Physical Address
8440 Grace Street
Frisco, TX 75034
Week 34 – August 16, 2026 through August 22, 2026
This Week:
Brothers,
Welcome to week 34. Most of life’s important choices don’t arrive with flashing lights or dramatic music. They show up quietly, in ordinary conversations, in the middle of a busy workweek, in the small moment when you have to decide what kind of man you’re going to be right then and there. Some weeks that decision feels heavy, and other weeks it barely registers, but it’s shaping us either way. As we keep pressing into this idea of renewing our minds, let’s ask the Lord for something specific: not just new thoughts, but a new measuring stick for how we make decisions, one where faithfulness to Him outweighs convenience, other people’s approval, or just wanting things to go smoothly. That’s the kind of mind worth asking God to give us this week.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Meditation:
A renewed mind leads to discernment. Are you making decisions based on “what works” (pragmatism) or “what pleases God” (faithfulness)?
Quote:
“The only way to escape being conformed to the world is to be transformed. The customs of society will lead us away unless the grace of God rules in us with divine power. We are set to prove to the world what the mind of God is: may we have grace to accomplish our mission.” C.H. Spurgeon
Events:
Thursday – August 20, 2026
- We are “officially” off until September 10, 2026
Saturday – August 22, 2026
Morning Bible Study – 7am
- We are starting a new study. “Holiness – Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots” by J.C. Ryle
SAVE THE DATE:
- 2026 GraceMen Conference – October 9-10 2026. Friday evening activities and Saturday through mid-afternoon.
- Not Alone : Pursuing God’s Good Gift of Friendships
Book Recommendation:
“The Godly Man’s Picture” by Thomas Watson
Men today face relentless pressures to define manhood through achievement, control, or self-sufficiency—yet Thomas Watson’s The Godly Man’s Picture offers a far deeper vision rooted in Christlike character. One admirer even called it “required reading for every man in Church”.
Watson’s 24 marks of godliness—knowledge, faith, humility, prayer, zeal, patience—function as a practical diagnostic for spiritual maturity, not abstract theology. This matters especially for men, who often equate strength with hardness rather than the humility and sincerity Watson describes as essential to true godliness.
The book confronts hypocrisy directly, warning against “whitewashed tombs” that look righteous outwardly while lacking inward transformation. For men navigating leadership roles at home, work, or church, this call to sincerity over performance cuts through cultural pressure to appear strong rather than be genuinely faithful.
Watson also reframes suffering and self-denial as paths to strength, not weakness—affliction becomes “diamond dust” that refines character. This challenges the modern male instinct to avoid vulnerability, showing instead that patience and endurance under trial are marks of true masculine godliness.
Finally, the book’s emphasis on being “an instrument for making others godly” speaks directly to men’s discipleship responsibilities—as fathers, husbands, and mentors. Watson’s practical wisdom, paired with vivid illustration, makes this 350-year-old work remarkably relevant, offering men not a checklist but a transformative portrait of what it means to walk faithfully with God.
New Blog Posts This Week:
- Three Blockages and One Prayer: What a Heart Catheterization Is Teaching Me About Surrender
- Words and the Tongue Part 1: Covenant Speech in a World of Careless Words
- Know Your Enemy: The Real War Behind Your Struggles
Coram Deo,
GraceMen
