6/19/2016 – Men of Courage

Men of Courage

Joshua 1:6-9   Be strong and courageous     (3x)

• The world needs men of courage.
• Self-preservation is the antithesis of courage. Greater LOVE has no man than this…
• Courageous is something all men wish to be known for – men heroes are warriors.
• This is why men do stupid acts of courage to prove their mettle to the girls. (today it’s sports)
• Men without a real battle become passive and video life’s events rather than get involved.
• Self preservation is not courage. It is a form of cowardice.

TO DEAL WITH OUR LACK OF COURAGE, WE MUST BE WILLING TO GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE.

• It’s going to take courage to conquer the promised land of our hearts!
• Pioneering that realm is the most frightening road of all.

A Man’s #1 fear is not death – it’s being exposed. Being known.     Wade Hugendubler

• Deepest question of a man’s heart “do I have what it takes?”
• His deepest fear is that the answer might be, “no.”

This is why men are so likely to struggle with:   (and How David Got it Right)

• Admitting when we’re wrong (Psalm 51)
• Allowing themselves to be seen (Psalm 139)
• Risking failure…trusting God (Psalm 57)
• Admitting they are afraid (Psalm 55:4-7)
• A man’s greatest fear of failure is relationships. That’s why men avoid deep, genuine ones.
  • Being a husband…a father…is to launch on the most fearful journey of all!
  • Both roles will REQUIRE exploration of the heart. …that’s why wives are our help mates
  • Or else we defend ourselves at every turn, rather than love with self-sacrifice.

To become the embodiment of courage, we must learn how to be vulnerable (woundable)

• Sword and shield down…the origin of the handshake
• The bravest man who ever lived was Jesus   His self introduction: I am meek and lowly of heart
• by learning to be vulnerable in our hearts, we grow back into being men who lay down our lives.
• Courageous people are people who live from their heart
  • Watchmaker’s daughter saving Jews from Nazis (Corrie TenBoom)
  • A stock trader saving his father (Ken Simon)
  • A software salesman saving a plane from hijackers (Todd Beamer)

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