2026 Week 7 GraceMen Weekly Update
February 07, 2026 through February 14, 2026
Welcome to Week 7. As we continue pressing into what it means to follow Christ and renew our minds, this week's prayer and meditation take us to a verse that hits close to home for most of us. James 1:19 says, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." Notice that James doesn't just offer this as a suggestion. He says *know this*. It's a command rooted in love. And if we're honest, most of us have the order reversed. We're quick to speak, quick to react, and slow to really listen. But renewing our minds means retraining how we respond, not just what we believe. That starts in the everyday Christ-following moments: at the dinner table, in a tense meeting, during a hard conversation with your wife or your kids. Leadership often requires listening more than speaking. So this week, here's the challenge: where can you practice "quick hearing" with the people closest to you? Ask the Lord to reshape your instincts, because the old patterns won't change on their own. That's the work of the Spirit, and He is faithful to do it.
Prayer:
Lord, may I be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger in my interactions with others. (James 1:19)
James 1:19 - Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Meditation:
Leadership often requires listening more than speaking. How can you practice "quick hearing" with your family or coworkers this week?
Quote:
Sinclair Ferguson “This word patience suggests that a Christian is someone whose fuse gets longer and longer and longer, even in the face of provocation. … It’s because God has been so patient with us. So, as His children, we breathe in the family atmosphere and we learn by the Spirit to mimic Him.”
Events:
Thursday - February 12, 2026
- Morning Bible Study - 6am thru 7:15am
- At the Church in the Prayer Room
- Beginning our new series "Everyday Wisdom: Walking with Christ & One Another through the Book of Proverbs"
- Eugene Allen will be facilitating "Guard Your Heart"
Saturday - February 14, 2026
Morning Bible Study - 7am
- At the Church in the Prayer Room
- We will be in Week 5 of our 10 Week study on John Calvins "On the Christian Life"
- Facilitator: Eugene Allen
- Let Eugene Allen know if you are interesting in joining in.
Book Recommendation:
Taming the Tongue: How the Gospel Transforms Our Talk by Jeff Robinson Sr.
Men should read *Taming the Tongue* because it hits a nerve most of us recognize. Your words set the tone in your home, your friendships, and your workplace, and this book treats that as a spiritual issue, not just a personality quirk.
Jeff Robinson does not write like a guy handing out tips from the sidelines. He opens with a moment that many men can relate to: an older, wiser brother in the church sits him down and tells him straight, “You talk too much.” Robinson goes home, asks his wife if it is true, and she confirms it. That is the kind of honesty that makes you lower your guard and listen.
The point is not simply “say less.” Robinson keeps coming back to the Bible’s warning that our mouths reveal our hearts, and that words can either tear people down or bring real help. He walks through the ways men often sin with speech, things like criticism, sarcasm, boasting, flattery, and careless talk, and he connects them to what is going on inside us.
What makes the book worth your time is that it does not end with guilt. It argues that the gospel gives a real remedy for “troubled talk,” and that change is possible because God is not only honest about our sin, he is also gracious to transform us.
It also feels current. Robinson talks about “talking with our thumbs,” the damage we can do through texts, group chats, and social media when we fire off words too fast. And he presses on a skill many men avoid: listening, not to correct or coach, but to understand.
New Blog Articles:
A Year of Biblical Manhood: Introducing Our 2026 Content Strategy
The False Promise of Modern Masculinity: Peterson, Rogan, Tate, and the Call of Christ
Stop Being Casual: Why Men Need Serious Faith
Coram Deo,
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