Refusing the Drift

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Gentlemen, every day is a battle. A battle for your faith, your family, and your purpose. Men who stand strong don't prepare when the battle arrives. They prepare before it begins. Welcome to the Men's Morning Devotion. Let's get into God's word. It's time to man up.

Steve Alessi 0:26

Good morning, gentlemen. It's Steve Alesi and it's Friday. So we're stepping up to another man up moment as today we're looking at another wisdom principle and talking about refusing the drift. This one's going to be heavy because we're going to need it to carry us through the weekend. The scripture says in Proverbs 1, 32 and 33, for the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease without fear of harm. As we wrap up this first chapter of Proverbs, Solomon leaves us with one final warning and one incredible promise. He says two things destroy a man, waywardness and complacency. Waywardness is obvious. It's the man who intentionally walks away from God's path. He knows what's right, but he chooses his own way. But the second one is far more subtle, complacency. Complacency at first doesn't look dangerous. It just kind of looks comfortable. But it's more than that. It's the man who quits growing. So he stops reading God's word. He stops praying. He stops pursuing his wife. He stops dating her. He stops investing in his kids. He stops learning, stops sharpening himself, stops serving, stops giving. Now he isn't running from God. He's just kind of coasting. And here is the problem no man ever coasts uphill. When you stop pursuing Christ, you don't stay where you are. You drift. Complacency is dangerous, brothers, because it speaks to us. And it says, you know, you're doing pretty good. You're doing just fine. Oh, you've done enough. Take it easy. You can skip today. But championships aren't won by men who coast. Strong marriages. They're just not built by husbands who coast. Godly children aren't raised by fathers who coast. Or churches aren't built by leaders who coast. And faithful disciples aren't formed by Christians who just coast. The greatest threat to many men isn't rebellion. It's routine without passion. But then Solomon gives us an incredible promise. He says, Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease without fear of harm. Notice the promise isn't for the smartest man or the richest man or even the strongest man. It's for the man who listens. Listening in scripture isn't simply hearing, it's hearing and then obeying. A man who walks with God sleeps differently, he leads differently, he even loves differently. And then he looks into the future and he faces uncertainty differently. Why? Because his confidence isn't in himself. His confidence is in the one who never changes. So here's your man up challenge. As we finish this week in Proverbs, ask yourself one honest question. Where have I become complacent? Is it your walk with God, your marriage, your health, your leadership, your parenting, even your integrity? Choose one area today where you've been coasting and start rowing again. Then make this commitment. I'm not just going to hear God's word this week. I'm going to live it. Better yet, I'm going to be it. Because men who consistently listen to God become men others can safely follow. And remember this, gentlemen, a man rarely ruins his life in one decision. He usually drifts there one small compromise at a time. So stay close to God, stay hungry, stay growing, stay listening to your man up moments and your men's morning devotional and man up. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the wisdom you've given us throughout this first chapter of Proverbs. Forgive us, Lord, for the areas where we have become complacent. Wake up our hearts, restore our passions, give us a fresh hunger for your presence and the courage to obey what you show us. Help us lead our family, our workplace, and our communities with conviction. Give us humility and the drive for perseverance. We don't want to drift, God. We want to finish and live our lives strong. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 5:34

All right, gentlemen, you've heard God's word. Now go live it. Lead well, stand strong, honor God in everything you do. Share this devotional with another brother. Remember, every day is another opportunity to match up.