At some point, we're all going to face circumstances that seem insurmountable. How we respond to these tribulations will reveal an aspect of our spiritual health. In Romas 12, Paul tells us to be patient in tribulation. This idea of patience isn't the passive inaction that most of think when we hear the word patient. Paul is telling us to endure and persevere through the difficulty we face. There is an action inferred with this instruction to be patient. We bring God glory by trusting that the long-term outcome is worth the short-term difficulty.

Rejoicing in hope is so much more than simply choosing to act happy. In order to truly rejoice in hope, we must shift our understanding of what is meant by hope and happiness. As believers, we have a hope far beyond the fickle emotions and situations found in this life. Christ urges us to put our hope in Him. Jobs, belongings, relationships will all disappoint us at some point. When we understand that Jesus will never let us down, we can place our hope in him and truly rejoice.

When it comes to our physical health, we take vital signs seriously. However, we don't use the same logic when it comes to other aspects of our life. As a matter of fact, few people even know what signs to look for in measuring their emotional, mental, or spiritual health. Romans chapter twelve gives us some practical instruction on how to make sure we're monitoring our spiritual health, and taking steps to actually improve our intimacy with God.

Manly men tend their fields. While for some this might be extremely applicable at first hearing, some might wonder how this might apply to the modern man. This statement is a great way to summarize all we've been discussing in this series. Each man has been given by God his field, or his area of responsibility. We are called to work in such a way that everything and every person in our field flourishes. One of the most important requirements of men who would embrace this level of responsibility is his willingness to sacrifice his own desires, ambition, and at times, even his own welfare. This is what it is to become the kind of man God intended.

We have lost many of the rituals and ceremonies of old that helped mark when boys became men. Today most young men stumble into adulthood without clear instruction, guidance, or the confidence needed to be the men they were created to be. Part of our mandate as men made in the image of God is to pour our lives into the next generation. Stephen Mansfield says it this way, manly men build manly men. We must resist the selfish laziness that has overtaken our culture of men today. God created us to be providers, contributors, builders. It's time we picked up our hammer and got to work.

Manly men live to the glory of God. Sadly, many men today have little if any understanding as to what God's glory is, why it is important, or how our lives contribute to that end. Glory is what makes God look like God. Our lives, every piece and part, should be carried out in such a manner that we make God look like God. The great temptation for man against this endeavor is that man mostly wants to live so that he looks like God. Through humility and suffering, we are brought back to our position and purpose in life. Manly men live to the glory of God.

Manhood is a loaded word in our world today. As we consider what a real man is, we must look at what our creator designed and expects from us. Stephen Mansfield defines manhood as a way of living that that makes a family whole, a woman safe, a child confident, and a community strong. Manhood rooted in heritage and honor and devotion to tribe. It's not enough to simply talk about manhood. Real men do manly things. A real man acts, and when he acts it is from a motivation of honor.

No one actually sees a defining moment coming. It's only when we look back can we see what moments actually left a mark on our lives. Like many of us, Moses struggled to understand his purpose and place in the world. We all want to feel as though our life mattered. However, the only truly significant thing we can do is live in such a way that we introduce others to Jesus. No matter what we do or face, if our purpose is to make much of Jesus, we will most definitely live a life of significance.

Each and every single person is shaped by a defining moment of which he or she had absolutely zero control. The moment being a mother's decision to be a mother. Moses is a prime example of how a mother's decision can change a person's life and shape the course of history. In fact, the selfless courage that Jochebed showed in sacrificing her own relationship with her child for his chance at a better life, is a great lesson that each of us should learn. Are we willing to leverage our today for someone else's tomorrow?

For one reason or another, many people never experience the life they were created to live. Family history, challenges, failures, rejection can lead a person to stop taking risks or even chasing a dream. We're tempted to live our lives in the shadows. As a loving Father, God wants each of His children to live life and live it to the full. He calls us to step out of the shadows. He encourages us not to see our past as a limitation or even predictor of the future, but an opportunity to tell a better story tomorrow.