Archive for December, 2025

You can give up, when HE gives up

Posted: December 31, 2025 in Inspirational
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As we all get ready today to celebrate the New Year and ring in 2026, I wanted to end the year by sharing some truths with you to hopefully start your new year off right. I want to talk briefly about our families and the sometimes (difficulties) that exist.

I get to see this first hand and I can tell you that the worst thing any of us can do about an estranged family relationship is to say we don’t care. Here is why; you, me, all of us…we were created to care about each other. It is in our DNA because we were made in the image of God.

And if you don’t care, I will pray for you.

As Christians, we don’t have the option to say I don’t care because of what Paul tells us, for Christ’s love compels us, no matter what the outcome you made at reconciliation between the estranged family member and yourself. Frankly put, the outcome is not up to us. You and I are to required move forward and try and resolve because Christ love compels us to. 

In other words, Christ’s love for me limits my options, focuses my energy, and leaves me with no other choice.

Guys…I want you to remember that Christ did something for you and me that was VERY uncomfortable for Him and He also requires us to do something uncomfortable. May I remind you that without the reality of Christ’s death, our relationship with God was severed and you and I would never have get any opportunity for salvation.

But Jesus, well, He put His comfort off to the side, came to Earth and promptly died for us. And, as a result of His death, He gave all of us an opportunity of salvation, should we choose to accept it. 

  • We were guilty, Christ pursued reconciliation.
  • You and I are at odds with God and still Jesus did everything he could to reconcile us.

Through Christ’s death, God literally removed every single obstacle in the way for us to reconcile with Him except one thing.

Uhhh…and that would be ME.

Guys, here is my point, Christ’s death removed the roadblocks to God and… if I can just get out of my own way, STOP, look towards Him…and then pursue Him. 2026 will be an amazing year.

So today, the last day of the year, I am encouraging you to reconcile with your estranged family members. Dont just focus on the things that they’ve done wrong or what we think they have done wrong, but instead, in spite of everything, do your best to set an example of Christs love for them.

Think of it this way, you and I can give up on our relationships with our father, brother or sister, or even our mom only when our Heavenly Father gives up on our relationship with us. Deal?

Happy New Year from Iron-man-strength.com blog and a wonderful 2026.

Until next year Guys-

He is our Heavenly Father

Posted: December 7, 2025 in Father
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“…when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds He inflicted.” Isaiah 30:26b 

I wanted to talk today just a little bit about the side of God that a lot of Pastors avoid because it isn’t easy to discuss. I am speaking about accountability, or the side of God that uses discipline to ensure compliance. God has used discipline on His own people throughout history when they chose their own path…and to be clear…many, many, times they chose their own path. Read through Isaiah 30: 1–26 and see what I mean.

But let’s steer this conversation back to our level because most of us grew up with a father in the house. And speaking just to the men, if your dad was anything like mine, discipline was required and used to ensure my brother and I did what he asked. Just like this entire blog is titled, using the “iron sharpens iron” method, my brother and I grew up to be contributing members of society…for the most part.

And guys, God worked the exact same way using discipline with his own chosen people, and when they rebelled against him, or specifically, when they intentionally chose to disregard His direction by not seeking Him first before making an alliance with Egypt to help them fight the Assyrians…He gave them over to their enemies and many of them were destroyed. Yes…tough love.

Yet the Bible tells us that deep in His heart, “the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:18

Guys, I have spoken about this before, but we either choose God or we don’t. But know that we will all judged for those choices. As Jerusalem found out the hard way in these verses…God will wait for a certain amount of time; If you move towards Him, you will receive salvation… If you move away from Him, He will give you over. In other words, God will give you exactly what you want…even though death is NOT what you want. But you cannot be foolish enough not to recognize that the way of sin is death?

Plain and simple… He is our Heavenly Father who loves us and cares for us, but at the same time, He will use discipline when deserved. We are all personally accountable for our own actions. It is our choice, we were all created with free will and each of us gets to do what we want to do. But the Bible is quick to remind us that all choices have an outcome. If we choose Him and the way of salvation, we get to live forever…with Him in Heaven.

At his core, I knew my father loved me because he told me but as his son, he required me to act in a certain way and follow his rules. If I didn’t, there were consequences that I did not like so I made the choice to listen and do what he asked. 

Our God requires the same from us…it’s really that simple. The only difference; the consequences. I urge you today to think about this and work to make the right choice for you and your family.

Remember, right now, you are in charge of your choices, so make the right one…

Until next time guys-