Wisdom
New Links For The Making Of Men
by on Aug 31st, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Since taking a break in February, I have added many new web sites to my daily list of online reading. They will be added to our site in smaller bits instead of giving you one great data dump.
These links are being listed not because we agree with everything they write or because they concentrate entirely on the issue of manhood, but because they offer challenging thoughts to important ideas about life and occasionally, they discuss issues related to manhood.
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Developing a Leadership Library
by on Sep 10th, 2010 at 12:15 am
One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the mind. The brain’s capacity for learning is ridiculously great and most, dare I say all, of us would probably have to honestly admit at the end our lives that we did not utilize its full potential. There are many great ways to sharpen the mind: practice a new craft, engage in conversation or dialogue with others, travel to other cultures, and enter into relationships with mentors. However, of the many options available, reading still remains one of the most effective ways to sharpen your intelligence and foster discernment.
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Can Your Theology Withstand Harm To Others?
by on Sep 29th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
I am not a military man. My only experience with military matters comes from my collection of biographies, books, and journals from military commanders, ranking from private to lieutenant general.
One of the elements that I have learned from reading the words and works of these military men is that it was always easier to expose one’s self to danger than it was to order other men to their deaths (Napoleon being an exception). The brutal business of war required them to do their duty by making plans and ordering others to face death or mutilation while they watched or monitored the battle’s progress from a distance (Alexander the Great being an exception).
Facing harm and compelling others to endure hardship is not the same thing. The latter demands greater courage and surety of belief in a cause than does the former. While most of us will not command armies or face the brutal realities of command in the heat of combat, we, as men of God, will surely come to terms with this idea on a spiritual level. For us, the day will come when our theology will require us to ask others to face harm of some type for the sake of faithfulness to God’s teaching.
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Leadership Library Spotlight
by on Oct 1st, 2010 at 4:10 am
Book: The Kingdom of the Cults
Author: Walter Martin
A couple of years ago, my wife and I visited some close friends at their apartment. As I was walking inside, I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, some men who were going door-to-door to the apartments across the street. Mormon missionaries.
My friend and I almost started drooling at the mouth when we thought of the reaction they would give when they came to our door and discovered that they had come to the home of a Bible professor and Bible teacher. Now, I have to admit that I have since been convicted by my prideful urges that surfaced on that afternoon, but I am also disappointed that they never crossed over to our side of the street. I enjoy talking with Mormon missionaries and am ready to both reveal the inconsistencies of the claims of Mormonism partnered with the consistencies of the claims of Jesus.
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Manhood On The Mind
by on Oct 4th, 2010 at 12:20 am
Peak foliage season has arrived in my area and I hope to get out and enjoy watching every part of it. I’m grateful to God that I have no worry about His ability to provide even as winter approaches. The leaves, beautiful even in death, do not mark the end of God’s faithfulness as much as they remind me of the surety of spring.
Beyond that, I’ll also read. Here are some good articles from this past week:
“Answer Every Defense for Abortion,” by Stand to Reason Blog
I am interested in the material provided in this blog and this may be a good introduction to what they offer. Men of God need to get engaged in the fight against abortion. This resource can get you started on the road to understanding what people are arguing and why arguments in favor of abortion ultimately crumble.
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Manhood On The Mind
by on Oct 25th, 2010 at 1:20 am
This week will be a busy one for the McCune household. My son turns one and we’re putting together a party for him. My dad and I are also hoping for one last blast of warm weather so we can put a finishing touch (or in my case, shank, hook, whiff, pull, or push) to the 2010 golf season. To do these things, I’m going to have to work harder on the front end of the week. Now to the news:
“The Freedom of Loving Others” by Jonathan Parnell
Jonathan Parnell, of Desiring God Ministries, brings to mind the thoughts of Martin Luther on loving others as he listened to Francis Chan’s message at their National Conference. I have not listened to Chan’s message, but the quote from Luther is a challenging reminder of the real usefulness of our freedom in Christ.
“Claiming to Be Wise, He Became a Fool” by Kevin DeYoung
Success can be enticing and even more destructive to our ultimate good than struggle or failure. This article will help us focus on what matters more, our name or Christ’s. As he says, “We all have Herod in our hearts …. We love the fame of our name more than the Lord’s.”
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Leadership Library Spotlight
by on Nov 19th, 2010 at 1:00 am
www.preceptaustin.org
For the past several months, I have been posting book reviews for you to the neglect of providing some excellent links as well. Links would probably be a better option for broke college students since they are free! So, let’s play catch up (sort of) with a link that could strengthen your walk with God and be helpful as a tool for sharpening your masculinity on the rock of God’s Word.
Bruce Hurt has provided a site that is definitely more substance in nature than style. Preceptaustin is the name of the site and it includes several features that can serve as a free Bible study resource for you.
One of the most useful pages on his site is the “Commentaries by Verse” page. Here, you can find the Bible verse or passage of choice, click on it, and be introduced to dozens of articles that are relevant to that particular portion of Scripture. Many of these articles are pubic domain, meaning advanced in age, but there are some modern authors who have given him permission to post their sermon notes, commentaries, and studies on the site.
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This Week's Brain Food
by on Nov 22nd, 2010 at 12:10 am
TheMakingofMen will be observing a shortened week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. I hope you are able to enjoy it as well. Gratefulness and thanksgiving is supposed to marinate our worship and prayer as we celebrate God and His faithfulness to us. I challenge you to enter into this period of thanksgiving with that in mind.
Now for some articles:
“You’re Fooling Yourself” by Paul Tripp
Paul Tripp’s article exposes four ways that we succumb to the foolishness of sin, and all of them are targeted at the way we see ourselves and those around us. I was rebuked and encouraged by his counsel.
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Lessons Of Manhood From The Minor Prophets: Hosea
by on Nov 22nd, 2010 at 9:30 pm
For the past few months, I have been teaching the Minor Prophets in one of the Bible classes at my church called “Majoring on the Minors.” As I have been working through the text, I have learned several lessons that challenge me as a man in addition to the challenges that come as a child of God.
I believe that the most important gem to mine from a passage of Scripture is what the text tells me about the character and person of God. Racing to find personal applications or principles for my life first will lead to missing the most valuable lessons from the Bible. Therefore, what I am about to share is not the principle lessons or ideas of Hosea. They are second, perhaps even third, in line to other vitally important lessons about God and His expectations as revealed in the text.
We don’t have the right to twist the text or create our own meaning from Scripture. The truth is not ours to create, but God’s to claim. However, I believe that the lessons that I am about to share are still fair to the text.
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Man-Food For The Brain
by on Nov 28th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I spent several days completely unplugged from 21st-century technology: no social media, no computers, no network, and no news. Time was invested in hanging out with family and friends, and I loved it.
Yet, it’s time to return to work and world outside my living room. Here are some articles to get readjusted:
“Manna in the Morning” by Tim Challies
I found Tim Challies’ thoughts on God’s provision to be challenging to me. I am consistently tempted to worry and hurry to gather what I need for tomorrow at the expense of focusing on what God would have me do for today. A lot of energy is wasted in worry for me, and I’m glad that, at the very least, I’m not alone in having to train the heart toward trust in God’s provision. Perhaps, you’ll see yourself in the article.