. He thought, well, I've got to really impress her. He wasn't quite sure how to do it, so he went over to the trainer in the gym, and he asked the trainer, he said, What machine should I use to impress that cute girl over there? The trainer kind of looked at the guy, looked at him up and down, and he said, There's an ATM out in the lobby.

I guess that's the machine that would impress her most, right? But is that where our identity is? You see, when you recognize what he's saying here, how do you prove yourself a man? Now, it can't be in all those things we talked about earlier. You see, for a godly man, because this is what it's a... Show yourself a man, a spiritual man, a man that's dedicated to God. Real men know their purpose right now in this life. They understand what that means. And Paul told a similar thing to those in Corinth. You want to turn to 1 Corinthians 16.

I think what David told Solomon and Paul told the Corinthians are intricately connected. They are, I think, some of the same instructions just said in different ways. Notice 1 Corinthians 16, verse 13. 1 Corinthians 16, 13. How do you prove yourself a real man? Well, at the very end of 1 Corinthians, as Paul is summarizing his letter, he gives, I think, a summary statement, much like David's summary statement at the end of his life. Notice what he says in 1 Corinthians 16, verse 13. He says, watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. It kind of sounds like those same words. Be strong, prove yourself a man. In fact, if you read this in the Old King James, it says, quit you like men, which sounds, no, it doesn't mean quit being a man. It's not really a quit yourself a man, a godly man, in other words. Act like a man. Prove yourself a godly man.

New Living Translation says, watch and keep awake. Stand true to the Lord.

Keep acting like men and be strong. And so, Paul points out this fact, that there's a direct correlation to being a man of God and being watchful, being faithful, standing firm for God's way.

That's proving yourself a man. That's understanding your purpose, understanding your calling, proving yourself a godly man, proving yourself in how we live our life now, understanding that purpose has to be reflected in standing strong in the faith now, exhibiting our faith today in what we do and how we act and what we say. Ephesians points to this as well. Paul probably had the same thought on his mind as he wrote to Ephesus. Go to chapter 1, verse 15.

Notice this correlation between standing firm in the faith, being watchful of ourselves and our own actions, and standing strong. Ephesians chapter 1.

Notice verse 15. Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I don't cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.

So here's a group that exhibited their faith. It wasn't that they're just hanging on for the return of Christ. It's not understanding just the overall purpose for why we were born, but it has to do with it exhibiting that faith now, showing love to God and love to man, loving their neighbor. I've heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.

So they're exhibiting that. They understand what their purpose is all about. Verse 17, he says that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. So he wants them to grow and continuing to develop that relationship with their Heavenly Father, with Jesus Christ, and exhibiting that love to others as well. And so he says we're continuing to pray, verse 18, that the eyes of your understanding would be enlightened and that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. And so real men understand the greatness of His power toward us who believe.

So it's more than just understanding it. We know it so that it's exhibited then in our life.

And Paul focuses on that very point that he's given us power, not just for tomorrow, not just for the kingdom, but power right now. Right now we've been given that power. Right now we continue to grow and prove ourselves men in growing in that relationship with God. And so we prove ourselves men. We are watchful because we are standing strong in the faith. We are being brave. We are showing that firmness in never compromising in whatever life brings us, which, you know, I suppose in one way is just saying we're a true disciple. We're our true followers of Jesus Christ. We see our identity in Him. And so it's exhibited in what we do, what we do now, what we do now. Real men know, what is my purpose? Now, how is that exhibited? Well, as we consider to think about that a little bit, it means we're bringing honor to God in what we do.

We're striving to live His ways. And actually then what God wants becomes what we want.

What His desires are becomes our desires. And we pray for those things. We ask God to help us submit to His way. And of course, we know He promises to do that very thing. So something we can pray about that we show that kind of love to others in the way that He's shown His love to us.

And we can do that. Oftentimes, as men, I don't know that we want to think about how God loves us, how He cares about us. But that's why God made us the way we are. He designed us out of His love.

And as we consider His purpose, it should be our purpose to love, to exhibit the kind of godly love to others and express that. And of course, that fulfills His commandment. We love God, we love our neighbor as ourselves. And so then we can express that. And so we can pray, God, help me to learn to love the way that you love. And as we do that, and we understand that, then that helps us to be watchful. It helps us to stand firm. It helps us to be strong in the faith.

All right, there's a third thing that real men know. Real men know where they're going. Real men. Where are we going? Real men know where I'm going. That's unusual because most men, well, you're going to stop and ask for directions. Usually not. I was, I read a survey a while back, I was reminded of this on our break between morning and afternoon services, that, yeah, men don't ask for directions, right? That's the whole thing, you know, and there's lots of jokes about that, but I won't tell a joke about it. But I do remember a survey. There was a survey that was done in England. It was by a British insurance firm, and they found that it's true.

Men will drive farther per year because they don't ask for directions. And it's, it was a survey that was done that was proven. Do you know how far they drive farther per year because they don't ask for directions? I looked this up on the break because I had to remember what it was. 276 miles more a year men drive because they don't ask for directions or lost their GPS. I don't know what it is, but they won't ask for directions. I thought, well, that's not very much, right? Because I'm a man, so what? What's the big deal? Well, then it went on to say that means over your lifetime something like you'll spend an extra $4,000 because you don't ask for directions. Okay, guys, that hits home a little more when you talk about our pocketbook, right? Well, do we know where we're going? Well, we should. We have real men know where they're going. Now, what do I mean by that?

Well, think about Job for just a minute. Did Job know where he was going?

Boy, that poor guy wasn't trying. I mean, what do you think of when you think of the example of Job? You probably think of that guy had the worst possible situation in life.

I mean, he was down and out, and then people kicked him when he was down, and he was discouraged.

Yeah, he was beat up physically, mentally, emotionally. He was going through pain and suffering. Even his friends put him down. I mean, everywhere he turned, it seemed there was just problems and difficulties. Did he know where he was going? He did. If you turn over to the book of Job, let's go to Job chapter 19. It's kind of jumping into the middle of the story, but I think it's kind of an important aspect of just looking at this example.

Looking at the example of Job, oftentimes we'll turn to the end of the story and read where Job finally understands certain principles that help him. But oftentimes we forget what it says at the beginning of the book, that Job had a lot going for him when it came to his relationship with God, and that didn't wane. He came to a deeper understanding, but all along he knew where he was going, even when he was down and discouraged, and it was in the darkness of all the difficulties that he was going through, his faith was still intact. And when you look at Job 19, notice verse 25. During this whole time, what does he say? Well, here in verse 25 he says, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth. So in all the difficulties Job was going through, he understood that purpose that God had. He knew the ultimate plan of God. He said, verse 26, after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another, how my heart yearns within me. And so he could see beyond his present circumstances, whether it was just horrible circumstances or not, he recognized that the difficulties that he saw all around him, that didn't define who he was.

And that's something we as men have to understand. Our full identity is not revealed in this world around us. Job understood that fact. He understood when Christ would return, he would be like him by putting his faith and his trust in God and not in the circumstances that surrounded him.

He knew that he could look forward to being a very child of God. And so as men, do we see that despite our circumstances, despite the challenges, does it change then how we look at the world, how we look at each other, how we ultimately look at God? Right? Remember Job's wife? She was really supportive, wasn't she? Why don't you just curse God and die? But he didn't do that. He recognized where he was going. He knew ultimately what God had in mind for him. In fact, the Apostle Paul capitalized on this very thought over in the book of Ephesians. Turn over to Ephesians chapter 3 verse 14. Because we understand where we're going, it should change who we are. It should change what we do. It should change our perspective.

And like it changed Job's perspective, it should change us. It changed the Apostle Paul.

In chapter 3 of Ephesians, he's going through some of those big concepts of the purpose for life. What is God's ultimate plan for each and every one of us? And Ephesians chapter 3 is one of those chapters that rehearse the plan of God. And when we begin to think about God's plan, too oftentimes we take it for granted because we know it, we understand it, we know what God's plan is, we understand how He's going to return and we will be resurrected or changed in an instant. We will be spirit like Him. He's going to reign and rule on the earth for a thousand years. We understand these things and yet do we look at it so that it changes who we are now? Because we know where we're going, does it change who we are now? It did for the Apostle Paul. Notice what he says here.

We look down to verse 14. Because of the plan of God, he says, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. He drew closer to God, had a better relationship with God because he always had this on his mind. God has an ultimate purpose. He knew where he was going, so it changed his relationship and it built that relationship.

It was a strong relationship and so he recognized he was going to be in the family forever.

And so it caused him to worship. It caused him to bow his knees. He prayed. He drew him closer to God because of his ultimate purpose. And so he says, all right, that's what I want. That's who I am. Verse 16, he says that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner man. Well, when we recognize that ultimate purpose and it brings us to worship and praise, it helps us to grow. It helps us to change. It helps us to put on his mind. And so he says, by that spirit, verse 17, Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you being rooted and grounded, there it is again, in love, right? There's that relationship we're built on love, that you'll be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the width and the length and the depth and the height, to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, being filled with all the fullness of God. Of course, pointing to that ultimate purpose, that we will be in the family of God, being filled to the fullness of God. We will be God's very children. And because of that very fact, because we know where we're going, changes who we are now, changes who we are right now. And so real men know where they're going.

Real men, then, are striving to submit to that spirit. In fact, there's a whole array of aspects that real men, because they know where they're going, causes them to strive after these godly things, because we have a relationship with God. We see that the only way we can be fulfilled, the only way we can be complete, is in Him. Colossians 2.10 reminds us of that.

Isaiah 54.14 tells us that real men know fear doesn't come near them, because they're striving after God. Because real men strive after God, we can have the mind of Christ. Philippians 2.5. Philippians 4.7 reminds us we can have peace that surpasses understanding, because we know where we're going.

1 John 5.4 reminds us we have a Savior, and because God is living in us, He is greater than the one that is in the world. We can overcome because of that. We've received the Spirit, not of fear, but a Spirit of wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1.17 reminds us of that.

We can quench the fiery darts of the wicked one, because we are striving after God, and we know where we're headed. That is, of course, Ephesians 6.16. And then we recognize, no matter the situation, real men like Job can be more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Romans 8.37.

What a reminder that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Philippians 4.13.

So being a man of God and knowing where we are going frames our life.

Frames who we are. Paul reminded the young minister, Timothy, of that very thing. His ultimate purpose framed his whole perspective in life. Notice 2 Timothy 1.12. 2 Timothy 1.12.

Will we make it into the kingdom of God?

Well, notice what Paul told Timothy. As a real man, he said, I know whom I believed, and I'm persuaded that he is able to keep what I've committed to him against that day.

There's a relationship with God. In fact, we turn a couple more pages.

Chapter 4, verse 8. 2 Timothy 4.8. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but to all who have loved his appearing. Paul knew where he was going. You're a man. What do you know? What do you know? What difference has what you know made a difference in your life? You see, it does make a difference. Who am I? What is my purpose? Where am I going? Those are certainly three things that real men must know.