If we look at the life of Noah and examine how he responded to God, we can get a pretty good idea of the kind of man God is looking to use for His Kingdom purposes.  I encourage you to first read Genesis 6 and then look at the following four characteristics of Noah.

• God uses men who are available.  Throughout God’s Word, we see God calling, and then using ordinary people who were available.  People like Noah, Moses, David, Paul and Peter.  What is it that keeps men from choosing to be available for God?  Fear?  Lack of trust? Contentment?  I believe we all too often, focus on what we can’t do, instead of choosing to be available to do what God desires and calls us to do.

• God uses men who dare to be different.  We read in Gen. 6:9 that Noah was righteous during a time of great rebellion and sin.  Noah dared to be different.  He stood up boldly for his beliefs.  He was not trying to fit into the world or win a popularity contest.  Being righteous and blameless is definitely not popular in the world’s eyes.   Noah was not part of a majority in his time.  But, with Noah, God plus one was a majority!  Noah was in relationship with God and that gave him the strength and boldness to dare to be different.

• God uses men that follow Him completely.  In Gen. 6:22 it says, “Noah did everything just as God commanded.  In Gen. 7:5 it says, “And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.”  The two key words in each verse are, “did everything” and “did all.”  Noah obeyed without conditions –without excuses and without holding back.  And Noah built a boat without seeing rain or knowing what a flood was.  For Noah, partial obedience was disobedience.  Men, when we are not fully obedient, we miss God’s blessing.

• God uses men who never give up.  Noah was a man of patience, persistence, and determination.  Can you imagine how many days Noah didn’t really want to get out of bed in the morning?  I’m sure he was sick of hearing the laughter and words of ridicule as he continued to build the ark.  Noah was probably sick of the smell of wood, and tired of doing the same old thing day after day after day.  Have you experienced that?  God is often unable to use men, because they give up too soon!   A bit later, in Gen. 9, we read of Noah’s failure. He planted a vineyard, distilled some wine, got drunk, and got naked, and then shamed himself.  Yet, despite Noah’s sin, his name appears with others in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith (verse 7).  This points to God’s grace, mercy and compassion.  Failure is not if we fail, but if we refuse to get up…real failure is when we refuse to confess our failures, repent, and accept God’s forgiveness.   Never ever give up!

Men, let’s commit today to be men that God can use by…

Being available

Daring to be different

Being obedient and following God completely

Never ever giving up!!

Dave Deur

Men’s Pastor

Tags: Mens

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