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You decorate the house, send greeting cards, and find just the right gifts for those you love. But in the flurry of activity of the holiday season, how can you be sure you haven’t left out something vital? John MacArthur will help you focus on what’s most important this Christmas in his study called The Real Meaning of Christmas.

I think it was our older son's first official date with a girl; actually, just a couple of hours at the mall really. The next day he ran into some of the guys from school who just wanted to know one thing about his Friday night. "So how much did you get off her?" I know, it’s gross. They weren't talking about money. They were talking about conquest. Our son actually came home pretty disgusted, frankly. He said, "Man, those guys; they’re messed up!"

I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Surprising Secret of a Real Man.”

Actually, a lot of us men have been raised on a messed up idea of what really makes you a man. Guys of all ages seem to think that it is conquest that makes you a real man: sexual conquest, athletic conquest, financial conquest, business conquest. So many men define their worth, their success, and their masculinity by whether or not they are conquering - conquistadores!

Virtually every guy has been told somewhere in his life, "Be a man!" But by whose definition? Is it your biceps that make you a man, your bank account, your bedroom exploits, being the boss? If you want to know what manhood is really all about, consult the Inventor of manhood. That would be God. If you go by His definition, you get Designer Manhood, and that is the real thing.

And guess what? It is all about conquest after all, but in a very different arena than most of us were ever taught. It's exemplified in our word for today from the Word of God in Proverbs 16:32. "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city." You say, "Hey, look at these trophies. Look at all the victories I've won. Look, I conquered this whole city!" God isn't impressed. He says, "Oh, yeah? How are you doing with your temper? Are you really patient?"

Here's the surprising secret of a truly powerful man: he is conquering himself!

What's it mean to be a man who is conquering himself? Well, a powerful man conquers his mouth. He eliminates the trash talk, the angry words, the critical words, the hurting words. He knows the power of his words and he controls those destructive words and specializes in encouraging words.

A powerful man also conquers his passions, focusing all his desire on his wife. You know, if he's single, keeping his relationships pure and his body reserved for his life partner. A powerful man also conquers his coldness. He shows his love. He expresses his love so he doesn't leave a lonely son or a frustrated wife or daughter or a mother who just doesn’t know where she stands.

Another conquest that displays real manhood is conquering your hardness; that unwillingness to ever admit you're wrong or that you're hurting. A powerful man conquers his neglect as well; his failure to spend the time with the people who love him, the time they so desperately need. And, bottom line, a truly powerful man conquers his selfishness - his tendency to want everyone to revolve around him.

Many a man has found out he cannot be that kind of a man. The Apostle Paul said at one time, "The things I want to do, I don't do. And the things I ought to do, I don't." He said, "Why is it that I cannot get free of this darkness inside of me?" And then he said, "Thanks be to God, a rescue has come in Jesus Christ."

I can say as a man, and I can say on behalf of many men I know, that they never could have become the man they wanted to be and everyone they loved needed them to be until they surrendered to Jesus Christ, who died for their sins.

Maybe you've never done that. Well listen, I want to invite you to tell Him today, "Jesus, I'm yours." If you want to know more about that relationship, and I hope you do, would you check us out at ANewStory.com.

The fuzzy feelings often follow “puppy love.” But what about enduring love? We’ll look at foundations of grown-up love in our study today.

Song of Songs 2:8-3:5

Today on A Bold Steps Minute with Pastor Mark Jobe...You are not an accident or a random life floating through the universe; God intentionally created you, knows your story, and loves you more deeply than you can imagine. When you surrender to His purposes, you begin to discover the family, relationships, purpose, and destiny He designed you to experience.

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Read: Matthew 25:14-30

Every afternoon for an entire week, Sebastian got out pencils, paints, and poster board as soon as he got home from school. “I want to win the art contest at the city library,” he told his dad. “I love to draw things.”

On the day of the judging, Sebastian waited anxiously for the judges’ decision. Finally, they nodded in agreement. Then one of them put a third-prize ribbon on one of the posters. It wasn’t Sebastian’s. The second-prize ribbon went on another poster, but it wasn’t his either. Sebastian’s stomach twisted in a knot. Finally, a judge picked up the first-prize ribbon, walked over to a poster, and attached it to a corner. Sebastian blinked to hold back tears as he realized he had not won a prize.

“I’m giving up on art,” Sebastian told his dad after the contest.

“Really?” Dad rubbed his chin. “Do you know who Babe Ruth is?”

“Sure,” said Sebastian. “He was a famous baseball player in the 1920s. He’s probably the most famous player in the history of the sport.”

“Right,” said Dad. “He was the first one to hit sixty home runs in a season, but did you know he also struck out a lot of times?”

“He did?”

“Yep,” said Dad. “What made him a good player was that he kept swinging the bat when others would have gotten discouraged and given up. Persistence is needed in everything—whether it’s swinging bats or painting pictures.”

Sebastian sighed. “I guess you’re telling me I shouldn’t give up on art, huh?”

Dad nodded. “God gave you your love for drawing and painting so you could use it for Him—not earn recognition for yourself. You may win prizes for your art one day, and that would be great, but that shouldn’t be the reason you do it. Instead of quitting, keep enjoying and developing the ability God has given you and use it to point others to Jesus.”

“Well, I did see a flyer at school yesterday that said they need volunteers to help with facepainting at the preschool’s family night next week,” Sebastian said. “Maybe I should take a swing at that.”

“That’s a great idea,” said Dad. He grinned at Sebastian. “Batter up!”

–Carolyn E. Yost

How about you? Are you patiently developing the talents God has given you? It can be frustrating at times, and there may be some things He only wants you to do for a while and then move on. But don’t give up something you enjoy just because you’re not getting prizes or recognition. God gave you that talent so you could use it to help others and show them His love. Trust Him to help you keep on swinging!

Today’s key thought: Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

Today’s key verse: Patiently develop talents

Learn how to experience victory when faced with attacks from the enemy.

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Election Day carries a weight that can feel overwhelming — especially when discouragement over past elections, concern about outside influence on outcomes, and the sheer volume of political messaging make it tempting to disengage entirely. But for Christians, withdrawing our voice only creates space for outcomes that grieve the heart of God. Our votes are one of the ways we can let our convictions as believers shape the direction of the nation and its future generations.

Proverbs 16:33 anchors the whole conversation in an important truth: the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. That does not remove our responsibility to vote thoughtfully and faithfully — it grounds our participation in the confidence that God is sovereign over every outcome. President Calvin Coolidge once wrote that voters should approach the ballot box in the spirit they would approach a sacrament, making their choices solely in the light of their own conscience. That is the invitation of this episode: to approach voting not as a partisan exercise or a reaction to political advertising and peer pressure, but as an act of worship and faithfulness. Five biblical principles provide a framework for that preparation — studying God’s Word to discern His voice, honoring God in every decision, supporting the value of life, seeking justice for all, and standing for the freedom that God gives to every person. When we prepare our hearts this way, the voting booth becomes less about political allegiance and more about faithfully reflecting what God has already spoken.

Bible Verse

“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”
— Proverbs 16:33, NIV

Ponder Today

1. God is sovereign over every election outcome — and that is both a comfort and a call to faithfulness. Our responsibility is to vote thoughtfully, grounded in Scripture and conscience. The results belong to Him.
2. Withdrawing our voice does not protect us from outcomes — it contributes to them. Discouragement over past election issues is understandable, but withholding our votes only creates space for what we do not support. Faithful participation matters.
3. Studying God’s Word is the most important preparation for voting well. When our hearts and minds are tuned to Scripture, we are better equipped to discern what is right and true — and to recognize the difference between God’s voice and political persuasion.
4. Voting in the light of conscience, not pressure, is a sacred act. Calvin Coolidge’s counsel to approach the ballot box as a sacrament remains worth considering. Our votes should reflect our deepest convictions, not the most recent advertisement or social pressure.
5. Biblical principles — life, justice, freedom, honoring God — provide a framework for faithful voting. When we filter the issues before us through these lenses, the choices become less about party and more about reflecting God’s heart for people and nations.

A Prayer for You Today

Dear Father, as I go to vote on Election Day, lead and guide me in choosing which individuals to vote for and how to vote on the various issues and policies presented to me. Help me to study and know Your Word so that I know Your voice when I hear it and it directs my voting. Embolden me to honor You with my votes, choosing in ways that please You. Strengthen my heart to uphold the importance of valuing life. Give me a heart that seeks justice for all — both the weak and the strong — and open my eyes to see what is right and wrong, true and false, good and evil. Help me to stand for righteousness and the freedom You give to each life on earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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