I played golf with a man who missed almost every putt … he kept complaining, “Man, I never get any luck.”
Have you ever thought the negative: “That’s just my luck.” Albert King, the great blues artist, said it this way, “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all.”
That sometimes seems like our reality, but that doesn’t mean it’s true.
As men of God who follow Jesus—whose lives are based on the bedrock of God’s Word—we don’t have to bow to negative, destructive thoughts or believe reports about disasters of all kinds overtaking us. As men who follow Jesus, we have hope. Jesus didn't teach us to avoid the world. He never said, “Hide until the storm passes.”
Jesus said instead, “Don’t be anxious. There will be storms. Take courage - I have overcome the world. I am the peace in the middle of the storm.” (Read Matthew 14, Mark 4, Philippians 4.)
C.S. Lewis wrote, “Hope is one of the theological virtues.” He said that looking forward to the eternal world is not escapism. It is the ultimate reality.
Hope is more real than any news report.
Hope is defiance against the negative forces of this world.
Hope is the cure for the negativity surrounding you.
Hope is what a Christian man is meant to do.
Hope is seeing the Kingdom of heaven here and now.
Hope looks at a nation shaking under the weight of rebellion and says, “Revival is possible.”
Hope looks at a broken man and says, “Jesus can restore him.”
Hope looks at a confused son and says, “God can call his name.”
Hope looks at an addict and says, “That man can be sober.”
Hope looks at dry bones and speaks life in the name of Jesus.
Hope says, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
Men from across the nations are rising because hope is being preached.
As stalwart men, men who are discipled in God’s Word, we do not bow to the negativity of the world around us. CMN men stand stalwart against the negative screech.
Our part is to rise up with our brothers. Stand with hope, to proclaim hope’s name—Jesus—and stand strong with and for our brothers. Our part is not to dwell in the house of negativity. Our part is to disciple men, restore families, and save the next generation.
We disciple men because Jesus changes hearts.
We build men because strong men strengthen families.
We rescue men because rescued men rescue others.
We carry hope because Hope is alive, Hope has a name…
Hope’s name is Jesus.
