HOUSE OF ROBERTS BLOG

We are camping out in 1 Timothy 6:11-14 for a bit and in this study, we are looking at the instructions that the Apostle Paul gives to men. Notice that all these instructions begin with a verb, reminding us that this walk with Jesus is not meant to be passive or stationary. We are called to be men of forward motion. Dad, you weren’t meant to be passive, you were created to conquer, to take ground, and in that forward motion, your relationship with God is formed and strengthened.

The next phrase we are looking at is to, “Pursue righteous and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness…”

As guys, we are pursuers by nature. How did you get your wife? You pursued her. How did you make the team in high school? You pursued it by training and practicing like a crazy person. Pursuit is a good thing. The problem for guys is many times we pursue the wrong things, that is stuff that doesn’t really matter or stuff that when we you actually get it, produces negative results in our lives. In 1 Timothy, we are given what we are to pursue…a Righteous and Godly Life, Faith, Love, Perseverance, and Gentleness. These are words that are meant to be synonymous with manhood.

Righteous and a Godly Life. Dad, you were meant to be in a relationship with God. It is the submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ that makes us righteous. Without it, we cannot be who God called us to be, and we cannot accomplish what God has created and called us to do. Dad, you are righteous not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus Christ has done, and you receive this righteousness by faith through faith. With that said, once you are in a relationship with God, He calls you to live a Godly life and that means living a life where you become like God. We live as He instructs, we follow His lead, we allow Him to define what is good and what is bad for us. Pursuing a Godly life is not about being perfect, it is about allowing your will to be conformed to God’s will and pursuing holiness.

Faith. Dad, you were called to pursue a life that requires faith. Many times, men become passive because we are pursuing a life that we can make happen on our own, and that gets us off track. Remember, the goal of following Jesus is not becoming more independent of Him but rather becoming more dependent on Him. That life is a life marked with faith. When was the last time you stepped out in faith to go after something that God put in your heart?

Love. Dad, love should mark your life. Your life should reflect the love that Jesus has for us. One that moves you to put others first, and that compels you to lay your life down. This love is full of patience, it is kind, it is not boastful or proud, it is not haughty or selfish or rude. This love does not demand its own way, it is not irritable or touchy, and it overlooks the offenses of others. That is the love we are called to pursue!

Perseverance. Jesus never promised us that a life with Him would be without problems, but He did promise that He would be with us in those moments. We are even promised that when we are weak God’s power is made perfect. Dad, that means you can endure through hard moments, and you can persevere even when things get challenging. I think pursuing perseverance is living a life that is not afraid to confront your humanity and weakness. Instead, you embrace those moments and turn to a God who will give you strength to persevere until the end.

Gentleness. You are meant to be a man of strength but that does not mean that you have to be harsh or overbearing. We do not leverage our strength to intimidate others, instead, because we are strong we are able to be gentle to those around us. That does not mean that you are a pushover, it just means that you know who you are and as a result, it produces a strength in you that causes you to treat people with gentleness. Dad, be gentle with your wife, be gentle with your children, be gentle with those who you lead.

Pursue these things, Dad, and watch God produce something incredible on the inside of you!