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This page is devoted to some of the things I think about. These are things that I believe can help others to grow! Again, feel free to read all of this - but if you would like, you can just click on a title that interests you!
Years
ago, as a new Christian, I got a bumper sticker that said "Real men love
Jesus". I had been a journeyman cement finisher for about six years and
when I switched from a small residential concrete company to a large road
crew, I thought I'd put the sticker on my lunch box. It looked cool, kind
of "manly", black with white block letters, and it would let people
know that I was a Christian. It also got me thinking about what a "real
man" was.
These days it seems that the more you drink, the more you earn, the more women you sleep with, the more stuff you have, the more foul language you use, the more drugs you do, the more people you control, the more you smoke or chew, and on and on..... the more of a man you are! It seems to me that increasingly younger children are doing these things - so what does that make the adults who do it? Big kids trying to be cool, act tough, be popular, have power, be liked. They are teaching their children to do the same things they did to be "real men". Now we have a whole bunch of little boys running around in men's bodies, no one to teach them what a real man is.
TV is a terrible influence on kids. The cartoons are full of rude, foul mouthed, disrespectful kids doing all manner of nasty things to adults or each other. Then there are the ones where witches, magic and monsters fix everything for you - who needs parents or God? The sitcoms show Dad as a big dummy - give him a remote and a six-pack and he's nothing to worry about - he is dominated by his wife and children. It's sad. So many men are so selfish that they won't take responsibility for their actions. Won't raise their kids, won't work on their marriages, won't treat others with respect.
Real men love Jesus! Real men step up to be the head of their families just as God called them to be. Real men teach their children what is right and what is wrong and that there are consequences for their actions. Real men consider the needs of their families before their own. Real men are not afraid to get on their knees and pray for and with their wives and children. Real men seek Godly wisdom and discuss matters of importance with their wives before making decisions. Real men respect others and deserve the respect of others. Real men are humble, strong, just. Real men are not afraid of their faults, they admit them and strive to improve themselves, encouraging their families to do the same. Real men are ready to fight for what is right and are not afraid to say they are sorry. Real men are trustworthy, men of honor and integrity, can handle responsibility and can be counted on. Real men love Jesus!
Read "Wild At Heart" and "The Way Of The Wild Heart" by John Eldredge!
Updated November 2008
Another thing I learned about from reading John Eldredge ("Waking The Dead") is that we need to always keep in mind that we are at war! We were born into a world where good is fighting evil. Satan is every bit as real as God - God created him! He is not nearly as powerful as God but he can however, work his evil ways on us and drag us to hell with him!
God gave you a conscience to guide you. At some point in your life, you know that it's wrong to lie or steal. To smoke or to drink excessively, cheat on your wife or husband. But you notice that no lightning came from heaven to strike you down and you learn to just ignore that little voice telling you that you're doing something wrong. After a while, you don't even hear that voice any more. Now that ol' devil has you right where he wants you and you don't even know it!
Look
around at our society today. Evil is "cool", it's "in",
it's even funny! This is VERY DANGEROUS! Satan is not a fairy tale or a cute
little red guy with horns! The bible calls him "the father of lies".
Think about that... he was lying before man was created. He persuaded a
third of all the angels to side with him before he was cast out of heaven.
Oh yes, he is very good at what he does. How hard can it be for Satan to "help"
you think you don't really need God, or that just going to church once a week
is all you need to do, or that there are "white" lies that are OK
to tell. He will encourage you to think that the things of God are just so
confusing and you'll have plenty of time to sort it all out (if you ever get
around to it). He wants you to believe that you are not important, you are
just an animal that evolved from monkeys, you will die and that will be it.
The sad part is that most people believe stuff like this! What a hopeless
way to live.
"The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Sound like a "naughty" guy in red tights with little horns on his head? Oh no, he is an evil adversary bent on your destruction. He will tell you anything to get you to turn away from God, to occupy you with other things so you don't think about God. The bible tells us to "be sober, be vigilant" so that we will see the devil's tricks and lies and resist him.
Satan has waged war on you... why not wage your own war on him? As Christians, Jesus has given us power and authourity in His name to bind Satan and his demons and to command them to flee from us! Boldly command the demons of depression, fear, abandonment, lust... what ever is attacking you, to be bound and cast away from you in the name of Jesus Christ! Don't just "deal with it". Launch your counter-attack!
Updated February 2007
Not long ago, I had been feeling down for a few days. Kind of negative and depressed - mainly at work. I couldn't put a finger on why. I kept thinking "what's wrong with me?" "Is it just my dead end job?" "How can I be a Christian witness like this?"
This went on for several days. A friend at work asked my advice about someone he had been witnessing to and later, when I began to think about how to help this person, to dwell on the things of God, I started to get fired up and excited! My mood finally turned around!
I didn't know what was going on at the time, but now I see how I was "encouraged" to focus on myself and my problems, which turned my thoughts away from God, made me grouchy and quiet - not a very "joyful Christian." When I turned my thoughts to Jesus and spreading the good news of hope, things fell back into place and my mood lifted!
Pretty sneaky way to take me out, huh? Well guess what Devil? You have already lost and I'm not falling for that one again!
I have an ordinary job. It's not a career, just a job. It's not where I want to be for the rest of my working life. I can't afford to go to school right now so what should I do? In listening to the Dave Ramsey radio show (on line), I heard Dave mention getting started on a new career on your own! I'm interested in computers and might enjoy a career in CAD (Computer Aided Drafting/Design) or maybe Graphic Arts or Web Design. Daves idea is to get all the books you can read on the subjects you're interested in and get a head start on picking up what you need to learn in school. So that's what I'm doing! I've gotten books on the Auto-Cad program and Web Design..... even made a web site! Not only will I be more prepared when I am able to get to school, but I will also have a better idea of what I want to go to school for.
Updated February 2007
We all want some measure of control over our lives. As a man, I always tried to "get my life under control". The world tells us that men are supposed to have real careers and be financially secure, so I was determined to make my life like that! Over the years I have tried many times to improve my job situation, not just for me, but also for the good of my family. All my attempts met with failure. Why? Of course the devil was whispering in my ear, "you're just a failure", "God doesn't want to help you", "you just don't have what it takes." And of course I believed him for a long time. Now that I have a better understanding of how God operates and of what is really important in this life, I can see that any amount of prosperity or success I might acquire will be given to me when God feels I am able to handle it and use it for His glory! Until then I am thankful for my job and what God has blessed me with. I am also content to make the best of what I have - for His glory!
Updated February 2007
Prior to working on this web site, I had absolutely no knowledge of web design or HTML. I started to build this site using a 30 day trial of Dreamweaver 2004 by Macromedia. When that trial ran out I got a 30 day trial of Dreamweaver MX (both free trials from the local library!) Essentially, I built it in about 60 days. For free! I quickly learned that this is an extremely complicated field and I've only scratched the surface! I used a couple very good books on these programs and learned a LOT! At one point I actually gave up on the site. Later, I scrapped a bunch of it, got back to it and made it work (with the help of my books of course!) It's really not very impressive as far as web sites go, but I DID IT MYSELF!!
Here's another cool thing: now that my site is up and running, I'm forced to learn something about HTML! If I want to make changes to my site, I have to open the page in Notepad and study the HTML code. Using the existing parts as a template, I can add new pics and text - cool! I'll prabably be in trouble if I have to do anything really major!!
Updated May 2007
Sometimes, we can feel like God is busy working for some other people. We just go on with
life, thinking that we're on our own and He doesn't care, doesn't have time for us. I've been there! Why doesn't
He do anything? Why doesn't He help me? How can He just watch me go through this? I heard someone say, "I'm glad
There's a God for you. There's not one for me." You see, without God we tend to get lost in ourselves. Our
problems, struggles. Hey, we're only human! We feel like there is nothing we can do so we just keep on keepin' on. We even feel that God
is working against us. I know I have. But He does care and He is able to handle everyone's problems! We all seem to believe that we deserve better. That God and the world owe us something.
I am not above these feelings - I've had them too! In truth, it is we who owe God! God gave us
life and this beautiful universe and we chose to reject Him. He died a horrible death to pay the price for our sin (so that we wouldn't have to)
and we throw His holy name around like a piece of trash. Now why would He come and make everything all better for us? He will help us get
get back on the right foot, but we will still have to face the consequenses of our actions! What we need to do is take the first step. We are a prideful people and this is difficult
for us! We need to admit that we have made a mess out of our lives and that we
need Gods help to straighten it out again! We need to ask Him for forgiveness and start to do things His way! God still
won't just come and make everything all better but He will start to change you from the inside out! He will forgive you,
cleanse you, strengthen you. His peace will grow in you and His joy will transform your life! You will develope
a confidence and peace from knowing the truth! From knowing that you are on the right path! Like so many of us,
I made a mess out of my life and I had to face the consequenses. I still keep messin' up but God is still working on me
even when I think He's forgotten about me! So pick up the bible and start reading the New Testament to learn about this Jesus! More to come! ©Copyright 2009-2010,
Tom Mroczek 
