~ The I.D.E.A.L. M.A.N. Acrostic ~
There has
been much spoken and written about in Christian circles in recent years trying
to describe the ideal man. Here is my
acronym for a Godly man.
Initiator
~ God is
an initiator! Think creation. Think the plan of salvation and the Cross of
Calvary. God is an initiator and we are created “in the image of God”
(Genesis 1:27, 9:6). Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, bears the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Christian life is a time of being increasingly conformed to the image
of Christ. “But we all, with unveiled
face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2
Corinthians 3:18).
Doer
of the Word (knows
and applies Doctrine) ~ “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of
the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a
mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind
of man he was. But he who looks into the
perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed
in what he does” (James 1:22-25).
Exhorter,
Encourager, and Engager (God’s
witness on earth) ~ “Preach the word! Be ready
in season and out of season. Convince,
rebuke, exhort, with all
longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been
given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go
therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and
lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Able
and Apt To Teach Others (spiritually
Alive and Active) ~ “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility
correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance,
so that they may know the Truth, and that they may come to their senses and
escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will”
(2 Timothy 2:24-26).
Life-Long
Learner (a disciple) ~ A
disciple is one who studies and learns from another. Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew
11:29-30).
Motivated
~ “When
the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels
with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him,
and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep
from the goats” (Matthew 25:31-32).
“All will give an account to Him who is ready
to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5). “For God says: ‘In
an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped
you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2
Corinthians 6:2). “There is no
fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves
torment. But he who fears has not been
made perfect in love. We love Him because He first
loved us” (1
John 4:18-19). Jesus said, “I must
work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no
one can work” (John 9:4). “And everyone who has this
hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1
John 3:3).
Authoritative (based
on God’s word) ~ “For the grace of
God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly
in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our
great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might
redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people,
zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with
all authority. Let no one despise
you” (Titus 2:11-15).
Mature
~ “Beware
lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the
tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not
according to Christ. For in Him dwells
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you
are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians
2:8-10).
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained
themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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