God has a way of showing us that we don't know as much as we think we do.  He will act to show us that we do not know better than He does.

That's what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar, who had to learn some lessons in humility.  Talk about humbling:  For seven years the king was mentally ill and roamed the pastures outside the palace and chewed grass like a cow.  After paying the price for his pride, the once self-centered king declared:  "Now, I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything He does is right and all His ways are just.  And those who walk in pride He is able to humble" Daniel 4:37.  In this confession, two words and one phrase are key for me:  everything, all, and His ways.  

These words speak to the king's new understanding of God's control and to the choice we must all make:  His way or my way.  Some men simply do not ask God, "How do you want me to handle this?" or inquire, "What does God's Word call me to do in this situation?"  The reasons for not asking those questions are simple ignorance or blatant ignorance.  Neither befits God's man, and both carry high price tags.

Taken from Every Man, God's Man

I was fortunate over the last three years to serve with our military in Germany.  My time there taught me two important lessons about being a gentleman.  One from a German and one from a U.S. Army Colonel.

I was on a German train traveling to a conference.  It was a bullet train and I reserved my seat (you have to pay extra to get a reservation).  When I got to my seat, a German man, a bit older than me, was sitting in my seat.  It didn't matter that there were other seats available, he was in MY seat and I had PAID for that seat.  I showed him my ticket and he got up and moved to an  empty seat.  What I didn't know was that he was sitting with his friends.  He moved across the aisle and continued his conversation.  I wasn't very friendly, I was upset that this guy could just sit in my seat.  But I put in my earphones, listened to my iPod and tried to not act angry.  As I sat there, listening to my CHRISTIAN music, God talked to me and said I was wrong.  I was full of myself and was not acting like Christ.  Finally, after several stops, I got up and went over to the man and apologized to him (in very broken German) and asked him to trade seats with me.  In perfect English, he said, "no, it was my fault.  It was my pleasure to let you sit there."  Now, I felt even more foolish.  This man said it was his "pleasure."  

On another occasion, I was at a US Military hotel in Seoul, Korea and I was standing at the deli, ordering a sandwich.  I noticed someone had taken the previous number and had thrown it on the ground.  I thought about picking it up, then I thought, "I didn't put it down there, I'm not picking it up."  I ordered  my sandwich and sat down.  Shortly after that, a Colonel came thru the line.  He saw the number that was on the ground and he bent over, picked it up and threw it away and then got back in line.  God spoke to me, He said, "so you thought you were too good to pick that up, huh?  Look at that Colonel.  Even though he is in charge and could have ordered a number of men to pick up that number, he did it himself."  Then I was reminded of the story of the Centurion in Matthew 8.  This Centurion was commended for his humility and faith.

So these two simple stories, I hope, help to spur you into thinking what it means to be a gentleman.  A gentleman thinks of others.  He doesn't get to thinking he is better than anyone else.  A gentleman doesn't think that he is above doing tasks that don't seem worthy.  

Yesterday at Target, when a woman ran over my toe with her shopping cart, I didn't erupt.  I told her not to worry about it.  When a man asked to sit next to me while I was waiting at the pharmacy for my prescription, I simply stated, "yes, it would be my pleasure."   

Are you willing to allow God to make you into a gentleman's gentleman?

Has porn taken you down a path you can't talk about?  What about lust, envy, pride?  Do you find yourself wallowing in the mud?  

You WERE a prodigal eating old cobs of leftovers in the pigsty.  To restore your relationship with your Father, you had to get out of the mud and start walking home.  You didn't have to clean yourself up first, but you did have to make that first step.  On the road ahead, the Father would be waiting with a ring, a robe, shoes, and everything else an honored son is meant to have.  But, FIRST, you had to come to your senses and take your first step  toward home --toward purity--toward holiness--to being a REAL man--by making that covenant with your eyes.  "I made a covenant with myself to never undress a girl with my eyes"  Job 31:1

Before long you may have felt a new light and lightness in your soul.  Your sexual sin had brought a darkness so deep and smothering that when it vanished, the difference was so real you could practically touch it.  You are loved and approved by God.

Along with inner peace comes an outer peace that affects your daily life.  Now is the time, say a quick prayer asking for God's strength to leave your sin and your pigheadedness.  

BE HOLY
BE A MAN

adapted from Every Man's Battle