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The Spiritual Guardian

The last thing I want you to note about the total, spiritual man is that he abhors everything that threatens the welfare of his family. He’ll be cautious about the type of television programs his children watch. He’ll not approve of literature or Internet sites with questionable content nor jokes that imply unkindness or impurity. He’s aware that whatever enters the mind remains there—so he’s careful in choosing what his children can watch and what activities they can engage in. He realizes that if he doesn’t protect his family from the destructive forces of society, no one will.

A spiritual man will also lovingly correct the attitudes and habits that disrupt the harmony of the home. He’ll not act as a policeman, spying on every activity and phone call. But as a caring father, he’ll be actively involved, desiring the best for his family.

No doubt you may question how any man can live up to all these responsibilities. By himself, he cannot. And since no one is perfect, the goal always remains ahead of us. But the possibilities are far greater than most of us can imagine—when we take the right steps.

Do you truly desire to be the husband your wife needs? Do you really want to be the father your children long for? If you’ve read this far, I believe you do.

So where do you begin?

You begin right where you are. If you’ve never received Christ as your Savior through repentance and faith, you begin there. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (ESV). The first step to becoming the total man, loving husband, and caring father that your family needs is to ask Christ into your life as Savior and Lord. The moment you do, the Holy Spirit will come into your life to abide forever as your Guide, Teacher, Comforter, and Provider (John 14-16).

God has promised to be your constant Helper as a husband and father—have you trusted Him for that? Are you daily reading your Bible, praying, and obeying what He shows you to do? You will not build spiritual muscles without feeding your soul and exercising your spirit. Begin there if that’s where you are. Ask the Lord for a spiritual partner (your wife or a Christian friend) if you need encouragement to walk in God’s path. Seek, ask, and knock persistently ... and the Father will open the doors to spiritual power and success (Matt. 6:33).

I challenge you to take one spiritual step toward God today. And in so doing, I have no doubt He will clearly mark your next step to true manhood and godly leadership in your family and home.

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