Pastors According to Thine Heart

Pastors According to Thine Heart

     Dear beloved, the sheep are scattered because there is no shepherd: and they are meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. They wander through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, His flock is scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none do search or seek after them. (Ezek 34:5-6) True elders, true pastors, true under-shepherds are scarce. The diseased have not been strengthened. The sick have not been healed. The broken have not been bound up. Those who were driven away have not been brought back. Those who are lost have not been sought. (Ezek 34:4) But with force and cruelty false shepherds mingle and rule among the famished sheep. The gates of His people are sunk into the ground; He hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find NO vision from the LORD. Still other elders of the daughter of His people sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of His people hang down their heads to the ground. (Lam 2:9-10)

    As today’s intercessors pray, their eyes do fail with tears, their bowels are troubled, and their livers are poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of His people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city. They say to their mothers, “Where is the corn and wine”, for the Chief Shepherd has said, “I am the Bread of Life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger” (John 6:35) and “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you” (John 6:53) What thing shall the LORD take to witness for us? What thing shall He liken to us? What shall He equal to us, that He may comfort us. For our BREACH is great like the sea: who can heal us? Our prophets have seen vain and foolish things for us: and they have not discovered our iniquity, to turn away this captivity; but have seen for us false burdens and causes of banishment. (Lam 2:11-14)

You say, “No, there is a risen Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd! What more need we?”

     Yes, indeed the sovereign Chief Shepherd, when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having NO shepherd. Then saith He unto His disciples, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest”. (Matt 9:36-38)

     The LORD has so chosen to exercise His sovereignty by leading His people through under-shepherds after His own heart. When His hand is extended in favor upon us, He will set up shepherds over us which shall feed us: and we shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall we be lacking (Jer 23:4). O that He would give us pastors according to His heart, which shall feed us with knowledge and understanding (Jer 3:15)!

“The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one Shepherd.” (Ecc 12:11)

     Christ is sufficient, and may we not fail to remember that when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the PERFECTING of the saints, for the WORK of the ministry, for the EDIFYING of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the TRUTH in LOVE, may grow up into Him in all things, Which is the Head, even Christ: from Whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:8-16)

We need these under-shepherds for our perfecting, the work of our ministry, the edifying of ourselves. We need them. 
Lord, have mercy!

²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. ²³ For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: ²⁴ Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. ²⁵ And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; ²⁶ That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.” (Phil 1)

     If He rends the heavens and comes down, that which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities therefore, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass under the hands of him that telleth them. (Jer 33:12-13) For behold, a King shall reign in righteousness, and PRINCES SHALL RULE IN JUDGMENT. And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful. For the vile person will speak villainy, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice HYPOCRISY , and to utter ERROR against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. The instruments also of the churl, the mean-spirited man, are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right. Yes, this is the state of the present day. But the liberal, the generous, deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. (Is 32:1-8)

Beloved, there are two breaches of our day (in addition to others):

1. We have not understood the Counsel of the Word of God with regard to our need to continue in the eternal Gospel.

     We think that we see, but our eyes are dim. We think that we hear, but we do not hearken. We think that we understand knowledge, but we are rash. We think that we speak plainly, but we stammer. For we have largely misunderstood, forsaken, and ignored the Scriptures warnings from falling away from the true faith that we have had in the past. Most have not even understood that they could fall away from the faith. And as we approach this great falling away, this plaque of apostasy, we are horrendously unprepared, for we do not see falling away as a possibility. And because of this specific blind-spot, much of the Counsel of the Word of God that commands us to lay hold of eternal Life now, to add to our faith, knowledge, virtue, temperance, patience, Godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (2 Pet 1:5-7), to labor to enter His rest, to guard the faith entrusted to us, to ABIDE IN HIM watchfully and prayerfully until the end, for we know not when the end will come...,because we do not believe that we can fall away, we do not understand the urgency nor experience the force of much of the Scriptures. For this doctrine should compel us to utterly rely upon the power and Word of God, the working and outpouring of His Spirit, and should rush our souls to the throne of grace: into the very life of Christ…relentlessly and constantly!

2. There is a severely scare number of elders (under-shepherds) who are both anointed and who understand the whole Counsel of the Word.

     In Spiritual view of our potential to fall away and our need to attain to perfection, that is, the state of having a conscience purged by the blood of Christ from dead works to serve the living God (Heb 9:14), the state in which all the faculties are consciously subjected to one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, falling short of true perfection, but nevertheless devoid of continual willful sin and containing faith in the present atonement of hidden sin, we may understand the need for true under-shepherds who will watch over our souls.

The heart of a true under-shepherd is described in Paul’s last words to the Ephesian elders:

²² And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: ²³ Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. ²⁴ But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵ And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. ²⁶ Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I have not shunned to declare unto you ALL the counsel of God. ²⁸ Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. ²⁹ For I know this, that after my departing SHALL grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Also OF YOUR OWN SELVES shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I CEASED NOT TO WARN EVERY ONE NIGHT AND DAY WITH TEARS ³² And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the WORD OF HIS GRACE, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. ³³ I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. ³⁴ Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. ³⁵ I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:22-35)

Ponder upon these aspects of a true under-shepherd:

·       Experiences bonds and afflictions

·       Bound in the Spirit to finish his course with joy

·       Has received the ministry from the LORD Jesus to testify to the Gospel of grace

·       Does not count his life dear to himself

·       Pure of the blood of all men (a faithful watchman; see Ezek 3:17-21)

·       Feeds the church of God, which Christ has purchased with His own blood

·       KNOWS that after his departure grievous wolves SHALL enter in NOT sparing the flock, and of their own selves false prophets would arise

·       For three years, warns EVERYONE day and night with tears

·       Covets no mammon

·       SHOWS them all things: how to labour to support the weak

     Even when the people fail to listen, the true pastor speaks. When the people said to Jeremiah, “Where is the Word of the LORD? Let It come now”, he did not hasten from being a pastor to follow God: neither had he desired the woeful day that the apostate people deserved: God knew that what came out of his lips was right before Himself. He said to the LORD, “Be not a terror unto me: Thou art my hope in the day of evil. Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.” (Jer 17:15-16)

     A true elder may say, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor  11:1) and “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). Consider Epaphras, the dear fellowservant of the Colossians, a faithful minister and servant of Christ, who always labored fervently for them, that they may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Such great zeal he had for them! (Col 4:12-13) Consider again Paul: he rejoiced in his sufferings for God’s people, and filled up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh FOR HIS BODY’S  SAKE, which is the church: whereof he was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given to him, to fulfil the Word of God (Col 1:24-25) He longed to see his people, that he may impart unto them some Spiritual gift, to the end that they be ESTABLISHED (Rom 1:11).

Specifically with regard to the Scriptures doctrine of keeping the faith, lest we fall away, Paul exercised his authority as an under-shepherd:

^“2 For I am JEALOUS OVER YOU with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. ³ But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Cor 11:2-3)

“’I am AFRAID OF [for] YOU, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” (Gal 4:11)

Finally, the true under-shepherd views God’s people as his JOY and CROWN!

“Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” (Phil 4:1)

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” (1 Thess 2:19) 

     O beloved, will you cry out to the Lord with me for God to anoint, teach, and raise up for us men of God who will lead us in this narrow way? O that we would have men who rule over us that we may obey and submit to them: for they would watch for our souls as those who will give account to our LORD (Heb 13:17)! Such elders that rule well are counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine. For the Scripture saith that we shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn: the elder who studies to shew himself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2 Tim 2:15)! And the labourer is worthy of his reward (1 Tim 5:17-18).

O Man of God, Be Zealous

O Man of God, Be Zealous

In honor of Sean Morris, Ryan Ringnald, and Jake Gardner

O man of God, ask me to come with you, yes, to ride in your chariot, and see your zeal for the Lord! (2 Kings 10:16) O man of God, seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. (Prov 22:29) Would you, o man, stand before the King of kings? Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good solider of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. (2 Tim 2:3-4) This King calls you to take the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance from the powers of darkness, to smite the ground as you will, not thrice, but five or six times that you may consume them! (2 Kings 13:17-19) Be not as the faint-hearted Balak who regarded Deborah’s accompaniment as being of utmost necessity. For the journey that thou takest shall then not be for thine honour. (Judg 4:8-9) Would you, o man of God, be zealous for your God, putting away that evil person from among you, and thus make atonement for the children of Israel that He would not consume His children (1 Cor 5:13, Num 25:11,13). Would you make us bloody saints by administering the Word that would circumcise our hearts when our King is wroth with us? (Ex 4:25-26) Would you, in the power of the Lord Jesus, hand the sinful soul unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus? (1 Cor 5:4-5) Please save me with fear, o man of God! Pull me from the fire, hating my garment spotted by the flesh! (Jude 1:23)

O man of God, cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew the Lord’s people their transgression, and the house of God their sins (Is 58:1). Cursed be the man that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, in laxity, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood (Jer 48:10). Do you fear containing within you ungodly zeal, that zeal which is not according to knowledge? (Rom 10:2)  For the reckless words that overflow from such ignorance are like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health (Prov 12:18). What is the tongue of the wise, of those who possess the true zeal of the Lord? For these false prophets ran, yet He had not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in His counsel, and had caused His people to hear His Words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. (Jer 23:21-22). O man of God, be ye like that prophet Ezra, who when he had seen the mingling of the holy seed with the people of those lands, he rent his garment and mantle, plucked off the hair of his head and beard, and sat down astonied! (Ezra 9:2-3) O man of God, contend with us, curse our sinful flesh, pluck off our hair, and cause us to swear by God not to commit abominable idolatry, great evils, and adultery with the world. O man of God, He will remember you, for good! (Neh 13:25-31) 

The King of kings seeks for a man among us, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Him in the land, that He should not destroy it: but He found none. (Ez 22:30) Rise up, o man of God, and be this man! Surely your zeal for His house will eat you up; and the reproaches of them that reproached Him are fallen upon you because your enemies have forgotten His Words (Ps 69:9, Ps 119:139). Do you become our enemy by telling us the Truth? For we have been zealously affected by the false prophets, but not well; yea, they would exclude us, that we might affect them. But it is good for us to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when you, o man of God, are present with us. Do you not travail in birth again until Christ be formed in us? For you desire to be present with us now, and to change your voice, for you stand in doubt of us! (Gal 4:16-20) Your love is without dissimulation. You abhor that which is evil; you cleave to that which is good. O man of God, you are not slothful in your business, but you are fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. (Rom 12:9)

O man of God, your zealous words of conviction bring forth our sorrowing after a Godly sort. They bring forth a carefulness, yea, a clearing of ourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things we will strive to approve ourselves to be clear in the matters in which you have rebuked us. (2 Cor 7:11) For Christ has given Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous for good works (Tit 2:14). As many as He loves, He rebukes and chastens, commanding them to be zealous therefore and repent (Rev 3:19). We applaud you, o man of God, for you always labour fervently for us in prayer, that we may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. This is your zeal. O be zealous! (Col 4:12-13)

From where does your zeal come forth, o man of God? For it was our Christ Who put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon His head, and He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak to bring forth salvation to His people. (Is 59:17) Are you not clothed in this Lord Jesus Christ? For He has called the chosen people as serpents and the generation of vipers. How could they escape damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, He sends prophets, wise men, scribes, yes, all zealous men of God, and some of them they killed and crucified, others were scourged in the synagogues, and others were persecuted from city to city: that upon them would come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom they slew between the temple and the altar. Verily, He promised that all these things would come upon this generation. And yet, here is the heart out of which flowed the piercing Words of the zealous Christ: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt 23:33-37)

O may you seek to destroy the sinful flesh, and save my soul, o zealous man of God, that I may make peace with my Maker by the blood of the Lamb! For if you shall convert the sinner from the error of his way, you shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (James 5:20)

In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.² In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.³ I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.⁴ Fury is not in Me: who would set the briers and thorns against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.⁵ Or let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me. Is 27

Aspects of an Excellent Pastor-shepherd

The Man who Would take my Hand and Lead me to the Gallows

The Man who would take my Hand and Lead me to the Gallows (Excerpt from chapter 7 of "The Gospel and the Core of Purity")

     This section is about the man whom I would follow willingly. We know that regardless of the extent to which the God-given authorities in our lives fall short of God’s standard, we are called to obey and honor them in the Lord. So what I will elaborate on here does not convey that I would be free to unrighteously dishonor or disobey a God-given authority. Rather I include what follows to reveal to you an example of what you ought to value and consider as priceless in worth within a man whom you seek to marry. Each Christian woman may have a slightly varying perspective on the “perfect man of God” based on her understanding of Scriptures and knowledge of Christ, and here I will share mine with you. What is described here is a very meager description of a mighty vision I had of the perfect man of God.

 

     Before I begin, I must present the other question of whether I deserve such a man as I will describe. We know that we deserve nothing, but we have been raised up with Christ and are granted every Spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (Eph 1:3). So there is no telling what God could bless us with. Another aspect is that as suitable helpers, it is very possible that God will use us to increase our husband’s Godliness, and thus we are his aid in achieving the state of holy perfection. As Solomon said, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord” (Prov 18:22)

1.     He must be Regenerated by the Word and Spirit of God and elected for eternal life.

    In a sense, this is my only requirement. The reason why this requirement surpasses my greatest dreams is because God makes glorious promises to all of His elected saints. He promises to do more than all that they ask or think according to His power that works in them, He promises to conform them into the Image of Christ, He promises to remain faithful to them and to enable them to stand firm in faith until the end, He promises to give them greater and greater revelations of His Word, His glory, and His love, He promises that nothing shall separate them from the love of Christ….thus any man who falls into the category of the regenerate would more than exceed my dreams. Why? Because Christ infinitely exceeds my dreams and He dwells and works in each of His regenerated people! Just as God’s plan for me is sovereign and loving, so it is for any regenerate man.

2.     He must not fear men, neither their ridicule nor their admiration, but rather He must live for the honor of His heavenly Father.

     One of the most undesirable traits in a man is his fear of the opinions/regard of other people such that his obedience and boldness for Christ is subdued because of it. And yet there is an exceeding glory that I see in a man who speaks according to the Word of God, who does not flinch with the prospect of his earthly reputation or financial status falling in his obedience to Christ. He must be baptized with the purpose of God and driven by a relentless zeal for God’s honor above his own. This world is not his home and he dwells here as an alien, stranger, and soldier intent on pleasing his commanding Officer (2 Tim 2:4). He administers justice in all situations: the mercy, grace, and Truth of Christ to all. He does not pervert God’s righteousness to seek the favor of rulers. His upright way may be abominable to the wicked, but because he trusts in the Lord, he will be exalted. (Prov 29:25-27)

¹⁸ He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. John 7

3.     He must love God and others in a way that causes him to crucify his flesh and lay down his life.

     His love comes from the love of his Father poured into his heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5). His love is unfailing, forgiving, gracious, selfless, strong, and is manifested in ardent labor on behalf of the people of God and the spread of the Gospel among the lost. He must be willing to open up our home to the needy, the orphans, and the widows. He must not cling to money, but extend a generous hand to all. He must love children and love to teach them the Word of God. He must see the souls of others and let the manifestations of his love penetrate deep into the spiritual needs of the people of God. He must be like me in that he cannot walk through a street of lost people without feeling deep sorrow over the lost and asking God for love and boldness to proclaim the Gospel. His love must not be superficial or worldly, but it must be founded upon Truth. His love may lead to open rebuke and hidden prayer on behalf of those whom he loves.

¹² “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15

4.     He must love the Truth above all else.

     His knowledge of the Truth has set him free and thus he loves the Truth of God’s Word. His love for the Truth, written on his heart, is so strong that he fiercely opposes every pretext that opposes it. His wise discernment and understanding of the core doctrines causes him to identify and gently rebuke sources of error and heresy. He must understand moral depravity, atonement, justification, regeneration, progressive sanctification, and predestination (I do believe that some true believers do not yet understand predestination, but my husband should. He must also understand how God’s grace and kindness leads us to repent [he should have personally experienced this]. He must understand the absolute necessity to pursue love above all else. His desire for the Truth must prevail over his desire to “be right” or to be contained in the comfort of the flesh. When I am wrong and when the Truth would make me go through sorrow, he must still lead me in it. He must command me to take up my cross and follow Christ.  He will proclaim God’s Word to me to wash me from a guilty conscience. He will remind me of my eternal inheritance through the throne of grace.

5.     He must pray.

     He must pray extensively, passionately, and secretly, with me, with our family, and corporately and have a deep personal relationship with Christ. He must understand the cross. He needs to have experienced something of the depth of his own sin and the Father’s grace shown through Christ at the cross.

"He who prays much, studies much, loves much, forgives much and works much, does much for God and humanity."-E.M. Bounds

6.     His power, strength, wisdom, and message are of a Spiritual rather than earthly nature.

    He does not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom in his proclamation of the testimony of God. He determines to know nothing except Christ and Him crucified. He is with the people of God in weakness, fear, and much trembling [before God, not man]. His message and preaching are not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that the faith inspired in his listeners will not rest on man’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Cor 2:1-5) He knows that he is what he is by the grace of God. God’s grace to him does not prove vain, but he labors even more than all of them, yet not him, but the grace of God with him (1 Cor 15). He has no qualms about my intellect, but seeks to lead me with Spiritual wisdom, love, and Truth. He is willing to discuss Scripture and doctrine with me for long periods of time.

⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ⁵ You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5

7.     His physical attractiveness comes from his wisdom and humility.

     As I have been progressively sanctified, no longer did I regard those physical attributes which the world considers to be handsome. Rather, the mark of humility and wisdom in the countenance, body language, frame, and gait of a man became the signals of physical attractiveness.

 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam. Ecc 8

8.     He must be like a father to me in his Godly commands and loving leading, and yet he will also be like a son to me, receiving motherly tenderness, comfort, and love.

     I have desired fatherly characteristics in my husband and yet, I have longed to be like a mother to him showing him tender affection and comfort. He must instruct me and snatch me out of the flames (Jude 1:23) when I go astray as a father would. He should be compassionate and loving when I am filled with gloom over the sad state of the church (my common reason for gloom). Yet, he must be willing to receive motherly affection, gentleness, endearment, and tender care from me (1 Thess 2:7-8).

³³ Answering them, He *said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”³⁴ Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3

9.     He must desire to redeem his remaining days with wisdom and the Spirit’s filling.

¹⁵ Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of your time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit Eph 5

10.  He must not fear persecution and death, but he must be willing and expectant for the persecution which awaits us.

     He must be the man who is so confident in the grace of His Redeemer who saved him on the merit of His own blood that he is not afraid to die. Furthermore, he is willing and eager to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ. He will exhort me unto this end. He will command me to carry my cross and follow Christ. He would stand between the fire and our family and yet he will take my hand and lead me to the gallows if Christ would so choose for us to die for His sake.

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Tim 3:12

With or without such a man, I will follow Christ, my truest Lover, Lord, Savior, and King.