I took this word from the title of a book by Puritan author John Owen - Spiritual-Mindedness.

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:6 (For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.)

Taking control of your thought-life - valuable life skill for everyone, everyday!

2 Corinthians 10:5 - take every thought captive to obey Christ

So our thoughts are the best and surest way of showing us what we are in ourselves. “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7).

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1-2

The strength of the mind is wasted by fruitless thoughts.

The first object, then, of our spiritual thoughts is to consider what God is saying in the daily circumstances of life.

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Guest: Kylen Perry, pastor at Watermark Church, Dallas, TX

Every man is made, but are you reactive (responding to life’s situations) or proactive (learning, listening, seeking to grow and mature)? Discipleship is a proactive relationship where individuals share what they are learning in terms of their spiritual life with others.

Resource recommendation: J.T. English - Deep Discipleship: How the Church Can Make Whole Disciples of Jesus

What men have you “dignified the voice of” in your life - that you’ll listen to their wise counsel and they can speak hard truths into your life? We all need “truth tellers” in our lives - and we need to be open to receive truth from those people.

Mark of maturity - you can learn to listen to truth…regardless of the person who delivers it or how it is delivered.

Where can you find those “truth tellers” - those older men who can disciple you - they are part of the body of Christ, the church.

One of the best things you can do as a young person - commit yourself to a cause greater than yourself! There is no greater cause than advancing the Kingdom of God and growing closer in your relationship with Christ.

Isaiah 66:2 - But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

God will not anoint any other version of you other than the one that He created and designed for you to be!

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Psalm 111 and Psalm 112 are parallel passages to make a point. Psalm 111 talks about how great our God is - and Psalm 112 talks about the greatness of man…whose God is great.

Psalm 112 talks about what should be truly important in the life of a godly man - his family…and his “home life” - wealth and riches are in his house…

What are the character qualities to help you produce this great home life?

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

If I had to summarize Gladiator II, it would be the line from Proverbs 22:1 which tells us that a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches! The “good name” of Marcus Aurelius and Maximus is passed on to an inspires the life and efforts of Lucius - who sees how the pursuit of money and power ends up in corruption and deceit - and in the end it is worthless. Great question from this movie - what do you give “worth” to in your life - what do you worship? Many worship the gods of convenience and entertainment. I believe there is more to life - and I think that Gladiator II is not just an entertaining movie, but one that can make you think and wrestle with the great ideas and meaning of life…if you’ll let it!

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

As I reflect on things going on in my world, I’m thankful for a God who knows when to step in…and when to step back.

And I’m thankful for my wife who balances our family and provides a wonderful counter perspective that helps me navigate better.

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

This is the description of David recorded in 1 Samuel 16:18:

Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.

Part 2 examines the first three qualities:

These are great character qualities to develop in your own life - as Thomas Watson reminds us, you can judge a flower by its buds, you can judge a man by his youth!

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

This is the description of David recorded in 1 Samuel 16:18:

Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.

Part 1 examines the first three qualities:

• Skillful in playing - David practiced, worked hard, didn’t quit when things were difficult…

These are great character qualities to develop in your own life - as Thomas Watson reminds us, you can judge a flower by its buds, you can judge a man by his youth!

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Guest: Gabe Boyd

This is a throwback episode looking at one of the episodes that Gabe and I recorded talking about some important elements of what it means to be a man - this is the statement that we created to summarize those elements:

Men speak truth, serve others, love deeply, endure joyfully, and humbly walk with the Lord.

The concept of serving others embodies the idea that you see others and desire meet their needs even if that comes at a cost to yourself - this requires humility and an other-centeredness that is rare today - but so important for the maturity and development of a boy into a man!

The action steps that we included in those episode notes three years ago are still so good - so here they are:

Action Step

1. Take notice of those who serve you! Show appreciation to those who serve you… (special note - waiter at restaurant...tip well)

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Primary vs. General Election

• The Primary Election is your opportunity to select the best candidate within your party to represent your party in the General Election

What if you don’t want to “align” with a particular party?

• Example - you like Shohei Ohtani as a player and you want him to win - he’s currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series - for Ohtani to win, you are saying that you want the Dodgers to win. If the New York Yankees win the Series, Ohtani does not. Period. So, it doesn’t matter if you like the Dodgers or not - it doesn’t matter if you like party politics or not, if you want particular views and values to be advanced, you will need to align with the party that advances those views and values and vote accordingly.

What if you don’t like the Electoral College and how the President is selected?

• Again, the Electoral College is about winning a majority of the votes from the majority of the states - like winning 4 out of the 7 games in the World Series - it’s not about how many runs (or votes) that you get, it’s about getting the majority of the runs (votes) in the majority of the games (states).

Finally, what if you think that your vote doesn’t “count?”

• Doesn’t matter - it’s your vote - and you have both a responsibility and opportunity to cast a ballot - take it.

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Perspective

• God’s at work, you can’t see everything…

Prayer

• Ongoing conversation with God - help me see what you want me to see…and learn…

People

• Have a proper perspective of others - use the word “friend” sparingly!

Here’s what I’m not saying…

• You don’t get to write your own story in life - you are not the master of your own fate, captain of your own soul - sorry William Ernest Henley
  • But, regardless of what happens to you, you can control your attitude

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.