Why are so many Christian men frustrated today? Many say frustration is a byproduct of living with out knowledge. Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge".

     I must confess that 5 years into my conversion I had more frustration and questions than solid answers. I accepted Jesus as my Savior while working hard on the Lord part. I was a man who worked at life and got exactly what he wanted, and yet, was still unhappy because what I wanted was not designed to make me happy. I competed in the earthly game called life that required biblical character, yet produced daily compromise. I wanted a relationship with God, but lacked the consistency in Bible reading. I wanted to pray, but would not stop working long enough to even acknowledge Him. I lived a lie by judging others by their actions and myself by my intentions.

     Still today, the battle looms. Each day brings choices that are not easy. As I travel around speaking to men about godly character, I go to the Lord almost weekly to repent of a deed, thought or word spoken in an ungodly way. I find myself reading Romans 7:14-25 (Paul's struggle) and the 51st Psalm (David's deal) way too much for a guy who loves Jesus.

     As a matter of fact, if you were a fly on the wall in my favorite restaurant this past Saturday, I don't think you would read the rest of this column. (You'd yell hypocrite, remove the log!)

     It was a perfect night. A night filled with fellowship, laughter, peace and the joy of the Lord. My wife and I were blessing some dear friends with a night out for their twentieth wedding anniversary. After dinner, she mentioned she would like to take in a movie. Now around my home, Dad has some well-defined boundaries in two areas. One is the amount of TV watched and the other is "R" rated movies. The devil has his deal for "renewing your mind". It's called Hollywood. The poisoning of values in our society today has reached a level where it's not a question of will it continue, but how much are we ingesting each day. (Back to the restaurant).

     I considered the idea for the movie a great one. They wanted to see the newest release. They said it was about history with a story line that exposed evil and illuminated good. Give me a movie about courageous manhood, values, self-sacrifice, combined with a life lesson and I am there. Wow, I thought, another "Braveheart" or "Chariots of Fire", which are two of the movies that we play clips of at the "God4me-Christian Workshops for Men". (We do this to bring out the Biblical theme of the event and to create a seeker friendly environment for the unsaved in the room).

     While waiting on line at the theater I noticed the rating to be "R". The feeling in the pit of my stomach represented a yellow flag for caution. It was "godly guy" decision time, so I stepped forward with wisdom from below and reasoned that the rating was for the violence and if any unholy stuff was shown that I would immediately leave. 30 minutes into movie, it happened: poisoning. Embarrassed and feeling that I ruined a good night. I proceeded to apologize to my wife & guests, and then asked if they wanted some popcorn. (Real man, huh?) I stayed till the end, lacking the character to leave. I compromised. I conformed.

     Romans 12:2 says, "be not conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is." What a verse! What not to do - What to do - How to do it - and Why. The only problem is that it's very hard for average Christian man not to conform to the world. Why you say? It's quite simple. We compromise God's word while becoming approval addicts and people pleasers of those whose value system is OF THE WORLD. As long as we dance to the approved tunes of those who don't follow Jesus, we will remain weak and shrink back to a life of compromise.

     Christ like character is a process, a trait that is constantly tested and developed through endurance and perseverance (Romans 5:4). As my friend Richard Galloway says, "It's suiting up and showing up when you don't feel like it". It's not a life of self, but one of self-sacrifice. It is knowing that The Christian life is a constant negotiation between the flesh and the spirit. Whichever is fed more will determine the quality of that life. It's pumping spiritual iron daily. It's leaving the movie when you know you shouldn't be there whether that decision is popular or not.

     My mentor and friend, the late Dr. Edwin Louis Cole, lived the belief that Christ-likeness and manhood are synonymous. He counseled me once saying, "People don't buy into a ministry or a company, they buy into the man. Always remember that your vision will always take you to a place your character cannot hold." In other words, character is vital for growth, while the lack of it ensures failure.

     I love men of character who seek out truth and confront lies for the good of others. I watch Pastor Joe Mattera engage in battle against the SONDA BILL. I feel the love of Bishop Roderick Caesar as he gives of himself till he drops. I experience the character of volunteers who work so hard for God that they fall down before they slow down.

     Webster's defines character as "Moral excellence and firmness." I define it as "The strength to follow a purpose driven life." God defined it when He engraved it on Jesus for us to imitate (Hebrews 1:3).

     Every day we go out into a world that tempts us to exchange the truth of God for lies. The lies come in many forms but at the core is the unbelief that says Jesus Christ alone is not enough to make you happy. You need something else.

     Man of God, I pray our Lord reveals His sufficient grace, His enduring love, His Spirit of truth, with the strength to pursue the character of His Son, Jesus. He's more than enough. It's a life worth living.