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Transcript

A Godly Man · Ian Green Audio Sermons

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Ministry of Ian Green, a place where faith is strengthened, hope is renewed, and the word of God comes alive.
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  SPEAKER_00: Whether you're searching for answers, walking through a difficult season, or simply hungry to know God more deeply, you're in the right place.
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  SPEAKER_00: So take a moment, quiet your heart, and open your spirit.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let's get into the word of God together.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is Ian Green, and this is today's message.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man.
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  SPEAKER_00: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's Psalms 37, 23.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today I want to talk about something that is desperately needed in our generation.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man.
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  SPEAKER_00: But what does that actually mean?
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  SPEAKER_00: What does God see when he looks at a man and says, That is a godly man?
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  SPEAKER_00: Is it a man who knows the Bible?
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  SPEAKER_00: Is it a man who goes to church?
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  SPEAKER_00: Is it a man who can preach, sing, pray, or quote scripture?
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  SPEAKER_00: Those things are obviously important, but they don't by themselves make a godly man.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because God is not simply interested in what a man does.
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  SPEAKER_00: God is interested in who that man is becoming.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, a godly man begins with his relationship with God.
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  SPEAKER_00: The foundation of godly manhood is not strength, money, success, position, or influence, it is a relationship with the living God.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus said, But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's in Matthew 6.33.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man understands that before he can lead anybody else, he must allow God to lead him.
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  SPEAKER_00: Before he can teach his children, he must allow God to teach him.
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  SPEAKER_00: Before he can love his wife properly, he must learn what love looks like from God.
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  SPEAKER_00: Before he can lead a family, a ministry, or a business, he must first surrender his own life to the Lord.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man says, Lord, my life belongs to you.
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  SPEAKER_00: And that changes everything.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because when God becomes the center of a man's life, his priorities begin to change, his ambitions change, his relationships change, his speech changes, his attitudes change, his decisions change.
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  SPEAKER_00: He doesn't simply ask what do I want, he begins asking, Lord, what do you want?
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  SPEAKER_00: That's the beginning of godly manhood.
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  SPEAKER_00: See a godly man takes responsibility.
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  SPEAKER_00: One of the great characteristics of a godly man is responsibility.
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  SPEAKER_00: Adam was given responsibility in the Garden of Eden, and he was given something to cultivate, something to protect, and something to steward.
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  SPEAKER_00: And that principle still applies.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man doesn't constantly blame everybody else.
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  SPEAKER_00: He doesn't say, ah, it's her fault.
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  SPEAKER_00: He doesn't say it's their fault.
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  SPEAKER_00: He doesn't say, if only somebody had helped me.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man learns to say, you know what?
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  SPEAKER_00: I'll take responsibility for what God has placed in my hands.
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  SPEAKER_00: That doesn't mean he never makes mistakes.
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  SPEAKER_00: Sure enough, he will.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man isn't a man who never fails, he's a man who gets back up.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, Proverbs 24:16 says, For a just man falleth seven times and rises up again.
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  SPEAKER_00: God isn't looking for men who pretend they have no weaknesses.
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  SPEAKER_00: He's looking for men who will bring their weaknesses to him.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man can say, I got it wrong, forgive me.
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  SPEAKER_00: I made a mistake, I need help, I need God.
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  SPEAKER_00: There is no weakness in admitting that.
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  SPEAKER_00: There is strength in humility.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man controls his strength.
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  SPEAKER_00: See the world often teaches men that masculinity is all about dominance, being the loudest, being the strongest, having control, getting your own way.
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  SPEAKER_00: But biblical manhood is different.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man has strength, but he knows how to control his strength.
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  SPEAKER_00: Proverbs 1632 says, He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
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  SPEAKER_00: Think about that.
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  SPEAKER_00: God says the man who can rule his own spirit is greater than a man who can conquer a city.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's powerful, because anybody can lose their temper.
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  SPEAKER_00: Anybody can shout, anybody can intimidate, but it takes a man submitted to God to control his tongue when he's angry, to walk away when he could retaliate, to forgive when he has been hurt, to show patience when everything inside him wants to explode.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man doesn't use his strength to destroy people, he uses his strength to protect, serve, and build.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, a godly man loves.
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  SPEAKER_00: The Bible gives men an extraordinary standard of love.
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  SPEAKER_00: Ephesians 5 25 says, Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.
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  SPEAKER_00: Notice that God doesn't say, husbands, control your wives.
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  SPEAKER_00: He says love them.
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  SPEAKER_00: And he doesn't give us a weak definition of love.
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  SPEAKER_00: He says, as Christ loved the church, how did Christ love?
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  SPEAKER_00: He served, he sacrificed, he forgave, he protected, he gave, he put others before himself.
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  SPEAKER_00: So godly manhood isn't about demanding, what can you do for me?
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  SPEAKER_00: It is asking, What can I do for you?
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly father doesn't just provide financially, he provides presence, he listens, he teaches, he encourages, he corrects with wisdom, he tells his children, I love you, and he demonstrates it with his life.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because our children don't just listen to what we say, they watch what we do.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, a godly man guards his heart.
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  SPEAKER_00: Proverbs 4 23 says, Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man understands that his greatest battles aren't always happening around him.
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  SPEAKER_00: Some of them are happening inside him.
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  SPEAKER_00: His thoughts, his desires, his pride, his lust, his anger, his jealousy, his insecurities and his ambitions.
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  SPEAKER_00: And he understands that if he doesn't surrender these things to God, they can actually control him.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's why a godly man doesn't just ask God to bless his hands, he asks God to change his heart.
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  SPEAKER_00: Remember, David prayed, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's in Psalms 51:10.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's the prayer of a godly man, Lord change me.
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  SPEAKER_00: Not just change my circumstances, change my wife, change my children, change my boss, change my situation, but Lord start with me.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man has integrity.
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  SPEAKER_00: Integrity means that the man you are in private is the same man you are in public.
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  SPEAKER_00: You don't have one character on Sunday and another character on Monday.
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  SPEAKER_00: You don't worship God with your mouth and dishonor people with your behavior.
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  SPEAKER_00: You don't talk about holiness while secretly feeding sin.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man understands that character matters more than reputation.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, reputation is what people think you are, but character is who you actually are.
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  SPEAKER_00: And God sees the difference.
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  SPEAKER_00: Psalms 15 asks, Who may dwell in God's presence?
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  SPEAKER_00: And one of the answers is the person who walketh uprightly, worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man tells the truth, he keeps his word, he honors his commitments, he treats people with respect, even when they cannot do anything for him, because he knows that ultimately he isn't living for the approval of people, he's living before God.
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  SPEAKER_00: See, a godly man understands that he needs grace, and perhaps this is the most important thing I can say.
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  SPEAKER_00: You will never become a godly man simply by trying harder.
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  SPEAKER_00: You need God, you need the Holy Spirit, you need the grace of Jesus Christ, you need God's word, you need prayer, you need repentance, and you need fellowship with other believers.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because godly manhood is not something you manufacture, it is something God develops in you.
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  SPEAKER_00: Philippians 1 6 says, He which have begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
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  SPEAKER_00: God is still working on you, so don't become discouraged because you're not yet the man you want to be.
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  SPEAKER_00: But thank God that you're not the man you used to be.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're still struggling with anger, maybe you're still learning how to communicate, maybe you're still learning how to love properly, maybe you've made mistakes as a husband, maybe you've made mistakes as a father, maybe you fail God, but there is grace.
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  SPEAKER_00: The answer isn't to run from God, the answer is to run towards him.
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  SPEAKER_00: Because God doesn't just call godly men, he makes godly men.
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  SPEAKER_00: So the conclusion.
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  SPEAKER_00: So what is a godly man?
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  SPEAKER_00: A godly man is not a perfect man, he's a man who has surrendered his life to God, he is a man who takes responsibility, he's a man who keeps his word, he's a man who protects rather than exploits, he's a man who serves rather than demands, he's a man who loves rather than manipulates, he's a man who controls his anger, and he's a man who guards his heart, he is a man who admits when he's wrong, he's a man who knows how to say I'm sorry, he's a man who knows how to say I forgive you, he's a man who knows how to say I love you, and most importantly, he's a man who knows how to say Lord I need you.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because real strength isn't found in pretending you don't need anybody, real strength is found in knowing that without God you can do nothing.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus said in John 15 5, for without me you can do nothing.
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  SPEAKER_00: So, man of God, don't try to become the man God has called you to be in your own strength.
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  SPEAKER_00: But give him your heart, give him your failures, give him your family, give him your future, give him your weaknesses, give him your dreams, and say, Lord, make me the man you've called me to be.
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  SPEAKER_00: Make me a man of integrity, make me a man of compassion, make me a man of courage, make me a man of faith, make me a man who loves his family, make me a man who honors his wife, make me a man who raises his children in the ways of God, and make me a man who serves your kingdom, make me a man whose life points people towards Jesus, make me a godly man.
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  SPEAKER_00: And when God gets hold of men like that, he doesn't just change the man, he changes the home, he changes the family, he changes the generation, and ultimately he changes the world around him.
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  SPEAKER_00: So, men, let us not simply ask, what kind of man does the world want me to be?
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  SPEAKER_00: Let us ask, what kind of man does God want me to be, and then by his grace become that man, a godly man.
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  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
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  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining me today, and I pray that this message has encouraged you, strengthened your faith, and drawn you closer to God.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: If this ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider becoming a partner and helping us continue to share the word of God and the message of hope with people around the world.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: You can find out more about support in the ministry through the links provided.
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  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, remember this God loves you and He has a purpose for your life, and He's always with you.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Ian Green, God bless you, and I'll see you again soon.