It is Good to Be King

God, Man and the Image of the King

One of the most powerful images in the hearts of men is the image of the King.  The King is an archetype deep in every man’s psyche.  Kings still abound today whether we call them Presidents, Prime Ministers, or even CEOs.

This is because we’ve been made in the image of THE Supreme King.  We were mandated to work (develop) and keep (protect) the garden.  So we are also called to “rule” over a particular territory or “garden.”

What’s our “garden” today?  You might say it begins with our relationship with God, with others and God’s purposes in our lives.

Christ Jesus still calls us to have dominion over our lives.  How?  Here are a few quick thoughts:

1. Be defined by your relationship with the Father.  Don’t be defined by your work, your past or even what you lack.  Define yourself as a son of God.  If you allow others to define you then they can control you.
2. Get a vision from God for your life.  Kings need to have a vision for every area of their kingdom and for the future.  The clearer your vision the greater the direction of your leadership. 
3. Invest in the future success of others.  Our rule doesn’t last forever and kings were meant to raise up others to rule.  Who are you mentoring?  Who will take your place and position on the job, at the church and in your family?  There is no real success without a successor. 

Christ Jesus covered all three of these bases: identity, vision and investment.

• Do you have these three bases covered?
• Do you consciously think of yourself as a son of God?
• Do you consciously rejoice in being made spiritual royalty?
• Are you confident in your vision for your life? 
• If you have ever been mentored, who was the “king” that helped you walk into your own dominion?

Please post your thoughts below.

Your brother,

Minister Onorio

A Chosen Lifestyle, Part IV

A Man’s Relationships

Maintaining quality relationships doesn’t come easy for many men.  There are lots of reasons for this that I can’t explore in a blog.

But our Father calls us to be good stewards of our relationships.  The Holy Spirit will even send us back into existing relationships to renew them or to broken relationships to restore them.

One of the first things the Spirit of God told me to do after converting was to ask my father for his forgiveness.  My dad didn’t change but I did and our relationship was transformed.  Our Lord is concerned with us trusting him and being his vessels not simply getting our way.

I give this example because too many men say “Christ is the center of my life” but it’s not evident in our relationships.  For some Christian men their most important “relationship” is with their work.

That’s backwards.  The goal of the Christian life is to love God and to love others.  If we aren’t practicing love – or charity – which means giving for the sake and needs of others at the expense of self – then we are failing in life.

How should we develop and manage our relationships?

Here are two suggestions:

First, let’s define our roles.  Categorize the roles in your life (husband, father, church member, etc.) and then define the key people associated in each role.   Then prayerfully decide how you can intentionally fulfill your role from God’s point of view.

Finally, secure three key levels of relationships with other men.  The first level is having brothers that you can pray with, hangout with and simply talk to on a regular basis.  The second level is to pray for male mentors/role models in your life.  And the last level is to make yourself available to be a mentor.

This doesn’t have to be mentoring only other Christian men but a boy or young man in need of a consistent positive role model in his life.

Relationships need to be prioritized.  But work should never come before relationships.  And we can’t say we love God with all our hearts and yet fail to be good stewards over our relationships.

• So tell me, how do you prioritize your relationships?
• How do you cultivate and manage your relationships?
• In your opinion, do you think most of the men you know have shallow relationships?  If so then why?  
• And tell me about a time when God’s grace came to you through a relationship(s)?

Please post your thoughts below.

Your brother,

Minister Onorio