Are There Any Good Men Left Out There?

Are There Any Good Men Left?

As I read the profiles of women on Match.com (yes, I’m available), an often used line becomes increasingly apparent. This popular inquiry keeps appearing (usually at the end of their post regarding ‘who they are looking for’)… “Are There Any Good Men Left Out There?”

Yes, I am a ‘Good Man’, but it wasn’t handed to me on a platter! A ‘Good Man’ is a man who was forged into that state… not born that way.

Here is my take on what a ‘Good Man’ is.

What is a ‘Good Man’?

You say “There goes a ‘Good Man’”. Yet in the eyes of the Creator, there is NO ‘good man’ of his own accord or by his own hand. No. Not one.

1. Even the most benevolent and charitable men of their age will all fall short if they are Godless. Unless a man comes to know his Master, realizes that he was made to love Him above all others, turns from his own efforts, and then permits his Master to teach him ‘goodness’, compassion and love; that man has already received his reward. His wonderful deeds will not be remembered by the Creator when his time is finished.

2. A ‘Good Man’ is the man who knows he is fallible by himself, and in turn, unendingly strives to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Christ’s attributes include compassion, seeing the needs of His children and giving freely to them. Loving as a mother loves her child.

3. If a man loves his Creator and Savior, and desires above all else, approval of the Father, which inherently includes ‘How to Love’; then his Father in heaven can say, “Here is a ‘Good Man.”

What Women Want From a Man

The following is a summary of what I have painfully learned from a life ill spent.

What Women Long For:

Above all traits, a woman desires a man to be always truthful! To be immediately up front concerning all thoughts, actions and deeds of the man. This is the foundation for a successful relationship! A woman desires nothing less than ‘honesty’.

A woman desires a man who reveals his thoughts, his coming and going, and does not hide his intent or disguise his heart with false words.

A woman longs for a man who is attentive and takes a woman’s words to heart. He is not prone to turning away, or listening half heartedly (or not at all).

A woman longs to be acknowledged for all her works regardless of whether the works are of a charitable nature to others, or they are done exclusively for her ‘good man’, as in doing a kind, giving, and special act.

She desires to be complimented for her efforts to look nice or simply for her smile, and especially for any focused endeavors she has done from her heart. Failure of the man to acknowledge these woman’s doings, is a failed man. Such failure does not merit the love of such a woman as this.

THE BAD AND THE UGLY

I was a young man of confidence, yet a man who failed miserably to see all that I had been given. So much so, that eventually even that which I had was taken from me. I assumed that I knew more than I really did.

I worked hard with my hands, but lacked in wisdom.

I desired to be loved, but was naïve, and failed to realize that love is a two way street.

I foolishly assumed that the world revolved around me.

I was quick to accept (even expect) the kind loving acts of a woman, but came up short with regard to reciprocating it back to her.

I occasioned to hide my doings with silence or vague words, and ultimately suffered the cost and the loss.

I passed judgment where there was no authority given to me to judge, and which only resulted in the continuous renting and stretching of the very fabric of love.

THE GOOD

Above all things, I am humbled.

God, used my failings to teach me the intricacies of love, and instilled their attributes into my heart. Now I know what being ‘A Good Man’ demands of me. I’ve allowed God to remove the ‘amber clouds’ from my eyes so that I can see more clearly ‘How to Love’. I shudder as I recall my past. My heart is convicted to return to my foolish ways NO MORE! I may be forgiven for my past, but my past will always be branded into my mind, as a sign to remain vigilant in the ways of love.

Now my God may say, regarding me, “Here is my child who seeks me out, and is mindful to be ‘A Good Man’”.

Any love I receive, I do not deserve. Therefore, shall I cherish the one who would freely extend her heart to me. That Woman will be regarded by me as greater than the most precious jewel! She will  be my strengthener for all the days that I breathe.

See also article: Why You Can’t Find a GOOD Man; at http://davidisms.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/why-you-cant-find-a-good-man/

TIME FOR GOD

TIME FOR GOD

Read this missive if you have three minutes for God. Try to make it to the end. I almost deleted this email, but I was blessed when I finished it. Enough so, that I re-wrote it and converted it to this pdf format.

When I received this letter, I thought… “I don’t have time for these kinds of emails”. Then I got to thinking, “wait a second, this apathetic thinking process is exactly what’s caused much of the problems in our world today”.

We try to keep God in church on Sunday morning…. maybe Sunday night, and the unlikely event of a midweek service. We do like to have Him around during sickness… and of course, at funerals. However, we don’t have time or room for Him during work or play because… well, that’s the part of our lives we think we can, and should, handle on our own.

May God forgive me for ever thinking that there’s a time or place where He’s not to be first in my life! We should always have time to remember all He’s done for us. If you aren’t ashamed to do this, please follow the instruction given.

I paraphrase Jesus, “If you’re ashamed of me, I’m ashamed of you“. Not ashamed? Then by all means, pass this on!

Yes, I do love God. He’s my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning. Without Him, I’m nothing; but with Christ, He strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

This is the simplest test of your life.

If you love God, and, are not ashamed of all the marvelous things He’s done for you, then send this to folks and the one who sent it to you! Now do you have the time to pass it on? You’ve read this far. Keep going… you’re almost done.

Easy vs. Hard

Why’s it so hard to tell the truth, yet so easy to lie? Why is it we get so sleepy in church, but right when the sermon’s over we suddenly wake up? It’s so easy to delete a Godly email, yet we forward all the nasty ones. Of all the free gifts we may receive, prayer’s the ‘real keeper’. There’s no cost, but fantastic rewards. May God bless you just for reading this!

Notes:

It’s uncanny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell; or say ‘I believe in God’, but still follow Lucifer (who, by the way, also ‘believes’ in God).

It’s strange too, how we can send a thousand jokes via email and they spread like wildfire, but when we send messages regarding God, people think twice about sharing. In fact, when we go to forward this message, it likely won’t be sent to many on our address list because we’re not sure what they believe, or if they’ll get ticked at us for sending it. It’s rather bothersome to me, how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us? The disciple Peter pretty much set that example, after Jesus was arrested and he denied ever knowing Him.

My prayers, to anyone who has the strength to send this to their entire address book, that they will be blessed by God in a way special for them; and send it back to the person who sent it, to let them know that it was indeed carried on.

Rewritten and converted to PDF format to prevent alteration or degradation, by:
Douglas Leonard Duncan, brother of Christ, on Monday, June 1st, 2009

YOU Are Important

YOU Are Important

Whether you believe that God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are who they claim to be does not change the fact that they are, indeed, who they claim to be. One part of this precept supports the notion that the Bible is literally the inspired word of God. Additional support for this hypothesis is provided in II Timothy 3:16 and provides concrete evidence of this hypothesis. Timothy states that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” This point is foundational to the Christian belief system and to our healthy development as human beings.

Let me explain.

The Biblical character, King David, notes in Psalms 139 that our God, the everlasting presence, knows everything there is to know about us. There is no place where we can hide from God, and no thought that we can prevent Him from knowing. Actually, King David suggests that God already knows our thoughts, needs and desires. How does this relate to YOU and your importance?

Knowing that the Bible is the inspired word of God, and King David is right in his Psalms 139:14 narrative when he states that “for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”, then, before the beginning of time, God has known you. I suggest, no: I know, that YOU are so important that Christ designed your specific DNA before the Father actually spoke the creation narration. The artist Lindsey-Anderson depicts this concept in the painting on this page.

Please do not believe the doubts you sometimes have about your self, or what others may say or think about you. YOU are important! God said it, I believe it, that settles it! I love you.

Comments Welcomed on: 1, Who is the artist in the picture, and how do you know. 2. What are your observations of the pencil, 3. What is the artist drawing?

Dennis LeRoy (Sherlock)

Ref:

The Holy Bible. The Open Bible. King James Version. (1975). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Father, Son, Holy Spirit and; The Shack For Two Brothers Weblog

Saturday, May 31, 2008

I have been wondering, for several years, if there are other people who are convinced that the traditional teachings of the Church do not fulfill the accurate and true attitude, image, and mind-set of the Trinity. Specifically, why do we seem to separate the attitude and image of God the father from those of Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

I recently found a short yet significant read that is causing redefining moments in my thought processes. William P. Young (The Shack, 2007) presents compelling suggestions that we, as a Church, need to reassess the images we invoke when we speak of the attitude, image, and mind-set of the Trinity.

Traditional teachings seem to present that God the Father is a wise old man who sits in judgment. Sometimes we include the flowing long gray- or white-haired old man who wears a flowing robe. Usually we project a sternness of appearance, demeanor, and attitude. I suggest that many times we project God the Father as a proverbial taskmaster. Kind of like when we do something wrong (make an error, sin) look out because our error or sin has caused the Father to be angry. I suggest that the Father is not the angry God that Edwards (1741) presents in his sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Actually, the Father is quite the opposite. The second point of discussion is our projection of Jesus.

I humbly suggest that Jesus is not the epitome of a Jewish priest. My heart strings tell me that Jesus is more like the personal prayer partner or accountability partner that each of us should have, and, be to others. Yes, he is a priest. Yes, he is Jewish. Yes, he is the human form of God the Father. However, his role is not judgmental. Rather, reconciliation and relationship restoration. Biblical perspectives and stories suggest that Jesus is a hands-on, loving, caring, one-on-one relationship focused partner. His relationship with the disciples, His presentation to the woman at the well, His people-first behavior, His commitment to the Father’s will, are examples of Jesus’ dedication to people. In summary, we misrepresent God the Father and Jesus the Son as the good cop-bad cop cycle. The third point of discussion is our understanding of The Holy Spirit.

In short, I suggest that the Holy Spirit has two primary jobs. First, to commute between heaven and earth to present to God the Father, and Jesus the Son, evidence that we are behaving with a mind-of-Christ. Basically, to evidence that we are getting it right. The second job is to quietly convict us of our errors (sins). The Holy Spirit’s intent of conviction is to bring us into restored relationship that provides physical evidence so that the Holy Spirit may complete His primary job.

Young’s novelette presents a thorough review of our misconceptions while presenting plausible alternatives. His thought processes are interesting and Biblically valid. Enjoy the read.

 

Thanks for listening.
Dennis LeRoy Duncan

Edwards, Jonathan. (1741). Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Retrieved on 31 May 2008 from http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/sinners.htm

The Holy Bible. The Open Bible. King James Version. (1975). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Young, William P. (2007). The Shack. Windblown Media, Los Angeles, California.