A Few Good Men

Ezekiel 22:30
Ezekiel 22:30 "And I sought for a man among them, that should
make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land,
that I should not destroy it: but I found none."
Prerequisites to being a Good Father:
Being a man, functioning as a man, taking responsibility as a
man, thinking like a man, acting like a man, working like a man,
all of these are prerequisites to being a good Father!
You will not be a good Father until you are a good Man.
Its a dying art todaythere are not many in our nation
anymore.
Thank God we DO have a few good men herewe can always
use a few more!
THE MENS THESAURUS
(men dont always say what they mean) ladies, please allow
me to translate for your future benefit:
When a man says IT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO
EXPLAIN
He means: "I have no idea how it works"
When a man says "TAKE A BREAK, HONEY. YOU ARE
WORKING TOO HARD
He means: "I cant hear the game over the vacuum cleaner"

When a man says THATS INTERESTING DEAR.

He means: "Are you still talking?"
When a man says: "ITS A GUY THING"
He means: "There is no rational thought pattern connected with
this, and you have no chance at all of making it logical"
When a man says "CAN I HELP WITH DINNER"
He means: "Why isnt it ready yet?"
When a man says I CANT FIND IT.
He means: "It didnt fall into my outstretched hand, so Im
completely clueless"
When a man says I HEARD YOU.
He means: "I havent the foggiest clue what you just said and I
am hoping desperately that I can fake it well enough so that
youll not spend the next 3 days yelling at me."
When a man says "YOU KNOW I COULD NEVER LOVE
ANYONE ELSE"
He means: "I am used to the way you yell at me and realize it
could be worse."

We thank God today for the good

men Hes sent us here.
Good men are:
I.
Men Who Have Learned to Lean [on the Lord]

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean
not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
A. For Salvation (Eph. 2:8, 9)
Eph. 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not ofworks, lest
any man should boast.
We men are bad about trying to be in controlto make
things happen. Often ladies find it easier to rest in the Lord
and lean on Him for salvation. Its a part of a womans nature to
place themselves in someone elses hands. Its not that way for
men. Is that fair?
Jesus solves this dilemma:
Matthew 18:3
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and
become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven.
Children have that attitude of trust, even male children
but something happens to us once we begin to feel even the
slightest amount of thickness in our peach fuzz!
I thank God for a few good men we have here at Gracethey
have learned to lean on the Lord for their salvation
B. For Strength (Isaiah 40:30, 31)
Isaiah 40:30-31
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the
young men shall utterly fall: [31] But they that wait upon the
Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings

as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk,
and not faint.
Psalm 147:10
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not
pleasure in the legs of a man.
C. For Supply (Phil. 4:19)
Philip. 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches
in glory by Christ Jesus.
We all want to be the breadwinner/mighty hunter, but
ultimately we need to see even our own selves as being in Gods
hands.
D. For Soundness (Reasoning/Wisdom)
James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to
all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
This is the one of only 2 prayers any man can pray which
the answer is always yes! [salvation-Rom. 10:13-is the other]
I thank God for a few good men who have learned to lean
II.

Men Who Have Learned to Lead

A. Their Flesh (Gal 5:16, 17; Gal 2:20)
Galatians 5:16-17
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the
lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but

Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me.
Men, we have to lead our flesh or our flesh will lead us!
B. Their Families (Ephesians 5:23)
Eph. 5:23
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the
head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Headship isnt being the big bossits loving leadership.
God is no respecter of personswomen are equal in His sight.
Ill.bible says she is the weaker vessel. This is not an
insultrather, its a compliment to her. She is not less valuable,
rather, she is more fragile, and in need of strong, yet loving,
leadership.
Women are like fine silk. Men are more like
corduroy. [have you heard the news about corduroy pillows?
Theyre making headlines!]
Silk and corduroy: which is more fragile? Which is more
valuable? The answer to both questions is silk!
In Gods wisdom he has given each family a headfor anything
w/ 2 heads is a monster!
But this is not a privilege as much as it is a responsibility!
The hardest thing you will ever do will be a good husband and a
good Father to your Children
Eli could run the temple but could not run his family; I
Sam. 3:13
David could run a kingdom and lead men into battle, but
could not run his children; I Kings 1:5,6

Lead our flesh, families

C. The Fallen (to Jesus)
Hosea 6:7
But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have
they dealt treacherously against me.
[word men could be translated Adam]
Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned:
Romans 5:18-19
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all
men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the
free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by
one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Shall many? Not if we dont lead the fallen! Its why God
left us here.
1 Cor. 15:22
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.
Shall all? Not if we dont lead the fallen!
I thank God for our few good men who have learned to lead
III. Men Who Have Learned to Love
A. The Father (the Lord) (1 Cor. 13:1-3; 1 Cor.16:22)
1 Cor. 13:1-3

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and

have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling
cymbal. [2] And though I have the gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have
all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity,
I am nothing. [3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not
charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1 Cor. 16:22
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be
Anathema Maranatha. [accursed]
B. Their Families
We covered this under leadershiphow? When we said the
only real leadership is loving leadership!
Further: God admonishes every husband to "love your wife".
This may seem like a strange admonition to many. Some will
say, "If I didn't loved her I wouldn't have married her." Wait a
minute, love, as used here, means far more than affection. It
means more than emotional feeling or satisfaction. It means that
you or I are going to seek the welfare and happiness of the
person we are going to love, and lead them lovingly. That means
that my effort will be to make the object of my love happy,
secure, and comfortable.
This admonition goes far beyond just telling the husband to love
his wife as long as she is beautiful, lovely, etc:
Joke--A man was talking to his wife after she had done
something that he did not approve of. He said to her, "How can
you be so beautiful and stupid at the same time?" She replied,

"God made me beautiful so you would love me, and He made

me stupid so I would love you."
C. The Fellowship (the Church)
Eph. 5:25
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
The same passage tells us to love in the same way.
Rev. 3:9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which
say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make
them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I
have loved thee.
Written to a churchHe loves the church and so should
we!
Isaiah 43:4
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been
honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for
thee, and people for thy life.
1 Thess. 4:9
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto
you: for ye yourselves are taught of God tolove one another.
Matthew 12:50
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in
heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
[love/join the family of God]
John 15:5 [get connected]
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and
I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye
can do nothing.
Acts 2:41

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and
the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls.
Acts 2:47
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the
Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
I thank God for the few good men God has given to usdont
you? We need a few more, so how about you?
Ezekiel 22:30 "And I sought for a man among them, that
should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for
the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."
A Few Good Men
Ezekiel 22:30
Good men are:
I.

Men Who Have Learned to L______Proverbs 3:5

A.

B.
147:10

For S________________ Eph. 2:8, 9, Matthew 18:3

For S______________ Isaiah 40:30, 31, Psalm

C.

For S__________ Phil. 4:19

D.

For S________________ James 1:5

II. Men Who Have Learned to L______

A. Their F________ Gal 5:16, 17; 2:20

B. Their F______________ Ephesians 5:23, I Kings 1:5,6
C. The F__________ Hosea 6:7, Romans 5:12, 18-19, 1
Cor. 15:22
III.

Men Who Have Learned to L______

A. The F__________ 1 Cor. 13:1-3; 16:22

B. Their F______________
C. The F__________________ (the Church) Ephes. 5:25,
Rev. 3:9,
Isaiah 43:4, 1 Thes. 4:9, Matthew 12:50, John
15:5, Acts 2:41; 2:47