Check out this article from JesusCulture by Nicole Franklin.  What an amazing concept!  We come to God poor and ask Him to fill us up.  Then, we go to others wealthy having love and strength from the Father to pour on them.  I feel like running around my cubicle at work!!!

My husband Jon and I have three amazing boys.  Their ages are 10, 7 and 4.  We have decided that as we raise them, we want to make sure they understand their role in this life.  And that role is protector.  

You see, God created man as the stronger one, but not so he could dominate, prey upon, or “take” from his environment.  Neither did God create man to be passive, or to simply sit and watch life go by.  God gave man strength so he could cover, protect, and give to those around him.

Bill Johnson teaches us that we go to God poor, needing to be filled up.  Then we go to people wealthy, having love and strength from the Father to pour out on all.  In our society today, many men have believed the lie that they need to look around them to receive identity and strength from things like women, sports, careers, and possessions.  As a result, they become takers, sometimes even predators, looking to “get” what they need from their environment.  Sometimes they swing to the other side of the pendulum and take a passive stance in life, watching others get taken advantage of, but failing to take a stand.  What we are teaching our boys is they need to receive their identity and strength from Father God.  When they spend time in the Father’s presence, they walk away full of love and strength.  Then, they turn around and pour out protection and security to those around them who are vulnerable and in need.

This cycle creates a culture of men who honor and protect the women in their lives, and a culture of men who understand what it means to father their children.

For men, knowing they are a beloved son is crucial to this understanding.  When you are born, your parents fall in love with you instantly.  You did nothing to earn it, you did nothing to deserve it.  As a brand new baby you only know how to receive love.  That is how we need to approach the Father.  That is the foundation we all need in order to build the things of the Kingdom on, a foundation of undeserved, unearned, unconditional love from the Father.  Identity as a beloved son is what our young men need to become protectors.  

Young men, I challenge you to let the Kingdom of Heaven invade your life and receive the revelation of going to God poor, in order to pour out the wealth of the Kingdom on this world.  Bringing strength to those around you will change an entire generation!

Is this something that we can determine in our hearts to do today?