President Ronald Reagan once said, “Any mule can knock down a barn, but it takes a craftsman to build one.” If you need someone to tear something down, you can hire just about anybody off the street. There is no skill needed. Destruction comes easy. It takes someone special to build.

Semper Fi Fellowship is dedicated to the building of men. Using the Word of God, we have the blueprints to carefully construct rock solid Godly leaders of homes, communities and churches. Paul commands us in Ephesians 4:29:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Why is it that men feel so compelled to cut one another down instead of building each other up? Why engage in this business of put downs? This is an epidemic among men. I’ve noticed that the cut downs don’t normally occur when it is just two men together, but add a third man and watch the environment change! It will be the man with the weakest self esteem that will try to be the champion in making at least one of the other men look bad. This is a virtual truth. The man with the weakest ego will make the most noise. It takes a wise man…a faithful man…to obey the Lord and only speak those things that will build up other men.

Men, let us be committed this day, today, to only speak those things that build up other men. Can we take it to the next level? Call a friend, a brother, some other man and make it your mission today to speak to him what he needs to hear so that it may benefit him.

It is a devil’s lie that you are not worthy. It is his deception that you must resort to tearing others down to make yourself look big. The Lord has promised us; “humble yourselves in His sight and He will lift you up.” Whenever you wonder just how important you are….look to the cross. God thinks you are so valuable He allowed His Son to suffer and die…..for YOU!

A guest on the self-help show, Dr. Phil, made the following statement October 7, 2004; “I think men are supposed to be boys always. They just go through different stages and if wives understand that they can love them.” Dr. Phil did not endorse this statement. It is not the intent of this article to judge the qualifications or the accuracy of the person making this statement.

When I heard this statement, I was offended. I wasn’t offended because it is false, but rather because there was too much truth in it! There are far too many men who want a mommy and not a wife! At least that is how many of them act. A boy becomes a man when he is responsible. Men are not supposed to be boys! Men are to be responsible to their wives, their children, their family, their community, their employer, their God. Real men are Semper Fi men! They don’t ask their wives, like little boys, “can I go fishing?” Real men don’t ask their wives for permission to go golfing, hunting or a myriad of other personal activities. They don’t ask because they are not boys asking mommy for permission! They are men! They are men who know what their responsibilities are. A godly man knows what his wife needs. He knows what his children need. He knows what his family, community, church and employer need. He is faithful, sacrificial and dedicated to fulfilling his responsibilities.

Wives, don’t settle for a boy! Demand that you have a man. Unless of course you don’t want one. Some women would rather control a little boy that follow the lead of a godly man. This is unfortunate. Men should not dominate you, nor you them. Immature men are not something to be understood and put up with, they are to be challenged. Wives, challenge your man and make sure to reward his leadership; his servant leadership. To better understand how to recognize your husband and communicate with him in a way in which you get what you really want, I highly recommend you read, “Men Are From Mars, and Women Are From Venus” by Dr. Gray. Men you should read this too!

A real man, not a boy, then, can co-ordinate with his other half the various activities that he is planning. If you want to be a boy, stay single and live with mommy. If you want to be a man, grow up and be responsible. There are many marriages in crisis simply because there are too many boys and not enough men. Become a man! Take the lead! Be responsible! Don’t be selfish! Be dedicated! Be committed! Be Semper Fi! Hoorah!

What’s your mission for today, to just get through the day? Is your goal to do what you need to do and then retreat to your favorite sofa for the remote and some r & r? What a waste! Men, you have marching orders each day you wake up. Today’s mission is to carry out a full frontal assault of loving people. Get out of your self centered, self serving world and do something for someone else today. Target your love for someone who can do nothing to repay you. Our commander in chief has said, “All men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

Let’s begin by building the corp of Christian men. Call, visit, have lunch with a fellow soldier. Deepen those relationships. You say, “I don’t know how.” Make a commitment to be a part of the Semper Fi Fellowship and you will get the basic training to enable you to find, develop and maintain friendships. This blog will be dedicated to bringing you encouraging information on how to build a Semper Fi Fellowship where you are. Men, who are committed to God and to other men, are a powerful force in our world. Unfortunately, our enemy is good at diverting that energy in to activities that are, often time, meaningless. What are you doing today that will last for eternity? What is your mission today? Men, soldiers of Christ, arise! You have weapons that far exceed nuclear power! Move out this day under the banner of love! You have your orders. Fall out! Semper Fi!

Here is a great article that uses the Semper Fi theme as it applies to our families. Check it out soldier! http://www.christianitytoday.com/moi/2001/001/jan/18.18.html

This blog is dedicated to the fellowship of faithful men. I want to use this blog to lead men to develop powerful relationships with each other and God. Semper Fi is Latin for “always faithful” This is the motto for the U.S. Marines. It is my prayer that the army of God would take on this same motto in battling the enemies of light! Our enemy’s plan to conquer is nothing new. It is simply to divide and conquer. It is to get mighty warriors of God doing the insignificant through worldly diversions and petty quarrels. Let’s find ways to unite and not divide.