|He’s Killing Me|

By Melody Mohnhaupt

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

     Chances are, you've heard this verse before. If you are a Christian, you probably claim to want this to some degree or another. It’s easier to say than to do, such as most things in life. But, I mean, who in their right mind really longs to “die”?  

     I’ve known of this concept since forever it seems and in the last few years, have truly desired this over my life. However, it wasn't ’til very recently that the Lord kind of showed it to me in a new (or maybe just clearer) way. 

     Since I have surrendered my life to the Lord, I have “changed” a lot (in a good way I’d say). I used to see it as God transforming me. (And I still believe that he does this) But just recently, the Lord gave me a simple word. He said, “I’m not changing you. I’m killing you”. Wow. That sounds a little morbid. But, remember, this is strictly spiritual. Once I started thinking about it, it was like a whole new revelation from the Lord.

     Each day as I continue to walk with the Lord, he kills a little part of the old me. 

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 

He kills a little bit of my selfishness, my greed, my doubt, my fear, my timidity, and all of the qualities that I relinquish to him as we walk together. I picture myself as almost a hollow shell of a body that is full of my own ways, and each time a part of me dies, it evaporates from the shell; leaving available space. This space in now vacant for Jesus to come fill it with himself. As this process continues, gradually, I become filled with more of him, and less of myself. To where, eventually, I will be completely dead, and Jesus will be alive in me.

     I’ve spoken to someone about this topic before, and got almost reprimanded for - I guess, “selling myself short” (in their opinion). They thought I was giving up and not believing in myself by wanting to let go of myself and be filled with Jesus. This concept nearly infuriated them. They saw it as an excuse for having low self confidence. They told me things like, ‘NO! YOU can do anything YOU put your mind to! YOU are great! You don't need God to be in you to feel “good enough” or to accomplish what you want to. YOU are great all n your own!” And so many other things that were along those lines. 

     I understood what this person was trying to say, but at the same time, it was (in many ways) conflicting with the Word. It was people with this mentality in the Bible that were cast down. Lucifer, for example, trusted in his own power over God (his creator’s) power. He was casted down from heaven. Nebuchadnezzar boasted in his own works (which were, in reality, the works of God). He was turned into a beastly creature, So many others in the Bible exemplified pridefulness, and each time it resulted in a severe penalty.

“For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:” Isaiah 2:12

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

    I realize that I have talents and great qualities that, even if I didn't die to myself, I could probably accomplish some cool things in life. But here’s the thing. I believe whole-heartedly that God gave me each talent and quality that I have. And not only to do with it whatever I want to do, but to use it to bring glory and honor to His Name. 

     The closer I get with his, the greater my desire becomes to die. I want to be used for His glory. I want His will to be done in my life. I want to be filled with Him. 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” 

Isaiah 55:8-9

     I guess my point is, living a life filled with Jesus and his ways, far exceeds a life filled with my own. An empty shell of a body is MUCH better off filled with Jesus that filled with me. He is So Far above be. I’m honored that he would even want to dwell in me. I don’t want to live. I want to die - so that Jesus can live.

|Praying For My Prince|

By Livy Jarmusch

Singlehood. That word is so loaded. Talking about “singlehood” can evoke so many different emotions and opinions. The world looks at singlehood as some sort of rare and life-strangling disease that can only be cured by excessive dating! Many young women think that singlehood is a painful burden that you must get delivered from ASAP!

As a young teen, when I made the decision to trust God with my love story, hand Him the pen, and wait for my future husband, I was really excited about the idea. In my young mind, I just knew that God was going to write a most beautiful fairy tale. I knew it my heart of hearts that it would be something far more magical than Cinderella, High School Musical, and the Sound of Music combined! As most girls my age were dating around and suffering through painful breakups, I was totally content to stand by the sidelines and dream about my happily ever after. My first date. My first slow dance. My first kiss. It would all be so, so exciting!
 
Fast forward several years, and everyone on my Facebook friends list is engaged. Married. Having adorable little children. And I find myself standing in the same place that I was when I first made this decision: totally and completely single! Let's just be real. It can be hard sometimes. But I know that the temptation to doubt God’s promises is dangerously entrapping. So I won’t do it. I refuse to listen to the enemies lies. If I’m ever feeling down in the dumps about my lack-of-boyfriend status, I run into God’s presence and hear Him sing His sweet love songs over my soul! He reminds me of who my First Love is. He reminds me why I’m waiting for this unknown mysterious man so patiently, and what the reward will be for my obedience. He so graciously removes any pain or discontentment, and awakens my heart to the joy of the season I am in! Singlehood is so sweet. This time is precious. After I’m married I will never have days quite like these again! The Lord is so good at putting everything back into His gloriously exciting perspective! 

Praying for my future husband is something that I do often. But sometimes it can be hard to pray for someone you’ve never even met before! So what are you supposed to pray? How can you pray deeper, more meaningful, and powerful prayers for your future man?

Several months ago, while reading in the book of Daniel, this verse jumped out at me! It immediately made me think of the generation of young men that God is raising up in the earth. "Young men in whom there was no blemish, but good looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge, and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans." (Daniel 1:6) 

I pulled several nuggets from this verse, and started applying them to pray for my future Holy Hunk! 

#1. “Young men in whom there was no blemish…”
God wants to raise up a new breed of fearless, humble, kind 
and strong men who burn with a spirit of integrity and 
unfailing love! He wants His sons to be pure and without blemish, washed in the blood of Jesus. I pray that my "Daniel" would be pure in heart, mind, word, and deed. There are so many ways that the enemy is trying to attack and steal the purity of young men…we have to keep them covered in prayer!  

#2. “And good looking” 
Oh, what a prayer! That he would be good looking! Can I get an amen?! This particular nugget isn’t overly spiritual, but it’s totally worth something praying into! ;)

#3. “Gifted in all wisdom” 
Wisdom is such a vital building block in the Kingdom. The book of Proverbs makes it so clear that wisdom is a key to unlock the revelation, victory, and favor that God has for us!

“I keep asking that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.” (Eph 1:17) 

#4. “Possessing knowledge and quick to understand”

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge. The purpose of knowledge is to know God, and to experience His love and His perfect nature, then be part of the beautiful miracle of expressing that love to others! As I pray for knowledge and understanding for my future man, it isn’t for the purpose of being “smart.” Knowledge that doesn’t lead to an encounter with God’s love can puff itself up in pride, and become stiff religion. Knowledge alone cannot change the world. It has to be knowledge and love working together as one. I am praying that my prince will be filled with knowledge and understanding so that he would have a deeper revelation of who God is, what the heartbeat of Jesus looks like, then have the grace to be able to experience and live it out! 
“And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in faith, may have power together with all the saints, to comprehend the length, width, height and depth of His love, to know the love of Christ that that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3:17-19)

#5. "Who had ability to serve in the king's palace."

Did you know that Daniel and his friends trained for three years before they became servants of the king? They had to be prepared and equipped for it. Isn’t that an interesting thought? I can imagine training for an impressive new job, or an important role, but who trains to become a servant? 
Think about Jesus washing the feet of His disciples, and what a huge impact that must have had on them when He told them that their job was to go out and do the same thing. Do you think they were surprised to learn that the height of all greatness is to become a servant? When Jesus said, “To be the first in the Kingdom of God, you have to become the servant of all” I’ll bet they never imagined all of the training and process that was ahead of them, to humble themselves and serve their king! God esteems the role of servant-hood so highly! From His perspective, humility is royalty. That verse makes me want to pray all the more that both my husband and I will humbly serve one another, the King, and His people. 

#6. "And whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans." 

I pray that my husband would have a teachable spirit, and that he would use wisdom to know the “language” of this world. Even though he is a citizen of Heaven, he has to know how to reach the people of earth! I pray that he would know how to relate to other people, influence non-believers, and make a massive impact on the pagan world we live in, just like Daniel did! 

#7. Lastly, Daniel 1:8 says, "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would NOT defile himself wit the portions of the king's delicacies." 

This verse was talking about the unclean food that was laid before Daniel and his friends which they refused it and stuck to God’s laws. They wanted to remain pure and faithful in their relationship with the Lord, even though they were living in a pagan, twisted, messed up culture. Today, our men are not being tempted with bacon, but they are being tempted with the world’s “delicacies.” As we all know, the enemy tries to ensnare this generation in whatever way he can. We MUST intercede for our men, that they will purpose in their hearts NOT to defile themselves with the impurities of the world. 

“When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for it is a deceptive food.”  (Proverbs 23:1-3) 

Pray for the appetite of your future husband. Pray that he hungers and thirsts after the things of God, and not after the things of this world! 

There is a huge battle happening over the hearts of the guys of our generation, so let’s keep praying for them! 

Don’t grow weary in the wait, sister! Use this time to be busy about your Father’s Kingdom, and use every single moment to fall deeper and deeper in love with Jesus!  Use your time to intercede, seek God, and keep your future husband covered in prayer! I hope this added a little bit of extra fuel to your tank of powerful prayers for your Holy Hunky Man!

Blessings, 

Livy Jarmusch

To learn more about Crown of Beauty Magazine, visit: http://www.crownofbeautymagazine.com

|What is Worship?|

By Britt Nilsson

Note: before you read this, please understand that I write this in an effort to bring freedom, hope, and excitement. This is not to challenge, demean, or offend anyone or their particular views. I believe we serve a HUGE God, who made millions of people with millions of opinions, and I think that is absolutely necessary, beautiful, and healthy. These are just thoughts that have brought light, life, and perspective to me, so I wanted to share them with you…more as a topic of conversation than as a matter of right and wrong. I hope you find my heart in this, and I sincerely pray that it touches yours. 

 So, it all started about a week or two ago, when I went to a Hillsong conference at the Forum in LA. The show was a massive spectacle, complete with full-on EDM soundscape, laser light tshow, pumping bass, kaleidoscope visuals, glitter, strobe-lights, confetti…you get the idea. It was loud enough to literally shake your body into involuntary movement, if all of the aforementioned hadn’t made dancing irresistible enough already. Which, for me it certainly had. 

I love to jump around, I love to lose myself in music and emotion, I love to worship with large crowds, and I especially love to see artists putting all of their talent, heart, and creativity on display for Jesus. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed myself LIKE CRAZY! I could feel the Holy Spirit in the atmosphere and I cried, laughed, and danced til I was exhausted. Worship parties like these get me really excited about what I believe is a very accurate and beautiful, if not hugely tamed-down, picture of what a dance party in heaven will look like! It feels like an earthly foretaste of the explosion of love, excitement, and fun that we will experience when we all worship together forever. 

For me, the emotional, joyful, exuberant atmosphere takes me to a place of release and freedom. It truly allows me to abandon myself to worshipping my Father. I feel my body react to beautiful sounds, my heart react to beautiful words, and my spirit connect to the thousands in the crowd as we (literally) SHOUT the name of Jesus with all of the breath in our lungs. The glittering display reminds me of the glory of the God that we serve as the synth and piano and drums all work together to create moments of togetherness and holy reverence – connecting every person in the stadium to a singular experience in space and time. A space and time devoted to enjoying, thanking, and crying out to the God who loves us.

As the night came to a close (womp, womp), I posted some photos and video of the experience on social media (as one does). This was partly because I wanted to remember the experience myself, but also because I wanted to share the excitement with all of my friends about what happened that night. I assumed, naively perhaps, that everyone in the world would agree with me, share equally in my delight, and perhaps even want to come along next time. 
Now, even though it has happened dozens of times before, I must admit I was still surprised when I was met (rather promptly) with some heavy resistance and outright offense. My followers wrote me personal messages to inform me that true worship doesn’t require a light-show. Ouch. People wrote to explain to me that this new type of ‘worship’ doesn’t glorify God but the artists. Ok. Others said that loud, large gatherings like this are not what Christ intended for church to turn into, and that this was ‘not what true worship was about’. Yikes.

At first, I felt personally attacked. My heart felt an aching twinge of rejection, a hot wave of insecurity, a need to defend myself. I felt like these people were implying that my experience was not only invalid, but actually an intentional rejection of the very thing I meant to do: Worship. 
And it hurt. But somewhere deep in my heart, I felt like I should refrain from responding immediately. It didn’t feel loving or necessary to start one of those (all-too-familiar) church arguments about protocol, where both sides feel superior and it becomes about who is more ‘right’ than about what God thinks. I didn’t want to be the “new” Christian versus the “old”. I also didn’t want to speak about something so important before I actually knew what I thought about it all. 

Before I responded, I wanted to know the truth about what I felt God was telling ME about what worship really is. I wanted to utilize the offense and ask God how best to understand my reaction to it. Sometimes there’s nothing better than someone challenging your views to make you get in touch with what your views actually are. It isn’t fun to have your beliefs called into question, but it can really make you dig deeper than you might on your own.

And so, the real question that I had to ask Holy Spirit essentially boiled down to this: ‘what IS worship _supposed_ to be?’ or, more specifically, “what does God want it to be?” 
I have to admit, this one stumped me at first, because there have honestly been times I’ve felt closer to God walking to the grocery store humming a song in my head than I have taking full-on communion at a fancy service. I have felt profoundly “worshipful” (it IS a word, I looked it up) standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, simply having my mind blown without ever singing, or even saying, a single word. I have felt like I was worshipping as I sat alone with God on the beach, watching the powerful waves, feeling overwhelmed with awe and gratitude for the sheer greatness of God's design and majesty. I have felt worshipful (there it is, again) even at secular concerts, where beautiful music engulfs me and makes my soul come alive, and the only thing I can do is lift my hands to heaven and thank God for the sweetness of that once-in-a-lifetime moment.

I've worshipped God on the Sea of Galilee in Israel, singing hymns on the water where Jesus walked. I have worshipped God alone in my room; my heart full of pain, my knees sore, and my eyes full of tears as my forehead touched the carpet. I've worshipped in Peru with hundreds of orphans singing in Spanish. I've worshipped alone with my headphones blaring in downtown LA, late at night on a busy street. I have worshipped with dear friends in small sacred spaces. All of these have been worship…or so I had thought…
But still, I had to ask Holy Spirit if I was truly worshipping in these moments. That was a scary question. 

A scary question, with a simple answer. I heard Him say, “God sees the posture of your heart”. Immediately, I felt peace. Immediately, I felt free. I felt loved. I felt safe. I felt…seen. 
It sounded like truth to me.
That’s because everything I know about my Father makes me believe He sees the most hidden recesses of our hearts, at every moment, and that He cares. Only He knows the specific attitude, motion, and head-space that will get us closest to Him at each and every different point in our lives. I believe worship will not and can not be the same experience for every person, or for every generation, or for every taste, preference, proclivity, or season of life. And, when I really think about it, isn’t that more true to life? 
Isn’t it more wonderful to think that worship is just not a small, routine, easily-defined act? Isn't it freeing to think we will never run out of ways to worship our Father? That we are never doing it ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ if our hearts are truly leaning toward Him? Isn’t it FUN to think it could be FUN to connect to His Presence?

 Jesus came so that we could have eternal and constant and intimate access to the Throne. So, in theory, any and every moment is the best time and place to worship, in whatever way brings You into alignment with the Father’s purposes and heart for you. Is there ever a bad, wrong, or unsuitable environment to cry out to Him, thank Him, to acknowledge His Majesty in all things? The bible says "every good and perfect gift comes from God", so when we praise Him for his good gifts, are we not worshipping Him with our very spirits? 

You can call me a hippie, or a raver, or a freak, but as for me, I want to be worshipping all the time. I want to make the “worship” category bigger, deeper, richer, more diverse and more accessible. I want to worship in my car, at the grocery store, getting gas, while I work, or even in a hospital room. I want to give God glory with all that I do. I want to live in a state of worship and let my love for God permeate the way I experience every single moment I am alive. That’s because I am convinced that God is simply pleased when we reach out for Him with our hearts, whether it is in a beautiful, reverent song, or a stadium full of exploding hearts, or even alone with a discrete act of surrender.

I have been stretched, blessed, and changed for the better with each encounter, large or small, with our Heavenly Father. I cannot imagine that He is ranking these experiences, or calling some of them 'real' and some 'not'. I think the heart of God longs to connect with the heart of His people, and I think when that is happening, He smiles. I think heaven rejoices when we call on His Name and tell Him He is wonderful. I think that whenever and however we praise Him, we are simply reminding ourselves who we love, who we need, and who is really in control. 

And that’s the point: the act of worship sets us free! I am saddened to see Christians to fall into the trap of excluding others, invalidating their experiences, or making God smaller than He is. That feels like a man-made prison-cell, when I believe our God wants us to live in an expansive, inclusive, abundant Kingdom. We are so lucky and blessed to worship a loving Father who sees into our very hearts, and doesn’t disregard our praise for lack of other’s ability to see the value in it.

I think He wants us to dance sometimes, weep sometimes, stand with arms raised when we want to touch His glory, and fall to our knees when we feel the weight of it. Because, when our hearts are turned toward His goodness, attuned to His Voice, praising and appreciating His faithfulness, majesty, consistency, kindness, power, and truth, we can actually see the world as God intends. Worship doesn’t cure the problems around us, but it does transform us, as it creates a perspective that is more aligned with God’s. When we give Him glory, we remember we are not alone. 

I believe whenever and wherever and however a human being purposely admits this and turns their affections toward Him, He thoroughly delights in that simple act of worship. Worshipping is an act of praise, surrender, gratitude, and intention that takes place whenever we purposefully shift our gaze back to Him. Sometimes as a small turn of the heart when we choose to play a song that honors Jesus, or other times with a hard, heavy, even painful cry out to God to save us from the temptation to wallow in despair, sadness, self-pity, addictive behavior, self-sabotage, gossip, self-reliance, or any of the things that we might be tempted to worship above Our Savior. We worship God when we place our hearts in a posture that puts Him back on the throne. Or, at least that’s how I see it.

So, to avoid any confusion, I certainly don’t think church “needs” lights and explosions and spectacle to praise God. I don’t think a child of God needs anything other than an open heart full of praise to do it. I think God loves and delights in all of the ways His children seek to glorify Him. I think He’s more concerned with the heart of a person than the key a song is sung in. I think He shows up with just as much enthusiasm when He hears electronic music in a giant stadium, a hymn in a small-town church, a quiet prayer in a cubicle, or a million places in between. I think He delights in our worshipping—whether it is large, small, loud, quiet, joyful, somber, public, or private.

I come alive inside when I consider the heart of our Father who longs to draw near to us whenever (and however) we endeavor to draw near to Him. And, remember that no one can see your heart but God. If you are reaching out for Him, praising Him, calling on His Name, offering yourself to Him…then you are engaged in the call to worship. God knows when your posture is surrendered, when your thoughts are toward Him, when your intention is to bless His Name. Take comfort in the precious fact that He truly, deeply, and consistently delights in you, just as you delight in Him. That is the precious and divine romance called worship, and no one can ever take that away from you. 

Be blessed! Love you guys, 

BKN

|All Things Beautiful| 

By Kenya Gossett 

“For my thoughts, are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the Heavens are are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 AMP

“So will my word be which goes out of my mouth. It will NOT return void (useless, without result), without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 AMP

2 promises. So amazing yet, so difficult for the human heart to grasp. We say that we trust God and that we know His Word is true, but we get weary during the process. It’s the hardest thing to keep on believing, when you see absolutely no evidence. As Christians, we want to see God move like yesterday and when that doesn’t happen, we get hit with unbelief. For some, it is more severe. Bitterness will take over and they’ll start doubting God and His promise altogether. Which the enemy loves coming in during those times with “Hath God said?” 

I even went through a period where my heart was so tired, that I didn’t even want to hear another prophetic word. I didn’t want to hear that deliverance was coming or that God was going to change this or that. I was so done. and it’s not that God wasn’t faithful to me. HE WAS! Time and time again. So it’s crazy to think that I even doubted like that. But I realize now, that the problem wasn’t God. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. He’s been faithful for thousands of years. The problem was me. 

You see, if our spirit would fully grasp Gods timing and who He is, it would save us a lot of heartache. Waiting patiently on Him and being still is the best thing you could do. Sometimes it’s easy to “help God” wether it’s with a relationship, with family, with ministry, a life decision, ect. But a pre-mature move out of an impatient heart, results in aborting what God originally planned. 

“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.” Psalms 46:10

As I shared earlier, if you look down in history, there’s not a time where God failed His people who were faithful to Him (that’s a big key). There was never a time where He didn’t turn a curse into a blessing, or made something beautiful from the ashes. He always came through, and in ways that weren’t expected. Hence why He told us “My ways, are not your ways.”

Abraham waited 25 years before he saw “You will be the father to many nations” come to pass. Moses waited for 40 years in the wilderness. David waited about 15 years to become the anointed King. Jesus waited 33 years before He could pay the greatest price for our sin. but every single story in the Word, shows anchored faith and how the Great I Am operates. It’s amazing!

If God showed up when we wanted Him to, He would never get the glory or the power out of the situation. God makes us wait, so that when the storm is over and the promise breaks through the clouds, He will be the only one who gets the honor and recognition. Not only will you come out stronger, but you will have a testimony for generations to come on what God did for you in HIS timing.

Take a look at the story of Joseph. In our eyes, his situation was unjust and unfair. But was it to God? No. See, God had everything planned out from the moment Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. God knew that Joseph's 13 years in prison was going to produce something great in him. Iron was deposited into his very being. He kept his character. He was made to be strong, immovable, unbreakable, and wise. Trials produce wisdom, and that's exactly what Joseph needed in order to walk out his destiny. 

After 13 years in a deplorable prison cell, he was ushered into the palace and became the 2nd in command over all of Egypt. The fetters (irons chains) around his feet, became a golden chain around his neck! 

It goes to show that when God decides to open your prison door, favor, promise, joy, and LIFE will come rushing in. 

If you are still waiting for a manifestation of His promise or for a miraculous change, I understand where you're at. I've been in many cold and dark valleys where it seemed like death was all around me. It felt never ending at the time. But I would never trade my valley experiences for anything. It was the best route to the top! 

My life still has trials, but I'm soaring with a deep trust in my Father, knowing His ways are perfect. God is never early, He is never late. He is always right on time! He is incapable of wrong doing. He has not failed me yet! Nor will He fail you. He cares. You are the apple of His eye. You are His Beloved. You are His everything. Always remember that. 

“He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

|Values of God's Gentlemen|

By Andrey Kuropatko

What drives men today? What makes them get up today or tomorrow and go on their daily endeavors? Think of modern society… What is the innermost thought on most men’s mind? What distinguishes boys from men today? These questions may be some of the deepest fears or most vociferous statements among middle aged or older generations; in a way fearing for the future of our country, our daughters, our Christian congregations and etc. However, if one is to take a look in our Bible, we have the answers to what a man is. Since seeking God and waiting on Him is the primary responsibility of growth into manhood, as well as having the values of a leader, and Character of God in developing a family mindset. The following is a shall for what a godly man is; a guide to women looking for a man of God, and for a man to develop himself into a God’s Gentlemen.

Our first look at God’s intent in creating mankind is taken from Genesis 1:26-30. “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in His own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.  And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.”. 

The likeness of God corresponds with His character, traits, His Knowledge and Wisdom, as well as similarities of His being. Thus, we are to imitate God, in order to fulfill our Father’s objective; to be His children while walking in the authority given us to dominate the world. Jesus said that He only does what He has seen His Father do, consequently showing us an example in imitating our Father. God has placed all the essential elements of character and values into us from the beginning. Albeit, even though we have it in us, we do not have the experience to use it. One needs to have the discipline to establish the pattern of character and the habit of practicing a lifestyle. Many years ago someone has said to me “One action leads to a habit, while a habit leads to a character”. Thus the belief that in order to break necessary patterns and habits of character, discipline sets new routines and wonts. 

Apart from discipline, a man is to be loyal. Deuteronomy 7:9 states “Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments”. In imitating our Father, we are to be Loyal as He is, primarily been Loyal to Him and His Kingdom. Correspondingly, lovingkindness is an attribute with Gods faithfulness, as well as His faithfulness. Thus, Discipline of Loyalty, leads to love, kindness and faithfulness regardless of what goes on in culture, which attribute of the world stands out as “in”. 

A man of God is a prince in the Kingdom, and as a prince, he is a leader. True Leaders do not conform to tidal thoughts but swim against the current, and in principle stand like a rock. John F. Kennedy ones said, “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth”. 

The Bible says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will” Romans 12:2. 

So God’s Gentlemen bears true faith and allegiance to God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Kingdom, and other Christians

Duty is the following attribute of Godly values. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5. 

The shall is the command, thus it becomes duty. Duty to God first; to mankind next; “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8. Likewise, the duty to your home, the congregation and the church, which is the body of Christ and is spelled out in 1 Chronicles 23:28 "The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron's descendants in the service of the temple of the LORD: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God." 

Thus the value, God’s Gentlemen fulfills all his obligations in the Kingdom, Church, family (whether immediate, future or extended) and to mankind. Likewise, accepts responsibility for his own actions and those entrusted to his care. And finally finds opportunities to improve oneself for the good of the Kingdom and his family.

Out of duty to God and Mankind, flows Respect; 

“Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” Mathew 7:12. 

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” Philippians 2:3. 

The last verse also denotes humility, meekness and tenderheartedness. Also consider Titus 2:7 - "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine [shewing] incorruptness, gravity, sincerity."

A good way to remember respect, is how we consider others or the Kingdom will always reflect upon each of us, both personally and as a citizenship of the Kingdom.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Philippians 2:4 

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath  forgiven you." Ephesians 4:29-32 

These are some of the verses which speak Selfless Service, the strongest in a manner of command. Jesus displayed the greatest example of Selfless Service, by sacrificing Himself for His fathers will, and our own sake. Thus, we are to put the welfare of the Kingdom, the Church, and your family before your own. In serving God, a man is doing his duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment for men to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he can add to the effort of the Kingdom. Selfless service leads to congregational teamwork and encompasses discipline, self-control and faith in God and in the Bible.

In addition to Loyalty, Duty, Respect and Selfless service, Honor is the mortar between the said values and the values to be mentioned. Honor is to live up the Character of God, the Values of a Godly man. To honor those who are in our lives, as well as anyone we may encounter on a daily basis. Honor is not to be walking around boasting that we are men of honor, but one will know that he may have achieved Honor by being called an honorable man when he least expects it. But true Honor comes in to the life of a man who seeks the Lords face, by giving the Honor to the one who is to be honored. 

“And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."” Revelation 5:13 

When we humble ourselves before the Lord, He lifts us up, and gives us His Honor.

As I mentioned before, Honor is the tie in between Loyalty, Duty, Respect and Selfless Service and the values to be mentioned. So, Integrity is the following value after Honor. The Basic understanding of integrity is to do what is right, Spiritually, morally to include legally (caution: there may be instances when one will have to follow the law of God before the law of men). A man of God has to be willing to do what is right even when no one is looking. In a way integrity is the "moral compass" that The Holy Spirit uses to speak to us. In Proverbs 11:3 King Solomon says “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” 

“Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse”. Proverbs 28:6 

Peter reminds us the reason to keep our integrity clear with the next statement; “keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." 1 Peter 3:16.

The final value I want to make mention of is Personal Courage. It is to face fear, danger or adversity (physical, spiritual or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with the heroes from the Bible and God’s generals. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, particularly if taking those actions is not popular among others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable. 

Paul writes to Timothy “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” 2 Tim. 1:7. Likewise, in 1 Cor. 16:13 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong”.

Accordingly, men (and women) who decide to discipline themselves in a Godly character, those who choose to use the values to become men of Character, gentlemen of God will face adversity along the way. At times, they will face moral danger, threat of peril, the enemy will attempt to torment one through tribulation. Likewise, God will allow tests, not even for Himself to see if you can; He knows what you can and cannot do. He will never allow a test beyond one’s capability. But He will allow you to go through a test to sustain your knowledge, experiences and faith in yourself as much as in God.

Finally, a man with God’s Character, understands that he is not a dictator, but a servant of God. Just as our public leaders are called public servants; the same with us.  A leader is one who serves his community and lives as an example. He is a steward of the community. God gave us authority and a name, but He also teaches us to be stewards; the same applies to family. Men are stewards. God made Eve out of the side of Adam. As Adam cares for his flesh and body, he is to care for his wife. Adam was first, Eve was second. Adam was to serve his wife as a leader who received firsthand knowledge from God. An interesting allegory happens in the Hebrew word for man and woman. 

The Hebrew word for man is ish. Spelled aleph, yod shin. The yod is the first letter of God’s name, YHWH. Remove the yod and you will have the word for fire, aleph shin pronounced “esh”. The same is with woman, Ishah; spelled aleph, shin hey. The hey is the second letter in YHWH’s name. Remove the hey, and you again will have esh, fire. From this we learn, as Yod is first in God’s name, so is a man to look to God as the first in the family and to lead the family in worship, celebration and work. The woman is to follow looking for the grace of God through the Holy spirit. If the yod and the hey is taken out of their lives, then they will consume each other as fire consumes fire.

As I close this monologue, I would like to summarize what has been said. Gentlemen (and Ladies) are to imitate God, in order to fulfill our Fathers objective. Likewise, Gentlemen imitate and seek the Character of God. One is to be disciplined in following the values of Jesus as a leader. The primary values are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage. If one takes the values and makes them into an acronym LDRSHIP, you will see that it spells out Leadership. There is nothing which can so assist you to walk towards heaven with good speed, as wearing the image of Jesus on your heart to rule all its motions. It is when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you are enabled to walk with Jesus in His very footsteps, that you are happiest, and most known to be the sons of God. What drives you today? What makes you get up today or tomorrow and go on your daily endeavors? Is it the love for your Savior? Is His name precious to you? Is His cause dear to you? Wouldst you see the kingdoms of the world become His? Is it your desire that He should be glorified? Are you longing that souls should be won to Him? If so, imitate Jesus; be an "epistle of Christ, known and read of all men." 

Are you a lady who is seeking a Godly man? Then look to God first, and through His eyes look at a man who imitates Jesus. Are you a man desiring to become better than what you already have achieved? Than look to God, and imitate Him. The above, it is only a guideline, but a shall nevertheless.

Father, bless them and keep them, and make Your face to shine upon them. Be gracious unto them and give them Your peace. Let a revival of righteousness begin in our living rooms and become our congregations that; we may build families that churches withstand upon, that can change this nation and bring it back to God. Let every man who reads this, leave endowed with the strength of our Savior to lead, to guide, to love and provide all that their families need. Let these men follow you and imitate you. This I ask, in Jesus' name. God, now I ask that You bless and keep them; that You make Your face to shine upon them that Your goodness and Your mercy and Your favor shower them today.  Let them know, that this week, this month, and this year they are grafted into the everlasting, almighty vine of the Son of the living God and that You, Jehovah, are watching over them; that You care for them; and that their potential is unlimited so long as they are abiding in You. Lord, I ask that this blessing become a reality in their lives; that the fruit it produces would bring glory to God our Father in heaven. In Jesus’ name, I pray and ask, Amen.